Fall has definitely arrived here in Nebraska. I love the smell of the brisk air, the falling leaves, and wearing cozy sweaters and scarves.
Of course, what would autumn be without pumpkin-flavored everything? Here is my take on pumpkin cheesecake – the Trim Healthy Mama way!
Trim Healthy Mama is a lifestyle of eating that teaches you how to nourish your body, satisfy your tastebuds, and lose weight. Meals are categorized into Satisfying, Energizing, or Fuel Pull. This cheesecake is low-carb but higher in fats, so it is an ‘S’ or ‘Satisfying’ dish. You could eat it as a snack between meals or paired with other ‘S’ dishes for a complete meal. Because your body wouldn’t have carbs to burn, it can concentrate on burning the healthy fats from the meal. I adapted this recipe from Julieanne’s blog.
To make this delicious cheesecake you will need:
Crust
1 cup of almonds
1/4 cup of melted butter
1/4 cup of Truvia
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
Filling
2 8-ounce packages of 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1/2 cup of Truvia
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 cup 100% pure canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (if you, like me, don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can use a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice)
1/2 teaspoon of glucomannan powder
First, preheat your oven to 325°. Chop the almonds in a blender or food processor. How finely they are chopped is completely up to you. Mine were a little chunky but in the finished product, I found I liked the contrast of textures between the almonds and the smooth cheesecake filling.
Add the melted butter, Truvia, and cinnamon to the almonds and mix.
Press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan or pie pan. I don’t have a springform pan so I used a pie pan. It worked just as well except for being a bit too small to hold all of the filling that this recipe makes. I had a tiny bit of filling left over.
In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, Truvia, eggs, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
Take out one cup of filling and set it aside. Add the pumpkin, spices, and glucomannan to the remaining batter. Beat until smooth.
Pour the pumpkin filling into the crust.
Add dollops of the plain filling into the pan in a spiral shape.
Using a knife, swirl back and forth between the two flavors of filling to get a pretty pattern.
Bake the cheesecake for 45-50 minutes or until the filling is nearly set. Let it cool for a bit, then place it in the refrigerator to chill before serving.
For an additional dose of yumminess I made homemade maple-flavored whipped cream with heavy whipping cream, maple extract, and a bit of sweetener. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and this cheesecake is ready to serve!
I absolutely love the combination of cinnamon, pumpkin, and almonds – and as I mentioned before, the contrast in the textures of the filling and crust is very pleasing. Invite a few girlfriends over for coffee and serve this cheesecake!