Skinny Cheesecake by A Gracious Zest

By Amanda from A Gracious Zest

Do you have a food kryptonite? I do. I’m sensitive to gluten, sugar and dairy. This has always made eating a bit of a chore but manageable, that is until my sweet tooth factors in. Until recently, eating something as rich and delicious as cheesecake was a big no no.  My body is unable to metabolize sugar, carbs/gluten, and dairy which causes a drastic decline in energy levels, weight gain, and it also makes me physically ill.  My favorite dessert however, would be cheesecake. You would think I’d stay away from something that causes so many undesirable side effects, you would be wrong. That’s because I have a secret weapon in this amazing skinny cheesecake.  Taking heed from vegan dessert recipes I went to work on a low sugar, no dairy, gluten free cheesecake and the results were satisfactory! 

Ingredients

For the filling

6oz Vegan Cream Cheese
2 large ripened bananas (smashed)
3 tbsp raw honey
1 egg white
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp vanilla
6in springform pan
For the crust 

1 1/2 cups quick oats
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup of raw honey
1/3 cup of applesauce
Blueberry Compote (optional) 

1 1/2 cup of blueberries
3 tbsp water
2 tsp lemon juice
1tbsp honey
2 tsp cornstarch

Preparation

For Crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Firmly press into the bottom and sides of a greased 6in springform pan about 1in high. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool.

Cheesecake filling

In a food processor add cream cheese and eggwhite then blitz until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and mix again until smooth.

Transfer filling into cooled springform pan and return to the oven. Allow to bake 40-50 minutes or until the center of the cheese cake is slightly jiggly when the pan is gently shaken. (center will set in the pan as it cools, overcooking will result in a chewy cheesecake instead of a light airy cheesecake so embrace the jiggle.)  Allow cheesecake to cool for at least 3 hours before serving. 

While it cools

Blueberry compote (optional) 

In a small saucepan combine all ingredients except for the cornstarch. Allow the blueberries cook down on medium low heat until they begin to burst.

In a small bowl combine cornstarch with a small amount of water until it forms a paste. Mix cornstarch paste into hot blueberries and stir until it begins to thicken then remove from heat. Allow to cool completely before topping your cheesecake.