Le fromage

Bonjour, this post is dedicated to my guilty pleasure, cheese. Despite being ridiculously high in saturated fat, there are believed to be numerous health benefits to this delightful dairy product. The health benefits of cheese are rarely advertised in the commercial world, however it is high in calcium which can help prevent cavities and tooth decay and is packed full of protein. So especially for vegetarians or for people that don't eat much meat, can be a crucial part of a balanced diet. That being said, please don't take this as eating cheese all day every day will be fine, its packed full of natural fats which could cause weight gain.

There are many types of cheese, such as the classic cheddar, red Leicester, creamy brie or even the luxurious Camembert. I am curious as to which cheese is best for you and do you have to sacrifice on that intense cheesy flavour for a slimmer waistline?

Feta cheese is one of the healthiest, containing the least calories and sat fat. However, I think it tastes the best in a fresh Greek salad overlooking the beach on a sunny Greek island and just is not the same in the cold English weather. However, a variation of a classic dish to make the element of cheese healthier, is when making lasagne use half cheddar and half feta in the cheese sauce. I think this makes it more tasty, due to the strong taste of feta and gives the sauce more substance. It also means you are enjoying a cheesy delight with less calories.

In addition to this is goats cheese, which is strong in flavour and therefore requires a lot less cheese to have the desired impact. This is perfect on a pizza or as an accompaniment to a salad. There is on average 20 less calories in a portion of goats cheese compared to a cheese made with cows milk. My house mate, has just made me a butter nut squash risotto made solely from chicken stock and sprinkled about a teaspoon of crumbly goats cheese on top. It was beautiful and made it taste really creamy and flavoursome and wasn't that bad for you! (Thanks Hol!!)

Basically, my message is enjoying cheese in moderation is absolutely fine. My secret is to substitute for healthier cheese as much as possible. Unless I'm hungover, where me and boyfriend have a tendency to make a portion of nachos, stacked to the top with cheddar. Once in a while doesn't hurt anyone ;) As they say everything in moderation.

Caio for now.
Toni