Let’s talk about cheese
Cheese is made from milk – which I hope you were aware of – but what you might not have known is that many types of cheese have low or no lactose, the form of sugar naturally found in milk. Your body needs the enzyme lactase to break down lactose, and adults make varying amounts…some people make as much as they did in childhood (lactose is also found in human breast milk), and others lose capacity to manufacture lactase to some degree. Lactose that doesn’t get broken down can cause bloating and discomfort, which is why some avoid fluid milk.
A look at cheddar
Cheddar cheese contains no lactose – it’s strained out in the cheese-making process, leaving only protein, fat, and micronutrients. This week, Cabot is sponsoring a contest featuring cheese as the star ingredient. Cabot Creamery is a family-farmer owned cooperative of more than 1200 farms located throughout New England and New York, and 100% of Cabot’s profits go back to their farmers. American grown, processed, and sold – I love a local product chain!
Let’s talk about pizza
Cheese is a crucial pizza ingredient, but many flavors we associate with pizza are spices; mainly oregano, basil, and garlic. This recipe uses millet, a gluten-free whole grain, instead of pizza crust and fresh tomatoes and tomato paste instead of sauce, but delivers on that “pizza” flavor profile with a simple Italian herb blend. Perfect for popping as a snack – or during certain upcoming large-scale sporting events 😉
Cheddar Pizza Bites
Ingredients
- 3 c cooked millet
- 6 oz Cabot cheddar cheese, shredded (I used White Oak Cheddar)
- 2 Tbsp Italian seasoning (I used Mrs. Dash)
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 egg, beaten
- Dash salt
- 1 c diced fresh tomato (I used cherry tomatoes; sundried would also work very well here)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Shred cheese with a grater, and combine with cooked millet, seasonings, egg, tomatoes, paste and salt in a large bowl. Stir well to mix evenly. Mold into golf ball sized spheres (it helps to put olive oil on hands prior to prevent sticking) and bake for 30 minutes (I used an oiled mini muffin pan, but you could use parchment on a baking sheet too). Serve warm! Makes 8 servings of 3 balls each.
I received free samples of Cabot Cheese mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe challenge sponsored by Cabot Creamery and am eligible to win prizes. I was not additionally compensated for my time
Trackbacks/Pingbacks