Healthy Lemon Cheesecake (Trim Healthy Mama S)

I have been craving cheesecake!  I love the Trim Healthy Mama cheesecake recipe in their original book however I wanted something that used less cream cheese.  Long story short is that I have been experimenting and combining a few recipes together (Cottage Cheesecake, Basic Cheesecake THM book page 373) to come up with this recipe.  

Healthy Lemon Cheesecake 

Ingredients

Base

• Half cup Briana's Baking Mix (THM FP and gluten free)
• 1 tablespoon Whey Protein Isolate
• 1 tablespoon sweetener (I use xylitol)
• 2 tablespoons salted butter melted
• 1 tablespoon water

Cheesecake*

• 250 grams Low Fat Cream Cheese
• 250 grams Low Fat Cottage Cheese
• 200 grams Low Fat Sour Cream 
• 2 Large eggs
• 150 grams sweetener (I use xylitol which I grind to icing sugar consistency)
• 30 ml lemon juice
• 10 ml vanilla essence (or vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste)
• Quarter teaspoon xantham gum

Method

Base

• Preheat the oven to 180 c fan forced
• Lightly grease an 8" by 8" pan
• Mix the ingredients.
• Press into a greased dish 
• Bake for 8 min 
• Set aside.

Cheesecake

• Using an immersion blender blend the cottage cheese and sour cream until smooth. 
• Soften the cream cheese and add to mix and blend.
• Add the remaining ingredients and blend.
• Pour over the base and return to the oven.  
• Bake for 40 min.
• Remove from the oven and let it cool completely. 
• Refrigerate to chill completely before cutting and serving.

• *If you prefer a slightly firmer cheesecake add 1 teaspoon of gelatin to the recipe.  
• To make a vanilla cheesecake omit the lemon juice. 
• You can use full fat options to make this recipe if you prefer however it will raise the overall fat content which in turn will produce a higher calorie dessert.  This may not be beneficial to everyone. 

A huge shout out to Susan from Nourish & Flourish who encouraged me to experiment and try new things.  Be sure to pop on over and look at all her wonderful resources.  I so appreciate her support on my journey to wellness over on Facebook and in the Facebook Community.  

Happy Baking 

Chareen

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For those of you who are interested in the nutritional information here is the breakdown as calculated on My Fitness Pal. 

Lissy's Frozen Chocolate Delight {THM S}

This morning I awoke to beautiful spring skies! I'm looking forward to warmer weather and frozen treats! I've been especially keen to make a treat which I saw on a friends Facebook time line. Lissy is an inspirational cook (keep those ideas and photo's coming!) and I've been admiring this recipe all winter long! I messaged her over the weekend and she has given me the freedom to share this recipe with you. If you are on a low carb' diet or following the Trim Healthy Mama plan (this falls in the S food category) then this will be on plan for you.

Lissy's Frozen Chocolate Delight

Ingredients

• 3.5 oz (100 grams) 85 % cocoa dark chocolate
• Half pint (240 ml) Heavy Whipping Cream.

Optional

• 1 Tblsp (15 ml) Gelatin (optional)
• Gentle Sweet

Method

• Take your favorite chocolate (if you're doing THM do 85% dark or an on-plan chocolate like Lillie's) put it in a bowl broken into very small pieces. 
• Bring a half pint of heavy whipping cream (or any other milk-like product: almond milk, cocoanut milk, half n half, etc) to the point of scalding (but not boiling). 
• Pour over chocolate, and let it sit WITHOUT siring for a few minutes, then gently mix until well incorporated (you're basically making a form of chocolate ganache). 
• Put into popsicle molds and freeze!

Extra tips

•  Add a table spoon or two of gelatin for an even fudgier consistency. 
•  If you're doing THM, add a little Gentle Sweet for added sweetness.

SUPER EASY! This is an "S" treat on THM. Enjoy!

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Luscious Lemon Mousse and Orange Jello {Trim Healthy Mama S Dessert}

I saw this amazing dessert on my Facebook wall a few weeks ago and thought Wow I need to give that a go.  I wonder how on earth I can make it Trim Healthy Mama compatible ? After a little bit of tweaking and experimenting I made the following version.

