Sweet and Cheesy, Just Like ME
Hey friends! I've taken quiiiiite the hiatus from blogging, ever since I've gotten my RD license! I've had a few things going on - I'm now a clinical dietitian at the hospital I did my clinical rotation at. For those of you who don't know what that entails, clinical RD's work in the hospital (or rehab, long-term care, etc.). They visit patients and make recommendations working with the medical team (doctors, pharmacists, nurses, speech language pathologists, etc.).
We gather information from patients, verbally, visually and physically. We'll want to know about any recent changes in food intake or appetite, as certain decreases in those variables could denote malnutrition. We may "palpate," or touch, a patient to feel for signs of fat/ muscle wasting or fluid retention to assess for malnutrition. We're visually inspecting for signs, such as lack of teeth, acanthosis nigricans (darkening of the skin folds, which may indicate diabetes), yellowing of the skin from jaundice (which may indicate a liver issue).
We may call the doctor with a recommendation for the tube feeding formula and rate we've calculated. We may call the pharmacist to let them know the recommendation for our patient's intravenous nutrition (otherwise known as parenteral nutrition/TPN/PPN - a concoction of amino acids, dextrose, and lipids). If a patient is on a drug that contains fat calories, such as propofol, we'll have to consider that and adjust accordingly. We look at drug-nutrient interactions, bowel movements, lab values, and more!
The experience has been AWESOME thus far. There is SO much that I've learned, and I have so much more to learn. I've even been working with outpatients, meaning I do nutrition counseling to patients with diabetes, heart disease, or are preparing for bariatric (weight loss) surgery.
Aside from that, I've started my own private practice, which has kept me insanely busy! In fact, I'm going to write a blog post on this once I figure out the details. I have my business license, my DBA (doing business as) name, and an office. Things are coming together very excitingly, and I hope this is an area that I can help others through. I truly think I've been put on this earth to walk alongside others, aiding in their healing.
Without further ado, I introduce you to my luscious, fluffy, creamy and not-one-bit-"healthy"-tasting LEMON CHEESECAKE with BLUEBERRY COMPOTE! MMMMMMMMM. And just incase you wanted to know, this is Opa-approved. (Opa means grandfather in German). If I want to know if something is good or not, I always give it to my Opa. That man does NOT hold back his feelings, especially when it comes to food. Guess that's where I get it from... "Kristina, this is just like ze restaurant! You can make zis again! Zis is just like ze Cheesecake Factory."
My mom, also, loved it! "Wow, this is healthy?" Yeah, ma! I love this cheesecake, because it is low sugar (less than 1/2 cup added sugars for the ENTIRE recipe - including the blueberry compote), has added fiber (from the psyllium husk, although a small amount), contains significant protein (from the Greek yogurt), and is heart-healthy (made with low-fat cream cheese, 0% fat Greek yogurt, and uses safflower oil instead of butter for the crust). SOLD.
Of course, we should have the real deal, with full butter and sugar, when the occasion arises. But, why wouldn't you make simple adjustments like this if it's so easy and tastes just as good as the real deal? It's just a reminder that health doesn't have to be all or nothing. It is truly about the accumulation of our eating patterns over time that lends to overall physical health.
Okay, now for real. Here's the recipe!!!
Lemon Cheesecake with Blueberry Compote
Yield: 6-8 slices
Time: 30 minutes prep, 1 hour baking
INGREDIENTS:
Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup shredded, unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup psyllium husk
pinch of stevia
1/3 cup + 1 TBSP safflower oil (or other plant-based oil)
Cheesecake Filling:
8 oz package of 1/3 less fat cream cheese or neufchâtel (at room temperature)
1 + 1/3 cup 0% Greek yogurt
Zest of 2 lemons
1/4 cup + 2 TBSP lemon juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanila
pinch of stevia
pinch of salt
2 eggs
Blueberry Compote:
2 + 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
1 TBSP honey
juice of half of lemon
3 teaspoons cornstarch
3 teaspoons water
pinch of stevia
Directions:
Set oven to 350 F. Spray a pie dish with cooking spray.
Mix graham cracker crumbs, coconut, psyllium husk, stevia, and oil in a medium sized bowl until moistened. Press into the bottom of the pie dish with your hands, make sure it is firmly packed by pressing down with the bottom of the measuring cup. Make sure the crust goes up to the top edges of the dish.
In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with greek yogurt, using a hand mixer. Add in lemon juice, zest, vanilla, salt and sugar. Add stevia to taste. Mix in each egg, one at a time. Avoid over beating, as this can cause cracks to form in your cheesecake. Pour into the crust, smoothing out the top. Bake for 1 hour, or until the top becomes slightly golden brown. Let cool in the refrigerator before cutting 2-4 hours.
In a medium-sized pan, add the frozen blueberries, honey, lemon juice, and stevia. Cook on low to medium heat, mixing intermittently for about 10 minutes. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water well. Add mixture into the blueberry mix while stirring as to prevent clumps. Within seconds, the mixture will thicken, resembling pie filling. Mix, and turn heat off.
Once both the cheesecake and the topping are cool, cut and enjoy!
xx, Kris