LIGHTENED UP BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE

This is a "lightened up" version of blueberry cheesecake that I have had for seventeen years. You will never know you are eating a slice of cheesecake with about half the calories and around a third less fat than most cheesecakes!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
nonstick cooking oil spray

Combine the above ingredients and press onto the bottom and 1 1/2-inches up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan that has been coated with the nonstick cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees!

2 packages (8-oz each) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1 package (8-oz) fat-free cream cheese
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I only use white whole wheat flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 carton (8-oz) light sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 1/2 cups fresh (or frozen without sugar) blueberries

With an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat the cream cheeses until smooth.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, flour, and salt; add to the cream cheese; beat until well blended.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add the egg whites, beating until blended.

Add the sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest to the mixture; beat just until blended.  Gently stir in the blueberries. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the center is firm.  Turn off oven but leave cake in oven with the door partially open for 30 minutes.

Remove cake from oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours.

Remove from the refrigerator and remove sides of pan.  Make the following topping:

1 cup fat-free frozen whipped topping, thawed
1/4 cup light sour cream

Stir together the topping ingredients and spread over the top of the cheesecake.

Garnish with fresh blueberries, if desired.

Slice cake into 12 equal slices.
Per slice: 315 calories, 33.4 g carbs, 10.2 g protein, 469 mg sodium

he sugar, flour, and salt; add to the cream cheese; beat until well blended.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add the egg whites, beating until blended.