Kefir Kommunity

Looking for a impressive yet easy dish to bring with you as you make the rounds to the holiday parties this season? Check out this delicious Pumpkin Kefir Cheesecake (recipe below, originally found at Mothering.com). You can reduce the saturated fat by using substituting apple juice for butter in the crust and egg substitute for whole eggs in the filling.

Pumpkin Kefir Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust:
1-1/2 boxes cinnamon graham crackers, crushed
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup apple juice concentrate or use melted butter (1 stick)

Filling:
1-1/2 cups Cream Cheese
1/4 cup Kefir
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons liquid egg substitute or 6 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
¾ teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Combine the crust ingredients in a food processor. Lightly spray a 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Evenly distribute crust batter along the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake for 20 minutes and leave the oven on.

Using an electric mixer beat cream cheese, kefir, sugar, and vanilla extract until well blended. Add the egg substitute or eggs, and mix well. To the mixing bowl, add pumpkin and spices. Mix well with an electric mixer until the ingredients form one consistency. Pour mixture onto the crust and shake lightly to even the top.

Bake for 1 hour, until firm. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Run a knife along the sides of the pan to loosen the cake. Cool for 30 to 40 minutes in the pan and then remove the sides. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours before serving.