Cheesecake Delight

I just made the most amazingly delicious dessert ever.  Yes I've had weight loss surgery but there is absolutely no reason that I should deny myself my favorite foods.  I just need to figure out how to make them healthier.  Tonight I hit the holy grail of yumminess.  First, I got a wild hair up my butt and decided to make homemade whipped cream.  If you've never done this, take 10 minutes and do it.  It's rewarding watching the cream thicken and so delicious.  I will never eat canned whipped cream again.  Second, I decided I wanted cheesecake but I wanted to get my protein in while I ate it.  How did I accomplish all of this you ask?  Well, look at these pictures.

For the whipping cream you can buy the store bought stuff, I won't tell anyone!  The sugar free has lots of calories though so beware, but the homemade is pretty high in calories too still sugar free though.


Whipped Cream
1 cup Light Whipping Cream
1/4 cup Splenda
1 tsp vanilla extract

Make sure the bowl and mixers are cold, that seems to produce fluffier cream.  Mix the cream in the bowl until the cream starts to thicken.  Slowly add the Splenda and vanilla.  Keep mixing until it reaches the consistency of whipped cream.  Beware, if you over mix it will be the consistency of butter.  Trust me.  I threw a batch out

Protein Cheesecake
2 packs of FF SF Cheesecake Pudding mix
2 scoops of Pro Blend 55 Alpine Vanilla
2 cups of skin milk

I whisk the cheesecake and the protein together before adding ANY wet ingredients.  It seems to not clump if I do it that way.  Then I add the milk slowly.  Mix the heck out of it until smooth.  Then, slowly fold in 1 cup of that glorious whipped cream. 

Once you get it all mixed up pour it into whatever you want to eat it out of.  Since I'm on 2 ounce portions I poured mine into 2 ounce babyfood dishes and a couple 4 ounce ramekins for my hubby.  Total it makes 24 ounces.  Lots of yumminess to go around.  It would make a good pudding pop too I bet!

Excuse the mess!  My hubby was supposed to clean the kitchen. 

Stats:

	Nutrition Facts   12 Servings Amount Per Serving   Calories 105.9   Total Fat 3.3 g       Saturated Fat 2.1 g       Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1 g       Monounsaturated Fat 0.9 g   Cholesterol 15.3 mg   Sodium 117.6 mg   Potassium 81.4 mg   Total Carbohydrate 7.6 g       Dietary Fiber 0.0 g       Sugars 6.2 g   Protein 10.9 g   Vitamin A 3.7 %   Vitamin B-12 0.3 %   Vitamin B-6 0.1 %   Vitamin C 0.8 %   Vitamin D 4.2 %   Vitamin E 0.3 %   Calcium 5.7 %   Copper 0.0 %   Folate 0.1 %   Iron 0.0 %   Magnesium 0.2 %   Manganese 0.0 %   Niacin 0.0 %   Pantothenic Acid     0.3 %   Phosphorus     0.6 %   Riboflavin 0.7 %   Selenium 0.1 %   Thiamin 0.2 %   Zinc 0.2 % *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

 

Quick Introduction to me and the joy of Italian Ice

I started this weight loss journey in November 2010, weighing 240 pounds at 5'3".  After jumping through a few hoops (some that were on fire it seems) I had my RNY gastric bypass on 4/12/11.  I weighed 224 pounds that morning so we will see what I weigh on the 20th when I go for my follow up.

Why Shrinky Dinks?  Do you remember those toys when you were kids or maybe your parents were kids (man I feel old) that would shrink in the oven?  I feel like that.  They get smaller and smaller the hotter that they get.  Well, I'm in the opposite.  The smaller I get the hotter I get!  I also get healthier along the way which makes it one heck of a ride.

Now for the recipe:  I've been on liquids since surgery.  I'm bored.  Unfortunately, Popcicles and Italian Ice, two of my favorites are not the best source of protein.  So, today I got the notion to make homemade italian ice.  Well, why not add some protein to it and make it good for me.  It was a bit time consuming, but so worth it in the end.  This recipe is for fruit punch flavored tweak it as you need with your favorite flavors.

Step 1:
1 cup of water
2 packets Crystal Lite Fruit Punch
2 scoops Syntrax Nectar Crystal Sky

Mix these ingredients in the blender, with a spoon a whisk however you see fit.  Blending in the blender breaks the protein down the best, but leaves a bit of foam.  I like the foam personally but if you let it set in the fridge for a few hours after blending the foam will go away.

Step 2:
1/2 cup Splenda
1 cup water

Put this together in a saucepan on the stove.  Bring to a boil and let boil about 5 minutes.  Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't boil over or burn.  Turn it off, remove from stove and let it set until it has cooled considerably.  I make sure it is cooler than a lukewarm bath.  It has to be under 130 degrees to add to the other mixture.
Once it is cooled mixed both mixtures together in a bowl.  I used a glass bowl because they seem to cool more evenly, but whatever you prefer.  Put it in the freezer.  Wait about 30-45 minutes and go stir.  There will be some ice crystals that have started to form, that's how you know it's doing what it should.  Now, go stir about once an hour for the next couple of hours.  At some point a few hours later (it took mine 3 1/2) it will magically hit the perfect italian ice consistency. 

I'll post pictures tomorrow, my camera was dead tonight.  I used 1 cup of Splenda and it was way too sweet for me.  I think 1/2 a cup will make it perfect.  It takes a bit of time to make, but it isn't like you have to stand and watch it.  I can't wait to have this in the dead of summer.  I'll try some other variations and let you know how those turned out too!