The FastDay Forum

Hello, Bean here! I am in need of some of your wonderful ideas. As you may or may not know one of my favourite meals is cauliflower or macaroni cheese! Mmm just the thought of it Huh hum! Anyway...in order to make a healthy version of this gorgeous food it is vital that a good strong cheese is used, so that you don't need to use so much and send your calorie total soaring.

So, in short, can you guys recommend a super strong cheese?

Merci beaucoup!

Bean

Could you use a low fat mild cheese with a sprinkling of parmasan for flavour? Or else load up on herbs and spices?

Im lovin the Hungry Girl site for low cal alternatives to fav dishes. Here is what a search for macaroni turned up http://www.hungry-girl.com/search?keyword=macaroni

come back to me with your sucessful recepie!

Bean, I don't know about the cheese. I use cheddar. Perhaps experiments with spices or the addition of a bit of bacon, salsa swirls thru etc

When I was young money was a bit tight and my mum was always looking for cheap ways to add flavour to food. She always put marmite in cheese sauce - means you need to add much less cheese. I still always put marmite in cheese sauce as do my 2 sisters and my 3 children!
Another one of her ploys was to add sugar and vinegar to stews to mimic the flavour of tomatoes! ( tinned tomatoes were not so readily available or cheap then)

I put mustard in my cheese sauce so long as my husband isn't having any! I also use a mature cheddar.

A vintage cheddar, with maybe a bit of grated Parmesan too, should do the trick.

Or you could try @PennyForthem's trick, and add some horseradish

I use stilton for a cheese sauce on things like leeks and broccoli. For mac and cheese, though, I think it has to be a strong cheddar.

[Debs]

And there I was thinking it was a plea for photos!! I add mustard, parmesan and a stinky blue cheese depending on how I feel. I am making one next week for his nibs!

Hmm, yes I wondered if blue cheese would work. Must give a totally different flavour mustn't it?

Bean

Like a lot of others I put some mustard in mine and I also use a strong Cheshire, oh this makes me want some, Beanie Bobs you will be blamed if I make a ton of this today AND eat THE LOT!

Ballerina x

But won't you just ENJOY it?

Bean

I have switched to the 50% less fat cheese and gone up one strength as in where I was buying mild I now buy mature. I now prefere it to normal cheese.

But won't you just ENJOY it?

Bean

Beanie Bobs,......THAT WAS NOT THE POINT

Ballerina x

Oh, don't you just find it so comforting, though, with lashings of cheesey sauce!
Here's what I do;
Lightly fry onions, Gallic, mushrooms, red pepper and courgette. Par boil your cauliflower.
make cheese sauce, using cheese of your choice. I add herbs, my own garlicy mustard and a touch of paprika. Smother the veg with the cheesey gawjuness and pop under the grill.

I always weigh the cheese first, too, as grating it straight in from the block would lead to far more cheese going in than I anticipated!!