Peanut Butter and Banana Cheesecake

Most of the time, I try to post recipes that are totally healthy. Most of the time. And today's recipe is not horrific. I mean, I have cut WAY down on the sugar and the total carbs. In fact, I completely cut out the added sugar and used only 2 mashed bananas to sweeten this cheesecake. Needless to say, this makes for a subtle sweetness which is a far cry from something you might taste at Cheesecake Factory. So for a cheesecake, this is a very healthy version. And Elvis, the King, would love it!

If you are in the process of actively losing weight right now, you can either wait and make this cheesecake when you are in a maintenance phase or eat a small slice (1/8 of the whole) as a meal and be extra good for the rest of the day. Because there are plenty of high quality ingredients, including protein, calcium, potassium, fiber, monounsaturated fats, and antioxidants, this cheesecake makes a pretty decent meal replacement. I will save it for my evening snack.

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 cup old fashioned or quick oats, uncooked
1 cup chopped peanuts, roasted (or 1/2 cup peanut butter)
pinch of sea salt (optional)
1 Tbsp butter or coconut oil, melted (optional)

Filling:
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened (I use low fat.) (Not non-fat!)
1/2 cup chunky all natural peanut butter (Creamy is also fine.)
3 eggs
3/4 cup mashed, ripe banana (I used 2 bananas.)
1 cup (8 oz) cottage cheese
1/2 cup sour cream (Low fat is fine. So is Greek yogurt.)
1 TB fresh lemon juice (mashed with the banana.)
1 TB chia seeds (optional, but they absorb excess moisture and help to thicken.)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Place crust ingredients in food processor and pulse repeatedly until nuts and oats form crumbly texture. Reserve about 1/4 cup of fine crumbs. Dump mixture into 9" deep-dish pie plate and press with fingertips to create crust. Bake at 325F for about 11 minutes or until just slightly golden and fragrant.

Blend filling ingredients in blender (or use hand-held immersion blender) and pour into crust. Sprinkle in optional chocolate chips if using. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs over the top. Bake at 325F for about 50 minutes or until firm. Let sit on a rack to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate overnight or at least several hours before serving. Makes 8 servings.