Results tagged “cheese”

Lactaid Cottage Cheese

By: Ellen | Oct 8, 2009

We take our cottage cheese taste pretty seriously around here. So far, only Breakstone's Live Active Cottage Cheese has received a decent rating, while Nancy's Cultured Cottage Cheese and South Beach Diet Low Fat Cottage Cheese Cups have been disappointing. How would Lactaid Cottage Cheese fare? The bright aqua of the container was visually appealing, and I loved the fat that it had some satiating fat (1%) while still only having 80 calories per serving.

So how does it taste? Excellent! This cottage cheese is creamy and rich, with more liquid than the Friendship Whipped Cottage Cheese that I tried recently (a definite bonus from my perspective). It has an amazing flavor - not overpowering but not bland.

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Rachel's Roasted Red Pepper Cottage Cheese

By: Ellen | Oct 7, 2009

I keep seeing Rachel's Cottage Cheese in stores, and I was so curious about the various flavors - Roasted Red Pepper, Pomegranate Orange Cranberry - that I had to try one. I was in the mood for something savory instead of sweet, so I opted for the Roasted Red Pepper flavor, after all, Rachel's describes this as where, "The robust richness of roasted red peppers and a fresh hint of citrus come together in savory cottage cheese."

I was a bit skeptical about the red pepper and citrus combination, but I opened the container to see what I was in for. The first thing I noticed was that the cup wasn't nearly full. Sure, each serving is 5 ounces - so why do they put it in a 6-ounce cup? Second, I was greeted by a somewhat liquid-y cottage cheese flecked with red peppers. It actually smelled a lot like pizza (I think it was the combination of cheese and peppers), so I was excited. I pulled out my spoon and dug in.

The taste was ... strange. I liked it enough at first (the taste too reminded me a little bit of pizza), but after a while it really got to me. The pepper flavor was pretty overwhelming in a strange, sweet way, and the citrus was barely detectable but definitely present. I was also disappointed by the texture - I prefer a chunkier, less liquid, cottage cheese (but not too dry either).

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Laughing Cow Mini Babybel Light Original Cheese

By: Ellen | Sep 15, 2009

(Photo Credit: Band Friendly Recipes)

I remember Babybel cheese from when I was a child. To me, there was nothing more fun than taking of the red wax coating and discovering the cheese wheel inside. While in the grocery store the other day, I was reminded of those childhood days when I stumbled across Laughing Cow Babybel Cheese. Given how saturated fat-laden cheeses tend to be, I was a little uncertain of how healthy these things actually were. I was pleasantly surprised, however, to see that there was a Light variety, with only 50 calories per cheese wheel (it turns out the regular flavor has 70 calories in each cheese round).

These little cheese wonders are an interesting consistency - they're softer than a regular block of cheddar, but they're not as soft as something like brie. They have a mild flavor, suitable either on their own or with crackers like Back to Nature Organic Stoneground Wheats: Baked Wheat and Flaxseed Crackers.

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Laughing Cow Light Gourmet Cheese Bites

By: Ellen | Sep 15, 2009

The Laughing Cow Light Spreadable Original Swiss Cheese Flavor Wedges were reviewed a few years ago. They're one of my favorite sandwich spreads, but I also like Laughing Cow Light Gourmet Cheese Bites. Each cute little cube has just 7 calories, and they're super portable as well.

There's something fun about unwrapping each little bite and popping it into your mouth. Alternatively, one of my favorite ways to enjoy these "cheese bites" is to spread them on an English muffin and add sugar-free jelly to the other half, for a sweet-and-savory lunchtime treat. They're also great on crackers, and pair well with apples. The flavor is wonderfully cheesy, and mild enough to pair with both sweet and salty foods.

