Strawberry Cheesecake

"This is my family's favorite--I make it for birthdays. I revised the original recipe by using low-fat cottage cheese and cream cheese, and I added the strawberries." --CL Reader

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

Ingredients

• 3/4  cup  graham cracker crumbs (about 5 cookie sheets)
• Cooking spray
• 2  cups  1% low-fat cottage cheese
• 1/4  cup  all-purpose flour
• 2  cups  (16 ounces) light cream cheese, softened
• 1/2  cup  sugar
• 2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
• 2  large egg whites
• 1  large egg
• 1/2  cup  strawberries
• 1  teaspoon  water

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°.

Press graham cracker crumbs into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray.

Place cottage cheese in a blender, and process until smooth. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cream cheese, and sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at low speed until smooth. Beat in cottage cheese and vanilla. Add egg whites and egg, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan.

Combine strawberries and water in a blender, and process until smooth. Swirl strawberry mixture into cheese mixture using the tip of a knife.

Bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250° (do not remove cheesecake from oven); bake an additional 45 minutes or until cheesecake center barely moves when pan is touched.

Remove cheesecake from oven; run a knife around the outside edge. Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Cut into wedges.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

201 (26% from fat)

Fat:

5.9g (sat 3g,mono 0.7g,poly 0.5g)

Protein:

12.7g

Carbohydrate:

22.9g

Fiber:

0.5g

Cholesterol:

39mg

Iron:

0.7mg

Sodium:

424mg

Calcium:

66mg