Strawberry Lemon Bars

I am so excited to welcome Christie from Food Done Light. Christie and I have worked together over the years, but just had the opportunity to meet this past October. She is even lovelier in person than I imagined.  Be sure to stop by and enter to win the Blendtec 725 Blender that she is giving away!  As well as check out Cupcakes & Kale Chips for some Healthy Snacks or Love Bakes Good Cakes for some Healthy Meal Ideas for our #EatHealthy16 Series.

Just because you are vowing to eat healthfully, does not mean you cannot enjoy a little dessert now and then. Using better for you ingredients like whole wheat, fresh fruit and less sugar is what these Strawberry Lemon Bars are all about.

Strawberry Lemon Bars

Hi there. I am Christie from Food Done Light where my motto is "Healthy living one bite at a time".  Jenny's Eating Healthy 16 campaign fits perfectly, and I am so happy that she included me. It is so nice to meet you all.  Today is all about healthy desserts. In some alternate universe I might be able to live without a little sweet dessert, but oh does it sound depressing.  A world without a slice of cake on my daughter's birthday or the occasional ice cream cone in the heat of the summer just does not sound like a world I want to live in.  So the key is to find ways to enjoy these tasty sweet treats in a healthier way.  Yippee!  (Eating a few salads and healthy meals along the way  will help too, like Quinoa Salad with Edamame, Sprouts and Almonds and Slow Cooker Italian Meatball Soup.)

I always cut out sugar from a dessert recipe.  Did you know you can easily cut out ¼ cup sugar from almost any recipe without noticing any change in taste or texture?  Since I've been cutting sugar, I find that most desserts are too sweet for me.  The first time I realized my sweet tooth did not like things quite as sweet felt amazing.  I had set a goal, and I had definite proof that I had achieved it.  It felt like winning a gold medal.  Ok maybe not quite like winning a gold medal in the Olympics, but it was hugely rewarding.  In this recipe I cut the sugar from a normal bar recipe.  I also used whole wheat pastry flour to increase the fiber.  Lastly, I tackled a little of the fat by using some real butter and more Greek yogurt cream cheese in the crust.  I love that little trick of replacing some real butter with a reduced fat cream cheese and used it in my Strawberry Cream Cheese Oatmeal Bars.

With a few simple swaps, you can still enjoy a little sweet treat in a healthier way. Thanks so much for joining me today.  You can find me over at Food Done Light also on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.  Pop on over and say "Hello" sometime and join in my journey of learning to live healthfully one bite at a time.  You can also enter for a chance to win a Blendtec 725 with Twister Jar.  Just imagine all the healthy food you could make with this amazing blender.

Whole Wheat Strawberry Lemon Bars

A simply delicious, yet healthy Strawberry Lemon Bar.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 bars

Ingredients

• ¾ cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar and sweetener mix
• 2 tbsp cold unsalted butter
• 2 oz cold Greek yogurt cream cheese
• 1 tbsp cold water
• 4 eggs
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup sugar
• ½ cup strawberry puree

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 F. In a food processor, pulse the flour and brown sugar together until just combined.  Add the butter and cream cheese. Pulse again until the butter is pea sized.
• Add the water and pulse a few more time. Pour mixture into an ungreased 8 x 8 x 2 inch baking dish. Press the crust down and into the corners. Make sure it is packed well.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

   Into the food processor, process the eggs, vanilla, sugar, strawberry puree and lemon juice for 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
• Pour topping over the hot crust. Bake for another 30 minutes. Cool and cut into 12 bars.