The Laughing Cow Light Queso Fresco & Chipotle Flavor Spreadable Cheese Wedges Review

What do you do when you crave cheese, but not all the fat that goes with it - not to mention that you cannot limit your portion once a piece goes in your mouth?! Well, my solution is to always have some spreadable cheese wedges on hand. While I was replenishing my supply, I came across The Laughing Cow Light Queso Fresco & Chipotle Flavor Spreadable Cheese Wedges - it's described as, made with real queso fresco and chipotle peppers ... a great way to add spice to your favorite dishes without stacking up the calories.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 wedge (21 grams)
Calories: 35
Total Fat: 1.5 grams, 3%
Saturated Fat: 1 gram, 5%
Sodium: 240 mg, 10%
Carbohydrates: 2 grams
Fiber: 0%
Sugars: 1 gram
Protein: 2 grams

At snack time, I spread a wedge on a few (or maybe more than a few) Keebler Town House Light Buttery Wheat Crackers (Review) - the cheese was creamy, soft and very spreadable. I didn't get much of a spicy kick though and since it says Chipotle, I expected that it would bring the heat! I also sat down and ate a wedge while writing this review - just trying to savor each bite, and that's when a little more of the spicy chipotle flavor came out. BUT if the Laughing Cow Queso Fresco & Chipotle Cheese Wedge was in a contest with Weight Watchers Jalapeno Cheese Wedges (Review), I would give the prize to the Weight Watchers cheese.

Each wedge of the The Laughing Light Cow Queso Fresco & Chipotle Flavor Spreadable Cheese provides 35 calories from 1.5 grams of total fat (3% of the daily value) which includes 1 gram of saturated fat (5% of the DV), 240 mg sodium (10% of the DV), 1 gram of sugars (no fiber) and 2 grams of protein. The ingredients include, cheddar, light cheddar, queso fresco and semi-soft cheeses (cultured milk and skim milk, salt, enzymes), whey, cream, chipotle peppers, sodium phosphate, sodium citrate, natural flavors.

I purchased a pack with 8 wedges for $2.69, and I would buy these again just to get some flavor - although it's not that much different from the The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss Wedges (Review).

{Website: The Laughing Cow}

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Grill it! Rub in Flavor, Reduce Fat

Spring is here and, with it, warmer weather and longer days! One of my favorite things about this time of year is being able to cook -- and eat -- outside. Cooking on the grill not only cuts down on the mess in the kitchen, it cuts loads of calories and still imparts that smoky, mouth-watering barbecue flavor.

The next time you decide to grill red meat try a dry or wet rub instead of a high-calorie barbecue sauce or liquid marinade. The rub forms a flavorful crust and is fat-free and intensely flavorful. Even small amounts of herbs and spices deliver a powerful punch of flavor.

The great thing about rubs is that you can create your own easily and inexpensively -- you probably have everything you need in your spice cupboard right now to at least make a basic blend. Start with a little (very little) coarse salt -- sea or kosher are best -- and add fresh-ground pepper, onion powder and garlic (minced fresh or powder) and you’ve got the makings of a simple but tasty beef rub. Add a little cumin and coriander as well if you like.

To make a wet rub, combine your favorite herbs and spices with a mashed garlic or onion paste, which you can purchase or make at home as well. Tarragon and dill go especially well with chicken and fish.

The other great thing about rubs is that you can experiment with different mixtures of herbs and spices until you find one or several that you like. If mixing a dry rub, make extra and store it for up to two months in an airtight container.

If you grow your own herbs, such as rosemary, sage or thyme, try chopping one fresh into your spice mixture just prior to coating the meat. Lightly score the meat to help the flavors penetrate, and apply the rub at least 15 minutes (and up to several hours) prior to cooking. The rub creates a crisp, tasty crust while grilling seals in the flavor.

I cover rubs (and a guilt-free BBQ-sauce) in more depth in my new book Flavor First: Cut Calories and Boost Flavor with 75 Delicious, All-Natural Recipes. Check it out for a complete discussion on herbs and spices from around the world, and how to use them to flavor your food without adding calories. You can find more information about the book and waking up your taste buds at FlavorFirst.com.

