When you hear the words “melted cheese,” what comes to mind? I think of all kinds of comfort foods like homey mac & cheese, ginormous slices of mozzarella blanketed pizza blanketed, and hot Tex Mex queso and a basket of chips. However, all this ooey, gooey goodness comes with high-fat, high calorie consequences if I’m not careful. But, there are a few tweaks and tricks that will allow you to enjoy cheese in recipes while keeping you light on your feet (and hands)!
My cheese tips & tricks will keep you light on your feed (and hands)!
First of all, portion control. Just because you CAN eat a whole batch of cheese sticks, doesn’t mean you should. Second, moderation in the use of cheese as an ingredient – if a recipe calls for 1 cup, cut back and see if a little less will still yield the same effect. If you don’t want to sacrifice the “creaminess,” often you can also substitute a little Greek yogurt or a roux made with low fat milk as in my {Lightened} Cheesy Cauliflower Quinoa Casserole recipe below. Another way to keep cheese the star of the dish without globbing it on is to use a high quality cheese. Fresh cheese and artisan cheese taste so much better than the dried out, shredded stuff hanging in the bags at the supermarket – the taste is more pronounced and therefore you can use less!
Recently, I took advantage of this last healthy cheese tip, by making a comforting casserole with a ton of healthy swaps. First off, I used one of my favorite cheeses – Kerrygold Aged Cheddar – as the topping on my {Lightened} Cheesy Cauliflower Quinoa Casserole. Kerrygold Aged Cheddar is a cheese made from the milk of grass-fed cows and then aged for taste for one year – it’s described as “rich and full-bodied with a smooth finish” and I agree (nom,nom). By using aged cheddar as the bold accent on top of the recipe, I was able to cut significantly on the cheese used within the interior of the casserole – in fact, only two ounces were stirred into the easy roux that had been kept light with low-fat milk and just a skosh of canola oil (no butter)! Also, instead of traditional rice or noodles, I used quinoa in this healthy casserole recipe for added protein – although it has no meat, it could make a hearty side dish as part of a Meatless Monday dinner. Oh, and it has cauliflower – it just seems to turn to creamy, dreamy butter in this dish!
{Lightened} Cheesy Cauliflower Quinoa Casserole Recipe
- 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil (divided)
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 1 ¼ cup water
- 1 12-oz bag microwave-in-bag frozen cauliflower florets
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups chopped sweet yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic from jar
- ½ cup 1% milk
- 2 ½ Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
- Heat medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 ½ teaspoons oil and coat pan. Add quinoa and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly toasted; stir frequently.
- Add 1 ¼ cups water and bring to a bowl. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed.
- Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
- In large skillet, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil in pan and sauté onions for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and turning golden. Stir in garlic during last 1 minute of cooking.
- In small bowl, whisk together milk and flour; stir chicken broth, salt and pepper into this mixture.
- Add milk-broth mixture to skillet and bring to a boil; stirring constantly for 2 minutes or until thickened.
- Remove skillet from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese until melted.
- Microwave cauliflower according to package directions. Carefully remove from bag and very coarsely chop.
- Stir in quinoa and cauliflower into Parmesan mixture.
- Place in 1 ½ to 2 quart baking dish that has been lightly coated with cooking spray. Or, you can do in individual ramekins as pictured below.Top with grated cheese.
- Bake at 400 F degrees for 15 – 20 minutes, or until heated through and cheese bubbling and lightly browned on top.
- Serves 6 – 8.
Okay, so I won’t lie. I was inspired to make this cheesy, delicious dish after getting my October issue of Cooking Light magazine. Hello, the headline is “Our Best Cheese Dishes” and it included a kid-friendly, make-ahead recipe for a Broccoli Quinoa Casserole with Chicken — of course, I HAD to tweak it and make it my own. Check out some of the other healthier cheese recipes from Cooking Light – you will be drooling!
What is your favorite type of cheese or recipe using cheese?
This post is sponsored by Cooking Light and KerryGold. I received free products / gifts in return for this post; however, all opinions and content (unless otherwise noted) are my own.
