Raspberry Beet Cheesecake

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients
  

Crust:

  • 1/2 cup vanilla wafers
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Cheesecake:

  • 1 cup roasted red beets skinned (about 2)
  • 1 pound neufchâtel cheese reduced fat cream cheese
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk

Topping:

  • 2 cups fresh raspberries
  • 1/4 cup low-fat sour cream

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 325 F. Process the vanilla wafers in a food processor until they are the texture of fine crumbs. (This can also be done placing the wafers in a plastic bag and crushing them with a rolling pin or something similar.) Add the olive oil, then press the crumbs into the bottom of a 9-inch metal cake pan.
  • Puree the beets in a food processor until smooth. Add the cream cheese, sugar, and eggs. Process until the mixture is smooth again, scraping the sides intermittently.
  • Pour the cheesecake batter over the wafer crust in the the pan. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until the cheesecake is firm in the center, about 55-60 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven. Cool.
  • Sprinkle sugar on top of the cheesecake and invert it out of the pan using two plates so that it rests top side up and crust side down on a plate.
  • Top with raspberries.
  • Slice and serve with sour cream.

Notes

Chef's Tips: You can roast the beets in the oven while you cook dinner. For extra speed, use the microwave instead and cook until beets are soft, about 3-4 minutes each (be sure to put a plate under them and to prick them with a knife or fork so they don't explode. Neufchâtel cheese is 30% lighter than regular cream cheese.
Nutrition Information: Serves 12. Each serving contains 219 calories, 12 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 108 mg cholesterol, 184 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 17 g sugar, and 7 g protein. Each serving also has 9% DV vitamin A, 10% DV vitamin C, 7% DV calcium, and 5% DV iron.
Copyright foodandhealth.com, reprinted with permission.