Almond Cheesecake--LOW SUGAR

Yes, this is another dessert recipe. I know what you're thinking: what was all that talk about climbing back on the wagon??? But the cheesecakes I've been baking recently are REALLY low in sugar. How is that possible, you ask? I simply skip the sugar! Yup! I just leave it out!

I have made several cheesecakes this way, with zero added sweetener. No sugar. No honey. No stevia. No sucralose. NADA. Do these cheesecakes taste sweet? Nope. But they do taste good. I like them, anyway. And for me, they are a pretty good substitute for dessert. Certainly MUCH healthier than the sugar-bomb brownies I was eating about a month ago...

Now that it's March, I'm feeling the Earth shift toward spring. The days are getting longer again. We've had a few strangely warm afternoons where my hubby and I have sunbathed on our patio. And those bikinis will be back before we know it! Time to give some serious thought (or at least lip service) to cutting the crap!

If you are following a ketogenic or Atkins diet, this cheesecake can be made without grains, too. Just substitute another cup of nuts or seeds for the oats. If you are only looking to eliminate sugar from your diet, you can keep the oats in the crust and use unsweetened chocolate. Or no chocolate at all. If you want a moderately low-sugar treat, you could try using semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks to add a touch of sweetness. The stevia is optional, too. So many options!

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats (or any type of nuts/seeds to make the crust Keto)
1 cup whole almonds (or pecans)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 TB chia seeds
1-2 TB coconut oil (or grassfed butter)
pinch of salt
1 TB hot water

 

8 oz. cream cheese
3 large eggs
16 oz. cottage cheese (or whole milk ricotta)
1/2 teas. almond extract
10 drops liquid stevia (or skip the sweetener!)
2 oz. chopped unsweetened chocolate (or semi-sweet)
Sliced almonds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Add all crust ingredients to food processor bowl. Pulse to combine. Nuts should be finely ground and crust should be sticking together. Dump crust dough into Pyrex pie pan. Press with fingers to form crust. Bake at 350F for 11 minutes or until beginning to turn golden brown. Remove crust from oven and turn oven temperature down to 325F.

With immersion blender, combine all filling ingredients (except chocolate and sliced almonds) and blend until smooth. Toss chocolate chunks over warm crust. Pour filling over chocolate chunks. Scatter sliced almonds over the top. Bake at 325F for about 50 minutes or until center is no longer jiggly. Let cheesecake cool completely then refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Serve with sliced strawberries, if desired. Makes at least 8 servings.