Diabetic Cheesecake

So when it comes to being diabetic

there are a few things I just WISH for

but know that I can't indulge,

due to Baby and his growin' lil' body inside me.

There are days where this is not a difficult choice at all.

Still, at times, I crave something

and feel I need to satisfy the sweet tooth somehow!

When counting carbs (as diabetics do),

I think the biggest thing that surprises people

is that fruit is a BIG TIME carb!

One slice of melon is equivalent to 1/3 cup of pasta!

One small tangerine equals 1 cup of oatmeal!

Two tablespoons of raisins is the same as 3 cups of popcorn!

And apples and bananas are strictly forbidden,

as they have so much sugar and starch in them!

But there are a few fruits that are better...

Blueberries have quite a bit of fiber in them,

and therefore I can eat more of them for a serving of carbs!

So I decided to come up with a "dessert" that I could make

using splenda, limited carbs, and blueberries!

I was sitting in one of my doc's waiting rooms,

and picked up an old magazine (circa January I think)

and so I didin't feel as guilty

when I saw this ad for Philadelphia Cream Cheese

that showed a cheesecake recipe that I thought I could adapt...

so I tore it out of the magazine...eek! Don't tell!

And I came up with this scrumptious treat

that I can eat, and it doesn't affect my blood sugar AT ALL!

I mean AT ALL!

So I'm gonna include the diabetic recipe here,

but I'll add the regular ingredients as well.

Diabetic will be in normal font, and regular in italics.

Diabetic Vanilla Mouse Cheesecake

adapted from spreadphilly.com's Philadelphia Vanillla Mouse Cheesecake

If making it regular, you'll make a wafer crust.

40 vanilla wafers, crushed (about 1 1/2 cups)

3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted.

Mix wafer crumbs and butter; press onto bottom

of 9-inch springform pan.

If diabetic, skip the above *smile*

Heat oven to 325 degrees.

Grease 12 cupcake tin cups

(or use cupcake liners)

Beat 1 and half pkg cream cheese

3/8 c. granulated Splenda (1/4 + a bit)

1/2 Tbsp vanilla with mixer until well blended.

Add 1 egg

Mix on low speed just until blended.

Fill cupcake cups NO MORE THAN HALF.

For regular cheesecake,

double cream cheese, use 3/4 c. sugar, and 3 eggs.

Pour over crust.

Bake for 17-20 minutes

or until barely brown on the top,

and mostly set in the middle.

They will "fall" a little in the middle,

which I thought was a perfect little "cup"

for spooning the blueberry mix when they've cooled.

For regular cheesecake

Bake 50-55 minutes,

run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake 

and cool completely in pan.

In sauce pan,

1/4 c. blueberries (reserve another 1/4 c. on the side)

1/4 c. "Splenda" juice (they sell it in the juice aisle,

but it doesn't have any real fruit in it-- it's glorified KoolAid)

1 tsp Vanilla

1 Tbsp Splenda, granulated

Stir and let it warm up.

Smash blueberries using a potato masher.

Then in separate bowl stirl 1 and half Tbsp cornstarch

with 2 Tbsp more Splenda Juice and add to the sauce pan.

When thick, add other 1/4 c. blueberries, reserving 12 berries for topping.

(I think I would like to add some Lemon Juice and Zest next time, Mmm!)

Let cook until thick. Cool in pan.

The regular cheesecake recipe doesn't call for blueberries,

but you could always adapt the above to include regular sugar and juice...

Beat remaining 1/2 pkg cream cheese,

3 Tbsp Splenda (granulated)

1 tsp Vanilla with mixer.

Whisk in 1/2 c. whipped topping (sugar free)

(Again, I think I'd like to add a little Lemon Zest here!)

Put it into a piping bag.

Remove cupcakes from tin, place in coverable dish.

Spoon blueberry topping onto cooled cupcakes.

Pipe whipped topping over each cupcake.

Top with a blueberry and a litlte more Zest for fun.

Refrigerate, covered, for at least 4 hours.

For regular cheesecake,

Beat 1 pkg cream cheese,

1/4 c. Sugar

1 tsp vanilla with mixer.

Whisk in 1 c. (8 oz) whipped topping.

Spread over cooled cheesecake,

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Remove rim of pan before serving.

Garnish with berries if desired.

Enjoy!

For regular cheesecake,

Enjoy!

This was relatively cheap, SO yummy

and practically no carbs...

Salsita

We had an incredible time in Wisconsin,
visiting family and cousins.
One of our first days there
we got to take a lil' trip into Milwaukee
and watch the Brewer's Game
just us adults! What a gift!

The girls bonded so quickly
and spent so much time hanging out together!
Laura and I would sit back and try to picture the future
where they'll enjoy each other's company
and hang out, maybe paint each other's nails.

And on that note,
I'd like to post that I'm "copying" something my sis-n-law did =).
When we got there
she had a gallon bucket in the fridge
full of homemade salsa,
and we devoured over half of it
before the week was over.
I snuck a peek at the recipe
and couldn't believe how simple it seemed!
So, based on availability at our grocery store,
and my memory of her recipe,
and a few things that sounded good,
I have made us a huge batch of salsa!
YUM!

I wanted to post the recipe here
in case you'd like to give 'er a try,
but also so that I can find the recipe later,
when I wanna try to recreate =).

"Fresh" Homemade Refrigerated Salsa
1 can Rotel Tomatoes (I found lime juice/cilantro cans!)
1 can diced stewed tomatoes, no salt added
1 can Mexican Recipe S&W Stewed Tomatoes
1/4 c. cheapest med. salsa in the store (optional)
1 onion chopped (big or small chunks- to your liking)
pinch of sugar (or Splenda in my case)
sprig or two of chopped cilantro

I blended the S&W tomatoes, cuz they were halved,
but I left the diced Rotel and stewed tomatoes,
so as to have some "chunk" to put on the chips.
You totally don't have to add the med. salsa, if you prefer less heat.
Anyway, super delish, and so fresh tasting,
despite the fact that it almost all came from cans =).
Laura also says you can throw in a mango or pineapple
if you wanted to go for a sweet fruit salsa!
Thanks for letting me "copy cat" you, Laurita!