Orange-Almond Ricotta Cheesecake

 Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup slivered almonds 
• 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 3/4 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/3 cup granular sugar substitute
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1 (32 oz.) container part-skim ricotta cheese
• 2 tsp. finely grated orange zest
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• orange twists, for garnish (optional)

Makes 12 Servings

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 275 F. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast for 10-12 minutes, or until light golden. Let cool.
2. In a food processor, pulse the cooled almonds until finely ground. Add the graham cracker crumbs and  pulse to combine. Increase the oven temperature to 325 F. 
3. In a large metal bowl, with an electric mixer at high speed, beat the egg whites until frothy, about 1 minute. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes longer. 
4. In a separate large bowl, beat the egg yolks, sugar substitute, vanilla, and almond extracts for 1 minute. Add the ricotta, orange zest, and orange juice. Beat on high until smooth. Gently fold one-third of the whites into the yolk mixture, then add the rest of the whites and gently fold until well combined. Spread the crumb mixture over the bottom of the pan. Pour the batter into the pan and place the pan on a baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until cake is golden and mostly set. Cool completely. 
5. Run a knife around the edge and release the cake from pan. Chill, loosely covered, for 4 hours or overnight. Serve chilled, garnished with orange twists if you like. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Super-Quick Cookbook. This is a new and  flavorful take on traditional cheesecake. This is a lighter version of cheesecake to enjoy on later phases and it's a wonderful dessert for get-togethers. The crust is made from ground graham crackers, ground almonds, cinnamon and nutmeg which give the crust a nice flavor. The vanilla and almond extracts and orange zests add a nice tough of zing to this cheesecake. If you want to add more flavor to this cheese cake, I highly recommend adding lemon juice and zest to the cheesecake for a more authentic Amalfi Coast flare. I also highly recommend adding a touch of berries of your choice for a more fruity flavor. 

Lemon Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups reduced-fat graham cracker crumbs (about 10 graham crackers)
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg

Topping:

• 2 cups fat-free sour cream
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Cake:

• 4 (8 oz.) packages light cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 tbsp. grated lemon zest
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Sauce:

• 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 2 cups fresh or thawed frozen blueberries
• 1 tbsp. water
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice

Makes 32 Servings (1/32 of cake per serving)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 10-inch springform pan with nonstick spray.
2. To make the crust, stir together cracker crumbs, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl until moistened. Press crumb mixture firmly  onto bottom of prepared pan; refrigerate. 
3. To make topping, stir together sour cream and sugar in a bowl; cover and refrigerate. 
4. To make cake, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese in large bowl until very smooth. Gradually add sugar, beating  well after each addition. Beat in egg whites, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla until blended. Pour batter over crust. 
5. Bake until center of cheesecake jiggles slightly, 55-60 minutes. Let cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. Spoon sour cream topping over cake; spread evenly with narrow metal spatula. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 2 days. 
6. To make sauce, stir together sugar and cornstarch in medium saucepan. Add blueberries and water; cook over medium heat, stirring, until berries soften and sauce bubbles and thickens, about 4 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in lemon juice. Transfer sauce to serving bowl and refrigerate until cool. 
7. To serve, with thin knife dipped into hot water, cut cake into 32 wedges, dipping knife between cuts and shaking off excess water. Serve cake wedges topped with blueberry sauce.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. You can have your cheesecake and eat it too. The original recipe called for light corn syrup but I eliminated the corn syrup and added ground cinnamon and nutmeg to add more flavor to the crust and it was delicious. I also cut the granulated sugar in this cheesecake and added a little more lemon juice and limoncello for a more lemony flavor and the cheesecake was delicious. The blueberries add a nice, tart flavor to the cheesecake as well. 

Key Lime Dessert Shots

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup lime juice, preferably key lime
• 2 tsp. unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 cup aerosol whipped cream
• 1 tbsp. grated lime zest

Makes 8 Servings

1. Combine condensed milk and egg yolks in a small heavy saucepan; cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until mixture begins to boil. Stir in lime juice and 1 teaspoon of butter; pour into shallow bowl and refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes.
2. Fold yogurt into cooled lime mixture just until combined; set aside.
3. Melt remaining  1 teaspoon butter in microwave in a small microwavable bowl. Add graham cracker crumbs and salt, stir until crumbs are evenly moistened.
4. Line up 8 (2 oz.) shot glasses. Spoon 1 tablespoon crumb mixture into each glass, pressing to form crust. Top each crust with 2 heaping tablespoons lime filling and 1 tablespoon whipped cream; sprinkle evenly with lime zest.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. This is what I call a sweet ending. If you love key lime pie, you will love this dessert. It's a small portion but it's worth it. It's like eating a key lime pie out of a shot glass and it is flavorful and delicious.

