Name: Kevin (DRS/Ilene's "DH")
Age: 38
Location: Washington, DC area
Type of diet: Low-Carb
Exercise: Yeah, right.
Start date of diet: 1/15/08
Goal: Ongoing
Weight at start of diet: Appx. 500
Weight loss to date: Appx. 110 (390)
Second time on Atkins (or at least, our own modified version), had previously bottomed out at 325 before DS3 was born, then ballooned back up. I'd like to be a solid men's 3X by our March trip, and if I can start pushing down to an "almost 2X", I'd be thrilled, but that's highly unlikely.
And... any diet where you can eat cheesecake and call it "health food" works for me!
Low-Carb Cheesecake
Filling
24 oz. (3 "bricks") cream cheese
1 c. sour cream
1 t. kosher salt
1 t. (sugar free) vanilla extract
1/2 c. Splenda
1/4 c. erythirol(*)
1/4 c. xylitol(*)
2 T. lemon juice
5 eggs
Crust
1 cup walnuts, chopped
2 T. Splenda
2 T. melted butter
(*)Although not recommended, these can be replaced with an additional 3/4 c. Splenda at a cost of 1.5 net carbs per slice
Directions
- Let cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs come to room temperature before beginning.
- Place pan (stoneware dish is better!) of water in stove on the lower rack, move upper rack to the middle of the oven. Preheat to 350.
- Prepare 9" springform pan by covering the bottom with parchment paper, assembling the pan, and then spraying the sides with cooking spray
- (Option, crust may be omitted) Mix "crust" ingredients and spread smoothly over bottom of pan; set in refrigerator to set
- Combine cream cheese, sour cream, and salt in mixer; blend until thoroughly mixed, smooth and creamy. Scrape down bowl.
- Add all remaining "filling" ingredients except eggs. Mix (very carefully) until combined, and then mix until smooth. Scrape down bowl again.
- Add eggs one at a time until completely integrated. Scrape down bowl again and mix one final time.
- Pour filling into pan and bake for 70-80 minutes, until set.
- Let cool to room temperature, release from springform pan, turn over onto a plate, remove parchment paper, and then turn back onto serving/storage plate.
- Refrigerate until completely chilled.
12 servings at appx. 5 net carbs/serving. (Reduce by 0.5 net carb if omitting crust.)
Variations
Key Lime
Same as original recipe, but reduce sour cream to 1/2 c. and replace lemon juice with 1/2 c key lime juice. No change to carb count.
Chocolate
Same as original recipe, but omit the lemon juice and add 1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder instead. Adds appx. 1/2 carb per slice.
Hazelnuts or almonds work well in the crust in place of walnuts, if desired. Tossing in a few tablespoons of a raspberry sugar free syrup into the filling also works nicely.
Pumpkin
Start with the original recipe, but use a 10" pan (you're gonna need it!). Add 2 c. of cooked pumpkin puree with the cream cheese. Omit the lemon juice and replace with 2 T. cinnamon, 1/2 t. ginger, and 1/4 t. nutmeg. Use pecans instead of walnuts in the crust, and toss in a dash or two of the same spices. Appx. 7 net carbs/slice.
