Pumpkin-Coconut-Date Bars

Pumpkin-Coconut-Date Bars

Ingredients:

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup whole wheat flour*

1/2 cup white flour

1 cup brown sugar (I used 1/2 cup of Splenda brown sugar)

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp canola oil

1/2 cup chopped dates

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

*I used 1/2 cup of whole wheat and 1/2 cup of regular white flour for this recipe. The bars were tasty, but pretty dense. I recommend using 1 cup of white flour and nixing the whole wheat flour all together.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine pumpkin, brown sugar, vanilla, and oil, then mix in flour (both kinds) and baking powder.

3. Stir in dates, coconut, and walnuts to mixture.

4. Coat 8X8 baking pan with cooking spray and spread mixture evenly in pan (photo below).

5. Bake for 15-18 minutes at 350 degrees until batter is mostly firm.

6. Top with additional coconut shavings and cook for another 8-10 minutes on 450 degrees until coconut begins to brown.

7. Cut into bars (mine were approximately 2X3).

Mixture before going into the oven...

... and right out of the oven, piping-hot with golden-brown shredded coconut.

I'm not at all hungry after eating breakfast, but I just had to sample one! The first bar was... delicious! I enjoyed this Pumpkin-Coconut-Date Bar with my iced coffee.

National Women's Health Week: May 11-17, 2008

From the womenshealth.gov website:

"National Women's Health Week empowers women across the country to get healthy by taking action. The nationwide initiative, coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health (OWH), encourages women to make their health a top priority and take simple steps for a longer, healthier and happier life. During the week, families, communities, businesses, government, health organizations and other groups work together to educate women about steps they can take to improve their physical and mental health and prevent disease, like:

• Engaging in physical activity most days of the week

• Making healthy food choices

• Visiting a healthcare provider to receive regular check-ups and preventive screenings

• Avoiding risky behaviors, like smoking and not wearing a seatbelt"

Just wanted to highlight this important week! Happy Women's Health Week!