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Tuesday, 18 February 2014

Comfort Food to Banish the Winter Blues

What's your favourite comfort food?  In a recent poll, insurer Axa found that a roast is our favourite comfort food, shepherd's pie, chips and lasagne came next followed by spaghetti bolognese, macaroni and Cheese on Toast.  While most of the top comfort foods require a bit of time and effort to prepare, Cheese on Toast can be put together in minutes providing a pick-me-up which, Psychologist Donna Dawson says, reminds us of our childhood as we associate them with family and feeling safe.

Cheese is usually high in calories and fat, so it's a comfort food you have to take care not to eat too often which is why I was pleased to try out this Pilgrim's Choice Extra Mature Lighter Cheese.  It's still matured for 12 months and has the tangy taste you expect from Extra Mature Cheeese, but with 30% less fat than regular extra mature cheddar.

I was slightly concerned about how well the cheese would melt as it's the fat in the cheese that melts.  However I was pleasantly surprised with the bubbliness and browning I got with Pilgrim's Choice Extra Mature Lighter Cheese.  I wouldn't say it had the equivalent flavour of a full fat extra mature cheddar, but it was a tasty piece of cheese with good texture and a good melt.






Nutritional info:
  • 302 calories per 100g
  • 22g of Fat per 100g
  • 750mg of Calcium per 100g
 350g of Pilgrim's Choice Extra Mature Cheese Lighter costs around £3.40

I was supplied with a pack of Pilgrim's Choice Extra Mature Cheese Lighter to review, I was not paid for this post and all opinions are my own.
 

21 comments:

  1. ahh yes, the ultimate comfort food... cheese on toast is where it's at and yours looks particularly pleasing... my comfort food is a baked potato... with lashings of butter and cheese!

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    1. A baked potato is lovely too and really easy to make.

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  2. I really love a good sharp cheddar cheese, so tasty and versatile!

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    1. Yes, good cheese makes all the difference.

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  3. Oh yum, I do love a gorgeously bubbling slice of cheese on toast. Seeing yours has definitely given me the munchies!

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  4. I almost always use pilgrim choice cheese ;) And cheese on toast is the easiest and fastest way to get rid of all kind of "blues" ;)

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    1. Glad you are a fan, I wasn't sure about the lower fat cheese melting but it was really good.

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  5. Cheese on toast rocks my boat anytime.

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    1. It's what we used to eat when we came home from a night out!

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  6. Ah, I don't know too much about comfort from food, but cheese is always good for me. Your cheese on toast looks just right.

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  7. Who would have thought, all that yummy comfort food and not too many calories. GG

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  8. I am here again - in DAYLIGHT hours and on my laptop and NOT my iPad to leave my comments!
    I LOVE cheese on toast, in any form, and this is so good on so many counts, as well as the fact that the cheese is lower in calories! YAY!
    Glad to see it melts well too!
    Karen

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  9. this looks like the sort of thing my mum would have served us when I was poorly! Definitely comfort food;)

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  10. Oh I love cheese on toast Janice. You have me drooling here. Of course it needs lots of black pepper too. I must try that cheese.

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  11. Oh no, not low fat cheddar - this is just not meant to be Janice. Love cheese on toast though.

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  12. I love cheesy toast! I just can't get on board with low fat cheese, though. But I appreciate the effort at modifying comfort food to fit into a healthier lifestyle...

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  13. I love a good slice of cheese on toast.

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  14. My go to, almost instant, comfort food is toast with butter & marmite. Although I'd love a piece of cheese on toast right now :)
    Janie x

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  15. You can't beat cheese on toast for a bit of instant comfort. I actually make it at least once a week round here as the kids can't get enough of it, and of course I always indulge in an extra slice or two. Should probably start buying lighter cheese for myself though!

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  16. Definitely perfect comfort food

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I love to read your comments and try to reply when I can. I have had to enable comment moderation due to high levels of spam, so it may take a little time before your comment is visible. Please let me know if you make one of my recipes or if you have any questions I will try to answer them. Janice