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Kraft Shredded Cheese Breakdown

FitSugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:00:00 -0800

I'm not going to lie to you - I love cheese. I use it all the time to add a hint of flavor, protein, calcium, and cheesy goodness to my foods. I honestly believe that cheese makes everything better. I also love anything that makes my life easier, so every week, I buy bags of shredded cheese to sprinkle on my salads, soups, sandwiches, pasta, and omelets.

When I walked down the dairy aisle, there's a huge variety of shredded cheeses, and I wondered how they compared nutritionally. So I decided to make this handy chart of Kraft shredded cheeses. For all the 8-ounce packages, the serving sizes varied between either seven, eight, or nine servings per bag. I did some calculations to make it easier to compare them, so all these numbers are based on 1-ounce serving sizes.

Serving Size = 1 ounce	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Protein (g)
Mild Cheddar	112	9	6.8	25	33.8	1	6.8
Mild Cheddar Finely Shredded	110	9	6	25	180	1	6

To see the rest read more.

Serving Size = 1 ounce	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Protein (g)
2% Milk Reduced Fat Mild Cheddar	80	6	3.5	20	230	1	7
Sharp Cheddar	123.8	10	6.8	28	180	1	6.8
Sharp Cheddar Finely Shredded	110	9	6	25	180	1	6
2% Milk Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar	80	6	3.5	20	230	1	7
Fat-Free Cheddar	45	0	0	5	280	1	9
Organic Cheddar (6 oz. bag)	120	10	6	30	180	1	6
Low Moisture Mozzarella	80	5	3.5	15	200	1	7
Low Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella	80	5	3.5	20	220	1	6
2% Milk Reduced Fat Mozzarella	70	4	2.5	15	200	1	8
Fat-Free Mozzarella	45	0	0	5	340	2	8
Organic Mozzarella (6 oz. bag)	80	5	3.5	15	200	1	7
Mozzarella and Parmesan	90	6	4	20	210	1	6
Monteray Jack	100	8	5	25	190	1	6
Colby & Monteray Jack	100	8	5	25	190	1	6
Colby & Monteray Jack Finely Shredded	100	8	5	25	190	1	6
2% Milk Reduced Fat Colby & Monteray Jack	80	5	3.5	15	230	1	7
Cheddar & Monteray Jack	100	8	6	25	170	1	6
Swiss	110	8	5	25	60	1	7
Mexican Cheddar Jack	110	9	5	25	190	1	6
2% Milk Reduced Fat Mexican Four Cheese	80	5	3.5	15	240	1	7
Mexican Cheddar Jack With Jalapeno Peppers	110	9	5	25	190	1	6
Mexican Taco	105	8.8	6.1	26	210	.9	6
Italian Style Five Cheese	90	6	3.5	20	240	1	7
Pizza Four Cheese	90	7	4.5	20	220	1	6
Pizza Mozzarella & Cheddar	90	7	4.5	20	200	1	6

Healthy T-Day Dessert: Pumpkin-Carrot Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting

FitSugar — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:30:05 -0800

Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and my love of all things pumpkin is hardly waning. From yogurt to muffins, I relish this tasty flavor of Fall. If you're looking for a pumpkin pie alternative, these pumpkin-carrot bars are delish. The bit of cream cheese frosting adds a deceptive element of decadence.

Low in calories while remaining full of flavor, these pumpkin bars make a great dessert - perfect for potlucks (much easier to share with large groups than pies) and they're relatively guilt-free. They're high in vitamin A - and trust me you cannot even taste the shredded carrot - and a bar only contains 70 calories and less than two grams of fat. With nutritional stats like that, it's OK to go back for seconds.

Check out the recipe when you read more.

Pumpkin-Carrot Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting
Modified from SparkPeople

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup Earth Balance (or other butter substitute)
2 eggs
2 large egg whites
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin pie filling
2/3 cup finely shredded carrot

Cream cheese topping:
4 ounces light cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon skim milk

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Spray a 15 x 10 jellyroll pan with cooking spray.
In small bowl, whisk flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, and baking soda.
In larger bowl, use electric mixer to beat sugar, Earth Balance, and brown sugar until crumbly. Add eggs, egg whites, pumpkin pie filling, and carrots. Beat until well blended.
Add flour mixture and mix until well blended. Spread onto greased pan.
To prepare cream cheese topping: mix together cream cheese, sugar, and milk until thoroughly blended.
Drop teaspoon-fulls of topping over pumpkin batter and swirl and cut mixture into batter with a butter knife.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in pan completely on wire rack before cutting into squares.

