cream cheese replacement?

kelseyjsnyder

Ok so i make this AWESOME chip dip that was my moms recipe but last night i entered everything in the recipe creator and found out that 1/12 of a 9x13 cake pan is 605 CALORIES!!! for like a 2x2 peice! (This chip dip is a dinner not an appitizer or a side) So i am wanting to mess around with it and see if i can get it to taste the same(well close or better) with lower calorie alternatives. Ive figured out a lot of the replacements BUT what could i swap cream cheese out with? it takes 16 oz of cream cheese which is A LOT OF CALORIES!! Thanks

knra_grl

hard to tell without the other ingredients listed but why not just low fat cream cheese?

melaniecheeks

Greek yoghurt? Fromage frais? Quark? All of those have low cal/ low fat versions.

knra_grl

Greek yoghurt? Fromage frais? Quark? All of those have low cal/ low fat versions.

This and I know the taco dip I make usually calls for cream cheese and sour cream to make it more dippable. So use low fat cream cheese and greek yogurt combined (whip it together with a mixer so it's smooth)

KiwipowaRoo

Low fat sour cream? You could do drained greek yogurt (sit in a coffee filter over night).

3laine75

Quark. Nice high protein count too

katielshelby

I like the whipped cream cheese from weight watchers.

emmullins55

Low fat sour cream? You could do drained greek yogurt (sit in a coffee filter over night).

I personally don't like low-fat products alot , because I feel they substitute one bad thing for another. Have you ever seen Neufchatel Cheese? Cream cheese actually was invented accidently by someone trying to make Neufchatel cheese. There is a product that I grew up eating though probably not available at a regular food store........"Kefir cheese." It is basically greek yogurt that has been drained as above creating a thicker spread, with the consistency of cream cheese but the tang of plain greek yogurt. I have heard about websites that show you how to re-do high calorie recipes so they will be healthier.

emmullins55

Thanks for that Quark information, never heard of it, but will look out for some in the healthfood or upscale grocery. I also thought of Ricotta cheese. Ricotta is good for sweet or savory recipes as well.

mamma_nee

Ricotta cheese?

daniflems

Try laughing cow cheese. I use this as a cream cheese replacement in a lot of my cooking. It comes in regular, light and different flavours which is also great. Stirring a couple of the garlic flavoured triangles into mashed potatoes is just one of the ways I have used them! However I think you would need quite a bit for your recipe and they are a bit more expensive than cream cheese.

Ready2Rock206

Neufchatel Cheese is the closest thing I know of to cream cheese when you want that same flavor/texture.

katealbright

I'm vegan so in stead of cream cheese I use soy/coconut/almond yogurt, tofu, white bean puree, or cashew puree (or a mixture of these things) all the time. Works great! Especially in dip, I make dip almost every day lol.

Lieslll

Hello,
Where do you buy Neufchatel Cheese?

I have looked for this before (in Canada) and have not found it anywhere.
Thanks

Sunitagt

Hello,
Where do you buy Neufchatel Cheese?

I have looked for this before (in Canada) and have not found it anywhere.
Thanks

I find it at Ralphs as their generic lower fat cream cheese.

@kelseyjsnyder So any chance you'll post the recipe for the rest of us to take a look at? Sounds good if it has cream cheese!

sdionnemoore

Our Wal-mart started selling Green Mountain Farms Greek, a cream cheese/greek yogurt blend. It's delicious and I think it would work quite well as a substitute. I also second Laughing Cow--it's yummy too!

kelseyjsnyder

Sorry for not posting sooner i dont have internet at home so i could not check this thread after i posted it. I cant replace it with sour cream because i mix it with sour cream
@sunitagt heres the recipe
INGREDIENTS
2-3 lbs of hamburger 1 can of refried beans
16 oz sour cream 16 oz cream cheese
2-3 pkgs taco seasoning Cheddar cheese(or taco cheese)
Your favorite taco toppings:
Black olives Green onions
Peppers Jalapenos
1. Brown hamburger and season with taco seasoning and add the refried beans
2. Mix sour cream, cream cheese, and 1 pkg taco seasoning (use a electric mixer)
3. Place hamburger mixture in bottom of a baking dish
4. Cover hamburger with cream cheese mixture
5. Top with your favorite toppings and cover with shredded cheese
6. Bake on 375* for 15-20 minutes or till cheese is melted.
Enjoy with tortilla chips!

