Cheese has been the only real thing I've been avoiding during my fitness journey to return myself to health and hopefully stay consistent in the long run after I hit the biggest of the big goals. I can count on one hand how many times I've had actual true cheesy dairy gold since last November. I love it, but it's the one food where I lose all control. As I age, my tummy is also not a major fan of the stuff. That right there makes it a lot easier to say no thanks, even though it's my fave. So, here's my tribute to less fun cheesy stuff that has kept me sane and healthier...
1. Cottage Cheese - Yes, it's cheese in name, but let's not pretend like this stuff is a creamy brie, a tangy dill havarti, or a staple like cheddar. Either way, cottage cheese doesn't bother my stomach, it's really high in protein, the low fat stuff is pretty kind on the fat and calories, and as all off the protein vloggers can tell you...it can be pretty versatile in recipes when blended in/baked (although, I prefer Greek yogurt for many of these things). I often make myself a cottage cheese salad for lunch with 2 servings of the stuff, a serving of coleslaw mix (just the duo of cabbage and carrots), maybe some roasted sunflower seeds for crunch, a serving of crumbled salad bacon for some smokiness, if there's room in my calorie intake- some avocado, and anything bagel seasoning. The volume from the cabbage and carrots makes this big enough to fill a medium sized mixing bowl and it's pretty satiating.
2. Violife Dairy Free Smoked Provolone - There are a lot of different vegan cheese products out there, but very few taste like the real thing. I've tried other super popular ones like Miyokos, Daiya, and Chao...as well as the yucky plant based Laughing Cow...just to name a few. Chao isn't bad for their version of white American, but the Violife provolone is convincing enough to keep my brain happy and allow me to have things like a grilled chicken sandwich with some "cheese."
3. The real stuff- Sitting in my freezer is the leftover mac & cheese I made on my birthday. I made enough that I had enough leftovers to fill a full sized Pyrex casserole dish. My tummy is going to be screaming at me, but this baby is getting thawed and baked for Thanksgiving. I am super serious about it with my mac & cheese.
or anything that has cheese poured over it 
