Tag Archives: cheese

Celebrate National Panini Month with Five Healthy Sandwich Tips

August is National Panini Month and with temperatures too hot for the oven in most parts of the country, there is no better time to whip up a healthy version of your favorite pressed sandwich.

Though there are a number of ways to make a healthy panini, Chef Tiffany Collins offers some tips about how to take ordinary ingredients, combine them in inventive ways and easily grill them on a panini press for a delicious, crunchy sandwich that won’t derail your diet.

Pick whole-grain breads to make your panini healthy and satisfying. When you’re choosing bread for your sandwich, opt for bread that is rich in fiber. Some wheat breads are not actually made with whole grains, so read labels carefully before you purchase. If the first words on the ingredient list are not “whole grain” or “whole wheat,” it is not really a whole grain.

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Posted on August 25, 2023 by Maris

How To Make a Healthy Grilled Cheese Sandwich

April is Grilled Cheese Month!

The grilled cheese is one of the best sandwiches out there, and, let’s face it, one of the least healthy choices around. Soaked in butter and fried, often made with full fat cheeses and white bread, it can be a heart attack waiting to happen, full of fat and high in both calories and refined carbohydrates. How can you make a grilled cheese sandwich part of your healthy lifestyle?

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Posted on April 1, 2024 by Carmen

Sargento Joins Forces with Culinary Expert to Help Americans Make More Nutritious Choices

Packaged foods often get a bad rap for contributing to problems in America like obesity and heart disease. While this is sometimes true, other brands are working to improve nutrition in the country. Sargento Foods, Inc., in partnership with culinary expert and registered dietitian, Michelle Dudash, is making it easier for Americans to incorporate healthier – yet tasty – options in their diets.

With the recent release of the 2024 Dietary Guidelines for Americans by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture, there is a greater call for people to choose nutrient-dense foods that are lower in sodium and saturated fat. And Sargento Reduced Sodium and Reduced Fat natural cheeses are just that.

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Posted on March 14, 2024 by Maris

Dairy May Cut Diabetes Risk

We all know how good dairy is for bone health and that it can play a positive role in fat-loss, but now scientists believe that dairy may play another positive role in our health: reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Researchers have identified a natural substance in dairy fat that may substantially reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. The compound, called trans-palmitoleic acid, is a fatty acid that is found in milk, cheese, yogurt and butter. It is not produced by the body and can only come from your diet.

Right now, you’re probably confused. After all, nutrition and health professionals have been telling us to choose low-fat dairy for years, right? Well according to the December issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, dairy fat is different in its make-up than other industrially produced trans fats found that are found in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, which have been linked to higher risk of heart disease. On the other hand, trans-palmitoleic acid is almost exclusively found in naturally-occurring dairy and meat trans fats, which in prior studies have not been linked to higher heart disease risk, according to the study.

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Posted on January 5, 2024 by Jennipher

Healthy Recipes for Your Hanukkah Celebrations

Hanukkah might have already started, but luckily for everyone who celebrates, there is still almost a week left. That means six more nights of lighting the menorah, spinning the dreidel and digging in to your favorite healthy Hanukkah recipes.

Apple Cinnamon Fruit Dip: Some celebrate Hanukkah with jelly donuts called sufganiyot, but if you’re trying to make it through the holiday season without sacrificing a jeans size, opt for an apple cinnamon fruit dip that will take the edge off your taste for spicy sweets.

Apricot Souffles: Some people think it’s appropriate to indulge on a holiday, but when the holiday lasts eight days, ditching your diet can be detrimental. Stick with a lighter-for-you treat, such as an apricot souffle with less than 70 calories per serving.

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Posted on December 3, 2023 by Maris

Healthy Recipes for a Perfect Thanksgiving Feast

You might be a great cook but if you serve the same Thanksgiving fare year after year, your guests are bound to start going home hungry.

Whether you’re preparing a meal from start to finish in your own kitchen or toting a side dish and dessert to a nearby gathering, it’s easy to refresh your favorite classic dishes without piling on fat and calories.

Cheese Ball
It’s tempting to snack on rich cheeses and sodium-packed crackers while you’re waiting for the turkey to finish cooking. This year, skip the mindless snacking by presenting your guests with a cheese ball flavored with herbs and spices so tasty you’ll never know that you’re eating reduced-fat cheese. (more…)

Posted on November 2, 2023 by Maris

Denny’s Diet Disaster: Fried Cheese Melt

Neither mozzarella sticks nor grilled cheese sandwiches are particularly healthy or low calorie foods. But sicking the fried cheese into the fired sandwich means only one thing: diet disaster. The sandwich will be appearing on Denny’s $2 $4 $6 $8 value menu starting August 24th.

The restaurant chain announced that the Fried Cheese Melt will cost $4.00, but has not released its caloric content. Here’s our best estimate, with data provided by Denny‘s:

  • 750 calories for an 8-ounce serving of Denny’s mozzarella sticks, without condiments (Denny’s does not disclose how many pieces they consider a serving)
  • 650 calories in Denny’s three cheese melt
  • Totals 1,400 calories

The meal will also come with a serving of fries, and a serving of marinara sauce. The french fries have 425 calories per 5-ounce serving, and the average 1/2 cup of marinara sauce has 93 calories. (more…)

Posted on August 11, 2023 by Margaret

Laughing Cow Cheese Adds New Light Flavors

Image Via: TheLaughingCow.com

If you love cheese, but hate the calories and fat that come with an ever-so-small creamy wedge of your favorite fromage, listen up.

This new food find from Laughing Cow will give all health-conscious cheese lovers a delish and low-cal reason to safely indulge.

The Laughing Cow Light cheese wedges have just come out with three more scrumptious low-calorie flavors: Blue Cheese, Mozzeralla Sun-Dried Tomato Basil and Queso Fresco Chipotle. Other Laughing Cow Light cheese wedge flavors include Creamy Swiss, Garlic and Herb and French Onion.

Each wedge contains a mere 35 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 2 grams of protein, 0 carbohydrates and eight percent of your calcium needs. Their creamy texture gives them gold stars in the spreadability category and their compactness gets them an A+ in the healthy snack category.

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Posted on July 7, 2023 by heather

Food Finds: Cabot Reduced-Fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Who doesn’t love cheese? I know I do. The big problem with cheese is the saturated fat content. This is an unhealthy fat that you should limit. Cabot makes is easy by taking out most of the fat. That means when the fat is low, the protein is higher and protein helps you stay full.

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Posted on October 26, 2023 by Rebecca