Cheesecake screams calories to me, so I adjusted the recipe a little bit to try to lighten it up. I didn't go overboard as I would prefer a special holiday indulgence than a dry cheesecake that no one wants to eat. Here is the recipe...a few tinkering suggestions can be found at the end.
Triple Layer Lemon Cheesecake
adapted from Creating A Stir
2 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
6 tablespoons light butter, melted
1 cup sugar, divided
1 (8-ounce) package 1/3 less fat Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
2 (8-ounce) packages Regular Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
3 large eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract, divided
2 cups light sour cream
Lemon Glaze
Using a food processor, finely chop graham crackers and pour into medium size bowl. Using food processor again, finely chop pecans and mix with the graham crackers. Pour in butter and 2 tablespoons sugar. Press mixture onto bottom and sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan. If looking for a more traditional cheesecake with crust only on the bottom, pour mixture in a little bit at a time and press only on bottom to desired thickness. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.
I did bottom and sides though if I were to make again, especially for company, I would probably just do the bottom crust. The sides were hard to get in uniform thickness and made clean slices more difficult to cut. If presentation is important, stick to the bottom crust only.