Pumpkin Pie Bars and Beans?  Will that work?  After I made my Black Bean Brownies last time, I was really excited about getting more beans in my diet by hiding them in dessert dishes. Pumpkin seemed like a natural to hide the bean taste and I think it worked out pretty well.

This time I used Old El Paso Fat-free Refried Beans. That might sound a little strange because they have a little more than just beans. Actually, the label says “Ingredients: Cooked Beans, Water. Contains less than 2% of: Salt, Tomato Paste, Sea Salt, Chili Powder, Sugar, Onion Powder, Natural Flavor, Garlic Powder. So, they are mostly just beans.

But why? With all the kinds of beans available, why did I chose these refried beans? The answer is that I was being lazy. I really don’t like digging out my food processor. I have used these kind of beans before so I knew they come already “mushed up.”  With these, I didn’t get out the food processor. I just mixed the ingredients in my stand mixer and it worked just fine.

Pumpkin Pie Bars

• 1 can fat-free refried beans (Old ElPaso)
• 3 TBSP olive oil –
  I use Kroger Lighter Flavor Olive Oil
• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup pumpkin
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice*

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients well. I used stand mixer and let it mix on high for a couple of minutes.
3. Spray an 8 inch baking pan with cooking spray.
4. Add the mixture
5. Bake at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out nearly clean.
6. When cool, cut into 12 squares.
7. Store in the refrigerator. They are even better when cold anyway.

* Substitute for 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice

• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp ginger
• ¼ tsp cloves

Tastes like pumpkin pie without the crust. Tastes fine with a small blob of Fat Free Cool Whip.

Needs a little more oomph to make it bars. Next time add ½ cup oatmeal. Increases calories to 137.

Similar recipe at https://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/32371/pumpkin-pecan-pie-squares/ for 13×9 pan puts ½ cup pecans and ¼ cup brown sugar on top.  Could replace ½ of brown sugar in bars with Splenda, then put this on top. With the oatmeal, goes to 168 calories.