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Calabro All Natural Fat Free Ricotta

By: Ellen | Aug 26, 2009
(Photo Credit: adactio) I was browsing the aisles of my grocery store for a high-protein, high-calcium snack, when my eyes fell on Calabro All Natural Fat Free Ricotta. Curious, I picked up the package to examine it, and saw that each 1/4 cup serving had just 30 calories - 15-20 calories less than most fat-free ricotta cheese, and way fewer calories of regular ricotta (the whole milk variety can have upwards of 100 calories per 1/4 cup). Of course I had to buy it. One thing I like about this Ricotta is that it's not watery at all. In fact, it's really light and fluffy. With a little added sugar or Splenda, it tastes absolutely fantastic. I ate it plain, but you can bet this is going into some lasagna recipes - I anticipate that it will come out delicious in addition to significantly lowering the calorie and fat content. ... continue reading »

Weight Watchers Reduced Fat Cream Cheese Spread

By: Ellen | Jan 14, 2009

One of my favorite sandwiches to make is one with cream cheese and jelly. Cream cheese is tricky, though - it can be way too easy to add more than the 2 tablespoon serving size, sending calories and fat through the roof. That's why I was so excited to find the new Weight Watchers Reduced Fat Cream Cheese Spread, with 8 individual 1 ounce cups - built in portion control. That they were $2.99 (about the cost of a tub of cream cheese, with 8 servings) was an added bonus.

Eager to try one of the tubs, I got to work making my standard cream cheese and jelly sandwich. The proportioned cups were perfect - just enough cream cheese to be satisfying, with no danger of overindulging. The taste was also stellar, although not as rich as full-fat cream cheese, but not as bland as some of the fat-free brands I've had before, and the consistency was nice and thick.

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Frigo Cheese Heads Light Swirls String Cheese

By: Jilene | Dec 18, 2008

My love of cheese came from living in Wisconsin for a few years. It's known as the dairy state and we naturally always had really good cheese. I can't get enough of the stuff, so when I came across Frigo Cheese Heads Light Swirls String Cheese in Wal-Mart for about $5.00, I naturally reached for it to check it out. When I saw that each stick was only 60 calories, it immediately went into my grocery cart.

As soon as I got to my car, I tore open the bag and bit into one of the sticks. Mmm ... I could not believe it! Even if they had 50% less fat and 25% less calories, it still tasted just like real cheese. The Swirlz variety have mozzarella and cheddar and I could even individually taste each one. I think the only difference between Frigo "Light" and regular string cheeses is that these sticks were a little dryer and easier to peel, so in a way, they are actually better! There wasn't even a gross aftertaste or any weird textures involved. The entire experience was amazing. I actually had to have 2 (while still in the car), since these sticks were just way too good. and the fact that they are individually wrapped makes them easier to carry around for a midday snack .

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Just the Cheese White Cheddar Cheese Snack

By: Liza | Oct 17, 2008

If you are in a low carb diet then Just the Cheese White Cheddar Cheese Snack is the perfect snack for you. And even if you are not - you can still get your crunchy fix from it. From their website "To make them we simply crumble our natural cheese into cookie cutters, oven bake and season to crisp, delicious perfection. Nothing else added." Basically it's crispy cheese, and let's face it, nothing beats cheese.

Have you ever fried cheese and left it a little bit too long that the edges were crisp and not as soft as the rest of the cheese? Well that's exactly what these snacks taste like. They are crunchy with a strong flavor but minus the oil of course because they are baked. If you love how cheese taste, you'll love these snacks as well. It's like you were eating a piece of cheese only crunchier and seasoned. There are a few reviews at Amazon.com and LowCarbFriends.com, and it seems that you either love these or hate 'em - but I am for the former - love, love, love 'em!

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South Beach Diet Low Fat Cottage Cheese Cups

By: Lizabeth | May 19, 2008

I love to buy certain things in individual portions. Yes, it's usually cheaper to buy in a larger container and transfer it to tupperware/ bag/ whatever you have, but sometimes it's just really convenient to have a single-serving in a disposable cup that you don't have to worry about leaving at work. Cottage cheese is one of those things that I like having small individual containers of - less mess.

