alternatives to using cheese?

Marcillene
Marcillene Posts: 484 Member
in Food and Nutrition
what i mean by this is..... is there a BETTER alternative, or a LESSER fatty cheese than using mozarella, colby jack, monterey jack, or chedder.

any thoughts?

Replies

  • dawningr
    dawningr Posts: 387 Member
    there's no good alternative to cheese, just use less cheese :-) Reduced or fat free cheese is gross.
  • skinnytayy
    skinnytayy Posts: 459
    The fat in cheese isn't bad for you but if you're really worried, just cut back. Low-fat anything is bound to not only be gross but just as bad or worse. Here's an article you may find interesting/helpful.

    http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/05/21/why-you-need-to-avoid-low-fat-milk-and-cheese.aspx
  • Annabel89
    Annabel89 Posts: 63 Member
    Depends what you use it for!

    I used to find it added flavour to things, so I now get a load of toppings for my dinners instead.

    Salsa, low cal balsamic vinegar, hummus, tzatziki, seeds etc..all help reduce that impulse to grate cheese all over everything.

    I just had a mushroom omlette with salsa for 150cals :)

    HTH!
  • strongmindstrongbody
    strongmindstrongbody Posts: 315 Member
    Depending on what you're using the cheese for, nutritional yeast might be a suitable substitute. It's only 20 calories and has 3 grams of protein per tablespoon. It's got a cheesy flavor. So far, I've tried it on pasta and pizza and liked it.
  • mazekah
    mazekah Posts: 52
    Hard cheeses are saturated fats (translated: heart attack). Identify what the characteristic is that you like best about cheese - texture, melting, sour/bitter/salty? For most people it is umami - the fifth flavor in fermented foods (after the flavors: salty, sweet, sour, bitter). When you can identify what you like about cheese, you can find another way to meet that desire - i.e. believe it or not, dehydrated kale chips with brewer's yeast and olive oil. Nummmm!

    Also consider whether you might have Candida - it is an overgrowth of yeast in the gut and when we start cleaning up and cleaning out, we go into withdrawal from fermented products. Also try eating a fermented probiotic food like homemade kim chee.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,324 Member
    nutritional yeast. or use less of an expensive strong tasty cheese.... grated aged parmesan or Romano cheese.. a little packs a lot of punch. measure out two tablespoons and count the calories
  • Marcillene
    Marcillene Posts: 484 Member
    Depending on what you're using the cheese for, nutritional yeast might be a suitable substitute. It's only 20 calories and has 3 grams of protein per tablespoon. It's got a cheesy flavor. So far, I've tried it on pasta and pizza and liked it.

    please tell me more about this?... where do you get it.. what consistency is it.... does it hold foods together (like some cheese would a casserole, or lasagna..ect..)
  • Marcillene
    Marcillene Posts: 484 Member
    Hard cheeses are saturated fats (translated: heart attack). Identify what the characteristic is that you like best about cheese - texture, melting, sour/bitter/salty? For most people it is umami - the fifth flavor in fermented foods (after the flavors: salty, sweet, sour, bitter). When you can identify what you like about cheese, you can find another way to meet that desire - i.e. believe it or not, dehydrated kale chips with brewer's yeast and olive oil. Nummmm!

    Also consider whether you might have Candida - it is an overgrowth of yeast in the gut and when we start cleaning up and cleaning out, we go into withdrawal from fermented products. Also try eating a fermented probiotic food like homemade kim chee.

    hmmm. interesting to think about... i love the meltedness, the gooiness, and i know i love the saltiness..

    Candida DEFINITALLY something to look into.... very interesting.. thank you.. any additional information feel free to add!

    what is kim chee and how do you make it homemade?
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    Have you tried mashed Cauliflower?
  • Marcillene
    Marcillene Posts: 484 Member
    Have you tried mashed Cauliflower?

    ive used it as an alternative for potatoes... but not for cheese????
  • rebasporty
    rebasporty Posts: 287 Member
    I use full fat cheese, I just use less...first because of the price and second because it just taste better. The article that someone else posted was interesting. Glad I have not made the switch to low-fat cheese.
  • anxietygirl
    anxietygirl Posts: 70 Member
    I just started measuring how much cheese I was actually putting on things; usually I need half or even less of what I was sort of mindlessly using before. Cheese isn't bad for you, but all things in moderation, of course.

    I LOVE using avocado if I'm just not feelin' cheese that day, though. Heart healthy fats! and also delicious.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Just eat cheese in moderation....

    I eat cheese...I've lost nearly 40 Lbs...I've completely reversed all of my bad blood work, including my high LDL...despite that other poster scaring you by saying you're going to die of a heart attack if you eat cheese. Lunacy...
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member
    Saturated fats have NOT been sufficiently linked heart attacks. Eat your cheese, but if you're watching calories, then eat less of it.
  • Rosplosion
    Rosplosion Posts: 739 Member
    Hard cheeses are saturated fats (translated: heart attack). Identify what the characteristic is that you like best about cheese - texture, melting, sour/bitter/salty? For most people it is umami - the fifth flavor in fermented foods (after the flavors: salty, sweet, sour, bitter). When you can identify what you like about cheese, you can find another way to meet that desire - i.e. believe it or not, dehydrated kale chips with brewer's yeast and olive oil. Nummmm!

    Also consider whether you might have Candida - it is an overgrowth of yeast in the gut and when we start cleaning up and cleaning out, we go into withdrawal from fermented products. Also try eating a fermented probiotic food like homemade kim chee.

