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Regardless of all the buzz about low-fat diets, there is still a way you can have cheese on a regular basis.
I know, I know, there's a lot of fat in most cheeses.
But, the number one thing to keep in mind when maintaining your weight, or anything else in life, is that nearly everything is allowed in moderation.
Your "diet", I really detest that word, is no different.
The majority of weight-loss programs focus on the use of low-fat foods, including cheeses, in their allowable list of menu items.
This is not a bad thing, and I would never suggest for you to do otherwise. It's a proven fact that the normal person consumes much higher quantities of fats than we need to maintain a healthy weight.
Given that, however, I have still found a way to incorporate a variety of higher-fat cheeses in my regular cooking and eating habits.
Here are a few examples:
Blue veined cheeses such as Danish, Gorgonzola, Stilton, Roquefort, etc. Although they have a fat content of 50% or higher, they are intensely flavored, and are excellent sprinkled on salads or added as a finishing flavor to white sauces.
Grana
Padano, or Parmesan as most know it, is normally 32% butter fat. A little
bit goes a long way on a low-fat pasta, or in a nice bowl of soup such as
Minestrone or Mediterranean-style Vegetable.
Feta cheese has a fat content of 30 - 40 %, and is well known as a topping for Greek salad. It's also great added to veggie wraps, pitas, pasta, etc. Be sure to decrease the amount of salt you put in the dish you are serving, though, due to the very salty taste of Feta.
Goat cheese is another cheese with very pronounced flavor, and a fat content of 45 %. Use the same as Feta for a great taste difference.
You get the idea....
Experiment with small amounts of these, and other strong flavored cheeses. Since they are very pronounced, a little goes a long way, so you won't add much to your daily fat intake.
And we all need help in that department :-)
Yours in Food " Friendship,
Chef Kevin
Copyright Cooking Solutions 2008
Kevin Wagner is Chef/Owner of Cooking Solutions, catering, teaching, and consulting services located in Bear River, Nova Scotia. Email: ChefKevin@cooking-solutions.com in response to this article or other questions.