Makes 48 squares.

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Looking for more healthy recipes? Then check out the Healthy Recipe Group - the name pretty much says it all.

In Season: Beets

YumSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 05:50:46 -0700

I must admit I'd been seriously dismayed to see peaches and watermelons being replaced by Fall fruits at the farmers market, but once a myriad of different beets caught my eye, the season managed to redeem itself. From the crimson-red garden beet to the pink-and-white striped Chioggia, these root vegetables come in a range of stunning, jewel-toned hues.They add a punch of color - and a sweet, mildly buttery flavor when cooked - to just about any course. While they're available in California almost year-round, October, it seems, is the time of year when they taste most tender. To find out how to select, store, and enjoy these versatile veggies, read more.

'Wich of the Week: Portobello Mushroom Sloppy Joe

YumSugar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 04:00:50 -0700

When it comes to meaty sandwiches, it's hard to get much meatier than a sloppy joe. But with National Vegetarian Month on the horizon, you can enjoy a kinder, gentler, and healthier version of the old Manwich.Made with hearty portobello mushrooms flavored with bell peppers, onions, tomato paste, and a touch of spice, these vegetarian sloppy joes don't taste like beef, but in sentiment and sloppiness, they do the trick. Get the recipe now.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Chicken, Rice, and Black-Bean Salad

partysugar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 07:50:49 -0700

Who says chicken salad has to involve globs of mayonnaise and chopped celery? This recipe gives the classic salad a Southwestern-style twist.

Cooked shredded chicken is tossed with rice, black beans, tomatoes, jalapeños, and green onions. A quick ground cumin vinaigrette flavors the mixture. For a hearty variation, serve the salad in warmed tortillas sprinkled with cheese.

This salad is also delicious the next day, making it perfect for back-to-school lunches or late Summer picnics. Get the recipe and read more.

Chicken, Rice, and Black-Bean Salad
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

1 cup brown (or white) rice
1 cooked chicken (about 2 1/2 pounds), shredded (about 4 cups)
1 can (15 1/2 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
6 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 jalapeno chile (seeds and ribs removed for less heat, if desired), minced
1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions

Cook rice according to package instructions. Spread on a baking sheet; refrigerate until cool.
Meanwhile place cooled rice in a large bowl; add chicken, beans, tomatoes, scallions, jalapeno, vinegar, oil, and cumin. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine.
Serve immediately, or refrigerate, covered, up to 1 day.

Serves 4.

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Are You Eating Too Much Cholesterol?

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 09:00:30 -0700

I was vegan for a short time in college, and was shocked when I had my cholesterol tested and found it was high. I wasn't even eating cholesterol! The thing is, your liver makes cholesterol and it's actually essential for your body to function normally. Cholesterol is also found in food and appropriately called dietary cholesterol. Since your body produces enough, you don't need to worry about getting any from diet. What you do need to worry about is getting too much.

A healthy person with healthy cholesterol levels can safely consume 300 milligrams a day. If your levels are high, aim for less than 200 mg a day. Are you eating too much? Find out how much cholesterol is in your favorite foods when you read more.

Food	Cholesterol (mg)
1 Hard-Boiled Egg	212
1 cup Skim Milk	5
1 cup Lowfat Milk (1%)	15
1 cup Lowfat Milk (2%)	20
1 cup Whole Milk	34
1 oz. Cheddar Cheese (1 slice)	29
1/4 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese	20
2 tbsp. Cream Cheese	26
2 tbsp. Butter	61
5.3 oz. Fage Total Classic Greek Yogurt	35
5.3 oz. Fage Total With Honey	20
6 oz. Chobani No-Fat Vanilla Greek Yogurt	0
6 oz. Stonyfield farms Organic Low-Fat Vanilla Yogurt	7
1/3 Pound Hamburger Patty	90
5 inch Hot Dog	24
4 oz. Filet Mignon	75
4 oz. Organic Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast	70
4 oz. Tilapia	55
3 oz. Salmon	85
2 tbsp. Mayonnaise	8
3 oz. Sour Cream	11
1/2 cup Chocolate Ice Cream	120
1/2 cup Chocolate Ice Cream	115
9 Hershey's Dark Chocolate Kisses	5

High cholesterol levels in the blood can put you at risk for heart disease. So answer these two questions for me: have you had your cholesterol levels tested, and are you getting too much?

