Sweet Pea Bars

Note from Cheri: This recipe is from a unique book called Vegetable Desserts -- Beyond Carrot Cake & Pumpkin Pie, by Elisabeth Schafer and Jeannette L. Miller, R.D. This is a handy tome to add to your library, especially if you're a gardener who has an overabundance of of crops. It also provides a sneaky way of getting kids (of all ages) to eat more veggies! This recipe, for instance, uses split peas to make a sweet, fruit studded treat. Marilyn Helton, of our Diabetic Dining on Fabulous Foods column, has provided the nutritional breakdowns and adapted the recipe so diabetics can plan fabulous treat into their menus.

2/3 C DRY split peas 2 C water 1 C skim milk 1/4 C vegetable or light olive oil 1 C sugar 2 eggs 2-1/2 C all-purpose flour, divided 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. cloves 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. salt 1 C raisins (diced prunes or another dried fruit could also be used) 1/4 C chopped nuts (optional)

Makes 24 Bars Combine split peas and water. Cook about one hour over very low heat to make a thick soup. (Add a little more water if it gets too thick to stir). Combine thick soup and skim milk and set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9" x 13" pan with oil or cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, sugar,and eggs; beat well. Sift 2 cups flour with baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt. Add sifted ingredients alternately with pea "soup" to egg mixture, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Dredge raisins and nuts in remaining 1/2 cup flour and stir into batter. Spread batter into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until evenly browned. Cut into 24 bars (4 x 6 rows). Per Bar: 152 Cal 4 gm Fat (1/2 gm Sat Fat) 26 gm Carb 20 mg Chol 107 mg Sodium 32 mg Calcium 4 gm Protein 2 gm Fiber Dietary Exchanges: 1 Starch/Bread 1/2 Fruit 1 Fat Do you need the Ultimate Cookie Sheets? Click for details.