Orange Colored Healthy Treats For Halloween

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

Sometimes the only way to get your children to eat fruits and vegetables is to disguise them. If that's the situation you find yourself in this recipe may come in handy. My mother is making these kid-friendly mango bars to take to her church's Halloween/All Saint's Day Party. They're easy to make and delicious. What's more, you don't have to live in Hawaii (my mom does) to obtain the ingredients.

Mangoes, once considered an "exotic" fruit, are readily available at practically every market in the world. (Hey, if I can get them in Wisconsin, you shouldn't have a problem getting a few in your home town.)

And just in time for Halloween, these bars are orange (it doesn't hurt to stick with the colors of the season), a healthy alternative to candy (each square has just 130 calories, and 7 grams of total fat-which means you can indulge without the guilt), and can be made in less than an hour.

MANGO BARS

Crust:

2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup butter

Filling:

4 cups chopped mangoes

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

3 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 3 tablespoons water

Topping:

2 cups quick oats

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

2/3 cup butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make crust: Combine flour and sugar in bowl. Cut in butter. Press into 13-by-9-inch pan. Bake 7 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned.

To make filling: Combine mangoes, sugar, water and lemon juice in pan. Cook about 10 minutes, until mangoes are tender. Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened. Cool slightly. Pour over prepared crust.

To make topping: Combine oats, flour and sugar. Cut in butter. Sprinkle over mango mixture. Bake 50 minutes. Cool and cut into bars. Makes 4 dozen.

I tend to double the recipe since I allocate about two bars per person. You may want to do the same if you are taking the treats to a large party.

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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