    I love kale chips and a great raw substitute for cheese includes throwing soaked raw cashews, *nutritional* (not brewer's) yeast and lemon juice into a food processor.

    The whole heart attack thing is fear mongering and that is usually met with hostility here. Saturated fats are not the enemy; Coconut oil is a highly beneficial saturated fat. Also, fermented veggies are highly beneficial (probiotics vitamins and minerals), but where is this coming from? Why would you link this to a cheese question?

    wallace_gromit_cheese_thumb1_zpsf9f38c92.jpg

    ETA: emphasis on nutritional and Wallace & Gromit
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    It's hard to say without you saying what you're using it for....in mexican dishes it's easy to replace cheese with avocado or pico de gall or salsa.
  • hmg90
    hmg90 Posts: 314 Member
    Unfortunately no. As much as I am a realist, I do think life is too short to cut cheese entirely.

    What I do is:
    - Use low fat cottage cheese with scrambled eggs to add moisture.
    - Use cheeses with a lot of flavour. The reasons people gain weight on cheese is because they use ****ty, tasteless cheeses like processed versions of mozzarella and cheddar where you can eat a ton. A lot of people eat cheese more for the consistency than the flavour. Use real cheeses like parmesan or aged blue cheese. You only need a tbsp of parmesan to add a LOT of flavour to a meal (21 kcal) or a small piece of blue cheese with chicken or salmon.
  • Marcillene
    Marcillene Posts: 484 Member

    I love kale chips and a great raw substitute for cheese includes throwing soaked raw cashews, *nutritional* (not brewer's) yeast and lemon juice into a food processor.

    The whole heart attack thing is fear mongering and that is usually met with hostility here. Saturated fats are not the enemy; Coconut oil is a highly beneficial saturated fat. Also, fermented veggies are highly beneficial (probiotics vitamins and minerals), but where is this coming from? Why would you link this to a cheese question?

    wallace_gromit_cheese_thumb1_zpsf9f38c92.jpg

    ETA: emphasis on nutritional and Wallace & Gromit

    what is a kale chip? do you make them or buy them? and how do you 'soak' your cashews? what all do you use the cashew/lemon juice/nutritional yeast on? any examples?
  • Marcillene
    Marcillene Posts: 484 Member
    It's hard to say without you saying what you're using it for....in mexican dishes it's easy to replace cheese with avocado or pico de gall or salsa.

    Very good point....

    Few examples would be:

    mexican food... quasadillas, enchiladas, tacos, ect.

    chicken casseroles

    salads

    sandwiches

    omlets

    Lasagna, pastas, italian foods ect.
  • anxietygirl
    anxietygirl Posts: 70 Member
    Mexican Food: Fat-free yogurt (I prefer Greek) and/or avocado, to replace creamy (avocado) flavors and to add a tang (yogurt).

    Chicken casseroles: Just use cheese. You can usually use about half of what the recipe calls for and still really enjoy the taste. I usually use about half the cheese called for and if I feel like the dish will lose something from its lack, add in yogurt or something to help with the creamy issue.

    Salads: Just do a tablespoon or two to enjoy the flavor! Usually, if I use cheese in my salad I don't feel any need for dressing, so I feel like I win out on that one either way, haha. Goat cheese is a great 'salad cheese'; you need very little of it to taste it in every bite!

    Sandwiches: Avocados!

    Omelets: I love omelets with spinach, mushrooms, and onion. Bell peppers are also really good in omelets. Top with a little of the greek yogurt for a 'sour cream' feeling that will replace the cheese and still give you plenty of protein.

    Italian foods: Just do the cheese! Cut the amount in half, add back as needed until you're happy with the taste, stick with that amount.
  • strongmindstrongbody
    strongmindstrongbody Posts: 315 Member
    Depending on what you're using the cheese for, nutritional yeast might be a suitable substitute. It's only 20 calories and has 3 grams of protein per tablespoon. It's got a cheesy flavor. So far, I've tried it on pasta and pizza and liked it.

    please tell me more about this?... where do you get it.. what consistency is it.... does it hold foods together (like some cheese would a casserole, or lasagna..ect..)

    I found Bragg's nutritional yeast at Kroger in the natural foods section. It's not cheesy like it'd hold stuff together. They're flakes that you can shake on food.
  • Rosplosion
    Rosplosion Posts: 739 Member

    I love kale chips and a great raw substitute for cheese includes throwing soaked raw cashews, *nutritional* (not brewer's) yeast and lemon juice into a food processor.

    The whole heart attack thing is fear mongering and that is usually met with hostility here. Saturated fats are not the enemy; Coconut oil is a highly beneficial saturated fat. Also, fermented veggies are highly beneficial (probiotics vitamins and minerals), but where is this coming from? Why would you link this to a cheese question?

    wallace_gromit_cheese_thumb1_zpsf9f38c92.jpg

    ETA: emphasis on nutritional and Wallace & Gromit

    what is a kale chip? do you make them or buy them? and how do you 'soak' your cashews? what all do you use the cashew/lemon juice/nutritional yeast on? any examples?

    You can buy them or make them yourself. Google is your friend. I live in a fairly "hippie" town so we have access to lots of raw/live food so I can buy the raw ones at the store. I also own a dehydrator so I can make them at home too. If you're not into raw food the raw/soaked cashews are too much effort.

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