There’s always a reason for the season. And if the season is summer, your aim should be to eat more strawberries. The warm weather makes these sweet reds ripe for the picking…and plating. Forget full-fat milkshakes and sugar-coma smoothies in your pint glass. Strawberries atop a light, gluten-free chocolate cheesecake are much easier to rationalize – especially with only 190 calories in each cupcake-sized serving. Whether you have something to celebrate or not, this treat always makes sense.
Makes 16 cheesecake cups
Macros per cheesecake cup: 190 calories | 8 g protein | 21.5 g carbs | 10.6 g fat | 13 g sugar | 2.3 g fiber
Crust
3/4 cup almond meal flour
1/4 cup Vitacost Cocoa Powder
1/4 cup Vitacost Xylitol
1 scoop ARO Chocolate Whey Protein Complex PLUS
3 Tbsp. Vitacost Coconut Oil, melted
Cheesecake
1 package (8 oz.) reduced-fat plain cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
2/3 cup Vitacost Raw Honey
1 scoop ARO Chocolate Whey Protein Complex PLUS
1/2 cup Vitacost Cocoa Powder
2 eggs, at room temperature
Toppings
1/2 cup strawberries, chopped
1/4 cup Vitacost Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Chips, melted
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and place 16 silicone cupcake liners in a muffin pan; set aside.
- In a large bowl, add all crust ingredients and stir until crumbly. Evenly spoon mixture into cupcake liners, dividing evenly. Use your fingers to press down, making sure crust covers bottom of each liner.
- Using a hand-held mixer in a separate large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.
- Add yogurt and honey. Beat again until smooth.
- Add protein powder and cocoa powder. Mix on low speed until smooth.
- Add one egg at a time. Mix again on low speed until well combined.
- Evenly pour cheesecake filling into each cupcake liner until about 2/3 full.
- Bake cheesecake cups 28-34 minutes, or until center is cooked.
- Let cool, and then top with strawberries and melted chocolate.