Do you crave something sweet and savory, but not sure what you’re allowed to eat on the 17 Day Diet that might be guilt-free?
Look no further!
This Low-fat, Low-carb Mini Cheesecakes recipe is here to the rescue!
Thanks to blog reader, Dorinda, for this recipe.
I made these and they are so super easy, very quick and sinfully delicious!
Oh, and they’re pretty light, too!
They’re so light that they’re perfect to add to your Summer BBQ recipe ideas list to serve at your next summer function!
The recipe calls for only five ingredients and 30 minutes of bake time. Can’t get better than that!
Ingredients for Low Fat, Low Carb Mini Cheesecakes
Like I mentioned earlier, there are only five ingredients, so this recipe is not complicated.
In fact, they don’t have a traditional graham cracker crust, so this mini cheesecake recipe is low carb!
Cheese
As per usual, cheesecake recipes contain cheese!
This Low Fat, Low Carb Mini Cheesecakes recipe contains two types of cheese – cream cheese and ricotta cheese.
First up – cream cheese!
If you can, opt for a low or full fat cream cheese as opposed to non-fat. I’ll explain a bit further down as to the reason why.
Oh, and if you’re wondering if cheese is allowed on the 17 Day Diet, I’ll explain that too, so keep reading!
The second type of cheese for this Low Fat, Low Carb Mini Cheesecakes recipe is ricotta cheese.
You might see ricotta in lasagna recipes, but it’s also a favorite in dessert recipes as well.
Ricotta cheese is pretty versatile – it can be used in savory and sweet dishes. It’s one of the highlights in this cheesecake recipe.
If you can, opt for a low or full fat version rather than non-fat and I’ll explain why a bit further down, so keep scrolling!
Is Cheese Allowed on the 17 Day Diet?
I get a lot of puzzled looks when new members of the community ask about cheese.
Is cheese allowed on the 17 Day Diet? The short answer is YES!
I go into more detail about cheese and the 17 Day Diet, so make sure you click the prior link to get the low down.
Disclaimer – technically, you’ll find ricotta cheese on the Cycle 3 food list, but I’ve approved these mini cheesecakes for all cycles.
However, you’ll also find non-fat cheese is allowed in moderation for all cycles and non-fat cheeses are listed under the condiment section to be used in moderation.
Non Fat vs Low Fat vs Full Fat Cheese
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. If you’re like me and you like to eat clean, I personally stay away from anything non-fat.
You see, when you strip the fat out of a food, you’re stripping away the flavor.
How do you add back in more flavor to a non-fat food?
You add salt, sugar and other ingredients, including artificial stuff you really don’t want in your diet.
So, if you want to make this yummy cheesecake and you want to enjoy it in all cycles, maybe opt for a lower-fat ricotta and/or cream cheese and you should be just fine!
Otherwise, if you’re sticking by the book and don’t really care if your diet is clean eating, opt for non-fat.
Toppings for Low-Fat, Low-Carb Mini Cheesecakes
As you can see here in this post, I opted for sliced strawberries for topping my mini cheesecakes.
You can use all types of toppings depending on your mood, what time of day you’re eating these, etc.
If you’re on the 17 Day Diet, make sure you have your mini cheesecakes before 2pm if you choose to have fruit on them!
Here are a few other ways to top your mini cheesecakes:
- No Sugar Added Chocolate Sauce
- No Sugar Added Fruit Jam or Preserve
- No Sugar Added Fruit Compote
Other Healthy Dessert Recipes
If you enjoy this Low-Fat, Low-Carb Mini Cheesecakes recipe, you might enjoy these other healthy dessert recipe ideas:
- Apple Chips
- Ann’s Creamy Fruit Freeze
- Chocolate Chia Pudding
- Banana Protein Nice Cream
- Faux Chocolate Pudding
If you happen to make this recipe, I’d love for you to come back and submit your review below. Oh, and if you’re on social media, make sure you tag me @17ddblog so I can see your pretty cheesecake! Enjoy!
Low-Fat Low-Carb Mini Cheesecakes (17DD Friendly)
Yummy mini cheesecakes without all the sugar and guilt!
Ingredients
- 6 oz. low fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese, room temperature
- 1 egg and 1 egg yolk (beaten),
- 2 teaspoons sweetener (Stevia) (use 2 tablespoons if you prefer a sweeter cake)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray regular size muffin pan with non-stick spray (use cupcake liners instead if you prefer).
- Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until mixture is smooth.
- Divide batter evenly into 6 muffin cups. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean.
- Let cool on rack. Gently remove mini cheesecakes from pan.
- Use your favorite berries for a topping or eat plain!
Notes
Approved for all cycles. See note in post regarding cheese on the 17 Day Diet.
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I’ve been loving the 17 Day Diet since 2011. I love sharing my favorite healthy recipes and meal plans to keep you motivated and on the right path to success!
When I’m not hanging out here, I enjoy quick trips to the Oregon Coast, designing my jewelry line, being a proud Swiftie, and tinkering with my personal Youtube Channel!
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is this allowed on stage 1?
Approved for all cycles as long as you use low to non-fat items.
How many are allowed?
Tonia, I think two would be a great treat!
I’m having difficulty with many recipes because I cannot have artificial sweetners, Stevia, or Truvia. Are there any other suggestions for thsee ingredients?
Stevia, or it’s grand name Truvia, is derived from the Stevia plant. It’s not artificial like aspartame and other yucky sweeteners. You can try this recipe without any sweetener and use fruit as a topping to help naturally sweeten it (a few sliced strawberries in the evening are not going to hurt your diet).
How about Allulose as a sweetener? No aftertaste , about 70% as sweet as sugar.
Nancy, that depends on how close to the book you want to stick to. If close, then stevia is the sweetener of choice. If you want flexibility, then give allulose a try and see how it goes!
If the “cannot eat stevia” is a matter of taste, I understand the experience. I use Sweet Leaf Sweet Drops Stevia Sweetener. The liquid drops come in a variety of flavors. I have found them at Fry’s, Whole Foods, Sprouts, etc. They are 100% better than any powdered sweetener. I do not use the plain drops- I prefer the vanilla drops.
You can use Swerve, granular or confectioners. This is the best sugar substitute I have found. Even Monkfruit Sweetner is very good.
These look wonderful! I do have a question though. The recipe says to use a regular size muffin pan but the recipes says “remove mini cheesecakes from pan”. So do you use regular or mini cupcake pans?
Pat, use regular size muffin pans. The “mini” reference doesn’t have anything to do with mini muffins. It’s just a comparison to a large cheesecake that would normally feed 8. Hope this helps.
I made the…and they are yummy and just what i needed! Would these count as one of the probiotics?
Yes, they are good!! I don’t think they’d count as a probiotic. Sorry!
Could you use cottage cheese and blend up instead of ricotta?
Shelley, I bet it would work. the only thing I’d probably do is try to drain as much liquid as possible before you blend the cottage cheese to make the consistency match the ricotta.