FN’s Top Recipes, Lightened Up: #4 Paula’s Pumpkin Bars
These delectable bars were number four on Food Network’s Top 50 Recipes of 2009. Here are a few simple tips to slim them down without using lower-fat ingredients (seriously!).
Guiltless Pleasure
This fan favorite recipe uses canned pumpkin, which adds moisture and flavor without much fat. Pumpkins are loaded with beta-carotene and the antioxidant lutein, which keep your eyes, skin and heart healthy.
Our Tips For A Lighter Version
For the bars, swap in canola oil instead of vegetable oil to make the fat more heart healthy.
For the icing, you could turn to low-fat cream cheese. Yes, this will skim off about 10 calories and a few grams of fat per bar, but to slim these babies down even more, there are two other options:
1. Simply half the icing recipe — this will save you about 50 calories, 5 grams of carbohydrates and 10 milligrams of cholesterol per bar (based on 24 bars).
OR
2. Save the same amount of calories as above by decreasing portions — make 48 bars (instead of 24).
- Check out more lighter tips for Food Network’s Top 50 Recipes:
- #4 Tyler’s Chicken Enchiladas »
what about replacing some of the whole eggs with egg whites?
Hi Sarah,
If you're looking to cut the cholesterol, I find that egg substitute work better than egg whites in these type of recipes. You would use 1/4 cup of egg substitute for each large egg. Let us know how it turns out. Enjoy!