HEALTHY PUMPKIN CARROT CREAM CHEESE BARS

HEALTHY PUMPKIN CARROT CREAM CHEESE BARS image

Number Of Ingredients 19

2 c whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ground ginger
⅛ tsp ground cloves
1 tsp sea salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 c sugar
½ c brown sugar
⅓ c Earth Balance (or other butter substitute)
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin
1 large carrot - shredded
Cream Cheese Topping:
4 oz light cream cheese
¼ c sugar
1 tbs skim milk

Steps:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 15 x 10 jelly roll pan with non-stick butter spray. In a small bowl, wisk together flour, spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In a large bowl, beat together sugar and butter substitute with an electric mixer on high until crumbly. With mixer on medium, slowly add eggs one at a time. Continue mixing and add pumpkin and carrots. Add flour mixture to the wet mixture until well combined. Pour into jelly roll pan. In a small bowl, wisk together cream cheese, sugar and milk until smooth. Drop teaspoon-fulls of topping over pumpkin batter and swirl and cut mixture into batter with a butter knife. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan completely on wire rack before cutting into squares.