Healthy Halloween Recipes: Move Over Pumpkin

With 3 kids, I know the week before Halloween can be busy – finishing the perfect costume and all the Halloween parties – and of course they always signed me up for their class party snack duty! For a fun twist on one of my favorites, German Chocolate Cream Cheese Bars become festive when food coloring is added to the cream cheese layer to make them Halloween orange. These days you can find orange food coloring but you can always mix yellow and red for the perfect shade.  I always have bowl of chili or hearty soup on the stove to feed everyone leisurely and easily.  This year I am preparing my Southwestern Shrimp, Corn and Sweet Potato Soup  from Too Hot in the Kitchen, my new cookbook, as whenever I make it on TV, people are going home that day to make it for their family.  I have the orange theme going on, for sure!  For more healthy Halloween goodies you and your kids will have fun with, such as Creepy Crawlers and Jack-O’-Lantern Sandwiches, I have them all on  www.thismamacooks.com

German Chocolate Cream Cheese Bars

It’s like having two desserts in one with this simple to make bar cookie that combines German chocolate and cheesecake all in one bite. 

Makes 48 squares

1 (18.25-ounce) box German chocolate cake mix

1 egg

1/3 cup flaked coconut

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 (8-ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese

1 (16-ounce) box confectioners’ sugar

3 egg whites

1 teaspoon coconut extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.  Preheat oven 350°F.
2.  In large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, 1 egg, coconut, and butter.
3.  Pat mixture into bottom of 13  9  2-inch baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray.
4.  In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, egg whites, and coconut and vanilla extracts until mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour over mixture in pan.
5.  Bake 35–40 minutes or until top is golden brown. Cool and cut into squares.

Nutritional information per serving:

Calories 108, Calories from fat (%) 26, Fat (g) 3, Saturated Fat (g) 2, Cholesterol (mg) 11, Sodium (mg) 116, Carbohydrate (g) 19, Dietary Fiber (g) 0, Sugars (g) 15, Protein (g) 1, Diabetic Exchanges: 1 1/2 carbohydrate, 1/2 fat

Terrific Tidbit: For a festive Halloween twist, use red and yellow food coloring to make orange in the cream cheese mixture.

for more healthy recipes visit www.hollyclegg.com