Grasshopper Cheese Cake

I didn't have the right sugar to do this for Christmas, so I haven't made it yet.  But I'll be making it soon.

Chocolate layer:
3 sugar free dark choc. bars (about 1.5 oz each)
1/4 c. cream
1 1/2 c. almond flour
1/4 c. vanilla whey protein powder
1/4 c. butter, melted

Grasshopper filling:
3 packages cream cheese, softened  (I use light)
3/4 c. Ideal Sweetener (or Splenda)
3/4 c. sour cream (I use light)
3/4 t. peppermint extract
1 1/2 T. chocolate extract
1 or 2 drops green food coloring (optional)
4 egges

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix almond flour, protein powder and butter in a food processor.  Pulse to combine well.  Shape into spring form pan, building up around sides.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.  Remove from over and let cool.  Lower oven temp to 325.
To make the chocolate layer, melt the chocolate and whisk in the cream until smooth.  Spread evenly over crust and set aside.

To make the filling, use and electric mixer in a large bown to beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Beat in the sweetener and the sour cream and mix well.  Beat in the peppermint and chocolate extracts, food coloring and eggs (one by one), beating until very smooth and creamy.  Pour the mixture into the chocolate coated crust.  Place the cake in the oven and place a pie pan of water onthe over rack below it or on the oven floor.  Bake for 1 hour.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack.  Chill well before serving.

Pumpkin Carmel Cheesecake

I brought this over for our Thanksgiving feast.  It was amazing and no one knew it was sugar free and low glycemic and low carb.  I may do more crust next time as the crust seemed a little light.  Or, I may try a different crust all together.  But even just as it was, it was really wonderful and a huge hit on the dessert table!

Crust:
1/3 cup crushed macadamia nuts
1/3 cup crushed pecans
1/3 cup crushed almonds
4-6 TB butter, melted
2 TB Xylitol


Filling:
4 8oz packages of cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup sugar sweetener (I will use Ideal)
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 15oz can packed pumpkin
5 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Carmel Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup Ideal Brown Sugar Substitute
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350. 

For the crust, combine ingrediants and press firmly into a prepared 10 inch spring form pan.

For the filling, beat cream cheese until smooth.  Add spices, sweetener and pumpkin; mix until just blended.  Stir in cream.  Add eggs, beating until just blended.   Pour batter into crust.

Bake in the center of the oven until cheesecake is firm to the touch and slightly puffy, about 50 minutes.  Let cheesecake cool on a wire rack for about 45 minutes.  Refridgerate for at least 4 hours.

For the carmel sauce, place all ingrediants in a sauce pan and boil over medium heat for 4 minutes, stirring contantly.  Remove from heat.  Let cool for 5 minutes; stir in the vanilla extract. 

After the cheesecake has cooled, pour cooled carmel sauce over the cheesecake, keeping in the center.  Refriderate for 30 minutes until sauce is hardened.  Top with whipped cream. 

Source:  http://blog.yourlighterside.com/2010/10/pumpkin-caramel-cheesecake-recipe.html

Pumpkin Cheesecake Shake

This is just in time for Thanksgiving, and one of my weaknesses are pumpkin shakes from McDonalds.

Pumpkin CheeseCake Shake

1 scoop vanilla whey protein
1/4 c. canned pumpkin
2 Tb cream cheese
1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice
1 packet stevia
about 6 ice cubes
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
tiny splash of vanilla