Friday, March 12, 2010

There are six cheeses you can easily incorporate into a healthy diet today let's look at Gouda Cheese 6 of 6.

Gouda Cheese is a creamy cheese it has a rich, buttery flavor, so you may not have thought about Gouda being a healthy cheese. An excellent source of calcium, it's slightly lower in fat and calories than Cheddar, but higher in sodium

Smoked Gouda Chicken

1 teaspoon olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup *flour
1/2 cup *sour cream
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1 wheel smoked Gouda cheese, sliced in 1/8-inch
thick slices, divided

Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet. Sear chicken in skillet to brown on each side. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

In same skillet melt butter. Add garlic and brown. Add flour and brown. Add sour cream and yogurt. Mix to make sauce. Add scallions and all except 4 slices of the gouda cheese. Simmer until cheese melts. Return chicken to skillet and simmer about 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

To serve, place over cooked *pasta. Add pasta to plate, Spoon sauce over pasta, then place a chicken breast on top. Just before serving place the last 4 slices of gouda on the 4 breasts and allow to melt slightly.

*I used low fat sour cream, whole wheat pasta and whole wheat flour.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

There are six cheeses you can easily incorporate into a healthy diet today let's look at Goat Cheese 5 of 6.

Goat Cheese
Also called chèvre, goat cheese can be creamy, crumbly, or semi-firm. It has a mild aroma and a strong, tangy taste. Lower in fat and calories than cheese made from cow's milk, goat cheese is high in protein. It's easily digestible, too, making it a good choice if you have lactose intolerance or dairy allergies. Avoid goat cheese if you're pregnant, as it may have bacteria that can be harmful to the baby.


Goat Cheese Salmon

Ingredients
4 salmon fillets
1/2 cup herb goat cheese
1/4 cup (naturally low calorie) honey/dijon salad dressing
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking dish.
2. Arrange the salmon fillets in the baking dish. Make small incisions in each fillet, and stuff with equal amounts of the herbed goat cheese. Spread equal amounts honey/dijon salad dressing over each fillet. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Bake salmon 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until easily flaked with a
fork.

Amount Per Serving Calories: 247 | Total Fat: 16.3g | Cholesterol: 68mg


Waldorf Goat Cheese Salad

Ingredients
2 cups red leaf lettuce - rinsed, dried and torn
2 tablespoons raspberry walnut vinaigrette
1/2 cup seedless red grapes, halved
2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese
2 tablespoons chopped pecans
Directions
1. Toss lettuce with dressing in a mixing bowl; transfer to a serving dish. Scatter grapes, goat cheese, and pecans on top.

Calories: 266 | Total Fat: 15.4g | Cholesterol: 11mg

Thursday, February 25, 2010

There are six cheeses you can easily incorporate into a healthy diet today let's look at Cottage Cheese 4 of 6.

Cottage Cheese is one percent, two percent, non-fat, creamy or dry-cottage cheese comes in lots of varieties, yet they all share that bright white color, bumpy texture, and classic flavor. A dieter's standby, cottage cheese is low in fat and carbs but soaring in protein and calcium. The downside: it's high in sodium.

Sweet Cottage Cheese and Bananas


Ingredients
1/2 cup cottage cheese
2 teaspoons honey
1 banana, sliced


Directions
1. In a small serving bowl, stir together the
cottage cheese, honey, and banana slices. Serve or eat immediately


Cottage Cheese Chicken Enchiladas


Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 lb ground tukey
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 (7 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
2 cups fat free cottage cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
12 (6 inch) whole wheat corn tortillas
2 cups shredded 2% Monterey Jack cheese
1 (10 ounce) can red enchilada sauce


Directions
1. To Make Meat Mixture: Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat, add turkey, onion and green chile peppers and saute until browned, then add taco seasoning and prepare meat mixture according to package directions.
2. To Make Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl mix sour cream with cottage cheese and season with salt and pepper; stir until well blended.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. To Assemble Enchiladas: Heat tortillas until soft. In each tortilla place a spoonful of meat mixture, a spoonful of cheese mixture and a bit of shredded cheese. Roll tortillas and place in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with any remaining meat and cheese mixture, enchilada sauce and remaining shredded cheese.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

There are six cheeses you can easily incorporate into a healthy diet today let's look at Feta Cheese 3 of 6

In Greece it was first made from sheep's or goat's milk; in the U.S. it's usually made with cow's milk. Either way, it has a salty, tangy flavor that comes from curing the cheese in brine, which makes it high in sodium. But it's still a good source of protein, riboflavin, calcium, and phosphorous-and at 74 calories per 1-ounce serving, it's diet friendly, too. Avoid feta if you're pregnant. Soft cheeses such as feta can become contaminated with listeria, a bacteria that can be transferred to the baby

Chicken, Feta Cheese, and Sun-Dried Tomato Wraps

Ingredients

2 (4 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup sun-dried tomato dressing* (do not use vinaigrette)
8 sun-dried tomatoes (not oil packed)
1 cup boiling water
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
4 cups loosely packed torn fresh spinach
4 (10 inch) whole wheat tortillas
1/4 cup sun-dried tomato dressing* (do not use vinaigrette)

* try roasted red pepper dressing it is great

Directions

1. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine chicken breasts and 1/4 cup dressing. Seal, and refrigerate for several hours.
2. Preheat grill for high heat. Combine sun-dried tomatoes and hot water in a small bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes, drain, and cut tomatoes into thin slices.
3. Lightly oil grill grate. Discard marinade, and place chicken on grill. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning once, or until done.
4. Cut chicken into strips, and place in a medium bowl with sliced tomatoes, feta, and spinach. Toss with remaining 1/4 cup dressing. Distribute mixture between the four tortillas, and wrap. Either cut in half and enjoy cold, or place briefly back on grill until the tortilla turns warm and crispy.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

There are six cheeses you can easily incorporate into a healthy diet today let's look at Ricotta Cheese 2 of 6

Ricotta is smooth, creamy, and slightly sweet, ricotta is one of the most versatile cheeses around, going from lasagnas and dips to desserts. The second highest dairy source of calcium, ricotta is low in sodium and a good source of protein and selenium, an antioxidant. Cut fat and calories by using part-skim ricotta.


Ricotta and Artichoke-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Ingredients
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 (6.5 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch ground cumin
1 Tablespoon garlic power
1 Tablespoon onion power
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, artichoke hearts, basil, pepper, and cumin. Seasoned the chicken with garlic power, onion power and salt and pepper, place the chicken breasts on a flat surface, and cut from one side through the middle of the breast to within one half inch of the other side. Open the two sides and spread them out flat like an open book. Spread the chicken with the ricotta mixture, and roll up. Place the rolls in prepared baking dish, seam side down.
3. Bake in preheated oven until juices run clear, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Calories: 386 | Total Fat: 17.6g | Cholesterol: 105mg