Healthified Spiced Carrot Cheesecake Bars

By krystallondon

Ingredients

• Spiced Carrot Bars
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 3/4 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup Gold Medal® whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 11/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup finely shredded carrots
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• 1/4 cup fat-free milk
• Yoplait® Yogurt Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting
• 1/2 cup frozen light whipped dessert topping
• 1/4 cup Yoplait® vanilla low-fat yogurt
• Reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over the edges of the pan. Lightly coat foil with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt. Add carrots, 1/2 cup of the nuts, the egg, oil, and milk. Stir just until combined. Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan.
3. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool bars in pan on a wire rack.
4. Using the edges of the foil, lift the uncut bars out of the pan. Spread top evenly with Yoplait® Yogurt Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup nuts. Cut into 20 bars.
5. Yoplait® Yogurt Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting: In a medium bowl, beat half of an 8-ounce package reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel), softened, with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in 1/4 cup Yoplait® vanilla low-fat yogurt until smooth. Fold 1/2 cup frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed, into cream cheese mixture.