Today is a special day in the world of R.I.P.P.E.D. and I’m celebrating! It’s the final stretch in the second round of the R.I.P.P.E.D. 2 Fit Challenge; the top 10 finalists were just announced, and it was a true nail-biter. I heard it was a grueling selection process because of all the incredible photos and stories of tremendous weight loss. So in honor of all the hard work, dedication and clean eating that has occurred across the nation, I declare today a day to celebrate with healthy and balanced Mini Cheesecakes! This recipe comes to you from my very own student and R2Fit Challenger success story: Ashley Brehm. Ashley has been eating blood sugar stable for several months and has lost a staggering amount of inches and pounds, and she looks amazing. She’s a dedicated R.I.P.P.E.D. taker who recently got her fiancee on the program so that they can both look stunning as they walk down the aisle next year.
Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes
Yield: 12 cheesecakes
Ingredients
- 9 Oreos separated into 18 halves (I used Trader Joe’s GF Joe Joe’s)
- 8 ounces fat free cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese (you can use fat-free but it can sometimes seem grainy)
- 1/4 cup granulated stevia (I would reduce if using concentrated powder)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
- pinch of salt
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)- I used vanilla cake Protizyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275°. Line standard muffin pans with 12 liners. Separate cookie sandwiches with a butter knife. Place 1 half cookie in the bottom of each liner. Save the remaining 6 halves on the side.
- Beat cream cheese and ricotta at medium speed using an electric mixer. Gradually add the stevia, beating until combined. Beat in vanilla.
- Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time. Beat in greek yogurt, protein powder and salt. Chop remaining 6 cookie halves and fold into the mixture by hand.
- Divide batter evenly among cookie-lined cups, filling each almost to the top. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, about 22-25 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (or up to overnight). Remove from tins just before serving. Best served really cold!
1 cheesecake: 8P/10C/3F…so that’s right you can eat 2! It’ll be a little shy on protein, so simply balance for yourself according to your ratios.