Tag Archives: parmesan cheese

Garlicky Mushroom Cavatappi Pasta Recipe: A Love Story

mushroom cavatappi pasta recipe

Do you remember the Book-It program? It’s Pizza Hut‘s program for rewarding kids for reading. I crushed Book-It. I mean, in first grade, I had piles of those free Personal Pan pizza coupons stacked up at home. About once a month, mom would take me to the neighborhood Pizza Hut to collect my prize. You were only allowed one topping. One.

Here kids, here’s a whole bag of Skittles, now let’s just eat one. Say what?

baby-bella-mushroom

Early on I narrowed in on my choice and never once deviated. At age six — through elementary school — it was a plain mushroom pizza for me. I love those little squishy, cheesy bites of fungi! Three nights ago I ordered pizza for dinner — mushrooms only. It’s really the best option. Even my homemade pizzas are piled high with thick slices of mushrooms, and the salami, bell peppers, and basil are just there for decoration.

This, however, is not about pizza. It is a lot about how I’ve found one more place to enjoy three of my favorite things — mushrooms, cheese, carbs. Pile ’em up, baby! (more…)

Posted on June 1, 2023 by Natalie K

Work it Off: 3 Ways to Burn off a 481-Calorie Cheese Plate

More and more, when I talk to people about the one food they could never give up the answer is cheese. I don’t know if this is generation, geographical, or what, but the hard-to-break habit keeps coming up in conversation. People like their cheese, and I’m no different. I like a gooey triple cream brie on apple slices, a chunk of cheddar on crackers, and a thick dusting of parmesan on most pasta dishes. But mostly I like cheese with wine.

In the past I tabulated a Work it Off: Wine edition. Since we know exactly what it takes to burn off a couple of glasses (and 250 calories) I’m going to turn my attention to cheese. The cheese plate, to be exact, such as the two I helped take down this past week while sipping wine in the sun with various groups of friends. (This isn’t typical for me: The weather turned warm right as my birthday week hit, which led to a little extra indulgence!)

The cheese on a typical cheese plate adds up to around 481 calories, which no doubt explains why it tastes so good and goes down so easily.

How, exactly, could I have burned off these 481 extra calories? (more…)

Posted on May 18, 2023 by Jessica Cassity

Parmesan Orange Sweet Potato Hash Browns: A 68-Calorie Breakfast Side Dish with Big Flavor

While preparing breakfast for my family one Sunday morning I realized we had only sweet potatoes and not any red skin potatoes — my go-to for a hearty weekend meal. I thought our hopes for hash browns were dashed. However, I decided to give the sweet potatoes a whirl and venture beyond our typical baked sweet potato comfort zone.

They shredded easily, and I dressed them up with just a little freshly grated Parmesan and orange zest before browning on the stove top. What I got was a gift from the breakfast Gods and a perfectly crisp, wonderfully flavored complement to an otherwise ordinary meal. (more…)

Posted on March 17, 2024 by Natalie K

Spinach and Artichoke Dip Without the Guilt

A quick search of what’s in season in November will yield an abundant list of produce that’s ripe for the picking. Think broccoli and Brussels sprouts, carrots and cranberries, kiwi and kumquat, rutabaga and winter squash. And let’s not forget the veggie that often gets overlooked while roaming through the produce aisle: Artichokes.

Artichokes are full of good-for-you vitamins and minerals including vitamins C and K, folate, magnesium, potassium and manganese. Like many other vegetables, artichokes are also loaded with fiber – nearly 10 grams in one medium choke! And they also contain between 3 and 4 grams of protein each and less than 1 gram of fat. All of these components help make artichokes a satisfying yet healthful indulgence. (more…)

Posted on November 11, 2023 by Dana

Medifast Introduces Mocha Shake, Berry Crunch Cereal and Other New Meal Options

Dr. William Vitale developed Medifast in the 1980s. Since then, many other physicians have recommended the program to more than one million customers. As reported by RedOrbit News, Medifast recently introduced new types of cereal, cheese puffs, and shakes to the market. The new meal options are designed for weight loss and portion control, similar to the other meals Medifast currently offers.

Mixed Berry and Cinnamon Brown Sugar Cereal Crunch are two new breakfast items. The Mixed Berry Cereal Crunch contains 100 calories per serving with 0 grams of trans fat, 3 grams of sugar, 4 grams of fiber, and 150 mg of sodium.

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Cereal Crunch contains 100 calories per serving with 0 grams of trans fat, 3 grams of sugar, 4 grams of fiber, and 140 mg of sodium. When compared, the Mixed Berry and Cinnamon Brown Sugar Crunch contain about the same amount of vitamins and minerals, but the Cinnamon Brown Sugar flavor has slightly less sodium.

Medifast has also introduced new cheese puffs, which include Parmesan and Chili Nacho Cheese flavors. The cheese puffs are a great way to indulge in cheesy goodness without tipping the scale on calories.

Medifast’s Chili Nacho Cheese Puffs contain 110 calories per serving with 0 grams of trans fat, 1 gram of sugar, 4 grams of fiber, and 360 mg of sodium. They also contain 20 percent of the daily requirement of vitamins A and C. (more…)

Posted on August 22, 2023 by Samantha

The Foodpairing Method Spawns Grilled Parmesan and Dark Chocolate Sandwiches

Did you know there’s a whole, real, science behind pairing food flavors? It’s true. There is a “Foodpairing Method.” Due to this method, seemingly odd pairs can combine to make a wonderful dish. When you were putting chips into your PB & J as a child, maybe you were actually conducting a science experiment.

The goal of the Foodpairing Method is to chart all possible food pairings. This helps restaurants and chefs create one-of-a-kind dishes. The process involves taking each ingredient’s volatile compounds, or the aromas, and getting them to a highly concentrated state. The concentrations are then matched with other similar compounds. When flavors are taken to that level, seemingly odd combinations can become compatible.

One of the latest “scientifically proven” combinations is Parmesan cheese and dark chocolate. Testers put the two ingredients into a grilled cheese sandwich to prove their theory. The salty and savory flavor of the Parmesan, bold in taste and low in calories, paired wonderfully with the deep flavor of dark chocolate, at least 70% cacao for heart healthy benefits. Testers even noted that the chocolate brought out fruity, tart notes from the cheese. (more…)

Posted on April 13, 2024 by Lacy

How to Cook Healthy Italian Food at Home

When most people think of Italian food they think of heaping piles of pizza, pasta and chicken Parmigiana drenched in tomato sauce and greasy cheese. While it’s true that this is a picture of the food served at many Italian restaurants in America, authentic Italian cuisine is entirely different. Even though Italy is known for its spaghetti Bolognese and eggplant Parmigiana, there are 20 regions in Italy, each with its own unique cuisine. When you’re dining out at an Italian restaurant, you can start your meal with a fresh salad, keep your portions small and opt for red sauces over heavy cream-based options. When you’re cooking at home, it’s important to dismiss the traditional notion of Italian food to keep your meal delicious and satisfying without taking a break from your healthy diet. (more…)

Posted on August 26, 2023 by Maris