Orange Jello

Ingredients

• 2 Peach Tea Bags (I used Tetley brand)
• 500 ml boiling water
• Trim Healthy Mama sweetener of your choice.  I used a blend of xylitol, erthritol and stevia. 
• Optional: 2000mg Vitamin C
• 1 tablespoon gelatin
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/4 cup almost boiling water

Method 

• Steep the tea bags in the boiling water.  Leave it on the bench to cool.
• Soak the Vit C in a little bit of water to soften and dissolve.
• Remove the tea bags once the tea has cooled and add in the vit C. (This is optional)
• Add in enough sweetener to taste.
• In another cup add in a 1/4 cup of cold water and sprinkle in the gelatin. Set aside to soften.
• Add in 1/4 cup of nearly boiling water to the gelatin and stir until well mixed.
• Pour gelatin liquid into the orange mix.  Stir till well combined.
• Pour half a cup of liquid into each glass.  Lie on it's side and put it into the fridge until firmly set. I used a rectangle plastic container to lay the glasses in.
• Once the jello/jelly has set it's time to make the Luscious Lemon Mousse.

Luscious Lemon Mousse

I tweaked Key Lime Pie recipe from the new Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook on page 326. You will find the balance of the ingredients there.  I got the idea for this mousse from Gwen's Luscious Lemon Yogurt Recipe.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice
• 5 ml Lemon oil (I used Simply Organic)
• Dash of Turmeric 
• Yellow food dye

Follow the recipe found on page 326 substituting the lime juice with lemon and adding in lemon oil and turmeric. Follow the directions and pour into the glasses and put into the fridge to set.

Once it is set put some fresh cream on the top and serve.

Blessings
Chareen

More of my THM recipes

1. Lemon Butter Cake in a Mug {THM S}
2. Trim Healthy Mama Summer in a Cup {FP Sipper}
3. Berries and Cream Bake in a Mug {THM - S}  
4. Low Carb Baking Mix Collection {FREE DOWNLOAD}  
5. Apple Rose Shortcake Muffins {THM E}  

You can PIN Luscious Lemon Mousse and Orange Jello {Trim Healthy Mama S Dessert} Here

Apple Rose Shortcake Muffins {THM E}

A few months ago all these beautiful images of Apple Roses were filling my news feed on Facebook and all I wanted was to eat one.  This year I've been pursuing healthy eating using the Trim Healthy Mama plan and non of the recipe's out there were going to allow me to enjoy an Apple Rose bake. I've finally found my solution! Enter the Apple Rose Shortcake Muffin!

Shortcake Muffin Mix

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of sweetener
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2  1/2 cups old fashioned oats 
• 1  1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup 0% Greek Yogurt
• 1/2 cup egg white
• 1/2 cup sweetener blend
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence 

Method

• Mix sweetener and cinnamon in a small bowl.
• Take 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon sugar and sprinkle in the bottom of the silicon muffin trays.  Enough to make 12 medium muffins.
• Grind the oats and baking powder and set aside
• Blend remaining ingredients in a blender.  
• Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix well. 
• Pour 1/4 cup of the mix into prepared muffin molds.

Apple Rose inserted into muffin mix ready to bake.

Apple Roses

Ingredients

• 6 small apples
• 6 table spoons of water

Method

• Wash and core the apples.
• Cut them in half 
• Slice each half into 2 mm ( ⁵⁄₆₄in) half moon slices.
• Fill a glass bowl with warm water and a dash of lemon.
• Separate and lay the apple slices in the water.
• Cover and microwave for 3 min.  
• Set aside until cooked.  (You can steam them too) The apples need to be soft enough to roll without breaking but not mash! Once cooked remove and drain them.
• Once your apple slices are cool enough to handle it's time to make the rose.  Take the halves and create a straight line about 30 cm (12 in) long.  Lay the straight edges along the bottom.  The apples need to overlap by half.
  
  
  
  
   
• Lightly sprinkle the apples with the remaining cinnamon sweetener. This is the only tricky bit because the apples are not being held in place by pastry. Start on the left and roll them up to form a rose.
• Place them gently into the muffin tin and push them slightly into the Short Cake Muffin mix.
• Repeat until all apples are cooked and muffins prepared.
• Bake for 20 min  at 180 'C (350 'F)
• Remove and allow the muffins to rest in the mold for 5 min.
• Gently remove and cool on a cooling rack.

Serving Suggestion 

• 1 Tablespoon of sweetener blend.  
• Grind in a coffee grinder until you get a fine icing sugar consistency is reached. 
• Sprinkle over cooled muffins and enjoy!

These were a most delightful way to end our E dinner last night!

