Cantaloupe Cake Bars

Makes 12 Servings
My boys love, love, LOVE cantaloupe so they get VERY excited when I make this great little dessert. The original recipe used a box of cake mix and a lot of butter. I made my own cake mix based on how my great friend, Mandy, did in THIS recipe. Then I substituted some of the butter with olive oil, replaced the white sugar with sucanat and Agave nectar, and used whole wheat flour instead of white flour. The results were a delicious dessert that is still a bit indulgent but packs 4g of Fiber, 4g of Protein, 33% DV of Vitamin A, and 27% DV of Vitamin C. 

Ingredients:
Homemade Cake mix –

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (I used King Arthur’s White Whole Wheat)
• 1 1/2 cups of sucanat (can use turbinado/brown sugar but it won’t be “clean”)
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp of baking powder
• 1/4 cup of light butter, cut into small pieces

Crunch Bars -

• 3 cups cubed cantaloupe
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup Agave nectar (can use honey)
• 1 Tbsp whole wheat flour (I used King Arthur's White Whole Wheat)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup olive oil

ONE: Preheat the oven to 350. Using a food processor or your hands, blend together the homemade cake mix ingredients until well mixed and the same consistency as packaged cake mix.

TWO: In a 9-inch square baking dish, mix together the cantaloupe, lemon juice, Agave, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Spread the dry cake mix evenly over the top.

THREE: Drizzle the olive oil over the cake mix. Bake for 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving - 308 Calories (118 from Fat), 13g Total Fat, 4g Saturated Fat, 10mg Cholesterol, 196mg Sodium, 45g Total Carbohydrates, 4g Dietary Fiber, 8g Sugars, 4g Protein, 33% Vitamin A, 27% Vitamin C, 12% Calcium, 12% Iron

:)