Thanksgiving Healthy Recipe Ideas

So I started this post before Thanksgiving and finally finished it this evening!!  I know that doesn't help your Thanksgiving meal this year however it will help with your 

planning for Christmas.  

Since I know how easy it is to fall off track with our health and fitness goals 
during the holidays I wanted to share with you a few tips on saving yourself 
some guilt and lightening up some of your favorite holiday recipes!!  
You see there are lots of ways to make a recipe lighter or healthier without losing 
the flavor.  Trust me when I say no one even had a clue that I lightened this show 
stopper up!!   I used low fat cream cheese, yogurt instead of sour cream and whole 
wheat flour...I would like to change out the whipping cream but honestly it was only 1/3 
of a cup and I also would like to change up the sugar to stevia but I only had the thought
at the very end so I am going to make a smaller version to test for flavor before risking it.
Remember this is a Thanksgiving treat so it doesn't happen but once a year!!  
It's supposed to serve 12 but we ended up getting 17 since I cut the slices thin.

Ingredients:

2 cups crushed shortbread cookies

3 TBSP butter, melted

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp whole grain flour

1 jar Caramel ice cream topping (I used sugar free- splenda sweetened) 

1 cup chopped pecans, divided
5 packages low fat cream cheese, softened (8 oz packages)
1-3/4 cup of sugar or (1-1/2 cups stevia)
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
      4 eggs
      2 egg yolks
      1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
SOUR CREAM TOPPING:
     2 cups greek yogurt; Chobani plain
      1/3 cup sugar or (1/4 cup stevia)

Directions:  
In a bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter; mix well.  Press onto bottom and 1 
inch up the sides of a greased 10-inch springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet 
and bake at 350 degrees for 8- 10 minutes or until set.  Cool on a wire rack.

In a small bowl, stir 1/4 cup flour into the caramel topping.  Set aside 1/3 cup 
caramel mixture and 2 tablespoons pecans for garnish.  Drizzle remaining caramel 
mixture overthe crust; sprinkle with remaining pecans.  In a mixing bowl, beat the 
cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and remaining flour until smooth.  Add eggs and yolks, 
beat on low speed just until combined.  Stir in cream.  **Place foil around the bottom 
of pan and in water bath, see note below. Pour over crust. Bake at 325 degrees for 
65-70 min or until center is almost set.

Combine sour cream and sugar, carefully spread over warm filling.  Bake 10-12 
minutes longer or until topping is set.  Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  
Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer.  Chill 
for 8 hours or overnight.  Remove sides of pan.  Drizzle with reserved caramel 
mixture and sprinkle with reserved pecans.  Refrigerate leftovers.  
Yield:  12 servings.

**I bake the cheesecake in a water bath so I don't get cracks in the top:  Wrap the pan with 
aluminum foil on the bottom and up the sides. I usually do this before pre-baking the crust – if the recipe calls 
for pre-baking the crust, of course. Then, place the cheesecake pan in a large roasting pan with 1/2 inch of 
warm water in it.