Recipe for lentil raspberry bars

Many people don’t think of beans as a dessert ingredient, but lentils add nutrition and fibre to these tasty bites.

Lentil raspberry chews recipe

Base

• 325 ml (1 1/3 cups) whole-wheat flour
• 75 ml (1/3 cup) sugar
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) baking powder
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) cinnamon
• Pinch salt
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) reduced-fat margarine
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) raspberry jam

Filling

• 250 ml (1 cup) cooked lentils (canned or cooked from dry)
• 175 ml (3/4 cup) brown sugar
• 75 ml (1/3 cup) all-purpose flour
• 7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) baking powder
• Pinch salt
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 175 ml (3/4 cup) unsweetened shredded coconut
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) chopped pecans (optional)

Heat oven to 190 C (375 F).

Base:

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Cut in margarine until coarse crumbs form. Stir in egg and mix thoroughly. Press dough into a 33-by-23-cm (13-by-9-inch) baking dish and bake for 10 minutes until firm.

Let cool and then spread a thin layer of jam over base.

Reduce oven temperature to 180 C (350 F).

Filling:

In a blender, puree lentils with about 50 ml (1/4 cup) water until smooth (about the consistency of canned pumpkin).

In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix in lentil puree, vanilla and eggs. Add coconut and pecans, if desired. Spread mixture on top of jam.

Bake until firm, about 35 minutes.

Let cool and cut into 18 bars.

Makes 18 bars.

Nutrition information per serving (one bar): 218 calories; 4.1 g protein; 9.75 g fat (6.05 g saturated fat); 31 mg cholesterol; 30.5 g carbohydrates; 3.3 g fibre; 131.45 mg sodium.

Source: Pulse Canada (www.pulsecanada.com)