Yogurt Cheesecake

I have a major problem - I am a total sweet-tooth! Someone once asked me what I would like to eat if I didn't have to worry about gaining weight or developing health problems and without hesitation, I said - cupcakes. Since I do love my sweets, I really need to control how much I eat because that can lead to major health problems in the future such as weight gain and even diabetes. That's pretty much how my "no butter baking" started. I do believe that one can enjoy sweets without being worried about consuming too much of the "empty calories". My food philosophy is - as long as it tastes good, I don't care if it's vegan or butter-less. If it tastes good to me, and still have that delicious taste, I don't have much of a concern. I think of it as a win-win situation (:

So, going back to cheesecake... I love cheesecake - especially the Godiva cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory. But I haven't really had their cheesecake because it's sometimes too rich. It gives me that initial pleasure but afterward I start to develop headaches. So I try to not eat this as much because of the side effects that I've been getting personally. So I thought...there MUST be another way to enjoy cheesecake without too much sugar and oil. Well then, here you go - I have a solution for you! (and also to myself because I get to eat it!) 

Servings: 12 slices

Ingredients: 

• 1 8oz cream cheese (I used Lucerne's 1/3 less fat cream cheese) 
• 2/3 cup plain yogurt 
• 1/4 cup sugar 
• 2 eggs 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 3 Tablespoon all-purpose flour 
• Pre-made pie crust (I used Keebler's Reduced Fat Ready Crust)

Instructions: 

• Preheat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• In a microwavable plate, unwrap and then microwave the cream cheese for about 30 seconds. 
• In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese and sugar until well combined. 
• Add the eggs on at a time. 
• Add yogurt followed by flour and vanilla extract. 
• Once the ingredients are well mixed, pour the batter in the pre-made pie crust. 
• Bake for about 30-40 minutes until the surface of the pie turns light brown. 
• Once it is baked, cool it on a rack. 
• Once it is cooled, place the cake in the refrigerator overnight. (This is the KEY - the cheesecake will harden properly and it's tastier once it's cold) 

That's it! This is a very easy recipe - so if you need a last minute dessert idea, this is a great recipe. You can always serve it with the classic strawberry sauce, chocolate drizzle, caramel, whipped cream, ice cream, or anything you want. I typically don't like to serve it with sauce because that's an extra calorie to worry about; however, sometimes I microwave frozen berries (unsweetened of course) and drizzle it over the cheesecake. I think that's my favorite way because it's flavorful and no added sugar (: 

Whenever I serve this cheesecake, I get a lot of compliments and most of the people say that it's not too rich like regular cheesecake - which I guess is a good thing! When I used to make cheesecake, I use to put heavy cream instead of yogurt which made it rich and creamy but yogurt does the same thing! To be honest, I don't taste the difference between my yogurt cheesecake and a regular cheesecake. If you don't taste the difference, wouldn't you rather eat something that taste the same AND with lower amount of calories, fat and sugar? I would (: 

As mentioned in my previous posts, just because this is a bit "guilt-free", it doesn't mean to eat more than one slice of cheesecake. My health mantra is - Everything in Moderation. So just because something appears to be healthier, if you over-consume it, it's just as bad as eating something unhealthy. 

With that being said, thank you for reading! 

From my kitchen to yours, Happy Baking! 

Smiles, 

Mei