Mango Coconut Cheesecake Bars
Mango Coconut Cheesecake Bars
When you want a little sweet treat for the summer picnic or barbecue, look to these decadent but nutritious walnut-crusted goodies. I substituted walnuts for the usual graham cracker crust which gives it so much more flavor, higher omega-3 content and is just as simple. You’ll love the cottage cheese filling with its calcium-boost side bonus and by using egg substitute and fat-free cream cheese, the calorie count and total fat are way down. I’m on a mango and coconut kick but feel free to try other fresh fruit combinations like raspberries, peaches, papaya, pineapple.
Mango Coconut Cheesecake Bars
- Mango Coconut Cheesecake Bars
- 1 1/2 cups walnuts
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 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 Tbsp grated lemon rind
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Dash of salt
- 3/4 cup egg substitute:
- 1 cup chopped fresh mango
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
Crust
Filling
- Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
- To prepare crust: add walnuts and sugar to container of food processor fitted with metal blade. Cover and process until finely chopped. Add melted butter and pulse until well blended. (Mixture will resemble wet sand.)
- Press walnut mixture in bottom of prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until slightly brown around edges. Cool completely.
- To prepare filling: Combine cottage cheese and the next 6 ingredients (through salt) in a container of a food processor fitted with metal blade. Cover and process until smooth. Add egg substitute, and process until blended.
- Pour cheese mixture over cooled crust.
- Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until set. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until thoroughly chilled. Top with mango and coconut. Cut into 12 bars.
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