Chocolate Almond Butter Cheesecake

Just because Josh is on the Advanced Cellular Healing Diet by Dr. Pompa doesn't mean that he can't enjoy my birthday "cake" like the rest of our family!  I love finding ways to experiment in the kitchen to create palate-pleasing foods that are healthy and within the strict diet specifications for Josh.

That being said, I had fun making my own birthday "cake" satisfying the peanut butter and chocolate craving I've been having while ensuring to keep the "cake" gluten and grain-free as well as sugar-free.  Don't let that scare you off!  It is possible to accomplish that and still have the finished product taste good and have people fighting for seconds!  Try this cheesecake recipe out for yourself and let me know how loved the cheesecake was by those who guiltlessly indulged!

Chocolate Almond Butter Cheesecake
Serving size: 8 large or 16 small pieces

Ingredients
Crust:

• 3 TBSP organic butter
• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder (cocoa powder would work but cacao is healthier)
• 3 TBSP xylitol (powder in food processor for finer grain texture)
• 1 Large egg, lightly beaten (grass-fed, free range eggs are healthiest!)
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup walnuts (chop in food processor)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Filling:

• 8 oz. organic cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup creamy almond butter
• 1/2 cup cream (I used raw, grass fed cream; if you can't get that, organic whipping cream will work or whip up the cream on the top of a refrigerated can of coconut milk)
• 1/4 cup xylitol (powder in food processor for finer grain texture)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of green stevia leaf powder (optional for increased sweetness)

Chocolate Topping:

• 5 TBSP organic butter
• 2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 2 TBSP xylitol (powder in food processor for finer grain texture)
• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder
• 1/8 tsp green stevia leaf powder
• 1 TBSP extra virgin coconut oil

Directions

1. Prepare 8.5-9" spring form pan by greasing bottom and sides thinly with extra virgin coconut oil or grapeseed oil to help keep crust from sticking.  Set aside.  
2. Crust: Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat.  Stir in cacao and xylitol then slowly whisk in beaten egg.  Cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens (1 min or less).  Remove from heat.  Stir in almond flour, walnuts, and vanilla.  Press crust evenly into bottom and sides of pan and freeze for about 20 minutes (can refrigerate instead if waiting for an hour or more for next step).
3. Filling:  Beat cream cheese and almond butter together until smooth.  Beat in cream.  Beat in xylitol and vanilla until smooth and creamy.  Add stevia powder, if using.  Spread filling over crust and smooth top.  Refrigerate or freeze until firm (at least 2 hours in fridge).
4. Chocolate Topping: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter, unsweetened chocolate, xylitol, and stevia powder together.  Add vanilla and cacao powder and stir until smooth.  If too thick, add coconut oil mixing until melted.  Spread over filling and refrigerate again until firm (30min - 1 hour).

Enjoy this guiltless, low carb, gluten and grain-free, sugar-free cheesecake!  Keep leftovers refrigerated (if there are any! :-) ).

Note:I adapted this recipe I found from Carolyn at All Day I Dream About Food: http://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2012/05/chocolate-peanut-butter-mousse-tarts-low-carb-and-gluten-free.html.

Voting and Setting an Example for the Next Generation

Today, I exercised my rights as a citizen of the United States, and I took the time to do it with David to teach him the value of exercising his rights as a citizen. I used the experience today to discuss with the boys at dinner why we vote and why we chose the candidates that we did.  We used it as an opportunity to also teach them many lessons that I pray will help them succeed in life and glorify God in the process.  It is my duty as their parent to set an example for them in the way they should go in life.

Here are some of the things we discussed today:

1. We need to measure what is right and what is wrong by God's standards found in the Bible.
2. Sometimes doing the right thing means going against the crowd and doing what is unpopular or even scorned upon by peers.
3. When voting, vote on principle and conscience after much prayer and consideration.
4. Two wrongs have never made a right, and nor will they ever!  Evil is still evil even if less.
5. Voting is a way to make your voice heard no matter who you vote for because your vote tells those looking at the statistics who and what you stand for in your choice.
6. You can be content and at peace in your vote and the outcome because God is always in control, and He's the one who puts people into power and takes them out of power.  The outcome has already been ordained by God.  There is no fear of the future!
7. Voting is a right that should be exercised by citizens who are blessed with that right.  
8. Voting is a personal decision.  You need to respect other people's opinions and choices and let God do the work in individual hearts.  You can speak your heart with grace, but leave the persuading and moving of hearts to God.  Act and speak like Christ in all things.  You are His representative and light in this dark and evil world.  
9. No matter who wins the election tonight, we must honor that person and give him or her the respect the position deserves because God put him/her in that power and God's Word commands us to respect those in authority over us.  We are also commanded to pray for our President, so we must commit that person to prayer and pray that God would direct and lead working out His perfect will in and through him/her.