Gooey Rocky Road Bars

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. chocolate wafer cookies
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup mini marshmallows

Makes 16 Bars (1 bar per serving)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or nonstick spray.
2. Put wafer cookies in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form. (Or place cookies in large zip-close plastic bag and crush with rolling pin.) Transfer to a small bowl; stir in butter and salt until crumbs are evenly moistened. Transfer to prepared pan, pressing to form even layer.
3. Sprinkle chocolate chips and walnuts over crust. Pour condensed milk over and sprinkle with marshmallows. Bake until chocolate is melted and marshmallows begin to brown, about 15 minutes.
4. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate until firm. Cut bars into 4 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 4 pieces, making a total of 16 bars.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. These treats are flavorful and delicious. If you love rocky road or smores, these sweet treats are for you. You can use crushed graham crackers in place of the chocolate wafers, almonds in place of the walnuts, and or dark or bittersweet chocolate chips in place of semi-sweet chocolate chips, these treats will still be delicious. These treats are perfect for a picnic, tailgate or even a birthday party and people will go nut for them.

Cherry Cheesecakes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup graham craker crumbs
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 tbsp light butter, melted
• 8 oz. fat-free cream cheese
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 1/2 tsp vanila extract
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup light fruit pie filling, cherry

Makes 12 Servings

1. Place 12 cupcake liners in a cupcake pan. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
2. In a small bowl, combine graham craker crumbs, spices and butter; mix well. Spoon 1 tablespoon of crumb mixture into the bottom of each liner and press down gently; refrigerate until ready to use.
3. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add lemon juice, egg whites, vanilla extract and sugar; beat until smooth.
4. Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly into muffin liners; bake until set, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
5. Top each cheesecake with 1 tablespoon cherry pie filling.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts. (1 cheesecake per serving)

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. This is an easy dessert for entertaining or as a nice after-dinner treat after a long day. Besides, who does not love cheesecake? What a rich combination: rich and creamy filling with a buttery crust. I added the spices above to the butttery crust for a more flavorful crust. You can also try a variety of different flavors of pie filling and even whole vanilla wafers for crust but it could effect the points value. Still, the cheesecake will still taste delicious no matter how you make it. 

Mini Cherry Cheesecakes

Ingredients:

• 8 graham crakers, mashed into crumbs
• 2 tbsp reduced-calorie margarine, melted
• 4 oz. fat-free cream cheese
• 4 oz. light cream cheese
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 20 oz. light fruit pie filling, cherry, warmed or 20 oz. cherries, warmed

Makes 12 Servings

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Place 12 cupcake liners in a cupcake pan. Combine graham craker crumbs and margarine; mix well.
2. Spoon 1 tbsp of crumb mixture into the bottome of each liner and press down gently. Refrigerate until ready to fill.
3. Beat cream cheeses until fluffy andadd lemon juice, egg whites, vanilla extract and sugar; beat until smooth.
4. Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly into crumb cups. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool. Top each cheesecake with 1 tbsp cherry filling.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3

 

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. Who does not love cheesecake?!?! If you are ever having a craving for cheesecake but you want to watch your health, this is the recipe for you. The calories are cut fr this yummy dessert and you won't feel guilty eating it. I do highly recommend using 8 oz of either fat-free or light cream cheese to save money and use real cherries insterad of pie filling. One bite of this mini cheesecake and your taste buds will be in heaven with the creaminess of the cherries and cheese and graham crakers melting in your mouth.

Chocolate-Swirled Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup low-fat graham-cracker crumbs
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 3 cups reduced-fat ricotta cheese
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar substitute
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk
• 2 1/2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Makes 12 Servings

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Coat a 9" springform pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle the bottome of the pan with graham craker crumbs, cinnamon and nutmeg.
2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cheese until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, sugar, sugar substitute, vanilla and milk and beat for 4 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth. Pour 2 cups of the batter into a small bowl and beat the melted chocolate into it.
3. Pout the plain batter into the prepared pan. Top with the chocolate batter. Using a knife, swirl the batters to create a marbled effect. Place the pan inside a larger one filled with 1" of water.
4. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned and the center is nearly set. Cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then refrigerate overnight.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4pts

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Cookbook. Every now and then you have a craving for something sweet and delicious and this treat really hit the spot. I added a few ingredients to this recipe to make it more irresistable. I added the cinnamon and nutmeg to the graham cracker crust t give the crust more flavor. I also added the vanilla to the ricotta mixture to kick it up a notch. What's cheesecake without a hint of vanilla? This South Beach Cheesecake is very fluffy because it's made from ricotta cheese and not the traditional cream cheese; however, it is a heavenly delight.