Heart Foundation dietitian Maria Packard said after 18 months of living with the coronavirus pandemic, Aussies were keen to ditch the track pants, kick up their heels and celebrate.
“We know families and friends are eager to get together this holiday break, so why not cook and share delicious heart-healthy festive favourites that curb the kilojoules but spice up the flavour?” Ms Packard said.
“While occasional treats are enjoyable and part of festivities, what matters most for overall good health is regularly eating a wide variety of heart-healthy foods and being mindful of portion size.”
Visit https://hrt.how/Christmas-Recipes
Spiced vanilla ricotta cheesecake
Cooking time 55 minutes (preparation 25 minutes)
Serves 10
Ingredients
65g dates, chopped
¼ cup flaked almonds
¼ cup quick oats
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 peaches, cut into wedges
250g punnet strawberries, halved
½ tsp each icing sugar and ground cinnamon, to dust
Filling
600g fresh ricotta cheese
½ cup reduced fat plain Greek yoghurt
½ cup icing sugar mixture
2 eggs, separated
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
Method:
1. Invert base in a 20cm (base measurement) round springform pan. Lightly spray pan with oil. Line base and side with baking paper.
2. Process dates, almonds and oats in a food processor until finely chopped. Add vanilla and 1 teaspoon of water, process until mixture starts to clump together, adding an extra teaspoon of water if required.
3. Using wet hands, press mixture over base of prepared pan in a thin even layer. Bake in 180°C oven (fan-forced) for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden around edge. Cool.
4. To make filling, process ricotta, yoghurt, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, cinnamon and ginger in same food processor until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.
5. Beat egg whites in a medium bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold into ricotta mixture until combined. Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Smooth over top. Place on a baking tray.
6. Bake in a 150°C preheated oven (fan-forced) for 40 minutes or until just set (centre will still appear wobbly but will set on cooling). Turn off oven. Cool cheesecake in oven with door ajar. Remove. Refrigerate, covered, for several hours or overnight until firm.
7. To serve, transfer cheesecake to a serving plate. Top with peaches and strawberries. Lightly dust with icing sugar and cinnamon.
Tips
• Replace peaches and strawberries with any fresh seasonal fruit combo, try mangoes and raspberries or plums and blackberries.
• Inverting the base of the springform pan makes it easier to remove cooked cheesecake from pan to serve.
