How do I improve this recipe?

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FeelTheBurn73
FeelTheBurn73 Posts: 14
in Recipes
What substitutions or omissions can make these delicious raspberry bars slighty healthier?

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Raspberry-Oat-Bars/

Ingredients (serves 24):

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 (10 ounce) jar raspberry preserves

Replies

  • learning2fly4
    learning2fly4 Posts: 303 Member
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    I would suggest cooking down your own fruit, then you can control the amount of sugar in the preserve portion.

    I've had these before and there legit YUM!
  • loombeav
    loombeav Posts: 391 Member
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    Use the splenda blend for the Brown Sugar, that will reduce the calories, use whole wheat flour instead of bleached and look for all natural no sugar added preserves for the Raspberry Preserves.
  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
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    You can replace some of the oil with flax or applesauce. And usually, you can cut down on the amount of sugar without even adding anything--I'd cut that sugar to 3/4 and it would be like it never happened. I'd also use whole wheat flour; I make almost everything that calls for flour with whole wheat, but I use slightly less, and it's more dense.
  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
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    And ditto the preserves suggestion.
  • carajo
    carajo Posts: 532 Member
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    I would use sugar free raspberry preserves, applesauce instead of butter, and whole wheat flour, and splenda brown sugar blend....sounds yummy!!
  • strunkm4
    strunkm4 Posts: 266
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    Try subbing in applesauce for the butter (3/4 cup applesauce + 1-2 tbsp oil)
    Also, try using 3/4 cup regular all purpose flour and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
    Smuckers makes a Sugar Free Raspberry Preserve, that would cut back on using regular preserves.

    Hope this helps! I spend my day trying to re-create recipes (my mom owns a restaurant and it gives me something to keep me busy! Lol) The key is to just play around with it :)
  • CharityEaton
    CharityEaton Posts: 508
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    in most recipes you can substitute the butter with unsweetened applesauce....sometimes you might have to add a bit more flour to get the right consistency.
    Also, I would play with the sugar a bit...maybe try cuttng the amount in half.
    Make sure that you use a low cal. raspberry preserves or even a sugarfree raspberry preserves.
    Sometimes you have to experiment a little bit to get the recipe just right so make sure you make notes of what you did. I would also try cutting the recipe in half until you get it down, that way you don't waste as much stuff trying to get it right.
  • FeelTheBurn73
    FeelTheBurn73 Posts: 14
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    Oh my goodness, thank you so much! :) I'm gonna make a few smaller batches and experiment this weekend. Never would have thought of the applesauce idea.
  • valpreston
    valpreston Posts: 28
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    I guess you could use raspberries (mashed?) instead of preserves, swap out some of the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat, and cut back on the sugar (half cup could be palatable). Not sure what you would do about all the butter, I doubt that substituting applesauce would work.
    So you could cut down some of the sugar in the recipe.
  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
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    I guess you could use raspberries (mashed?) instead of preserves, swap out some of the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat, and cut back on the sugar (half cup could be palatable). Not sure what you would do about all the butter, I doubt that substituting applesauce would work.
    So you could cut down some of the sugar in the recipe.

    Applesauce is a very acceptable substitute for oil (aka: butter) in most any baked goods. Flax is better, IMO (I use flax instead of eggs AND oil in my cookies, and they are delicious)!!

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