Chocopumpaisin Bars

Pumpkin pie is good. Chocolate is good. Raisins are kind of good. All together, they should make some sort of dessert item worthy of superlative praise, right? Um...sure.

All kidding aside, sometimes it's fun to make somebody something just out of the kindness of your heart. These pumpkin bars aren't too hard to make, and can be used for such an occasion. It's also a good idea to make something with pumpkin at least once every few weeks. It's just a rule I live by. Pumpkin never did any harm to me, so I'm returning the favor by including it in something I will give to someone else. It's a win-win-win.

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup whole wheat bread flour
1 can (14oz) pumpkin
1 cup chocolate (or carob) covered raisins
1 cup soy milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
1/3 cup warm water
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Ginger
Ground cloves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.















Mix the flaxseed meal and the warm water in a bowl and let it sit for about 10 minutes.















In another bowl, mix together the soy milk, and applesauce and let that sit for 10 minutes as well.















In a third bowl, mix both flours with the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, ground clove, and nutmeg.















After the flaxseed meal has soaked with the water, add the brown sugar and use a whisk to beat it silly for a few minutes.














Go back to the soy milk and applesauce and mix in the pumpkin and vanilla.















You now have three separate bowls of ingredients.















Add the flaxseed meal/brown sugar mix to the flour bowl first, and mix it until crumbly.















Now add the chocolate covered raisins.















Finally, add the soy milk/applesauce/pumpkin mixture and mix it completely, until there are no lumps.















You can grease a 9-by-13 pan after that.















Spread the mix into the pan, making sure to reach the corners.















Bake for about 30 minutes, until the edges start to brown.















Once you're finished, add your favorite frosting or glaze. I'm using a cinnamon glaze in this picture.















Variations:
You do not have to use chocolate covered raisins, regular raisins, or even cranberries would work fine.
If you do not want to use frosting or glaze, that's fine too, but note that you can't go wrong with vanilla, cinnamon, or ginger.