Happy New Year, keto friends!

I trust that 2015 has been good to all of you so far. I know that the holidays can be rough as we’re all faced with the temptation of cookies, candies, and other hard-to-resist treats. Those temptations can be hard to avoid when it seems like all of your friends, family, and coworkers are indulging around you. So if you happened to stay strong and keto on through the holidays, then good for you! And if not? Well, let’s just get back on track and look forward with renewed focus.

Today, I thought I’d share with you a very simple dessert recipe. A recipe that is nearly impossible to mess up. Something quick and easy but very tasty: raspberry cheesecake!

There are plenty of ways to make a cheesecake, and let me preface this post with some breaking news: I am not a five-star chef. Shocking, I know. If there’s an easy way to cook something without losing any of the charm or appeal of the dish, I’ll go with the easy way. That’s what we’re doing here today.

What you’ll need:

For the crust:

1 cup almond flour/meal (I use Bob’s)

2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1 & 1/2 tbsp Splenda or other zero calorie sweetener

For the filling:

1 8-oz brick of cream cheese, softened

2-3 tbsp sugar-free red raspberry preserves (I use Smucker’s)

1-2 tbsp Splenda or other zero calorie sweetener

Directions:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400F.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of almond flour, 2 tbsp of melted butter, and 1 & 1/2 tbsp Splenda (or other sweetener). Using a standing or hand mixer, mix ingredients together until they are crumbly.

Step 2: Spray (or butter) a 6 or 8 inch baking dish well. Then, add the mixed crust ingredients to the dish and press them down into the dish with your hand. You want to create a firm crust base. Be sure to let the crust ride up onto the sides of the dish to create a pie-like crust.

Step 3: Place the crust into the oven and bake at 400F for 10-12 minutes or until the crust becomes golden brown. Be careful not to overcook as you don’t want the almonds to burn. When finished, remove the crust from the oven and set it to the side to cool completely.

Step 4: In a separate (and clean!) mixing bowl, combine 8 oz of softened cream cheese, 2 tbsp of sugar-free red raspberry preserves, and 1 tbsp of Splenda. Mix until the ingredients are completely combined. The filling should be smooth and the color will be pink from the preserves. At this point, taste a small sample of the filling. If you find it sweet enough, you’re good to go. Otherwise, consider adding another tbsp of preserves or sweetener until you are satisfied. It’s always easier to add more sweetener than it is to take it away.

Step 5: Pour the filling onto your cooled crust. Using a rubber spatula, spread the filling around evenly on top of the crust. Once finished, cover and place the cheesecake in your fridge for at least 2-3 hours for the filling to stiffen up again.

When all is said and done, here’s what a slice will look like:

Note: This recipe serves 4-6 depending on how you slice the pieces. If you slice it 6 ways, each serving comes out to 276 calories, 25g fat, 4g carbs, and 6g protein!