Food

Lunchtime Solutions

Posted: 11/12/2010

Lunchtime Solutions

(NAPSI) - When it comes to your lunch, saying yes to cheese can be an easy way to please-and not just your taste buds. Cheese is rich in both calcium and protein, and selecting from a variety of options can maximize your nutritional choices.

Imported from Ireland, Kerrygold cheeses are made with milk from grass-fed cows that roam free on small family farms. The beta-carotene from the rich Irish grass turns the cheeses a natural golden color.

The cheeses are widely available in American supermarkets. For a taste of something different, you may want to try some of these easy lunch ideas:

• Cheese rollups: Lay thin slices of Blarney Castle cheese, smoked turkey slices and spinach leaves on a flour tortilla; roll up and wrap securely in plastic wrap.

• Snacking lunch: Combine cubes of Dubliner cheese, pretzel pieces and raisins in a plastic bag. Enjoy as a snack-lunch.

• Layered salad: Layer in a lidded plastic container salad greens, shredded Ivernia cheese, ham strips and sliced cucumbers. Pack your favorite dressing to serve on the side.

Or you may like to try Nutty Pear-Cheese Pockets, a recipe by dietitian Roberta Duyff, MS, RD. While fine for every eater, this sandwich is especially suited to vegetarians since Kerrygold Aged Cheddar is made with microbial rennet instead of animal rennet.

Nutty Pear-Cheese Pockets

1 cup chopped firm pears or tart apples

¾ cup (3 ounces) diced Kerrygold Aged Cheddar Cheese

½ cup diced celery

¼ cup dried cranberries or raisins

¼ cup (1 ounce) chopped pecans or walnuts

¼ cup lemon yogurt

2 tablespoons mayonnaise or mayonnaise-type salad dressing

½ teaspoon ground ginger

2 whole-wheat pita breads

1 cup baby spinach or leaf lettuce

In a bowl, combine pears, cheese, celery, cranberries and pecans. In a separate bowl, combine yogurt, mayonnaise and ginger. Add to pear mixture; blend gently. To assemble sandwich, halve each pita and gently pull apart to form pocket. Line each of four pockets with spinach and stuff with the pear mixture, dividing equally. Makes 4 pita pockets. (2 pockets per serving)

Variations: Substitute Cheddar with Dubliner, Blarney Castle, Kerrygold Swiss or Kerrygold Reduced-Fat Cheddar.

Kerrygold Aged Cheddar is the winner of a gold medal at the 2010 World Championship Cheese Contest. For more recipes, visit www.kerrygold.com/usa.

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