Instructions:

Wake Up and Smell the Coffee Cheesecake

Crust
1 1/2 cups crushed low-fat graham wafers
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 egg white

Filling
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 cups low-fat 1% cottage cheese
1 (8 ounce) package light cream cheese
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup skim milk
2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
1/3 cup low-fat sour cream
3 egg whites, at room temperature
4 tablespoons granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine graham crumbs and sugar in a small bowl. Add egg white and mix well. Press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake just until edges feel firm and dry, about 8 minutes. Let cool.

Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Combine first amount sugar, flour, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside.

Process cottage cheese in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Add cream cheese, egg, and first amount egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Gradually add flour mixture and beat until well blended. Add vanilla extract and beat again. Mix coffee granules with skim milk until dissolved. Add to cheese mixture along with sour cream. Beat until smooth.

In separate bowl, beat second amount egg whites with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Add second amount sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold egg white mixture into cheese mixture.

Pour batter into prepared crust. Rake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until almost set. Turn oven off. Leave cake in oven for 1 hour. Cool completely.

Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Run knife along edges of cake before removing sides of pan.

Servings: 12

Per serving: 203 calories, 5.4 g fat, 30.9 g carbohydrate, 9.8 g protein, 309 mg sodium, 28 mg cholesterol, calories from fat: 23%