Simple Tip: Make Leftovers Pizza

partysugar — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:30:56 -0700

After a weekend of grilling and recipe experimentation, my father and I faced a refrigerator full of food. While we could have eaten the baked beans, ribs, and salads on their own, I came up with a genius new way to use leftovers - as toppings on pizza! For $3 we purchased a "skin" - an extra-large pizza dough with no toppings - from a local pizzeria. From there we got creative. "We don't have tomato sauce," my dad pointed out. No matter. Homemade barbecue sauce acted as a bed for shredded rib meat, grilled green onions, and smoked cheese. All of these items were already in our fridge. With its balls of fresh marinated mozzarella, caprese salad turned into a lovely margharita pizza. Smoked salmon left over from brunch? That was luscious paired with pesto and goat cheese.

Don't be limited to the conventional conception of pizza - shredded chicken would be delicious with grilled peaches, or top dough with chopped hamburger patties, blue cheese, and garlic. Have you ever used leftovers as pizza toppings? What was your most inventive incarnation?

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Chilled Zucchini Soup Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 05:50:49 -0700

I'm a major supporter of soup, and believe in eating it year-round, regardless of the weather. Yet I know how some of you can't bear to steam up sun shades with bowls of hot liquid in the Summer. If you fall into the latter category, chilled zucchini soup, with its creamy body and subtle flavor, is just the thing to talk you off the ledge. Add a quick course to the dinner menu when you blend together zucchini, broth, dill, and shredded cheese - or transform it into more of a substantial meal by topping off bowls with cumin-spiced shrimp and tangy cilantro cream. Decide between the two when you read more

Fast & Easy Dinner: Turkey and Black Bean Tostadas

partysugar — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 07:50:48 -0700

Tonight, serve your family a meal that comes together in minutes. This tostada recipe is great because it's full of flavor and texture. There's a satisfying crunch thanks to the tostada base, a crispness from the filling black bean and corn salad, and richness provided by the cheddar cheese and sour cream. Although the ingredients are classic Tex-Mex, the extra veggies make it healthier than nachos. The recipe calls for turkey, but feel free to substitute shredded chicken or ground meat. For the wildly simple method, read more.

Turkey and Black Bean Tostadas
From Every Day With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

3-1/2 ounces roast turkey, from the deli counter, finely diced (3/4 cup)
¼ cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons fresh corn kernels or thawed frozen corn
1 small ripe tomato, finely diced
Juice of 1 lime (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon chipotle sauce or hot sauce, to taste
¼ cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
¼ cup plain reduced-fat sour cream
2 flat corn tostada shells, such as Bearitos brand
1/2 cup shredded lettuce
1 tablespoon snipped chives (optional)

Directions

In a bowl, combine the turkey, black beans, corn, tomato, lime juice, chipotle sauce and cheese.
Pack the turkey mixture, sour cream, tostadas, lettuce and chives separately until ready to use. To serve, spread some sour cream on each tostada. Top each tostada with some of the turkey mixture, lettuce and chives.

Serves 2.

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Mural Meal: Choo Choo Grilled Cheese Train

babysugar — Tue, 05 May 2009 10:00:36 -0700

A sucker for dairy products, my babe loves to take down a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch. Instead of cutting it in half with a pickle in between, I like to add some commotion to the meal. And by that, I mean locomotion. Turn that cheese filled sammie into a train and that choo choos all the way to her tummy.

Cook up the cheesy classic and slice it into four squares. If you have a long plate or platter, set it out for a change of pace. Dice zucchini and cook it with a pat of butter and season with a dash of garlic salt. Once it's ready, turn the green veggie into wheels. Use sliced bananas to make a spread of sunlight above the train. Add some raisins to the engine cart as steam rises into the sky. Chop up a few carrots to connect the train cars. For their dipping pleasure, squirt a few dots of ranch dressing into the sky for clouds. For something sweet, toast some shredded coconut and place along the bottom of the train for the gravel path.