PRODUCT REVIEW: Lisanatti Shredded Almond Cheddar Style Cheese

I'm always on the look-out for good cheese alternatives. About three years ago, I bought the almond cheese block form by Lisanatti. In a nutshell, I was not impressed back then. A few weeks ago, my student, Melissa Thurnhofer, wrote on my Facebook wall and asked if I had tried the Lisanatti almond cheese. I wasn't sure if what I had tried a few years earlier was by Lisanatti, so I promised her I would go back and see if it was or not. If it was, then I would certainly give it another shot again.

Well, lo and behold, it was Lisanatti that I tried before. This time, I decided to buy the shredded version of the "cheddar cheese" option. I first tried it in a plain and simple vegetable dish. It was alright. This was looking promising so far! Then I tried it making a spaghetti dish. I used the angel hair pasta version of Barilla Plus (a must! and healthy!) and the Barilla Garlic Sauce (yum!)...I'm a big Barilla fan! I did include the shredded cheddar style almond cheese, and it was pretty good...not bad!

Now on the packaging of Lisanatti, it says "melts and tastes great!". The most common definition of melt is turning a solid into a liquid. I don't know about you, but I sure think of "liquid" as it becoming one and very fluid. However, in the cheese alternative world, I've come to realize that the word "melt" does not have the same meaning for "melt" as in the dictionary. Lisanatti's definition of melt means, it just breaks apart, so it breaks down into smaller pieces and may stretch a little bit. I tried making a "cheese sauce" with Lisanatti for my healthy version of "mac and cheese" and even after almost an hour on heat, the Lisanatti almond cheese never become one, never became a liquid, but became separate little pieces. (My apologies for the unclear, unfocused picture.) If you don't look really closely at the finished product it looks alright.

Tastewise, the Lisanatti in my mac and cheese was not outstanding. It was fair. I'm still working on and tweaking my healthy recipe version of mac and cheese, but maybe next  time I will try Daiya or Galaxy Nutrition cheese alternatives. Lisanatti is good for when you do not want strong flavors, but very, very mild flavoring. The protein source is casein from milk products, so those who are vegan will not be happy about this product. This product though does not have saturated fat, which is a nice plus. In addition, the sodium content is fairly reasonable and not as high as other cheese alternatives, so this is an additional plus. Every one has different preferences in tastes, so why not give Lisanatti a try one day. You might like it.

******
What other almond cheeses have you tried and liked?

PRODUCT REVIEW: Daiya Cheese Alternative

We can run as much as we want, but just because we run on a regular basis, does it mean that we automatically have healthy hearts with clean arteries?  Our unhealthy food choices can clog up our arteries and affect our hearts despite all our efforts to run faithfully.  This is why it is important for us to cut corners wherever we can when it comes to food that are high in saturated fat.  Saturated fat, which is found in animal products and coconut, is the culprit that elevates our bad cholesterol.  If our bad cholesterol levels remain elevated, that can possibly lead to heart disease and eventually a heart attack.

I love cheese! It is loaded with saturated fat.  I won't deprive myself of it though.  However, whenever I can at home, I try to use products that are lower in saturated fat, so that when I do go out to eat every now and then, I can enjoy the real deal in moderation.


I first tried, Daiya, a cheese alternative, at the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo a couple weeks ago in San Diego.  I was impressed with it from the first bite.  The next week, I bought some at Clark's Natural Food Market.  I placed some on a piece of pita bread topped with my favorite toppings, and I was pleased.  It tasted just as good as it did at the food show.  The Daiya cheese alternative does melt, not exactly like real cheese, but it does melt.  It is not a low fat food item; however, the saturated fat content in Daiya is much lower than regular cheese.  This is a plus!


The only drawback with Daiya is that it is higher in sodium than regular cheese.  If your blood pressure is high, this may not be the best choice for you.  On the other hand, if you do choose to have it, use a small portion of it.  However, for an endurance runner, after a good long run losing electrolytes, this wouldn't be a bad option for you to include in a recovery meal.   


For those who are vegetarian and are allergic to soy, this is a good product to have on board.  For those who are vegan, there is no dairy product added in Daiya cheese alternatives.  Just remember, it is much higher in sodium, but just like everything else, consume on a moderation basis.


******


If you have tried any Daiya products, what are your thoughts on it?