Recipe Collection: Whole Grain Lemon Bars

Daily Tip: Re-purpose items you already have to keep costs down.

By Sara Shay, Contributing Writer

Lemon bars have always been a special treat.  Refreshing, tart and just plain yummy.  You know how sometimes you just can’t wait to bite into what you’ve just made?  A few years ago I discovered how good warm lemon bars are!

I’ve never been good at pastry, so the crust on this is actually a super simple shortbread dough.

Shortbread Crust

Ingredients:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sucanat brown sugar
• 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour

Directions:

Cream 1 stick (1/2 cup) of room temperature butter with 1/4 sucanat brown sugar.

Slowly mix in 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour.  Once dough has pulled together it is ready.

Just press into your pie dish or casserole dish or whatever you are using (you can even do individual portions in a muffin or mini muffin tin.

Blind bake this for about 8 minutes on 300 – just as it is browning.  Remove and allow to cool.

Whole Wheat and Honey Lemon Bars

Ingredients:

• Zest of 2 lemons
• 1/4 Cup or juice of 2 lemons
• 1/2 Cup Honey
• 4 Eggs
• 2 Tablespoons Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (for bars, which are a little firmer, double this)

Directions:

Whisk together all filling ingredients.

Make sure your crust is fully cooled, if you add the filling to a warm crust you will get a soggy shell.

Fill your shell and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350.

Let cool for about 5 minutes and serve this warm, gooey deliciousness.

What are some of your favorite treats that you’ve made a little healthier?