Keto Cheesecake
/My experience following the ketogenic (low carb/high fat) diet has been that it works better for me to be pretty strict. That is, I don't incorporate 'cheats' into it. I'll write and make videos about that topic in future, but suffice to say that once it became apparent to me that I am insulin resistant - that is, if I consume carbohydrates over the barest amount my body reacts with elevated blood sugar readings and more body fat - the course of action was clear and made sense: Don't eat carbs, dummy.
So sugars and starches (which are the same thing, by the way, but we've gotten ourselves into a rut of thinking that some carbs are really bad and some are little angels) were banished from my meals. No pasta, wheat, bread. Adios to tortilla chips, popcorn and arepas (a beloved Colombian breakfast item Lovely Mate is an expert at making). Rice? Nope. Potatoes? Are you kidding? No way! And, of course, sweets had to go.
This was not as hard for me as it might be for others. Probably because I was so miserable inside my skin - at 90+ pounds heavier, my skin was none too happy, either - and was on deck to become the next person in my large family to have Type 2 Diabetes, that I had hit the proverbial 'bottom'. My 'aha moment'. My 'something's gotta give' meltdown. And my research of this, inspired by this quiet little video, got me on a path to making carbs a part of my (very fat) past.
With that, I've decided that for me, trying to make low carb versions of the foods that got me to my previous sad state was not a good idea. Pretend bread, faux candy, etc., are not something I've gotten into. For one thing, I don't want to risk having the pretend foods triggering me wanting the real thing. Methadone may work when treating heroine addicts, but I'm not willing to hazard a slice of supposedly low carb bread made from almond flour and psyllium husk sending me into a spiral, ending with a face plant into a deep dish pizza and a giant chocolate chip cookie chaser. Consequently, I don't usually partake of the Saturday morning keto-friendly pancakes featured here.
Again, this is how I roll. Lovely Mate, on the other hand, can tolerate foods that are verboten for me and remain lean and in ketosis. Nuts, for instance. They're not on the list of allowed foods but he can grab a few out of the almond jar whilst passing through the kitchen most days and be fine. And his favorite, the almond cookies I made for this video, are obviously made of nuts.
This brings up to today's recipe. It's a low carb cheesecake. The base of ground almonds and butter for the crust is not the big culprit for me but rather the fact that it's really rich (ultimately calories matter and I simply need very few in a day) and each slice has about 7 grams of carbs which is about half my daily norm. Cream cheese is allowed, but not 'free'. And once I start, limiting myself is a challenge. So.... all that is to say that some folks can tolerate more carbs and/or calories and/or trigger foods and be fine. This is for you, you lucky souls.
Also, sometimes you just need cheesecake. Recipe and nutrition info below.
CRUST...
• almond meal 3/4cup (70g)
• butter 1/4cup (2oz)
melt butter w/almond meal; spread out in bottom of 9" pie plate
FILLING...
• cream cheese 16oz
• eggs 3
• sour cream 1/4cup (2oz)
• Splenda® 2/3cup (20g)
• vanilla extract 1tsp
pour into ~9" pie plate
bake at @ 350° ~45 minutes (or until golden)
Serves 8. Each slice has ~353 calories, 31g fat, 8g carbohydrate
Disclaimer: I’ve been fortunate to have had the time and resources to research the ketogenic diet, also known as LCHF (low carb/high fat). The information I share is based solely on my understanding of that research. We are all responsible for our own choices, including what we put in our mouths and there’s no substitute for each of us checking things out ourselves. And I’m not a medical professional in any way. Go Keto With Casey is not a medical site. “Duh,” you might say. But best to make it clear to all. I welcome questions, comments and even civil criticism. I’m still learning. So, if you have something to add, go for it. Links in this post and all others may direct you to amazon.com, where I will receive a small amount of the purchase price of any items you buy through my affiliate links. Thanks!
- Casey
