The holidays are a struggling dieter’s nightmare. With carry-ins, gift exchanges, and family gatherings, it seems as if everywhere you go, you’re surrounded by delicious holiday treats (baked with love and lots and lots of calories.) My holiday weakness: cheesecake. I just can’t resist. So I found a reduced fat cheesecake recipe that I’ll be bringing to all my holiday gatherings.
This light cheesecake is subtly flavored with peppermint, which makes it an ideal holiday dessert. Sprinkle some crushed candy canes on top for an extra minty flavor and crunch.
1/2 cup low fat Honey Graham Cracker crumbs (4 sheets)
1 8-ounce package reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1 8-ounce package fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
2-3 drops red food coloring (optional)
Mini candy canes to garnish
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a sealed plastic bag, crush cracker sheets with a rolling pin to make crumbs. Spray an 8-inch springform or loose-bottomed baking pan with nonstick spray. Cover pan base and side with foil wrap.
Press cracker crumbs on to base of pan. Bake for 8 minutes.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar together, mixing until smooth. Add egg and mix well. Beat in egg whites one at a time. Add peppermint extract and, if desired, food coloring to make a light pink color.
Pour cream cheese mixture into pan. Place cheesecake in a shallow roasting pan. Add enough hot water to cover the base of the roasting pan. The steam will help stop the cheesecake from cracking. Bake for 30-35 minutes until center is almost set. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove from pan (leaving it on the base). Cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Serve chilled.
Makes 8 servings.
Per Serving: Calories 195, Calories from Fat 73, Total Fat 8g (sat 4.4g), Cholesterol 49mg, Sodium 227mg, Carbohydrate 25g, Fiber 0.5g, Protein 5.5g
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