College Cooking: Have your Cheese and Eat it, too!

No matter how tasty a dish may be, it’s almost always better with cheese – whether it’s a tangy feta on a green
salad, salty parmesan with crackers, or melted fontina on pizza. Cheese’s allure stems from its texture and flavor. There are hundreds of cheese varieties ranging from sweet and nutty to bitter and acidic. Because cheese is naturally high in fat (particularly saturated fat), it’s important to use it wisely.
 
It’s best to use cheeses that deliver big flavor in a small dose, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or blue cheese. More subtly flavored cheeses, such as Brie or fontina, are best used for their superior melting qualities. However, to keep your fat intake lower this group of cheeses should rarely be consumed. Here are some cheesy recipes that are packed with flavor but won’t result in packing on extra pounds.
 
Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms: You will need cooking spray, 1 large minced shallot, 1 minced garlic clove,
about one pound of medium button mushrooms, 1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 2 ounces of diced cheddar cheese, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of water. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add minced shallots and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Place mixture in a small bowl. Remove stems from mushroom and chop the stems. Add chopped stems, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt, pepper, and cheese to shallot mixture – toss with fork until blended. Add olive oil and water, and stir well to combine. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of filling into each mushroom cap and arrange the mushrooms (filling side up) on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes and serve warm. (One Serving: 4 mushrooms, 51 calories)
 
Ham and Gruyere Potato Gratin: You will need 2.5 cups of low-fat milk, 2 tablespoons of flour, 2 teaspoons
of butter, 1/2 cup of finely chopped onion, 1 cup of shredded Gruyere cheese, 2 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes cut into 1/8-inch thick slices, cooking spray, 4 ounces of reduced fat ham (chopped). Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the milk, flour, salt, and pepper with a whisk, set aside. Heat butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, cook three minutes stirring frequently. Stir in milk mixture; bring to a boil. Cook for two minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and ad 1/2 cup of cheese, stir until smooth. Arrange half of potatoes in an 11×7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour half of sauce over potatoes and top with ham. Top with remaining potatoes and remaining sauce; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Cover with foil coated in cooking spray. Bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake another 45 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. (One Serving: 1/8th of dish, 226 calories)
 
Beef Pitas with Feta Sauce: You will need 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, 2
tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice, 3 minced garlic cloves, 3/4 pound lean ground beef, cooking spray, 1/2 cup reduced fat feta cheese, 1/4 cup plain fat free yogurt, 20 slices of cucumber, 10 romaine lettuce leaves, 10 slices of tomato, 5 pitas cut in half. Preheat broiler. Combine first 10 ingredients in a large bowl. Add beef; stir just until combined. Divide mixture into 10 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/4-inch-thick oval patty. Place patties on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 2 minutes on each side or until done. Combine cheese and yogurt in a small bowl; set aside. Arrange 1 patty, 2 cucumber slices, 1 lettuce leaf, and 1 tomato slice in each pita half. Drizzle each pita half with about 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese mixture. Serve immediately. (One Serving: 2 pita halves, 400 calories)
 
Hopefully these recipes can spice up your cheese intake. Even when you’re eating healthy there are no “forbidden” foods. Incorporating cheese, in moderation, can be delicious and nutritious!