Here are a few tips to help make the most of your outdoor feast:

Start with lean meat choices or remove as much fat as possible prior to cooking.Though boneless skinless chicken breasts are a fabulously lean choice, they’re very easy to overcook. To ensure even cooking, place each breast between two sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap, and pound it to an even thickness with the smooth side of a meat tenderizer.Salmon, halibut and mahi mahi are great grilling choices as they're thick, firm and easier to turn on the grill. Delicate thinner fish can still be grilled but you'll need to purchase a special grilling basket to help you turn them.Avoid cross-contamination by using separate cutting boards, utensils and platters for cooked and raw foods. Refrigerate marinated foods and don’t baste with your marinating liquid. You can boil (and cool) the marinating liquid if you want to use it for basting.To minimize sticking, be sure the grill is hot before adding your food. Carefully hold your hand just above the grill grate. If you can hold it for one second the heat is high; two seconds = medium-high, three seconds = medium and five seconds = low.Even on a clean, hot grill, very lean foods can stick. But don’t use cooking oil spray on a hot grill. Use a vegetable-oil soaked paper towel or cloth. Hold it with a tongs and quickly rub over the grill rack.Tongs are an indispensable cooking tool; especially for grilling. Be sure to find a pair that is long enough to reach the back of your grill so that you don’t have to hold your hands over the high heat.A grill basket works wonders to keep smaller foods from falling through the grill grids. It’s also much easier to turn over sliced vegetables or fruits in a basket than turning one by one.

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Put Flavor First: New Book Out Today

My new book "Flavor First: Cut Calories and Boost Flavor with 75 Delicious, All-Natural Recipes" hits stores today, and it gets to the root of why so many weight-loss efforts fail.

Why "Flavor First?" Because all too often when we try to eat healthy, we equate that with eating bland. And it doesn't have to be bland. In fact, when the food we make and eat bores us, we fall can fall back to old unhealthy habits: adding high-calorie sauces, condiments, and dips to our meals or just eating highly-precessed foods.

So how do you conquer these temptations? By making meals that are both packed with flavor AND healthy.

Enter the 75 recipes in "Flavor First." I've also filled the book with tips, techniques and instruction on the principles on which the recipes are built. I hope you enjoy it and start putting flavor first.

For lots more on the book (as well as recipes and an excerpt) check out FlavorFirst.com.

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Borba Replenishing Skin Balance Water (Lychee Fruit Flavor)

Borba says it's Replenishing Skin Balance Water is, "made with botanical ingredients designed to boost moisture across your entire body. It's a zero carb, zero-calorie, skin care formula that helps you experience healthy-looking, hydrated skin."

I decided to try Borba when I randomly found it in a local convenience store. Sure, it was $3.99, but I had had a long night and was especially swayed by the "Replenishing" promise.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 8 ounces
Calories: 0
Total Fat: 0%
Saturated Fat: 0%
Sodium: 0%
Carbohydrates: 0 grams
Fiber: 0%
Sugar: 0 grams
Protein: 0 grams

The flavor was wonderfully subtle, not to sweet, and it tasted quite like lychee, which I love. It was super refreshing, too, and I drank it all quickly. This stuff has no aspartame, so no artificial flavor, and no sodium as well, so no bloat. The "Lychee water" is designed to combat dryness, sensitivity, and roughness. It's got antioxidants, B vitamins, and papaya and guava. Yum!

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Each 8-ounce serving of Borba Replenishing Skin Balance Water (Lychee Fruit Flavor) - half of a bottle - provides no calories, fat, carbohydrates or protein. There are daily values of 25% for vitamin A, 360% for vitamin C, 330% for vitamin E, 40% for B3, 125% for B6, 260% for B12, 90% for pantothenic acid, 2% for magnesium, and 6% for zinc ... sounds like a true vitamin water.

I thought this was a really interesting concept. Of course, I don't know if this will help with healthy looking skin, but it sure will help with hydration. Naturally, I couldn't afford to drink this everyday at the $3.99 price tag, but if I see this for a lower price, I would definitely buy it again. Have you tried this or any other "beauty beverages"?

{Website: Borba Replenishing Skin Balance Water}

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