Real cheese choices - includes recipes

Sunset, Feb, 1999 by Elaine Johnson

A low-fat lifestyle and the pleasures of cheese don't have to be mutually exclusive. Some cheeses are naturally low in fat, and many of today's fat-trimmed cheeses have satisfying flavors, ranging from mild to sharp, although they tend to be less complex than their full-fat counterparts. And they do melt, if not quite as well.

Compared with its role model, a trimmed-down cheese may have only a few grams less fat per ounce (see chart at right). But if you cook with cheese by the cupful, this can make a difference. Reduced-fat cheese contains at least 25 percent less fat than regular. Light cheese contains one-third fewer calories or 50 percent less fat. Low-fat cheese must have no more than 3 grams of fat per ounce. Part-skim mozzarella cheese has 26 percent less fat.

In a Sunset tasting, these lower-fat products all fared well for flavor, melting quality, and texture. However, cheeses processed to remove all fat tend to have an unusual, uncheeselike flavor, and they get gummy when heated.

Some cheeses don't need any adjusting to meet low-fat goals. Two regular cheeses you may not have considered for low-fat cooking are intensely flavored parmesan and sap sago - particularly the latter, which is made from whey and therefore naturally nonfat. Grated, a little of either hard cheese goes a long way toward enhancing the character of other cheeses. In combination with a fat-trimmed type, they can give traditionally high-fat pizza and toasted cheese sandwiches plenty of taste - and a trim profile.

Low-Fat Basil Pizza

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 25 minutes

MAKES: 4 servings

1 can (10 oz.) refrigerated pizza crust dough

1/3 cup tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons drained capers

1 cup (4 oz.) shredded low-fat, reduced-fat, light, or part-skim mozzarella, jack, or Swiss cheese

1/4 cup grated parmesan or sap sago cheese

1/2 to 3/4 cup slivered fresh bash leaves

1/2 teaspoon hot chili flakes

1. Unfold dough. In a lightly oiled 12- to 14-inch pizza pan or on a 14- by 17-inch baking sheet, pat dough into a 12-inch-wide round with a slightly thicker 1/2-inch-wide rim.

2. Bake crust on lowest rack in a 425 [degrees] oven until lightly browned on the bottom, 6 to 8 minutes (5 to 6 minutes in a convection oven).

3. In a bowl, combine tomato paste, 2 tablespoons water, and oregano.

4. Spread tomato mixture over crust, but not rim. Sprinkle with capers. Drop shredded mozzarella cheese in clusters onto tomato mixture, then sprinkle with parmesan.

5. Return pizza to lowest oven rack and bake until mozzarella softens, about 3 minutes (2 minutes in a convection oven). Scatter basil leaves and chili flakes over pizza.

Per serving: 370 cal., 29% (108 cal.) from fat; 15 g protein; 12 g fat (4 g sat.); 47 g carbo (4.8 g fiber); 900 mg sodium; 4 mg chol.

Cheese-Chutney Sandwich

For 1 serving, spread 1 slice whole-grain bread with I tablespoon Major Grey chutney, cover with 1/3 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese, and top with I more slice of whole-grain bread. Place sandwich in an 8- to 10-inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Toast on each side, heating until cheese melts, 5 to 6 minutes total. Open sandwich and tuck in 1/4 cup watercress sprigs.

Per sandwich: 297 cal., 26% (77 cal.) from fat; 17 g protein; 8.6 g fat (5 g sat.); 38 g carbo (3.9 g fiber); 717 mg sodium; 26 mg chol.

Check the label of each cheese you buy for nutrition information. This chart gives ranges found in reduced-fat, light, low-fat, and part-skim cheeses.

CHEESE                      REGULAR                 FAT-TRIMMED
Per oz.                   Gm. fat Cal.              Gm. fat Cal.

Cheddar                9-10      110-120         1.5-6        50-90
Jack                    8-9      100-110             6        80-90
Mozzarella                6           80       1.5-4.5        50-72
Parmesan                7-8      106-111           n/a          n/a
Sap sago                  0           51           n/a          n/a
Swiss                 7.8-8      107-110         4-6.5        80-90