South Beach Diet (now called South Beach Living) has released several kinds of cottage cheese flavors, sold in 4 ounce servings. I'm afraid to say that the individual portioning of their Low-fat Plain Cottage Cheese is its only good selling point. The cheese itself does have a nice creamy taste, but it's terribly dry. After taking a bite, I actually mixed some buttermilk into my cup and let it soak in before finishing it. That improved the texture, but removed any convenience that the cups toted. The curds themselves were also very randomly sized; some were mere fragments, others half-inch chunks. I was just really disappointed with this product.

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Kraft Fat Free Sharp Cheddar Singles

By: Tanya Patrice | May 14, 2008

If there was a taste test between Kraft Fat Free Sharp Cheddar Singles and American Cheese Singles - I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. American cheese isn't so bad, and it's great on sandwiches, but if you were actually expecting that sharp intense taste of cheddar, you would be disappointed. It's actually ironic that they choose to call this "Sharp" cheddar when this doesn't even resemble "Mild." Liz had the same experience with Borden Fat Free Sharp Cheese Singles(read the review). I wonder if there is a brand of 'FatFree Cheddar' out there that actually tastes like the regular stuff.

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Borden Fat Free Sharp Cheese Singles

By: Lizabeth | Feb 24, 2008

Borden Fat Free Sharp Slices is more like American cheese despite what the marketing team at Borden says. It's packaged like, looks like, and tastes like American cheese. No amount of fancy wording will change that. And what's everybody's favorite way to eat American cheese? Grilled!

I've had bad experience in the past with fat free cheeses. They tend to melt oddly, taste bizarrely, and generally have a rubbery or chalky texture. I was delighted to see that as my Borden slices melted between to slices of my favorite bread, everything looked normal. When I bit into it, I was met with the delicious salty-tangy flavor of classic American, along with the trademark gooey and slightly stringy texture. The only thing that did seem a bit off was that it did re-solidify quickly, but that could be due to the fact that the temperature in my house is pretty low.

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Sargento Light String Cheese

By: Caroline Yoder | Jan 9, 2008

String cheese is one of those snacks especially suited for the times when you need a protein hit but you don't have the time to make a turkey sandwich or whip up a protein shake. Although you might think that a simple cheese stick would be relatively diet-friendly, some varieties can contain upwards of 100 and more than 6 grams of fat. For this very reason, Sargento has granted dieters with a lighter version of the string cheese classic.

Sargento Light String Cheese is tasty, sufficiently salty and cheesy, but it has some drawbacks. Each stick weighs in at just 21 grams, which is 7 grams (25%) fewer than your average 1 ounce cheese stick.Each stick is individually wrapped, which is great because they tend to get dry if you don't eat them immediately after purchase. However, they are highly portable and perfect for stashing in your bag for a mid-morning snack. Due to their high protein content, they efficiently stave off hunger for an hour or two until your next meal.

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Sargento Light Ricotta Cheese

By: Lizabeth | Nov 29, 2007

Cheese, which is typically made with whole milk, or even cream, is naturally high in fat, and most attempts to lower the fat content result in watery, rubbery, bland mess that's not nearly as impressive as the original. However, I must say, I was very impressed with Sargento Light Ricotta Cheese.

The texture of Ricotta cheese is probably its most important aspect, and Sargento nails it with this. It’s thick and creamy - not much different from the original, and hard to tell that it's not made with whole milk. It still has that slightly grainy ricotta signature texture, and they managed not to make it too dry which is like the kiss of death for Ricotta cheese. The taste is mild and slightly tangy, and baked into manicotti, it retained all of the goodness - no separation or curdling occurred.

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Kraft Fat Free Mozzarella Cheese

By: Lizabeth | Nov 26, 2007

Seeing Kraft Fat Free Mozzarella in my local grocery store on sale was like an answer to one of my wishes - a way to enjoy yummy, ooey, gooey, guilt-free (hopefully) cheese in some of my favorite dishes. I picked it up, despite the fact that it was still $3.30 on sale; after all, what could be better than guilt-free melted mozzarella?

