445th Airlift member provides healthy holiday recipe

  • Published
  • By Susan Belna
  • Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  The holiday season is fast approaching and cookies, pies and homemade treats are ready to tempt us with all of their unhealthy calories. However, Stacy Vaughn, 445th Airlift Wing Public Affairs, has created a recipe that not only tastes great but is good for you. Her recipe, holiday cranberry-orange pistachio bars, has less than 200 calories per serving. She entered her dessert in the 3rd Annual Wright-Patt Culinary Competition on Nov. 3 at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base hospital dining room. She had two hours to complete her dessert before the judges announced a winner. Considering one slice of grandma's pumpkin pie can have well over 200 calories, Stacy's recipe can be a great way to have your dessert and eat it too.

Holiday cranberry-orange pistachio bars recipe

16 bars | Active Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 1 1/4 hours (not including cooling time)

Ingredients:

Crust
· 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
· 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
· 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
· 2/3 cup whole-wheat pastry flour, (can substitute whole wheat flour)
· 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
· Pinch of salt

Topping
· 3/4 cup granulated sugar
· 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
· 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
· Pinch of salt
· 1 large egg
· 1 large egg white
· 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
· 1/4 cup orange juice
· 2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen, thawed, coarsely chopped
· 1/3 cup pistachios, preferably unsalted, chopped and toasted

Preparation
1. To prepare crust: Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Beat butter, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and brown sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Stir in whole-wheat flour, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour and salt until well combined (the mixture will still be crumbly). Evenly press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until just barely golden around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. To prepare topping: Combine 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add egg, egg white, orange zest and juice; stir until blended and smooth.
4. Sprinkle cranberries over the baked crust. Pour the orange mixture over the cranberries and sprinkle with pistachios.
5. Bake until golden and set, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack; if possible, chill before cutting into squares.

Nutrition
Per serving : 126 Calories; 4 g Fat; 2 g Sat; 1 g Mono; 19 mg Cholesterol; 22 g Carbohydrates; 2 g Protein; 1 g Fiber; 44 mg Sodium; 58 mg Potassium