Desserts - Honey Vanilla Cheesecake | Timi Gustafson, R.D.

Honey Vanilla Cheesecake
Cheesecake is a high fat dessert. With clever substitutions, you can create a creamy version with fewer calories and just as much flavor.

♥ Replace some cream cheese with lower calorie “cheeses.”
♥ Use juice instead of butter to bind crust.
♥ Use honey instead of refined sugar.

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:
1/3 cup walnuts
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
3.5 oz. orange juice
1-1/2 cups cottage cheese (1% fat)
1 cup ricotta cheese, low fat (about 7 oz.)
1 cup honey
4.5 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup yogurt, drained (drain in cheesecloth for 24 hours)
2 whole eggs
1 egg white
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 vanilla beans, split and seeds removed

Preheat oven to 350º. Chop walnuts in a food processor. Add graham cracker crumbs and orange juice. Stop mixing when mixture becomes sticky. Press mixture in an even layer in a springform pan. Purée all remaining ingredients until smooth. Blend in a food processor. Pour filling into the pan. Place in oven. Place a bowl of water under the cheesecake and reduce heat to 200º. Bake for an hour.