It tantalizes me, really, and I’ve always loved raising my status in a group by going bold and ordering a meal with goat cheese in a restaurant. Other than goat cheese and feta, however, my cheese experience pretty much begins with cheddar and ends with mozzarella.
When Ile de France Cheese offered to send me some samples, I wasn’t even sure what to ask for. I got goat cheese, brie, Fol Epi (???), and some very, very stinky cheese that I gave away to Jen at Big Binder Blog, who really likes stinky cheese.
I was seriously intimidated.
In case you haven’t noticed, my recipes all use…cheddar or mozzarella. Have I said that before? Repeating myself if a bit like the cheese selection in my refrigerator…
I did manage to use all the cheese, and in spite of my fears, I enjoyed experimenting, although I didn’t go very far outside my comfort zone. I mainly adapted recipes I already had to include fancier cheese. Just goes to show you don’t have to try something radically new to try something new.
I’m working on focusing on in-season produce this month, since the Farmer’s Markets are bursting with fresh veggies here in Michigan, where the growing season has finally caught up to the eating season.
Cabbage.
Cabbages can be huge, especially if you always go for the biggest ones to get your money’s worth when they’re priced individually instead of by the pound. Sometimes it’s hard to know how to use the whole thing when you’re not a sauerkraut maker. (Pity I’m not; my 100% Polish grandmother used to have a fifteen-gallon crock to make hers in. Isn’t that fabulous?)
I like using about half to make Simple Cabbage Soup with Secret Super Food, and the rest for Beef and Cabbage Pockets from The Nourishing Gourmet. However, it’s really nice to have more than two recipes for a massive head of cabbage (which is actually pretty healthy, not like iceberg lettuce like I used to think).
Cabbage can work well in a kid friendly dinner salad bar too.
Recipe: Cabbage Salad with Goat Cheese (or Feta)
(Print version first followed by pictorial.) This simple salad goes together in minutes and is a welcome change from a lettuce salad each night at dinner. Cool, crisp, with a little bite, cabbage salad will refresh you, even if you don’t like coleslaw!
salt (Use the code kitchenstewardship for 15% off of your first purchase)
dill
goat cheese (or feta)
optional: Add sunflower seeds and/or shredded carrots for color if you’re serving a crowd.
Instructions
Shred cabbage with a sharp knife.
Drizzle EVOO and vinegar on top and mix well until satisfied with the saturation. Add more to taste.
Sprinkle salt and dill over the top and mix in with the garlic. (This recipe is not for those who love their measuring spoons!)
Add goat cheese or feta to taste.
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Recipe: Cabbage Salad with Goat Cheese (or Feta)
Method:
Shred cabbage with a sharp knife. Drizzle EVOO and vinegar on top and mix well until satisfied with the saturation. Add more to taste. Sprinkle salt and dill over the topand mix in with the garlic. This recipe is not for those who love their measuring spoons! Add goat cheese or feta to taste.
The salad lasts well a day in the refrigerator, and somewhat well for a few more days, but it’s definitely best freshly made!
Does your cheese intimidate you? What do you do with the fancy stuff?
Unless otherwise credited, photos are owned by the author or used with a license from Canva or Deposit Photos.
Category: Real Food Recipes
Tags: appetizer, cabbage, easy meals, fast meals, feta, gluten free, goat cheese, grain free, meatless, salad, side dish
Aside from increasing fullness, studies have shown that goat's milk products may help reduce inflammation in your body. One study found that compared to donkey milk, goat milk significantly decreased levels of the inflammatory proteins interleukin-8 and interleukin-6 in healthy elderly people ( 15 ).
While cow's milk has both A2 and A1 beta casein proteins, goat cheese has only A2 beta casein. The difference means that goat cheese and goat milk are easier on the digestion. Goat cheese is full of beneficial probiotics, a healthy kind of bacteria.
Consumption of Goat Cheese Naturally Rich in Omega-3 and Conjugated Linoleic Acid Improves the Cardiovascular and Inflammatory Biomarkers of Overweight and Obese Subjects: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Saturated fat content: Despite being lower in fat than some other cheeses, goat cheese does contain saturated fats. Diets high in saturated fats have been linked to increased levels of cholesterol, potentially impacting heart health. Moderation is key to enjoying the benefits without the drawbacks.
Some types are more likely to raise your blood pressure than others. Keep it down with cheeses that are naturally low in sodium, like Swiss, which has 75 milligrams per 1-ounce serving. Goat, ricotta, and fresh mozzarella are good, too. Processed and hard cheeses such as American and cottage cheese have more sodium.
Goat cheese contains a large amount of a variety of probiotics. Research has also discovered that cheese protects probiotics during digestion, allowing them to flourish and reach the gut.
Goat milk is easier for your stomach to digest because the fat molecules in goat cheese are shorter, making them more easily digestible compared to cow's milk.
Goat cheese became a gem of the French gastronomy: 14 goat cheeses earned the European Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) label, including Sainte-Maure de Touraine, Chabichou du Poitou, Pouligny-Saint-Pierre, Selles-sur-Cher, Picodon de la Drôme and Crottin de Chavignol.
You don't have to take cheese out completely, but choose alternatives. Goat cheese, parmesan, and blue cheese are lower in cholesterol. Or go for the low-fat options.
Goat cheese provides healthy fats, is easier for many people to digest than cow's milk cheeses, and is even a bit lower in calories and fat than other cheeses. Cow milk and goat milk are by far the two most popular types used to make dairy products like yogurt, kefir and cheese.
Cheese is a great source of protein and calcium but is often high in saturated fat and salt. This means eating too much could lead to high cholesterol and high blood pressure, increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
You might be shocked to find out that soft cheese such as Brie, Camembert, and goat's cheese can also be frozen for up to six months. So the next time you have a hankering for some baked gnocchi and goat's cheese, you know where to look – in your freezer.
Compared to some cow's milk cheeses, goat cheese has double the protein and only half of the fat per ounce! Goat milk also has less lactose than cow's milk, making goat cheese much more comfortable to digest for people who have lactose intolerance.
In particular, goat cheese contains A2 casein, with an anti-inflammatory effect for the human body. Crumbled goat cheese can be added to salads, pizzas and eggs. In addition, whipped goat cheese can also be used to flavor fruit or vegetables.
Pecorino Romano. An Italian cheese made from sheep's milk, Neumann says that Pecorino Romano is rich in CLAs (conjugated linoleic acid), which is linked to lowering inflammation and supporting heart health.
Swiss, provolone, Cheddar and Gouda are some examples. According to 2019 research in the Journal of Dairy Science, cheese may offer a stable environment for probiotics to live in, thanks to its high fat content, pH and high water activity.
Several studies have shown that goat milk proteins have anti‐inflammatory effects, which may benefit people suffering from chronic inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, asthma, and allergies.
Introduction: My name is Duane Harber, I am a modern, clever, handsome, fair, agreeable, inexpensive, beautiful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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