Guiltless Blackberry Cheesecake

This past week for Tea Time it was way pass time for some cheesecake! I found a recipe that sounded like a good base and then started changing things to make it unique and health...well at least as "healthy" as cheesecake can be! The result?...AMAZING! I do not believe in sacrificing flavor to save calories or fat when it comes to dessert, so I only tweak a recipe if you cannot taste the difference. The consensus at work was that no one could tell, even with the changes made in Option #2!
The dietary bottom line:
Original Recipe: With butter, eggs, cream cheese

• Cals: 245
• Fat: 15.3
• Sat Fat: 9.5
• Cholesterol: 89.3
• Sodium: 183.7
• Carbs: 21.2
• Sugar: 18.1
• Protein: 4.1

Option #1: With butter/margarine, eggs/egg whites, and Neufchatel cheese

• Cals: 207
• Fat: 11.7
• Sat Fat: 6.6
• Cholesterol: 46.7
• Sodium: 208
• Carbs: 21
• Sugar: 16.7
• Protein: 5.4

Option #2: With less sugar, butter/margarine, eggs/egg whites, and NON-FAT CREAM CHEESE

• Cals: 109.5
• Fat: 3.2
• Sat Fat: 1
• Cholesterol: 25.5
• Sodium: 190
• Carbs: 14.8
• Sugar: 12.1
• Protein: 4.5

Here is the recipe for Option#1, the variations for Option #2 are in parenthesis!!!
Ingredients:
CRUST:

• 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tbsp hard margarine, melted and combine with butter
• 3 tbsp sugar (No sugar for Option #2)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon

FILLING:

• 16 oz Neufchatel Cheese, at room temperature (Non-Fat Cream Cheese for Option #2)
• 1½ cups sugar (Scant 1cup for Option #2)
• Pinch of salt
• 1½ tsp vanilla
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 large egg whites, at room temperature

BLACKBERRY SWIRL:

• 6 oz blackberries (purchase another 6 oz for whole berries on the top if you want)
• 2 tbs sugar (1 tbsp for Option #2)

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat the oven to 325˚ F and combine Crust ingredients in a bowel and stir until moist

2.  Put 1 tablespoon of crust mixture in the bottom of each lined cupcake paper and press flat (as small cups works great)
3.  Bake for 5 minutes and allow to cool

4. To make the blackberry swirl, juice the berries and combine in a bowl with sugar and set aside. (I used my juicer, but you can also put them in a blender and then strain the juice to remove the seeds)
5. For the cheesecake, beat the Neufchatel/Fat-free Cream Cheese on medium-high until fluffy, then add sugar and continue beating until smooth. Add the salt and vanilla and then beat in the eggs/egg whites one at a time while mixing and beat until smooth again.

6. Spoon approximately 3 Tbsp of the cheesecake batter over the crust, or until the batter reaches a quarter of an inch from the top. Drop 3-5 dots of the berry mixture on the batter and swirl around with a wooden skewer.

7.  Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cheesecake with dome upward while hot, but will sink again when removed from the oven.

8.  Place on cooling rack to cool and then refrigerate for at least a few hours before serving, top with fruit, mint leaves, or whip cream and SERVE!!!

I hope you enjoy these yummy treats, guilt free, this summer as you keep up your bikini clad selves!!!