About three weeks ago I decided it was time to drop some pounds and I started a low-carb diet. It has been going well so far but I’ve recently been getting tired of eating the same old stuff every week. In over three weeks I haven’t had one sweet, it’s been killing me but my waistline is about 15 pounds lighter.
The main reason I am on a diet anyway is my usually bad snacking habits, I’d constantly chomp on snack foods rather than taking the time to cook a healthy meal. Far too often I’d stagger down the stairs late and grab some cookies, crackers or popcorn and needless to say I’ve been missing that instant gratification.
I wouldn’t call my diet South Beach Diet or Atkins, I’m just simply trying to eat 30-50 carbs per day by eating plenty of low-carb veggies and proteins along the way. I eat a lot of simple stir-fry’s with chicken, pork or beef with various mixed veggies with soy sauce and Sriracha. It’s good, but can get boring after a while.
Recently I’ve been browsing online and was amazed at the amount of dessert recipes out there using unsweetened chocolate and Splenda as the main sweetener. So I thought I’d give using those ingredients a whirl and whip up a simple no-bake cheesecake, after all I’m a bachelor so it needs to be no frills.
Below is a list of the ingredients for the crust and the filling for B-Rad’s Awesomely Simple No-Bake Cheesecake. Instead of a high-carb graham cracker crust I opted for a pecan+unsweetened chocolate combo. If you want to bypass the chocolate crust option other low-carb cheesecake recipes call for sliced almonds or fresh strawberries as the crust layer. I find the chocolate makes the cheesecake richer, which helps in maintaining portion control.
Ingredients For Chocolate Pecan Crust
2 full cubes Unsweetened Baker’s Chocolate
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup chopped pecan chips
2 tablespoons Splenda Brown Sugar Blend (or to taste)
1 tablespoon Splenda (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparing the Crust: Microwave the unsweetened chocolate blocks in a microwave safe bowl for about 1 minute and 15 seconds, flipping the chocolate midway through. Remove the chocolate from the microwave and stir rapidly with a fork. Once smooth add the heavy cream and stir just as you would chocolate milk until smooth. Add in the two Splendas and vanilla extract and continue to whip until smooth, then add the pecans to the chocolate mixture and once consistent spread evenly on the base of your cheesecake pan or dish. Be sure to use non-stick spray or a dab of oil or butter to grease the pan so the chocolate doesn't stick.
Ingredients For Cheesecake Filling
2 – 8oz. packages of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup Splenda (or to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- optional splash of lemon juice
Preparing the Filling: Microwave the cream cheese in a microwave safe bowl for 1.5-2 minutes, or let it sit out until room temperature. Begin mixing the cream cheese for 1-2 minutes by hand or mixer until smooth. Add the heavy whipping cream and mix in until smooth and repeat the process with the Splenda and vanilla extract. You may whip by hand or with a mixer, the more you mix the creamier and fluffier the filling will become, 3-5 minutes should be plenty.
Pour the filling into the crust lined pan evenly and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours before serving, overnight would be best. You may also cover the cheesecake with fresh low-sugar fruits like strawberries and cranberries if desired, but this will obviously slightly increase the carb count. I prepared this recipe in about 12 minutes and it only has 40 grams of carbs for the entire cheesecake! God bless science.
I’ve gotten into a groove with the diet thing and hopefully with creating healthier snacks like this one I’ll be able to stick with it for a longer period of time, as I have quite a few more pounds to drop after all. I’ll be sure to post some other recipes I stumble upon throughout my journey so check back when you can. Enjoy!
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