Raspberry Mojito Cupcakes

Instant Pot Skinny Creamy Ziti is a play off of my popular Dump and Start Creamy Ziti recipe. This time reducing the calorie and fat content substantially! Substituting Evaporated milk for Creamy Ziti makes this Instant Pot Pasta dish still creamy, cheesy and full of flavor with none of the guilt!

When I started my blog way back when (HA! Literally 10 months ago.) one of my very first recipes that I created and posted with my infamous Dump and Start Creamy Ziti. This recipe hit the ground running! It took off on Facebook and Pinterest very quickly.

Still to this day, it is my most viewed recipe day in and out! It is loved by all, for good reason too! This dish reminds me of Olive Garden’s Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno. Although, I have to be honest, I haven’t actually had that dish in a really long time because I can make this in my Instant Pot for a lot cheaper and much faster.

With the new year rolling around (ps. like HOW did this year go by so quickly?) I thought it was high time for the Creamy Ziti to slim down a bit. ?

This Skinny Instant Pot Fettuccine Alfredo has all of the delicious rich and creamy flavor you love from traditional fettuccine alfredo but it’s lighter and much healthier, with no butter or heavy cream, and a fraction of the calories. If that’s not exciting enough, it’s made in the Instant Pot for a super quick and easy pasta (and even easier cleanup) that your family will LOVE!

I don’t think there are many people who would turn down a cream, cheesy, delicious bowl of fettuccine alfredo, but there’s really something exciting about taking such a high-calorie comfort food and tweaking it to still taste amazing, but be WAY healthier!

One big bowl of this healthier fettuccine alfredo pasta  will barely cost you 400 calories. How’s that possible, you ask? It’s made with skim milk, instead of cream, and there’s not butter or cream cheese. The sauce also has chicken broth, few of my favorite spices, and fresh parmesan cheese, of course. It’s really flavorfully, and creamy, thanks to cornstarch as the thickening agent.

Ingredients
CRUST: (For a classic cheesecake, double up all ingredients)

• 5 Honey Graham Crackers
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• 1 teaspoon Brown Sugar

CHEESECAKE BATTER: (For a classic cheesecake, double up all ingredients)

• 8 oz Cream Cheese (Kraft Philadelphia) softened
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• zest of 1 lime : optional, but highly recommended
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 large egg

Instructions

1. Finely grind the graham crackers in a food processor, or, take a ziploc bag, add crackers, zip it and crush them into a fine crumble with a rolling pin or the back of a skillet. Mix melted butter and brown sugar in the crust. Pour the mixture into a parchment lined 7-Inch nonstick springform pan and spread it around evenly. Using the back of a measuring cup or a bowl, press down the crust to set in the pan. Put the pan in the freezer for 20 minutes.
2. In a food processor, or with a hand mixer, blend/whip cream cheese for 30 seconds on low speed. Add sugar, vanilla essence and lime zest and blend again for 30 seconds. Add sour cream and blend for 30 seconds. Finally, add egg and blend another 15-20 seconds.
3. Take the pan out of the freezer and pour the mixture in. Wiggle the pan gently, it makes the air bubbles rise to the top. Take an icing spatula or a fork, and run it through the batter to pop the air bubbles. Cover the pan first with a paper towel tightly (it shouldn't sink into the cheesecake), and then with a piece of aluminum foil. Doing this prevents the moisture from dropping into the cheesecake.
4. Pour 1 cup water in the Inner pot of the Instant Pot. Place the trivet. Place the pan on the trivet. Close the lid. Vent set to SEALING. Cook on MANUAL (High) for 35 minutes. Wait for Natural Pressure Release (NPR), takes about 17-18 minutes.
5. Open the lid. Remove the pan carefully, remove the foil and cool for 15 minutes. Using an off-set spatula or a knife, go around the cake to release the sides from the pan. This prevents cracks while chilling. Cover it loosely and refrigerator for 8-10 hours. Cheesecake will flatten a little after cooling, that's normal. Open the springform latch and lift the base. Slide the cheesecake on to a platter. Serve it as-is, top it with fresh berries, or a whipped topping of your choice.

Notes

• If your cheesecake seems jiggly (jelly-like) in the center after 35 minutes and NPR, put it back in for another 4-5 minutes, NPR.
• For an easy slicing and clean edges, cut with a clean sharp knife, wiping with a wet paper towel between each cut.
• For cutting calories even further, use Philadelphia 'light' cream cheese instead of regular.