TheITCrowd1

Ok so i make this AWESOME chip dip that was my moms recipe but last night i entered everything in the recipe creator and found out that 1/12 of a 9x13 cake pan is 605 CALORIES!!! for like a 2x2 peice! (This chip dip is a dinner not an appitizer or a side) So i am wanting to mess around with it and see if i can get it to taste the same(well close or better) with lower calorie alternatives. Ive figured out a lot of the replacements BUT what could i swap cream cheese out with? it takes 16 oz of cream cheese which is A LOT OF CALORIES!! Thanks

I've got an awesome replacement for Cream Cheese - it's called Cold Turkey It hurts though!! x

The best chip dip on earth is Philidelphia smothered in Sweet Chilli sauce - dump dorito's in! Oh how i miss that taste

kelseyjsnyder

Ok so i make this AWESOME chip dip that was my moms recipe but last night i entered everything in the recipe creator and found out that 1/12 of a 9x13 cake pan is 605 CALORIES!!! for like a 2x2 peice! (This chip dip is a dinner not an appitizer or a side) So i am wanting to mess around with it and see if i can get it to taste the same(well close or better) with lower calorie alternatives. Ive figured out a lot of the replacements BUT what could i swap cream cheese out with? it takes 16 oz of cream cheese which is A LOT OF CALORIES!! Thanks

I've got an awesome replacement for Cream Cheese - it's called Cold Turkey It hurts though!! x

The best chip dip on earth is Philidelphia smothered in Sweet Chilli sauce - dump dorito's in! Oh how i miss that taste

Im not looking to cut it out. Im still going to use cream cheese on other stuff like bagels and such. I am just looking for an alternative when i make this which we do once every 1-3 months. so please unless you have a REAL suggestion...the smart alec "COLD-TURKEY" is NOT NECESSARY

Rosannajo88

See now I would just be tempted do a serious calorie burning exercise session so I could have the full calorie version in all its glory

Rosannajo88

What about lighter than light philadelphia, thats the only cream cheese Ive found that doesnt lose the taste and consistency x

Takes2long

That sounds really good!!! I've seen the Neufchatel Cheese aroud here, but I live in upstate NY. I see lots of potential for this recipe :-) Thanks for sharing :-)

kelseyjsnyder

. Ive thought about the low fat and light versions. ill have to see if i can find Neufchatel cheese. the town i live in has 1 grocery store and it TRIPLES the price of everything, the next closest store is about 30 miles or more away (one way) Thanks for all the suggestions

@takes2long your welcome

Rosannajo88

Until this point I had no idea what a chip dip was....

Now I must have it!! Sounds bloody delicious! x

kelseyjsnyder

Oh its AMAZING! I make it for my bosses all the time (well they pay me to make it for them) they use crackers instead of chips. like wheat thins and triscuts. so when i made it 2 days ago i used triscut tomato and sweet basil to dip it out with and WOW ITS SO MUCH BETTER THAT WAY

AwesomeGuy37

Cottage cheese? Can you post the recipe?

kelseyjsnyder

The recipe is a few comments up

AwesomeGuy37

Oh wow..that is basically a baked Mexican food buffet in a pan..lol

Umm.. You might try using equal amounts of diced tomatoes (possibly from a can) with the ground beef to make the taco base and/or use salsa as a filler. I'm not sure if cottage cheese would be a good sub for the cream cheese as I replied earlier.

I have my own taco creation for years now where I brown 1 lb. of beef, drain the fat. (Rinse with hot water and drain again if worried about it)
Then put back on the heat and add the water, 2 taco mix packets and 2 large cans of petite diced tomatoes 28 Oz(drained).
Cook it until the water evaporates while stirring often. Medium high heat usually takes about 15 minutes.

That makes a cheaper, lower calorie version of taco meat that I've gotten compliments on. It has a higher tomato-to-beef ratio than I suggested above, but it's the only way I make it.

I tried the recipe editor using my way.. Hope it helps.
http://imgur.com/dovXgU5

RhysJ13

Oh man I miss cream cheese so much...

LeighRaeW

I like to use about 2/3 quark to 1/3 fat free greek yogurt. It stays nice and thick and creamy, with a cream cheese flavor, but isn't too sharp from the yogurt.

MysteriousMerlin

Our Wal-mart started selling Green Mountain Farms Greek, a cream cheese/greek yogurt blend. It's delicious and I think it would work quite well as a substitute. I also second Laughing Cow--it's yummy too!

I came in here specifically to recommend this. It's one of my favorite products.