Celebrate MyPlate's Birthday with Cheesecake

MyPlate is celebrating its first birthday on June 2, 2012. Join the celebration with this fantastic fruit cheesecake that features MyPlate's great design.Crust:10 whole grain Fig Newtons (you can also use regular Fig Newtons, in a pinch)Cheesecake:8 ounces reduced-fat neufchatel cheese8 ounces fat-free cream cheese2 ripe Haas avocados1 cup sugar1 tablespoon cornstarch1 tablespoon key lime extract (or juice and zest of 2 limes)juice of 2 lemons3/4 cup egg whitesGarnish:2 kiwi, 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup raspberries, 2 ripe apricots1/2 cup apricot marmaladeDirections:1. Lightly spray a 9-inch deep dish glass tart dish with vegetable oil spray. Grind the cookies in a food processor and press them firmly into the tart pan.2. Place the cheese and avocados in the food processor and process until smooth. Add the sugar, corn starch, lime extract, and lemon juice in the food processor and puree. Add the egg whites and puree again.3. Pour the cheesecake filling into the tart dish on top of the cookie crust. Bake at 325 degrees F until the cake is firm in the center, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven and chill overnight in the refrigerator.4. To remove from pan, heat the bottom of the dish gently in a bowl of warm water. Sprinkle sugar over the top and invert onto a dish. Invert again onto another dish.5. Decorate with fruit. Top the fruit with heated marmalade. Chill until ready to serve. Cut into 12 pieces. Serves 12. Each slice: 276 calories, 8 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 16 mg cholesterol, 279 mg sodium, 45 g carbohydrate, 3.5 g fiber, 7.5 g protein. Compare to regular cheesecake which has 640 calories and 41 g of fat! Or compare to regular frosted birthday cake that has 600 calories and 28 g fat. More cake ideas here.For a low-cal, low-sugar treat, use 0% Greek yogurt (4.5 cups) instead of the cheesecake and top with fruit as directed. With the cookie crust, yogurt, fruit and marmalade, this dessert variation will yield 12 servings (scoop it out with fruit on top): 140 calories, 0 fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 88 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 8 g protein.Cook's notes: we do prefer using a deep dish glass pan because the cheesecake cooks more evenly than if you use a spring form pan - however you can lower the temperature a little bit and use your favorite springform pan. :-)Download Recipe in PDF: MyPlateCheeseCakeVisit the Nutrition Education Store for More MyPlate Materials with Free Shipping this week!Stay tuned for a week of MyPlate lessons and we have BBQ MyPlate recipes and veggie ideas, along with small treats and great grains.

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Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Judy’s passion for cooking began with helping her grandmother make raisin oatmeal for breakfast. From there, she earned her first food service job at 15, was accepted to the world-famous Culinary Institute of America at 18 (where she graduated second in her class), and went on to the Fachschule Richemont in Switzerland, where she focused on pastry arts and baking. After a decade in food service for Hyatt Hotels, Judy launched Food and Health Communications to focus on flavor and health. She graduated with Summa Cum Laude distinction from Johnson and Wales University with a BS in Culinary Arts, holds a master’s degree in Food Business from the Culinary Institute of America, two art certificates from UC Berkeley Extension, and runs a food photography & motion studio where her love is creating fun recipes and content.

Judy received The Culinary Institute of America’s Pro Chef II certification, the American Culinary Federation Bronze Medal, Gold Medal, and ACF Chef of the Year. Her enthusiasm for eating nutritiously and deliciously leads her to constantly innovate and use the latest nutritional science and Dietary Guidelines to guide her creativity, from putting new twists on fajitas to adapting Italian brownies to include ingredients like toasted nuts and cooked honey. Judy’s publishing company, Food and Health Communications, is dedicated to her vision that everyone can make food that tastes as good as it is for you.

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