Call off the calorie police: You can embrace the creamy, tangy richness of cheese, as long as you do it Hungry Girl Lisa Lillien's way.
Laughing Cow Light cheese wedges. I consider these portion-controlled triangles must-haves because of their creaminess and impressive stats (just 35 calories and 1.5 g fat each). Spread them on apple slices or add to egg scrambles. One of my favorite things to do with a wedge is put it inside an extra-lean ground-beef hamburger patty, then cook it in a skillet. Cheesy and delicious.
Crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese. This stuff packs a lot of flavor into just a few tablespoons. But you can have more: A ¼ cup has only about 70 calories and 5 g fat. I love the traditional flavor, but there also are fun varieties (check out Athenos Reduced Fat Tomato & Basil). It's great with chicken, tomatoes, and cucumbers on pita, and I use it on salads, too.
Shredded reduced-fat Mexican-blend cheese. While it varies from brand to brand, this mix generally includes Monterey Jack, cheddar, and a couple other flavorful cheeses. It melts incredibly well—perfect for quesadillas and hot sandwiches. Try a scoopful melted over hollowed-out and baked zucchini halves with crumbled bacon (like low-carb potato skins!). You can use a big ¼ cup for about 80 calories and 5.5 g fat.
Part-skim mozzarella cheese and low-fat/light ricotta cheese. I love these two cheeses on their own, but they're great together in your favorite baked ziti recipe (mine has high-fiber pasta, plus mushrooms and spinach). I also use them on a white pizza, made from a low-carb tortilla that's been baked until crispy. The part-skim mozzarella tastes rich and melts perfectly, and ¼ cup has about 80 calories and 5 g fat. The slimmed-down ricotta is creamy, yet ¼ cup has only about 60 calories and 2.5 g fat.
