Yum Yum Pumpkin Bars {Lowfat, Low Sugar Option}

These pumpkin bars are a simple, healthy treat … I make them multiple times every fall. My son adores them. Usually I frost them with a cream cheese frosting, but this year I thought I would try something different.

This year I decided to try a low-sugar version for my daughter. I used Stevia in the Raw in place of the sugar and topped them with mini-chocolate chips. I know, chocolate chips have sugar in them, but if she limits how many she eats, I think she could safely enjoy a bar or two and get a little chocolate fix in and (hopefully!) stay healthy. I don’t think she’s had ANY chocolate since we started this cut-the-sugar thing. I’m hoping this works for a safe, healthy “treat” for my girl … I guess if it doesn’t, there’s more for me! I wouldn’t complain one bit if I “had” to eat them all myself …

Yum Yum Pumpkin Bars {Lowfat … with Low Sugar Option}

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 24 bars 1x

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 1/4 cups cooked pumpkin puree or 2 1/4 cups butternut squash
• 2/3 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt (use plain yogurt to cut the sugar)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar (to cut sugar: use 1 cup Stevia in the Raw)

Dry ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cups flour
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

To top (option 1: for low sugar, skip the toppings)

• 2/3 cup high quality mini chocolate chips

To top (option 2: frosting …)

• 4 ounces low-fat cream cheese
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix the pumpkin or squash with vanilla, yogurt, eggs, and sugar.
2. Add the dry ingredients and stir until well mixed.
3. Spray a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan with cooking spray. Pour the batter into the pan and spread with a spatula till it’s pretty even across the pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, if you’re using those.
4. Bake at 350 F. for 25 – 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. If you are frosting your bars, mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla in a bowl till smooth. After the pumpkin bars have cooled to room temperature, frost them.

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Notes

If you use sugar and frost the bars with the cream cheese frosting, they are 115 calories per bar, with 10% of fat from calories.

If you use Stevia in place of sugar and chocolate chips in place of the frosting, the calories come to about 80 calories per bar.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bar

This recipe was shared at Fresh Foods Wednesday, Wednesday Extravaganza, Thursday’s Treasures, Full Plate Thursday, Blog Link Party, Halloween Blog Party, Tastetastic Thursday, Tasty Thursday, Foodie Friday, Farm Girl Blog Fest, Katherine Martinelli’s Halloween Bloghop, Dinner Party Extravaganza, Scrumptious Sunday, Weekend Potluck, Halloween Potluck Party and All my Bloggy Friends.