Dec. 27, 2012

Decadent Date Bars

From The Biggest Loser Dessert Cookbook

Though it will take a few extra minutes to chop the dates by hand, you'll end up with a better texture than you would if you pulsed them in a food processor. To create the perfect bars, you want the date pieces nicely chopped and bite-y, not at all paste-like. If you like your bars gooey (like I do), it's best to cook them 2 or 3 minutes under what is recommended in the recipe. But if you prefer a more finished-looking, pretty bar, stick to the full cooking time.

• Makes 16 servings
• Butter-flavored cooking spray
• 1 cup whole grain oat flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup egg substitute
• ¾ cup coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pound pitted dates, chopped into small pieces
• ¼ cup finely shredded reduced-fat unsweetened Coconut
• ¼ cup natural 70% cocoa mini dark chocolate chunks

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly mist an 11" × 7" glass baking dish with cooking spray. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set it aside. In a medium mixing bowl, using a sturdy spatula, mix the egg substitute, sugar, and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture until well combined, followed by the dates and 3 tablespoons of the chocolate chunks. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the coconut evenly over top, followed by the remaining 1 tablespoon chocolate. Bake for 24 to 26 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out sticky but not wet. Cool the bars on a wire rack until completely cool. Cut them into 16 bars, cleaning the knife in between each slice.

Per serving: 170 calories, 3 g protein, 36 g carbohydrates (8 g sugar), 2 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, less than 1 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 90 mg sodium

Healthy recipes from “The Biggest Loser Dessert Cookbook”

Courtesy of The Biggest Loser Dessert Cookbook: More Than 80 Healthy Treats That Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth Without Breaking Your Calorie Budget by Devin Alexander, The Biggest Loser Experts and Cast and Melissa Robertson © 2010 by Universal Studios Licensing LLP, The Biggest Loser ™ and NBC Studios, Inc., and Reveille LLC. All rights reserved.