Say CHEESE!

So in my whole label-reading experiment, I have learned one thing: cheese adds calories.

And by now all you expert parents of CFers are saying “no duh.”

Cheese adds calories to crackers (think Cheez-Its over Wheat Thins). Cheese adds calories to casseroles and fajitas. And it does it all without adding too many carbs. Yup, there’s no doubt about it, cheese is a CFers best friend.

The good news is when I was researching fat content of different cheeses, I came across Linda Stradley of “What’s Cooking America” and her great nutritional chart, including a long list of fat content by cheese type. Thanks Linda!

http://whatscookingamerica.net/NutritionalChart.htm

The bad news is that some of my personal favorite cheeses actually are lower in fat than I would have thought. And be careful – swiss is a great higher fat cheese unless you accidentally buy the low fat brand.

But I was pleasantly surprised to see Gruyere listed as one of the higher fat cheeses, which is great because I have a fantastic recipe to share for Quiche Lorraine.

Quiche Lorraine

3 large eggs
1/2 cup shredded/grated gruyere cheese*
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1/8 tsp salt
dash of pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped onions (we use white ones)
8 large slices of crispy bacon (the less fat the better)
1 9-inch deep dish pie shell frozen for 24 hours then thawed for 10 minutes

* The secret to a great quiche is the quality of the cheese. If you have the means and budget, find a gourmet cheese shop and ask for a recommendation for the best gruyere to bake with. You won't be disappointed.

Fry the bacon and break into small bits, trimming fat where necessary. Beat the eggs, milk and cream together. Then add the cheese and stir well. Next, add the onions, salt and pepper. When the pie shell is thawed, spread the bacon bits in the bottom of the pie shell. Pour the cheese mixture over the bacon bits, making sure that the cheese is spread evenly over the bottom of the pie shell. Bake at 375 degrees Farenheit for 35 minutes or until the crust starts to brown. Remove from oven and use a pie crust shield or just cover the crust edges with thin strips of tinfoil. Return the quiche to the oven for 15 minutes or until a fork comes out clean in the center of the quiche.

To truly low carb it, I found a crustless receipe using bread crumbs as a base here: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Crustless-Quiche-241749

More “cheesy” articles here:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/379153-fat-grams-in-cheese/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/409887-cheese-nutrition-guide/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/296334-the-calories-in-sharp-cheddar-cheese/