HOLIDAY 2011 RECIPE

Cheese Cake with Berry Good Crust – Makes 12 servings

 For the Filling:

• 16 ounces light cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup Fage Greek yogurt, plain, non-fat
• 1 cup light sour scream
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 cup sugar substitute (Truvia, XyloSweet, Splenda, etc)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 T. table sugar
• 2 T. lemon juice

For the Crust:  (you will need a spring-form pan)

•   -  2 cups of Lydia’s Organics Berry Good Cereal
•   -  1 egg white, slightly beaten with a fork
•   -  1 tsp. vanilla extract
•   -  1 T. table sugar + 1 T. sugar substitute

Instructions for the crust: In a blender, grind the berry good cereal into fine crumbles, for about 1 minute. Pour into a mixing bowl and add the sugars, vanilla extract, and slightly beaten egg white.  Mix until all the cereal is moist.  Spray a spring form pan with non-stick spray and flatten crust evenly on the bottom with the flat side of a spoon.  Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.  Do not burn edges.  Remove from oven. 

Instructions for the filling:  Put cream cheese, yogurt and sour cream in large bowl and using a beater, mix until smooth.  Add the egg yolks, one at a time.  Mix in the remaining ingredients and blend for another minute, except the egg whites.  Set aside.  In another bowl, blend the egg whites with a mixer on high speed until the egg whites are fluffy but not too firm.  Slowly fold the egg whites into the cream cheese batter.   

To bake:  Pour the filling into the spring form pan and bake for about 40 minutes on 325, or until the center is cooked.  You will know it is cooked when the cake no longer jiggles in the middle and is slightly browned on top. Turn the oven off and open the oven door.  Let cake cool for about 1 hour.  Remove cake from oven, cover in plastic wrap, and place in fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight.  You can also serve the cheesecake warm. 

Variations:  Add ¼ cup of chopped dark chocolate to the crust before baking, add 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon to     the cheese cake for a different flavor, or serve with some fresh berries. 

Nutritional Content:  This is a low-carb dessert.  Don’t worry about the caloric content and enjoy on occasion as a special treat.

by Paula Hendricks, Nutritionist-C