Healthy Cheesecake? Seriously?

I was entertaining last night, and could not for the life of me think of what to make for dessert.  I wanted something decadent, preferably with lots of chocolate.  But, at the same time, I didn't want to completely fall off the wagon.  What to do?  Of course: go to my newly-appointed kitchen bible (a.k.a. The New American Heart Association Cookbook).  Honestly, I have yet to find a recipe that I haven't liked in that book.  As I was flipping through the pages, I came across the pièce de résistance: Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake.  Of course, I had to try it out -- and it was fabulous.  And since all you have to do is type "cheesecake" to find the recipe when you search inside the book on Amazon, I have no qualms about sharing it here.  :)


Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake

Vegetable Oil Spray
1/3 cup crushed chocolate graham cracker crumbs (about 9 small rectangles)
12 oz. fat-free cream cheese, softened
4 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup splenda
3/4 cup egg substitute
8 oz. fat-free sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup fat-free caramel apple dip

Preheat oven to 325 F.  Spray a 9-inch springform/round cake pan with vegetable oil spray.  (If using a cake pan, line the bottom of pan with parchment paper and spray again.)  Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs on the bottom of the pan and set it aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheeses and splenda on medium-high setting until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add egg substitute and beat on medium until combined.
Add sour cream and vanilla.  Beat on medium until smooth (about 30 seconds).  Remove 1 cup of batter and set it aside.
Stir cocoa powder into the remaining batter and beat on medium setting for about 30 seconds (or until combined).  Pour half of the chocolate batter into the pan (no need to spread it over the bottom of the pan).  Pour half of the white batter onto the chocolate batter.  Spoon half of the caramel dip onto the white batter.  Pour remaining chocolate batter into the pan.  Drop spoonfuls of the remaining white batter onto the chocolate batter.  Spoon the remaining caramel dip on top.  Gently shake the pan back and forth to distribute the batter evenly.  With a sharp knife, lightly swirl the batter to create a marbled effect.  (Don't overswirl, or you'll have no pattern.)
Bake for 55 minutes, or until the center is just set.  Put the pan on a cooling rack and let it cool for 1 hour.  Then refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Run a knife along the inside of the pan.  Release the side of the springform or invert cake pan onto a plate.
Serves: 12.


Notes:

• The original recipe called for sugar -- I used splenda, and it came out just fine.
• If you're in an area that sells Walden Farms caramel dip, use it.  I did, and it was just as good as the regular caramel apple dip.  Best part is, no calories!
• The best part: for those of you on Weight Watchers, 1/12 of this cheesecake is... wait for it... 3 PointsPlus.  If you use Walden Farms caramel, it goes down to 2.

What Are Your Big Rocks?

I must admit, I typed in "blogspot.com" with a bit of trepidation just now.  I knew that it had been a while since I posted last, and wasn't too sure I wanted to see the date of my last entry.  Sure enough, it was eleven days ago -- so much for my great plan of posting three times a week.  Granted, the past week and a half have been somewhat crazy for me, but if I'm honest with myself, there has been a lot of wasted time within that stretch, as well.  The draw of the flatscreen TV that I got as a Christmas present has been far too strong.  It has become far too easy for me to pop in a DVD that I've already seen twenty times instead of finishing tasks that need to be done.  My priorities are out of whack, and I can feel it.

It reminds me of a story a friend from college told me once.  (And if you've spent any time around me in the past couple of years, you've probably already heard this story.  But it's worth repeating.)  He had a youth director that got out a big glass jar and put in enough large rocks to fill it up to the brim.  He asked the kids, "Can anything else fit in there?"  The kids answered, "no."  He got out some pebbles and started fitting them in the spaces until, again, they reached the top.  Again, he asked the kids, "Can anything else fit now?"  Again, the kids said, "no."  He then took out sand, poured it in the jar, and asked, "How about now?  Can anything else fit?"  The kids were starting to get the picture now, and some hemmed and hawed, while others stayed silent.  He responded, "Well, let's see."  He brought out a pitcher of water and poured it into the jar until it was level to the brim.  He then looked at the students and asked, "What was the point of what I just did?"  The kids responded, "There's always room for something else."  He smiled and said, "No.  The point of this is that if I hadn't put the big rocks in at the beginning, they never would have fit."

So, like I asked in the title of this entry, what are your big rocks?  What are those things that should be of the most importance to you?  Is it spending quality time with family?  Finishing major tasks?  Keeping good on your promises?  Maintaining your health?  Only you can provide that answer, because only you know what is truly important to you.  My challenge to you (as well as to myself) is to spend some time figuring out what those big rocks are, and situating the other "little rocks" in your life around them.  I know one of my "big rocks" is inspiring others to take control and improve the quality of their lives, and this blog (I think) is a great way to do that.  So, then, I need to make sure that I make a point of taking the time to keep up with my updates, and letting the big box in my living room stay dark for a while.  Just like everything else that's important in life, it doesn't come easy.  But I know from personal experience that if I let my big rocks fall into place, I feel much happier and fulfilled.  (In other words, I don't feel like I've wasted my day.)  Plus, the little rocks can still fit between the cracks.