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Berry-Ricotta Cheesecake

.Here, low-fat ricotta blended with reduced-fat Neufchâtel cheese gives this lighter, Italian-inspired cheesecake a great texture and all of the good cheese flavor you would want.

Ingredients


Crust

4 hazelnut or almond biscotti, (4 ounces)

1 tablespoon canola oil

Filling

4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, (Neufchâtel), softened

1 cup sugar

2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese

1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1/3 cup cornstarch

2 large eggs

3 large egg whites

2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping & Glaze

2 cups fresh berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and/or blackberries

1/4 cup red currant jelly
 
Preparation


1.Preheat oven to 300°F. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.

2.To prepare crust: Break biscotti into several pieces and pulse in a food processor until finely ground. Add oil and pulse until incorporated. Press the crumbs evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.

3.To prepare filling: Beat cream cheese in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add sugar and beat until smooth. Add ricotta, yogurt, cornstarch, eggs, egg whites, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt. Beat until well blended. (Alternatively, mix ingredients in a food processor.) Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

4.Bake the cheesecake until the edges are puffed but the center still jiggles when the pan is tapped, 50 to 55 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake stand, with the door ajar, for 1 hour. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. (The top may crack.)

5.to glaze & garnish cheesecake: Place the cheesecake on a platter and remove pan sides. Arrange berries on top. Warm jelly in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, until melted. With a pastry brush, coat the berries with the jelly glaze. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate until cold.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
Equipment: 9-inch springform pan

Nutrition

Per serving: 258 calories; 9 g fat (4 g sat, 2 g mono); 62 mg cholesterol; 37 g carbohydrates; 9 g protein; 1 g fiber; 176 mg sodium; 128 mg potassium.



Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (16% daily value), Calcium (15% dv).



2 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 2 1/2 other carbohydrate

Lemon-Yogurt Cheesecake

This cheesecake invites guiltless indulgence. It is best chilled and served the same day. If you don't have cherries, substitute an additional 1 cup blueberries.


Ingredients


Crust

1 cup graham-cracker crumbs

1/2 cup gingersnap crumbs

1/3 cup crushed walnuts

1/3 cup canola oil, or corn oil

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Cheesecake

2 cups yogurt cheese, made from 48 ounces low-fat yogurt

8 ounces low-fat cream cheese, softened

4 eggs, at room temperature, well beaten

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

1 cup low-fat yogurt, (8 ounces)

Mixed Fruit Topping

4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup fresh cherries, pitted

12 strawberries, quartered lengthwise
 
 
Preparation


1.To make crust: Butter and chill a 9-inch spring-form pan. Mix all ingredients together. Press into the bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the sides of the pan. Chill at least 15 minutes.

2.To make cheesecake: Preheat oven to 300°F. Beat together yogurt cheese, cream cheese, eggs, sugar, lemon juice and peel with an electric mixer. Stir in yogurt. Spoon mixture carefully into the crust-lined pan.

3.Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the center sets. Cool in the over with the door ajar for 1 hour. Refrigerate 3 hours or more and unmold.

4.To make topping: Combine 2 tablespoon honey and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in small saucepan. Blend well, add blueberries and boil gently 2 to 3 minutes until mixture clears. Remove from heat and cool.

5.In a separate saucepan, prepare cherries in the same manner, with the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons honey. Spread a layer of cherries around the outside edge of cheesecake. Spread blueberries over the rest of the cheesecake, leaving a circle in the center of cake bare. Arrange strawberries in a flower pattern in the center and brush lightly with 1 teaspoon honey.

Tips & Notes

Tip: To make 2 cups of yogurt cheese, line a colander with a large cotton towel or double thickness of cheesecloth, and place the colander in the sink. Pour in 6 cups low-fat yogurt. After 15 minutes, transfer the colander to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours or overnight. Gathering the edges of the towel together, gently squeeze out any remaining liquid. Transfer cheese to a separate container. Refrigerate until ready to use. Keeps 1 week.

Nutrition

Per serving: 263 calories; 11 g fat (3 g sat, 5 g mono); 63 mg cholesterol; 34 g carbohydrates; 7 g protein; 1 g fiber; 147 mg sodium; 236 mg potassium.



2 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 2 other carbohydrate, 1 fat

Pineapple-Pecan Quick Bread

Ingredients


Quick-Bread Dry Mix, (recipe follows)

2 large eggs

1 cup nonfat buttermilk, (see Tips)

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups diced pineapple, fresh or canned, drained

1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans, (see Tips), plus more for topping if desired
 
Preparation


1.Preheat oven to 400°F for muffins, mini loaves and mini Bundts or 375°F for a large loaf. Coat pan(s) (see "Pan Options") with cooking spray.

2.Prepare Quick-Bread Dry Mix.

3.Whisk eggs, buttermilk, brown sugar, butter, oil and vanilla in a large bowl until well combined.

4.Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Add pineapple and pecans. Stir just to combine; do not overmix. Transfer batter to the prepared pan(s). Top with additional pecans, if desired.

5.Bake until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 22 to 25 minutes for muffins or mini Bundts, 35 minutes for mini loaves, 1 hour 10 minutes for a large loaf. Let cool in the pan(s) for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Let muffins and mini Bundts cool for 5 minutes more, mini loaves for 30 minutes, large loaves for 40 minutes.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Store, individually wrapped, at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Tips: No buttermilk? Mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice into 1 cup milk.

To toast walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts, spread nuts onto a baking sheet and bake at 350°F, stirring once, until fragrant, 7 to 9 minutes. To toast sliced almonds, cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Pan Options:

Each of these recipes will make:

1 large loaf (9-by-5-inch pan)

3 mini loaves (6-by-3-inch pan, 2-cup capacity)

6 mini Bundt cakes (6-cup mini Bundt pan, scant 1-cup capacity per cake)

12 muffins (standard 12-cup, 2 1/2-inch muffin pan)

Nutrition

Per serving: 223 calories; 9 g fat (2 g sat, 4 g mono); 41 mg cholesterol; 31 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 2 g fiber; 182 mg sodium; 93 mg potassium.



2 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 other carb, 1.5 fat (mono)