Chilled Lime Cheesecake

As the warmer Spring weather has arrived here already I decided to try a new recipe for something cold I could take out of the fridge for a treat.   The "Sweet Poison Cookbook" came to my rescue again with another great recipe from David Gillespie.

This vanilla and lime-scented cheesecake is everything a chilled cheesecake should be - soft and creamy with just a touch of sweetness.

CHILLED  LIME  CHEESECAKE

Filling

• 500 gms cream cheese, chopped
• Finely grated lime zest from 1 lime (I then peeled and sliced the lime thinly for garnish on top)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
• 1 1/2 cups dextrose
• 350mls thickened cream - beat until soft peaks form

Coconut Base 

• 3/4 cup plain flour, sifted
• 1/3 cup desiccated coconut
• 1/3 cup dextrose
• 80 gms butter, melted

Method

Preheat oven to 170°C  (150°C fan forced).  Lightly grease a 22cm springform cake tin and line with baking paper

To make the base, mix the flour, coconut, dextrose and butter in a bowl until combined.  Then press into the base of the prepared tin

Bake the base for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden.  Leave to cool completely

Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth.  Add the vanilla, lime zest, dextrose and beat until mixed.  Then gently fold through the whipped cream until well combined.  Spoon onto the prepared, cool base in the tin and smooth the top.  Refrigerate for 4 - 5 hours or until set.

Remove from the spring form pan and place on a serving plate.  The cheesecake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, although it probably won't last that long.

ENJOY

Chia Seed Jam

Eating "sugar free" doesn't mean you have to give up the good things in life......good tasting jam being one of them.

Here is a recipe for very easy Chia Seed Jam that is quick, easy and will last in the fridge for up to two weeks.

INGREDIENTS

• 500 gms berries  (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries - all work well)
• 2 Tablespoons Chia seeds
• A squirt of lemon juice
• Stevia powder (if required)

METHOD

First of all place the berries in a saucepan (I chop the strawberries into quarters but raspberries and blueberries I leave whole).

Over medium heat, bring the berries to a low boil, stirring frequently.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until berries soften, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Then lightly mash the berries with a potato masher.  

Stir in the chia seed and lemon juice and sweeten with a bit of stevia (if your taste requires it).     With these strawberries I used 1 teaspoon of stevia powder as they were not as ripe as I would have liked.  Over ripe strawberries are the best to use because they are much sweeter and softer.  

Cook the jam on low heat until it thickens, about 5 minutes

Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool slightly.   Pour jam into a clean glass jar and leave on the kitchen bench until it cools to room temperature.  This recipe will fill one 500 ml jar.

When cooled to room temperature, place the lid on the jar and store it in the fridge, for up to 2 weeks.  I have not tried freezing this recipe because I haven't made any more than the one jar at a time.  Some variations to try are -

•  "Raspberry and Apple" by adding 1 grated apple with a 300 gm punnet of raspberries.
•  "Blueberry Vanilla" by adding 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence when using blueberries.

Don't forget to try it out on some home-made scones before you put it in the fridge.........enjoy



 

Tomato Sauce

Summer brings with it an abundance of tomatoes here in South East Queensland.  My garden is no exception.  The recent rains and humidity have pushed hundreds of cherry tomatoes to ripen so I have been under pressure trying to preserve them in as many ways as possible.  One of my favourites is home made tomato sauce (sugar free - of course).

Place all ingredients in a large pan and simmer

TOMATO SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

4 x 400gm cans tomato (diced, chopped, whole  -  doesn’t matter  -  whatever is on special)

(this can be substituted with 1.5 kg of fresh tomato from the garden but add 1 tablespoons of tomato paste as well)

2 large onions  -  chopped

3 cloves garlic  -  crushed

4 teaspoons “Stevia”

1 teaspoon celery salt

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon marjoram

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

METHOD

Place tomatoes and onion in blender and finely chop.  (this needs to be done in a couple of batches due to the amount).  Put all ingredients in large pot on the stove and bring to the boil.    Turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Do a taste test  -  everyone is different  -  add a little more salt, pepper, stevia or herbs depending on your tastebuds.

Will last 7 to 10 days in the fridge.  Freeze in batches. 

Freeze in manageable batches in the freezer

The "boys" just love this on top of hot meat pies and beef rissoles.  The recipe has just the "right amount of spice" for all my family members to be able to enjoy it.   Of course, more spices, salt, or sweetener can be added depending on your families taste buds. 

Enjoy
 

I Quit Sugar...

It has now been six months since deciding to eliminate sugar from my diet.  And I must say I feel healthier, lighter, I am no longer bloated, and have so much more energy......

"QUITTING SUGAR IS A WAY OF LIVING WITHOUT PROCESSED FOOD" - Sarah Wilson

Quitting sugar for me is about eating what I think my grandmother would have eaten.  Eating wholesome foods that have not been mucked around with.  Also, as I don't think my grandma flew off to the gym twice a day, my exercise is balanced to all the incidental activity that occurs in my daily routine.

[STATISTIC : 100 years ago the average person ate 1kg sugar per year. 2014 now sees the average at 60 kg per year]

100 years ago people ate basically what was grown and available locally.  They ate eggs for breakfast, a salad sandwich for lunch, meat and simply prepared vegetables for dinner.  They drank whole milk and had the occasional piece of fruit as a treat.  They cooked their own food and made all their meals from scratch.    

OBESITY, HEART DISEASE AND HIGH CHOLESTEROL WERE BASICALLY UNHEARD OF

There are many books available to read about eating, sugar free, but the ones that fit best with my beliefs and lifestyle are those written by SARAH WILSON and are available HERE.

Her first book - "I Quit Sugar" and then the follow up "I Quit Sugar...For Life".  

Both books are very easy to read, come with lots of suggestions and encouragement and contain hundreds of simple to follow recipes.

 I believe eating sugar free also helps me to tread more sustainably on the planet and live a more productive, simple life.