Piña Colada Cheesecake Bars

This uses a small amount of coconut flour, which is slightly sweet, high in fiber (3 grams per tablespoon), and gluten-free. Look for it in health-food stores or order online from Bob's Red Mill (www.bobsredmill.com). You also can substitute an equal amount of all-purpose flour. Standard lemons work well in this recipe, but Meyer lemons, which have sweeter flavor, are a good substitute if you see them in the store (or have a tree in your greenhouse).

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 bar)

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 1  cup  graham cracker crumbs
• 2  tablespoons  coconut flour or all-purpose flour
• 2  tablespoons  turbinado sugar
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground ginger
• 2  tablespoons  butter, melted
• 1  tablespoon  canola oil
• 1  tablespoon  water
• Cooking spray
• 
  Filling:
• 1  cup  2% low-fat cottage cheese
• 1/2  cup  sugar
• 1/4  cup  (2 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  grated lemon rind
• 1  tablespoon  fresh lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon  pineapple juice
• 1/2  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• Dash of salt
• 3/4  cup  egg substitute
• 
  Remaining ingredients:
• 1  cup  chopped fresh pineapple
• 1/4  cup  unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare crust, combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Add butter, oil, and 1 tablespoon water; toss well. Press mixture into the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

To prepare filling, combine cottage cheese and the next 7 ingredients (through salt) in a food processor, and process until smooth. Add egg substitute, and process until blended. Spread cheese mixture over cooled crust. Bake at 350° for 33 minutes or until set. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until thoroughly chilled. Top with pineapple and coconut. Cut into 16 bars.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

117 (35% from fat)

Fat:

4.6g (sat 2.2g,mono 1.2g,poly 0.7g)

Protein:

4.1g

Carbohydrate:

15.4g

Fiber:

0.9g

Cholesterol:

6mg

Iron:

0.5mg

Sodium:

142mg

Calcium:

27mg