Ricotta Cheesecake Parfaits

So, it’s been one week since Autumn, Bunny, and I have moved to the Tampa area from Boston.

It’s been a whirlwind of a week but has gone pretty dang well!

I’ve been loving the weather, commute, and work. But Poor Autumn is hating daycare. It’s a really well respected center with awesome reviews, but Autumn doesn’t like the change from her previous in-home daycare that she started to go to at 12 weeks. She misses her teachers, friends, and routine there. She will, hopefully, adjust soon. Or we will just have to have her teacher move down to FL too!

I’ve been scoping out the different grocery stores and farm stands in the area throughout the week to get antiquated with the area. Generally things are the same at in Boston (duh!), but I am so excited that I have found La Criox at Winn-Dixie instead of having to go to Target for it, like how I used to have to do. Yes! Such a La Criox addict.

As well, the farm stand is just 2 miles away so I am going to be hitting that up regularly! I’ve already grabbed tomatoes, oranges, and the berries I used in these awesome Layered Ricotta Cheesecake Parfaits.

I can’t believe it’s already time to post for Secret Recipe Club. I swear it sneaks up on me every month! How?!? Why I am always shocked when it’s time to post?!? Time just flies by when you’re having fun!

This month I’ve had the pleasure of having Nora’s blog, Natural Noshings. Woohoo!

Nora’s journey to eating healthy sounded familiar to me. She first identified that gluten was negatively effecting her, so she eliminated that. Then she took out the heavily processed, sugary food that are gluten free foods that most newly gluten free people jump to. And then she started to feel great. I so get that. I really have made great efforts in the get healthy and lose weight by gobbling up lots of low fat foods, but they tend to be high in sugar so they aren’t good for you. Which is why I really try to focus on a whole foods diet to be more balance and to ditch the sugar.

I intially picked out a few of Nora’s savory entrees like her Kung Pao Chicken and Beef and Sweet Potato Stir Fry but when I saw these Ricotta Cheesecake Parfaits I knew that I had found a winner! Of course, the other contenders would be awesome too, but I was craving berries after visiting the farm stands. Plus, it was a great dessert that was simple to make and not loaded down with sugar!

I followed her recipe pretty close to the T, except that I added crushed up some amaretti cookies that my dad got from local Italian market for his parfaits.

I loved how they were quick to make, had a beautiful presentation, and were just damn delicious! I loved them for me and my dad, but I think they would be fantastic for a dinner party. Everyone will love them!

Ricotta Cheesecake Parfaits

Makes 2 large servings or 4 smaller ones

Ingredients

• 1 cup of ricotta cheese
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2-3 Tablespoons honey or sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 3 1/2 cups of mixed berries, roughly chopped
• 4 ounces of amaretti or biscotti cookies, optional

Process

1.  Beat together the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice.
2. Layer the ricotta mixture with the berries, starting with the ricotta mixture and ending with the berries.
3. Chill for a couple hours prior to serving.
4. Just prior to serving, crush the cookies by placing in a seal-able plastic bag and hitting with a rolling pan or tenderizer. sprinkle the top with some cookies and enjoy!

Adapted from Natural Noshings

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Check out all the other great Secret Recipe Club posts HERE this month!

And be sure to check out my 4+ years of Secret Recipe Club posts!!!!

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