Blessings
Chareen

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*The recipes above are tweaked versions of original recipe's which are not THM but can be found here:

• Apple Roses Cooking with Manuela
•  Strawberry Shortcake Muffins to make this recipe THM friendly I substitute the 2 eggs with 1/2 cup of egg white. If you use whole eggs then it becomes a cross-over.  PS the Strawberry version is divine!

Berries and Cream Bake in a Mug {THM - S}

A couple of weeks ago Briana shared the most delectable recipe on her blog: Peaches & Cream Bake.  Let me tell you it is so good and super easy to make. I do substitute the peaches with berries to make it a Trim Healthy Mama S dessert. I was challenged by one of my fellow Facebook Australia THM ladies to tweak a mug recipe.  Enjoy

Berries and Cream Bake in a Mug. {S}

Ingredients

• 4 tblsp softened cream cheese
• 1 tsp sour cream
• 1 heaped tblsp Natvia
• Dash vanilla
• 1 Large Egg
• 2 tblsps thawed Berries

Directions

• add cream cheese, sour cream and Natvia  to a mug and mix well. 
• Add the egg and mix
• Toss in 2 tblsp thawed* berries
• Microwave for 90 seconds to 2 min depending on the strength of your microwave.

* Use thawed berries. IF you use frozen berries it can add too much moisture and prevent your cream bake from setting.

More of my THM recipes

1. Lemon Butter Cake in a Mug {THM S}
2. Trim Healthy Mama Summer in a Cup {FP Sipper}

Blessings
Chareen

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Trim Healthy Mama Summer in a Cup

Spring is in the air and I have been looking for something delicious to drink.  I was scrolling through #trimhealthymama on Instagram and saw a post for Green Tea Lemonade. I had read about the health benefits of green tea and really wanted to incorporate it into my daily routine. This is my tweeked version and let's just say that I am no longer hankering after orange juice ...

Trim Healthy Mama Summer in a Cup Recipe

• 2 green tea bags steeped in hot water for 4 min*.
• 2 tsp sweetener or more if you have a sweet tooth.
• Allow it to cool
• Add juice from one lemon
• 2000 mg vit C
• Optional ½ teaspoon Orange Oil

 *Green Tea is very bitter if you steep it too long so remember to steep for no longer than four minutes.
** I also make this drink using  Mandarin Orange Green Tea Mandarin Orange Green Tea as my green tea base.

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Read More Online

• 10 Proven Benefits of Green Tea 
• 16 Health Benefits Of Drinking Warm Lemon Water
• Health Benefits of Vitamin C by J.Goepp, MD

Looking forward to Summer Downunder!
Blessings
Chareen

Lemon Butter Cake in a Mug {THM S}

A few months ago I tried out this amazing recipe for a Lemon Butter Cake that I found over at The Coers Family blog.  It is to die for. I got to thinking about how it could be tweaked to a mug recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 tblsp plan approved sweetener blend
• Dash of Vanilla Essence
• 2 Tblsp Cream Cheese
• 1 tsp butter
• lemon rind
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 3 tblsp almond meal/four
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Method 

•  Beat the egg in your mug
• Add remaining ingredients. Mix well
• Microwave for 2 minutes on high
• Let it stand for a minute. Tip it out onto a plate.  

Serve with

• A dollop of cream
• You can make a lemon cream cheese icing with cream cheese, lemon and sweetener blended well.

Sit back and enjoy guilt free

Blessings
Chareen

New Zealand Rice Bubble Slice

I'm guest posting over at Learning Titus 2 about one of my favorite ten minute recipes.This is one that my whole family enjoy and is gluten free, contains four ingredients and is no bake! Pop on over to find out more.

Blessings
Chareen

Watermelon Jam (Waatlemoenkonfyt)

Ever wondered what to do with the left over rind from your watermelon fruit snacks?  I have just the solution for you.
Growing up in South Africa this is one of the jams we had and is my favourite.  My children have been enjoying watermelon So I took a recipe from my Mom and one from my Mother in law combined them and made my own. It tastes just like the store bought variety.

