Horray for the red, white and blue cheesecake
We all like to wave a flag on Independence Day. Some people put a flag pin on their lapel and some wear a red, white and blue bandana. Some go all out - dressing in Old Glory from head to toe.
Why not bring some of those colors to your celebration table with a cake? We've all had that supersweet cake that often graces the covers of happy homemaker magazines that combines sugary whipped cream, syrupy candied cherries and jammed blueberries.
Pretty darned good when you're a kid.
If you've grown up a little and have a more sophisticated palate, here's a suggestion that is a little less sweet. Fresh strawberries and blueberries atop a reduced calorie cheese cake will satisfy your sweet tooth and be just a little bit better for you.
I know no one counts calories on the holidays, but why not have something that tastes fattening but has just a few fat grams snuck out of it?
Independence Day Cheesecake
(feel free to enjoy any time of year)
Crust
1 1/2 packages of graham crackers
3 tablespoons of nonfat yogurt
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
- Mix all of the ingredients together and press them into the bottom of a greased springform pan.
- Bake at 325ºF oven for 5 minutes.
- Remove the crust from oven and raise the temperature 350ºF for the cake.
Cake
4 packages of fat-free cream cheese
8 ounces of fat free sour cream
3 eggs
2 egg whites, beaten until stiff
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
- Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, eggs, stiffened egg whites, sugar and lemon juice until very smooth.
- Spread it over the crust and smooth the top.
- Pop it into the 350º F oven for 40-45 minutes, just until the top begins to brown and a knife comes out clean from the middle.
- Remove it from the oven and let it cool for about 30 minutes.
Topping
12-15 strawberries (depending on size), tops removed
1/2 pint of blueberries
- Cut the strawberries in half and lay them, flat side down, along the edges of the cake.
- Pour the blueberries into the middle and spread them out to the edges of the strawberries.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Ovo-lacto vegetarian.