I decided to make some lasagna and top it with this at the end of the baking. Naturally, a little taste-test from the package was required. It had mozzarella’s tanginess, though I noticed something a bit…sour about it. The texture was a bit disappointing, too - not terrible, but there was something rubbery and dry about it. Figuring that melting it would remedy this, I topped my casserole with the cheese and baked it for fifteen minutes. Returning to my oven, I was hoping to see bubbly gooeyness on top of my casserole, but instead was greeted my what looked like a sheet of white plastic. The taste of it confirmed the looks. It was neither stringy nor gooey, but was hard, slightly crunchy, and woefully bland.

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Breakstone's Live Active Cottage Cheese

By: Ann H | Jul 24, 2007

I am a firm believer in the power of including pre- and probiotics and healthy bacteria in the diet to help keep my digestive system happy by promoting the growth of good intestinal bacteria and also to keep myself "regular." I usually get my daily dose in the form of yogurt, especially Dannon Activia, but as I was doing my g-shopping a few weeks ago, I came across the new Live Active Cottage Cheese by Breakstone's.

Breakstone's website says, "The 3 grams of prebiotic dietary in every serving of LiveActive Cottage Cheese provide a convenient and delicious way to help support a healthy digestive system." That's great, but I am really picky about my cottage cheese; it can't be too runny, too mushy or too tart, so I was anxious about the taste. I need not have worried because The Live Active cottage cheese was a winner in all of these areas. The texture was nice and firm, yet still held some creaminess, it didn't have that nasty runny yellow juice that is sometimes found in other cottage cheeses, and the flavor was creamy but had a pleasant subtle tart flavor.

I prefer to "gussy up" my cottage cheese by adding some healthy mix-ins rather than eating it plain. My favorite thing to do with the cottage cheese is mix in a tablespoon of sunflower seeds, cut up a granny smith apple into wedges, and dip them in my cottage cheese and seeds. Nutritious and delicious!

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Nancy's Cultured Cottage Cheese

By: Caroline Yoder | Jun 1, 2007

As a vegetarian, I am often in search of an alternative source of protein. Meat alternatives such as veggie burgers and "faux" meat products usually provide sufficient amounts, but also often carry a hefty price tag. Cottage cheese is usually the food that I turn to when I want to add a reasonably priced, good source of protein. We are talking a whopping 12 -14 grams of protein per half cup! And it does double duty because it can function as a snack or you can use it in your cooking - it helps thicken up protein shakes and smoothies.

When I stumbled upon Nancy's Cultured Cottage Cheese on sale a few months ago at Whole Foods, I was excited to try it because this particular brand adds a little something extra to the mix. It is "slowly cultured with L. acidophilus, B. bifidum and four strains of lactic cultures, to develop its unique old-fashioned tangy character." So basically this cottage cheese is an attempt to incorporate yogurt's health benefits into another form of dairy. A superstar hybrid of yogurt and cottage cheese would be a welcome addition to my diet, filling in many nutritional gaps.

Unfortunately, my hopes for a yummy nutritional powerhouse turned out to be a sour tasting tub of goop. The texture was liquidy, and the taste was reminiscent of a horrible past experience with expired milk. In fact, I checked and rechecked the expiration date and made sure that my refrigerator was still functional. I even purchased a second tub, thinking that perhaps I had sampled a tainted batch. My investigation confirmed that this cottage cheese just tasted funky, plain and simple.

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Laughing Cow Light Spreadable Original Swiss Cheese Flavor Wedges

By: Tanya Patrice | Sep 29, 2005

Forget what you think you know is swiss cheese. You won't find any hole-y, yellow, thin cheese slices here. Instead, The Laughing Cow, (don't you just love that company name? We do!) is in a round container, which you open up to see 8 triangular wedges. Each wedge of cheese is a white, creamy, smooth, spreadable 'cream cheese lookalike' swiss flavor cheese. Note the use of the word flavor here. This is because, this is not pure swiss cheese. A look at the ingredients shows a combination of cheeses are used to bring you this delight. Cheeses such as light cheddar, cheddar, swiss and semisoft cheeses.

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