Who doesn’t love desserts for weight loss ? The reality is, many people fail to stick to their healthy eating plan because of their sweet tooth. The feeling of being deprived of their favorite desserts can be very frustrating especially if you are with friends or family members in a restaurant or a dessert shop and are on your weight loss journey.

One of my friends Elsa had this dilemma for the longest time. She knew that she had to quit eating too much sugar if she wants to stay healthier. However, her love for desserts often wins over her determination to eat healthier. One of her most favorite treats is the cheesecake. For Elsa, a day won’t be completed without eating a slice of this dessert. She would usually buy an entire cheesecake ready-made or bake her own. It did not matter what time of the day it was. As long as she had a craving, Elsa had to have a bite of cheesecake.

In one of our conversations, Elsa was telling me that she wanted to quit her cheesecake habit because it is affecting her weight and blood sugar levels. I could definitely understand where she’s coming from. Overloading your body with sugary treats is not healthy. However, I also knew that quitting cheesecake cold turkey is not something that will magically work.

What I suggested to Elsa is to try and make her own cheesecake, but using alternative ingredients. Instead of using cream, she can use yogurt instead. And instead of using white table sugar, she can use maple syrup. While it may have higher calories, maple syrup has a lower glycemic index than white sugar and contains significantly more calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese.
By doing these simple swaps, you may be able to enjoy your cheesecake fix in a healthier way!

DIY Cheesecake

Ingredients
1 quart nonfat plain yogurt
3 pounds cream cheese
2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup maple syrup
½ tsp almond extract
3 eggs

Instructions
Drain yogurt overnight using a cheesecloth.
The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all the ingredients except for the eggs. Place in a food processor and mix thoroughly.
Slowly fold in the eggs into the mixture until blended in.
Pour mixture into (2) two baking pans (8×10 inches)
Prepare a bain-marie by putting water in a large pan and placing it in the center oven rack. Place the two baking pans in the large pan.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until cheesecake has set.
Remove from oven and let cool completely before refrigerating.

Slice into 36 servings.

Nutrition
36 servings
134 calories per serving
Total Fat 7.1g
Total Carbs 10.8g
Fiber 0g
Sugars 7.1g
Protein 6.1g