Banana-Coconut Bars

By Sarah-Lyn

These bars are dense and chewy, and they have a tendency to be tough on the outer edges of the pan, so be careful not to overstir the batter, which causes fat-free baked goods to toughen up, or to overbake them.

Ingredients

• For topping:
• 1/4 cup silken tofu, lite or regular
• 3/4 cup brown sugar or Sucanat
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 tablespoon rum (or 1/2 teaspoon rum extract)
• 2 large bananas, mashed
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sweetened flake coconut
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350F and oil or spray a 13x9-inch baking dish.

Mash or blend the tofu until smooth. Add the sugar and blend with a fork until creamy. Add the vanilla, rum, and mashed bananas, and stir well.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the coconut. Make a well in the middle and pour in the banana mixture. Stir only enough to moisten the flour (over-stirring makes them tough). Pour into the baking dish and put into the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.

Remove from the oven and while warm, cut into bars. Sprinkle the mixture of powdered sugar and cinnamon over the bars, reserving some to sprinkle onto the serving platter. Remove each bar and put it on the platter.

Enjoy warm or at room temperature. Leftovers make a great, quick breakfast.

Makes 12 nice-sized bars. Each contains 135 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (7% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 30g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 234mg Sodium; 1g Fiber.