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.

Peppermint Essential Oil Truffles

These truffles were a huge hit at my essential oils class: Returning to a Natural Healthcare.

Several people asked me to share the recipe.  Here it is:

Peppermint Essential Oil Truffles

Yield: About 36

Ingredients:
1- package of Oreo cookies (original NOT Doublestuff - can use off brand cookies as well), divided
1- 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened
5-8 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil (only use a certified pure essential oil approved for ingesting)
1 -16 oz vanilla almond bark or candy melts

Directions:
• Set a long sheet of wax paper over a cookie sheet, set aside.
• Place all but 3 Oreos in a food processor (entire cookie, don't remove cream filling) and pulse until finely crushed (alternately, if you don't own a food processor, you can place Oreos in a large Ziploc bag, seal bag and crush with a rolling pin until finely crushed).
• Pour crushed Oreos into a mixing bowl along with cream cheese and Peppermint essential oil. Using the back of a spoon, stir mixture while pressing it along the bottom of the bowl, until well combined and evenly moistened. Scoop mixture out and form into 1 inch balls (if you happen to have a kitchen scale, they should be about 16 grams - I didn't weigh but used a cookie scoop to get the right size then rolled it into a perfect ball).
• Align on prepared cookie sheet. Place truffles in freezer for 10 minutes or longer. Meanwhile, crush remaining 3 Oreos.
• Melt almond bark according to directions on package. Remove truffles from freezer and dip in melted chocolate and evenly coat then allow excess chocolate to run off. Return to baking sheet and immediately sprinkle tops with remaining crushed Oreos. Allow chocolate to set. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator.

Need to order Peppermint essential oil or any other essential oils?
Contact me!

Recipe Source: Taken and adapted from http://www.cookingclassy.com/2012/12/oreo-truffles-two-ways/

Recipe by Christine Russell, RN