Raspberry Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars

You can’t beat this dessert for less than 150 calories and 18 g carbohydrates! I got the inspiration for this recipe from Eatingwell, but I made some modifications along the way based on what ingredients I had on hand. It is not the easiest recipe to make as it requires 2 pans, a food processor, and an electric beater, but they did come out tasty!

 

Flavor Profile: The crust of this tasted similar to a graham cracker crust but the nuts give it a lovely flavor, and add some healthy fats and protein to the dessert. The cream cheese is swirled into a berry sauce, so it isn’t too rich, but is full of flavor. The recipe is Diabetic-friendly (about 1 exchange), but you could also substitute splenda baking sugar to reduce the grams of sugar even further.

 

As with most pies/desserts the first piece wasn’t the prettiest, but it still tasted out of this world!

 

Raspberry Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

Makes 12 servings

Time: About 3 hours 30 minutes

 

Crust:

¾ cup white whole wheat flour

½ cup pecans

2 Tbsp white sugar

3 Tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces

2 Tbsp ice water

½ tsp vanilla extract

Filling:

1 ½ cups frozen blueberries, unsweetened

1 ½ cups frozen raspberries, unsweetened

1/3 cup white sugar

2 Tbsp corn starch

 

4 Tbsp low-fat cream cheese

1 Tbsp confectioner’s sugar

2 Tbsp milk or water

 

Directions:

1. To prepare crust: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray a 8x8 inch baking pain.

2. Place flour, nuts, and sugar in a food processor and process until nut are finely ground. Add butter 1 piece at a time, pulsing several times after each addition. Add water and vanilla and pulse until just combined.

3. Transfer into baking dish and press crust into the pan. Bake about 15 minutes (until set but not browned). Set aside.

4. Place berries and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until bubbling. Add cornstarch, stirring well. Cook until thickened to almost jam texture. Transfer to a bowl and place in refrigerator to cool for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes)

5. Beat cream cheese, confectioners sugar, and milk in a bowl until smooth.

6. Spread the berry mixture on the crust. Dollop cream cheese mixture and swirl into the berry mixture with a butter knife.

7. Refrigerate bars for about 3 hours, until completely set.

 

Nutrition Facts: 140 calories, 7 g fat (2.5 g saturated), 18 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 2 g protein, 50 mg sodium