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21/12/05 - Cut Carbs This Christmas

CUT THE CARBS THIS CHRISTMAS – EAT CHEESE!
SERVE UP A DIET TO STICK TO WITH STILTON’S GI CHRISTMAS PLAN

Christmas is a time when dieters feel most miserable, either piling on the pounds they fought so hard to keep off or missing out on all the food they want to eat.  Perhaps surprisingly cheese could be the answer to stopping the cravings that cause so much misery over Christmas.

Christmas classic Blue Stilton cheese is a naturally low carb food and, using the acclaimed GI (Glycaemic Index) diet, the Stilton Cheese Makers Association has created a selection of Christmas dishes that are not only healthy and delicious but will also help food lovers to beat the bloat on Christmas Day.  The ideas include Stilton dip and the intriguing Stilton ice cream!

The GI diet has taken the world by storm and is backed by nutritionists and doctors alike, offering an effective long-term approach to weight loss, which can also reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and raised blood pressure. The diet rates foods on the effect they have on blood sugar levels.  Cheese has no carbohydrate and actually slows the absorption of sugar into the blood meaning it is a very low GI food.   Low GI snacks help to keep you feeling fuller for longer than high GI foods, providing a sustained release of energy.

Unlike carbohydrates, which change the blood sugar, sometimes dramatically, proteins and fat based foods like cheese do not have a negative effect on the blood sugar level.

Nigel White of the SCMA comments, “At Christmas many people feel they cannot eat the things they enjoy and look on at other guests with envy.  Our meal plan allows them to eat interesting food that at the same time stops the cravings and snacking that is so tempting at this time of year.

“Stilton has always been thought of as a Christmas cheese, but these recipes not only allow people to stop snacking and beat the carbohydrate bloat over Christmas, but also to experience Stilton in a whole new way.”

Stilton is also a good source of calcium, which is integral in keeping bones healthy, a 50g piece of Stilton will provide you with one fifth of your daily allowance. When dieting, many people skip out dairy foods as they are thought to be high in fat, but this can leave the diet lacking important nutrients.  

---ends---
For more information please contact  Rick Guttridge
T: 0161 923 4994 E: stilton@brazenpr.com

Notes to Editors

• Images available on request
• All recipes have been checked by the National Osteoporosis Society nutritionists.
• Recipes for each dish at the end of this release 

 

STILTON DIP
75 g Stilton,
225g of low-fat crème fraiche or low-fat yought (slightly whipped),
2 tsp of chopped parsley and freshly ground pepper
Blend the ingredients season, and chill for an hour or so.
Dip in carrot, celery, pepper and cucumber sticks, courgettes slices, broccoli florets and mange tout.
 
BLUE STILTON SALAD
Serves 4
225g Watercress
225g Chopped lean rindless bacon
1 pear, cored and chopped
50g walnut halves
2 tbsp walnut oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
100g Stilton cheese, crumbled
Freshly ground black pepper
Place watercress in large serving bowl.
Grill bacon pieces until crispy and leave on kitchen paper to drain.
Place the pear in a pan with walnut oil, juice and black pepper and cook gently for 3-4 minutes, then remove from the heat.
Spoon the mixture onto the watercress, add blue Stilton and serve straight away
 
STILTON STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS
Serves 4
Ingredients
200g Blue Stilton cheese, cubed
100g walnut pieces
115ml sherry, plus extra for deglazing
50g dried apricots, chopped
1 bunch of tarragon, leaves picked and chopped
2 egg yolks
8 garlic cloves, boiled and peeled
4 chicken breasts fillets, skin on (or turkey fillets for an Xmas feel)
Freshly ground pepper
olive oil, for shallow-frying
For the salad:
2 courgettes, sliced lengthways into shavings using a peeler
150g cherry tomatoes
2 handfuls of fresh greens – spinach, kale or Chinese lettuce
squeeze of lemon juice
olive oil, for drizzling

Instructions
1. In a food processor, place the Stilton, walnuts, dried apricots, 1 tbsp of sherry, tarragon, egg yolks and garlic cloves. Blend to a smooth paste.
2. Using a small sharp knife, cut a pocket in each of the chicken breasts and thighs. Fill each cavity with the Stilton mixture, sealing with cocktail sticks. Season each portion with salt and freshly ground pepper.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4.
4. Heat the olive oil in a hob-proof oven tray. Add stuffed chicken portions, fry until golden on each side.
5. Transfer the chicken portions to the oven and roast for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. 6. Meanwhile, prepare the salad. Toss together the courgette shavings, cherry tomatoes and leaves in a serving bowl. Toss with lemon juice and olive oil.
7. Remove the roast chicken and allow to rest. 
8. On the hob, deglaze the roasting tray with sherry, scraping the pan with a spatula to remove the roasting residue. To serve, slice the chicken portions and place on top of the salad, then pour over the sherried roasting juices.

BLUE STILTON ICE CREAM
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
100g Blue Stilton, crumbled with rind removed
200ml whipping cream
Walnuts to garnish
Instructions
1. Beat the Stilton and 100ml of the cream together until the mixture is smooth – use a food processor if easier
2. In a separate bowl whisk the remaining cream until stiff
3. Using a metal spoon, carefully fold the whipped cream into the cheese mixture. Be very gentle and do not over mix. Freeze in a plastic container.
4. Remove container from the freezer a few minutes before serving to allow ice cream to soften.
5. Serve as a savoury with a knife, oatcakes and walnuts.