Stone-Fruit Bars - 28g Carbs, 1g Fiber, 11g Added Sugar
From: Eating Well - September/October 2010
Try your favorite combination of stone fruit, such as peaches and
cherries, in these easy fruit bars.
Nutrition Profile - -
Diabetes appropriate | Low calorie | Low cholesterol | Low saturated
fat | Low sodium | Heart healthy | Healthy weight
Active Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 2 3/4 hours (including 1 1/2 hours cooling time)
Makes: 18 bars
--> Crust
1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds or hazelnuts) OR
old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (see Note)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
--> Fruit Filling
6 cups chopped peaches, nectarines, plums and/or cherries (any
combination, fresh or frozen), divided
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla extract
To prepare crust:
Combine 3/4 cup nuts (or oats), whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour,
sugar and salt in a food processor; pulse until the nuts are finely
ground. Add butter; pulse until well incorporated.
Whisk egg, oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla and almond extract in a small bowl.
With the motor running, add the mixture to the food processor. Process,
then pulse, scraping down the sides, if necessary, until the mixture
begins to clump, 30 to 45 seconds (it will look crumbly). Measure out
1/2 cup of the mixture and combine in a bowl with the remaining
1/4 cup chopped nuts (or oats). Set aside for the topping.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Generously coat a 9-by-13-inch baking
dish with cooking spray.
To prepare fruit filling & assemble bars:
Combine 4 cups chopped fruit, orange juice, sugar and cornstarch in
a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring
constantly, until the mixture is very thick, 4 to 5 minutes. (It
may take up to 10 minutes to get a thick result if you start with
frozen fruit.) Stir in the remaining 2 cups fruit and vanilla.
Transfer the dough to the prepared baking dish. Spread evenly and
press firmly into the bottom to form a crust. Spread the fruit
filling over the crust. Sprinkle the reserved topping over the filling.
Bake the bars for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F
and bake until the crust and topping are lightly brown, 25 to 30 minutes
more. Let cool completely before cutting into bars, at least
1 1/2 hours.
Tips & Notes - -
Make Ahead Tip:
Cover and refrigerate the crust and topping (Steps 1-2) for up to
1 day. Cover or individually wrap and refrigerate the cooled bars
for up to 5 days.
Note:
Whole-wheat pastry flour is milled from soft wheat. It contains less
gluten than regular whole-wheat flour and helps ensure a tender result
in delicate baked goods while providing the nutritional benefits of
whole grains. Find it at large supermarkets and natural-foods stores.
Store in an airtight container in the freezer.
Makes: 18 bars
Serving Size: 1 bar
Nutrition per Serving:
197 Calories, 9g Fat, 1g Sat, 1g Mono, 19mg Cholesterol, 3g Protein,
28g Carbs, 1g Fiber, 11g Added Sugars, 69mg Sodium, 147mg Potassium
Carbohydrate Servings: 2
Exchanges: 2 carbohydrate (other), 2 fat
