Butternut Squash Cheesecake Bars

By Kristen DeCesare, Dietetic Intern

Is Your Mouth Watering Yet?

Mine sure is! That’s how delicious these light and creamy bars were. Cheesecake has always been a favorite dessert of mine and I have yet to come across a kind that I don’t enjoy. Recently, I discovered this recipe by Ilona’s Passion, Ilona’s recipe, Butternut Squash Greek Yogurt Cheesecake Bars, and I fell in love! Her creation uses ingredients such as butternut squash puree, Greek yogurt cream cheese, and Greek yogurt. It was the first time that I have ever seen Greek yogurt cream cheese in a cheesecake recipe and I had to test it out for myself. I decided to switch up a few ingredients and see how this would all would work because it seemed too good to be true.

The Season is the Reason

This fall season I became so drawn to butternut squash. It was on sale EVERYWHERE, how could I resist? There’s so many benefits to buying seasonal produce. The cost is lower because there’s such an abundance of the product, the flavor is improved because the product can grow and ripen properly, the nutritional value is higher, and it is more environmentally friendly.(1) Butternut squash has a naturally sweet flavor with a decadent, buttery, orange flesh. It belongs to the Cucurbita moschata species along with pumpkin, cucumber, and courgette(2). It’s rich in beta carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium and magnesium. In Missouri, butternut squash in season anywhere from July to December. Get em’ before they’re gone!

Recipe Notes

Believe it or not, one of these bars packs less than 200 calories, crazy, right? They are also low in total fat, specifically, only 8 grams for one serving. Thanks to the butternut squash, the vitamin A content was 66 micrograms. The sugar content was also a total of 13 grams. For this recipe, I switched out refined white sugar for organic cane sugar. It’s much less processed than white sugar and has the succulent taste of sugarcane along with some of the nutrients that are found in cane juice(3). For the crust, I added 1% milk to help bind the crust together. I also feel that a recipe can never have too much cinnamon so I increased the original amount by ½ teaspoon. I loved how this recipe featured Greek yogurt cream cheese, it was my first time trying it and I’m pleased to say that I was impressed. It packs nearly four times more protein and ½ the fat compared to regular cream cheese and has a slightly tangy flavor. This product was a great addition to the cheesecake because it helped make the texture so creamy and delicious.

Let’s Get to the Good Stuff, Shall We?

Let’s get to baking! Scroll below for some awesome pictures from my baking adventure. More detailed steps can be found in the recipe towards the end of this (awesome) blog.

Featured Steps:

Grab some parchment paper and get to work! Cut a piece that will fit inside your 8x8 pan. Get your ingredients ready to make the graham cracker crust.

This is that beautiful “sandy” texture you should be looking for. Look at the size of those tasty granules!

Once your crust is made, press it into the bottom of the parchment-paper lined pan. Make sure that it is evenly spread out.

While the crust is baking, combine the Greek yogurt cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and cane sugar together. Mix until combined. Add in the egg and mix again. Make sure to scrape your bowl! The mixture should look creamy before adding the remainder of the ingredients. If you feel that the batter is too lumpy, try pushing it through a strainer.

After adding and mixing the remaining ingredients, the cheesecake is ready to be baked. Make sure to check the center of the pan to check the doneness, it shouldn’t wiggle if you lightly shake the pan. The result of this creation are these decadent morsels. The butternut squash contributed to such a beautiful color and flavor of these bars, I had to keep myself from scarfing down the entire pan! 

Recipe:

Butternut Squash Cheesecake Bars

“Adapted from Butternut Squash Greek Yogurt Cheesecake Bars- Ilona’s Passion”. Recipe. Ilona. Ilona’s Passion. N.p., 7 Oct. 2016. Web. 20 November 2016.

A light, creamy seasonal treat to delight your taste buds this holiday season

Yield:	1, 8x8 pan		Serving Size: 1 bar                    Number of Servings: 12

Ingredients: For the crust: Graham cracker crumbs Butter, unsalted, melted Milk, 1% For the cheesecake: Greek yogurt cream cheese brick Organic cane sugar Greek yogurt, plain* Egg, whole Butternut squash puree* Cornstarch Cinnamon, ground Nutmeg, ground Vanilla extract

US Standard Quantities 1½ cups ¼ cup 2 teaspoons 8 oz. (1 brick) 1 cup 1 cup 1 each ½ cup 1 teaspoon 1½ teaspoons 1/8 teaspoon 1 teaspoon

Method of Preparation:

1. Gather all ingredients and equipment.
2. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place parchment paper on the bottom of your 8x8 baking pan.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and milk. Mix together until a “sandy texture” is achieved. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake for 15-20 minutes until fragrant. Remove and set aside.
4. While the crust is baking, prepare your cheesecake in a standard mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Combine the cream cheese, cane sugar, and Greek yogurt. Mix on medium speed until there are no lumps.
5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add in the egg and mix on medium speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
6. Add in the butternut squash puree, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. Pour the mix into the pan with the pre-baked graham cracker crust and bake for 30 minutes or until the center of the pan does not jiggle.
7. Let cool 30 minutes to 1 hour before cutting into 12 portions, serve and enjoy! Store any remains in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

*Chef’s Notes: You will need just a little over 1 container of plain Greek yogurt to measure out 1 full cup. For this recipe, you can make the butternut squash puree ahead of time by cutting the butternut squash into halves and placing them cut side down on a baking sheet lined with foil. Roast them for 30-40 minutes at 375°F until they are fork tender. Scoop out the innards and mash with a potato masher or puree with a food processor. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Nutritional Analysis: Per serving Calories 176 Carbohydrates: 21 g Folate: 5 mcg Total Fat: 8 g Fiber: 0 g Calcium: 57 mg Saturated Fat: 4 g Cholesterol: 35 mg Iron: 0 mg Protein: 5 g Vitamin B-12 .02 mcg Sodium: 170 mg Mono Fat: 1.8 g Vitamin A 66 mcg Sugar 13 g ______________________________________________________________________________

Sweet Endings

I hope that you enjoyed this recipe as much as I did! It would be a great addition to a Thanksgiving feast, or just for when you’re feeling like indulging in something oh-so sweet and delicious. 

Happy Eating!

________________________________________________________________________________

Resources:

[1]6 Benefits of Eating Seasonal Produce | Reboot With Joe. (2016). Retrieved November 21, 2016, from http://www.rebootwithjoe.com/benefits-of-eating-seasonally/

[1] "Butternut Squash Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits." Nutrition And You.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2016. <http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/butternut-squash.html>.

[1] "Organic Cane Sugar vs Other Sweeteners: How They Measure Up, Part 1 | SmartyPants Vitamins." SmartyPants Vitamins. N.p., 17 June 2016. Web. 21 Nov. 2016. <https://smartypantsvitamins.com/organic-cane-sugar-vs-other-sweeteners-how-they-measure-up-part-1/>.