I tend to be
very health conscience and try to eat “good stuff” most of the time—but I have
to admit it—I have a sweet tooth. In a
perfect world a piece of cheesecake with fresh raspberries and a drizzle of
raspberry sauce would be considered a perfect breakfast. After all, cheese is a good source of protein
and calcium, eggs are an excellent source of protein, the fruit is packed with
vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and fiber!
A perfect meal! Right? lol!!!
Rule number
one: When planning nutritious meals Do NOT make food selections based solely on
what tastes good. For most people the best way to obtain the essential
nutrients (carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals and water,) needed
for the proper growth and maintenance of our body, is to eat a wide variety of
natural fresh, minimally processed foods.
A well
balanced diet includes fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins and dairy
products.
I was lucky growing up in northern Wisconsin
where my parents planted a huge vegetable garden, and produced their own meats
& poultry. We had apple trees for sauce, jelly and pies; and we picked
strawberries and wild blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. My Dad even
made his own maple syrup! The pantry and freezer were always full and provided
for well-balanced meals year round. My
mother was a great cook & modeled good nutrition. However, there was usually room for dessert
too!
I think it
(my sweet tooth and love of baking) is partially genetic! My grandmothers, Great Aunt Marie, my Uncle
Vince (a professional baker—he was the best!!!) and his son Donnie(also a
baker), all my aunts, my mother and my
sisters— were or are all great bakers! Bread,
donuts, pies, cookies, rosettes, cakes, kolaches, coffee cakes, and pastries
were a favorite part of family gatherings. I love baking and sharing goodies—it
is relaxing, gives me a since of accomplishment, reminds me of family and
friends, creates smiles, smells wonderful, and of course tastes so delicious!
With the
holidays sneaking up on us, I thought I would share a few of my favorite
recipes. So, with Thanksgiving right around
the corner, you might want to try this pumpkin cheesecake. It is so good that you just might want to try
justifying eating it for breakfast too!
Enjoy!
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Crust:
1 ½ cup finely
crushed gingersnaps
¾ cup finely
chopped toasted pecans or hazelnuts
3 tablespoons
brown sugar
6 tablespoons
unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to
325 degrees. Mix gingersnaps, nuts and
brown sugar together.
Add butter and stir until well combined.
Press mixture onto the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of a 9-inch spring form pan.
Bake 8 minutes. Cool thoroughly.
Filling:
1 ½ pounds cream
cheese, at room temperature
1 cup packed
brown sugar
1 ½ cup cooked
pumpkin
½ cup heavy
whipping cream
1/3 cup pure
maple syrup
1 tablespoon
vanilla
¾ teaspoon
cinnamon
¼ teaspoon allspice
4 eggs
Beat cream cheese
and brown sugar in bowl until fluffy.
Beat in pumpkin. Add whipping cream, maple syrup, vanilla and
spices and stir until smooth.
Add eggs,
one at a time, beating until combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared crust.
Bake the cheesecake at 325 degrees until it is puffed up and the center is not quite
set—about 1 ½ hours. Place on a rack and
cool 30 minutes. Run small knife around
the pan sides to loosen cheesecake. Cool
completely. Cover and refrigerate
overnight.
*Nutrition tips:
Use low-fat cream cheese rather than full fat cream cheese. Substitute
low-fat evaporated milk for the heavy
cream. The cake will not be quite as
creamy smooth and rich, but you can reduce the amount of fat up to 90% and calories
per serving in half!!!
To serve, top
with a dollop of whipped cream and a piece or two of praline.
Here is a recipe to make your own praline!
Praline
1 cup granulated
sugar
1 cup packed
brown sugar
½ cup evaporated milk
4 tablespoons butter,
cubed
2 teaspoons
vanilla extract
1 ½ toasted pecans, whole or coarsely chopped
Line a cookie
sheet with buttered parchment paper or aluminum foil. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine
the sugars and evaporated milk stirring until sugar dissolves. Insert a candy thermometer.
Cook stirring occasionally, until the candy
reaches 239-240 degrees (soft ball stage-when a ribbon of candy dropped into
cold water forms a soft ball that can be easily flatten between your
fingers.) Remove from heat and add the
vanilla, butter and nuts, stirring constantly until the candy begins to get
thicker and lighter in color. It is
important not to stir too much, as the candy can quickly become rock hard. Drop the candy by spoonful or spread the
pralines on the prepared sheet and spread with the back of a spoon to a thin
layer.
Cool completely. Break praline into jagged pieces. Store in an airtight container.
References
Analyze your recipes:
How to make pralines video:
http://www.marthastewart.com/944431/how-make-creamy-pecan-pralines
http://snap.nal.usda.gov/community-corner-nutrition-you-and-your-family/balanced-diet