Ingredients:

• 1 Kg peeled and diced rind
• 3 Tablespoons Bicarbonate of Soda
• 3 Litres of water
• 6 cups of sugar (1.5 kg)
• 2 Litres water
• 3 teaspoons of dry ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon of dry ground cinnamon
• 20 ml lemon juice (4 teaspoons)

Method

• Take the peel of a ripe watermelon. Peel off the green outer rind and remove most of the pink flesh inside. Discard the green skin and pink flesh.
• Prick each piece in several places with a fork and cut into desired shapes.
• Combine Bicarb and 3 litre water and rind and leave to soak for 12-18 hours.  This ensures that the preserve is tender yet crisp.
• Rinse. Now soak in fresh water for 2 hours.
• Rinse and put in a pot covered with hot water. Bring to the boil and boil, uncovered, until just tender. Test by piercing the peel. 
• Drain rind. (Do this a moment before you are ready to add to the syrup)
• In a separate pot prepare the syrup. Combine the sugar, 2 Litres water, lemon juice, ginger and cinnamon.  Put pot on low heat and stir till all sugar is dissolved.
• Bring mixture to the boil and add hot rind.
• Boil rapidly until the pieces are tender and translucent and the syrup is thick. (1 - 1 1/2 hours)
• Pack the peel into hot, dry sterilised bottles, fill with the syrup and seal immediately.

This should fill 5 300 gram bottles. The mistake I made was to put too much peel in each bottle.  It would be better to fill the jar 3/4 fill of peel and the balance syrup.

Enjoy on a fresh slice of bread or toast. What's your favourite home made jam ?

Blessings

For more information:

• Fun Facts and FAQ
• Health and Nutrition.
• Carving & Entertainment.
• Recipes
• Preserves The Traditional South African Way.
• Watermelon Jam or Preserve on Group Recipes.

This post is linking to:

Making your Home Sing Monday over at Moms The Word, Feasting in Fellowship Link Up over at Comfy in the Kitchen, Teach Me Tuesdays over at Growing Home, Natural Living Link Up over at Little Natural Cottage, Food Friday over at The Singing Sparrow.

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East African Chicken

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East African Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 small chicken
• 2 teaspoons mixed herbs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Water
• 1 cup of Basmati rice (or white rice)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 Onion finally chopped
• 1 red capsicum chopped
• 1 green capsicum chopped
• 4 tablespoons of peanut butter
• Optional (cream) 
• Optional 1 punnet Mushrooms sliced.

Method

• Put mixed herbs, salt, chicken in a pot cover with water and boil gently till chicken is well cooked.
• Keep chicken stock to one side.
• De bone chicken and cut up chicken, set aside.
• Put rice and 1/2 the chicken stock in a pot and cook.  Add more hot water if needed.
• In another pot add butter, onion and capsicum. Stir on low heat till onions are soft and tender.
• Add in the peanut butter and thoroughly mix in.
• Add in the chicken stock (and some cream for a more creamy flavour)
• Add in the chicken. Simmer for 15 min for flavours to seep together.
• Optional add in mushrooms and cook for 10 min.
• Mix cornflour in some cold water and add to chicken mix to thicken

Serve on a bed of rice with a green salad.

I do not like peanut butter but I love this recipe.

Blessings

This post is linking with Growing Home Teach Me Tuesdays, Our Simple Country Life 3 Year Birthday Bash, Comfy in the Kitchen Featured Post Top 3 Link Up, Little Natural Cottage Natural Living Link Up, The Singing Sparrow Food Friday

This recipe contains peanuts.

Pasta Salad

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My friend Mrs S used to make this and I got the recipe from her.  I ♥ the simplicity and tastiness of this recipe.  It is great to take to a barbecue and is simply delicious.

Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

• 250 grams Pasta (OR gluten free pasta)
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 Cup ready made garlic pasta sauce (I use Stomboli Pasta Sauce)
• 1 Tablespoon vinegar 
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of oregano

Optional

• 2 spring onions
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• 1 stalk celery
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup cubed cucumber
• 310 gram can of whole corn drained
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

Method

• Cook the pasta
• In a bowl mix the remaining ingredients.
• Add in your choice of optional ingredients.
• Drain the pasta and add warm pasta to the sauce.
• Chill and serve.

This salad tastes better if made the day before and allowed to mature.   I have made the sauce the night before and left it in the fridge to mature as a different option.

Blessings

Kransky Potato Bake

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I love simple but tasty meals.  This is one of my favourites and is good value for money.



Kransky Potato Bake with green Salad

Ingredients:

Cheese Kransky Sausages (400 grams / 5 people), Potatoes, Butter, Parsley.

Method:

• Pre heat oven to 180 'C (356 'F)
• Peel Potato and slice
• Slice Sausages
• Layer Potato and Sausage finishing with a layer of potato
• Sprinkle with parsley and a couple of dubs of butter. (to make this dairy free simply give a lite sprinkle of olive oil)

• Bake for  1 hour with lid on.
• Remove lid and grill till golden.

Serve with your favourite garden salad.

Blessings