Low Carb Cheesecake

We are seven months into a healthier lifestyle. I found out this week that once you are used to eating healthy, when you eat out, your body lets you know. A family member was in the hospital and we ended up getting take out for supper several nights. In addition, I was picking up something quick on the way there for lunch. Two strikes a day and I was out! We remedied that with a big pot of white chili Thursday and steamed broccoli, cauliflower and carrots on the side of an oven-baked pork loin last night.

It's Saturday and we are living in a winter wonderland today thanks to Mother Nature! The extreme cold is a great motivator to post a few recipes from the huge list we've tried over the last several months.

When we were planning the dessert portion of our Thanksgiving menu, I wanted to keep with the healthier eating theme. I adjusted the family favorite Banana Pudding by using sugar free ingredients when I could and dropping the sweet condensed milk. Everyone still loved it! This dessert was by no means "sugar free" but the reduction in sugar didn't deter anyone from digging in. I also fixed a sugar free chocolate fudge pudding pie with a pecan crust. For something new, I wanted to find a recipe for a low carb cheesecake. You know I'm not a dessert baker, so I went to Food.com to begin my search.

The first one I saw was "Mackie's Low Carb/Sugar Free Cheesecake." The ingredient list was pretty basic and so were the directions. I made a test pie ahead of the holidays and we loved it. We've eaten it plain, topped with home grown frozen cherries (cooked with a small amount of sugar substitute and a dab of cornstarch) and drizzled with caramel sauce with sea salt.

INGREDIENTS:
3 (8 oz) boxes cream cheese softened to room temperature
1 cup sour cream
2 tsps. vanilla
3 eggs
1-1/4 cup Truvia baking blend

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Have a large baking sheet set to the side. You will need to add water to this pan about half way up the side of your pie pan, so check that your pie pan will fit in it properly.

Spray the pie pan and set to the side.

Beat softened cream cheese, in a large bowl, with an electric mixer until creamy. Add sour cream and mix until smooth. Continuing to mix, add in one egg at a time. Finish up by adding the vanilla and sugar substitute.

Pour the mixture into the pie pan. Center the pie pan in the baking sheet. Slowly add water to the baking sheet--about 1/2 inch or so. Carefully set in preheated oven.

Bake for 38-45 minutes or until pie center is set. (Peek through the oven window to see how it is progressing. Don't open up the oven door!) If the center of the pie is even remotely jiggly, it's not done!

 The pie puffed up like a souffle. The edges turned a pretty golden brown.

Let the cheesecake cool a little and put it in the refrigerator. As it cooled, it deflated.

This cheesecake was a hit. The recipe was a keeper!

Recipe Source: https://www.food.com/recipe/mackies-low-carb-sugar-free-cheesecake-102777