Food: Full of Fat, Full of Flavor

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Full of Fat, Full of Flavor
Monday, April 25, 2005

We're living in a fat free world. Everywhere you look, you see fat free this, low fat that. Packages practically scream at you from supermarket shelves boasting of their low fat content. Some low fat products do make sense in that they remove the harmful fat while preserving the healthy nutrients. Skim milk and low fat or non-fat yogurt are two examples. But I'm not too sure of other low fat products. Low fat ice cream? Low fat cheese? Sure, they may have less of the artery clogging fat, but how do they taste? I've tried these products and they leave me less than satisfied and craving the "real thing" more than if I had never eaten the low fat version to being with.

While some low fat products are a healthy addition to our diets (e.g., milk and yogurt), every now and again I think we need to give into our inner fat-loving demons and treat ourselves to a delicious mouthful of something fatty. The list of items below contains some of my favorite fattening treats. While I can't recommend that you add these items to your every day menu, they can be thought of as once-in-a-while treats or rewards for following a relatively healthy lifestyle.

Whole Milk Yogurt
I wasn't even aware that I could buy a whole milk yogurt until I saw Brown Cow brand yogurt in the dairy section of Whole Foods and Kings supermarkets. While other brands of yogurt try to entice you with words like "lite" and "non-fat" and "90 calories," Brown Cow unabashedly boasts about the thick layer of cream found at the top of their yogurt. Simply pop the lid to reveal that creamy layer that you can eat right off the top, or stir right in and savor every sweet, creamy and fattening mouthful. With flavors ranging from vanilla to maple to apricot mango, you're guaranteed to lick the container clean.

Another brand of high fat yogurt I can recommend is Athenos Greek yogurt made from sheep and goat milk. This is yogurt the way it was meant to be made -- creamy, tangy and so thick you can turn the container upside down and you won't lose a drop. It tastes so good plain that they don't even bother with flavors. Add honey to sweeten if you like. One taste and you'll wonder how this stuff and Yoplait can even sit next to each other on the shelves.

Ice Cream
To me, full fat ice cream a no-brainer. I mean, if you're going to have ice cream, have some ICE CREAM. Forget the unsatisfying low-fat versions. Now, your regular ice creams are fine and tasty enough, but I prefer not to mess around and go straight for the Ben and Jerry's when I'm craving ice cream. I recommend any flavor. Even their plain vanilla leaves me in high fat heaven.

Cheese
Low fat cheese is terrible; it's even worse than low fat ice-cream in my opinion. You're familiar with reduced fat, part skim milk string cheese? Great. Now forget it. It doesn't even compare to the real thing. Do yourself a favor and go to the nearest Italian specialty store in your area and pick up some fresh mozzarella cheese. Pick up a jar of roasted red peppers and some Italian bread while you're there. Then stop at the supermarket and pick up some nice tomatoes and basil. Now, go home and feast on your own homemade antipasto with that fresh mozzarella as the star of your plate. Try some by itself. Try some with the peppers. Try a bite with the tomatoes and basil. Try every combination of food on your plate with the cheese. Mozzarella is a mild cheese that serves as a blank canvas, allowing the flavor of anything it is paired with to explode in your mouth, but you'll always have that fatty undercurrent of the cheese holding the whole thing together.

Need an afternoon pick me up? Here's one of my favorite energizing snacks. Buy some good cheddar cheese and slice it. Next, slice an apple. Bite a piece of cheddar. Next, eat an apple slice. It's the perfect combination of salty, sweet and fat. You just won't have the same satisfying snack with a low-fat version of cheddar.

Chocolate
Now, I know they don't make low fat version of chocolate, so that's not the issue here. But I view chocolate like I view ice cream. If you're going to have some chocolate, then have some CHOCOLATE. Forget the M&M's and Hershey bars, and go for a high-quality dark chocolate. Rich, dark, slightly sweet, and so full of fat, you'll most likely only need to allow one or two pieces to melt on your tongue before you feel satisfied. And I know that this goes against the spirit of the article, but dark chocolate is full of antioxidants. So a bit of dietary decadence each day may actually be good for you.

Steak
If you're not one of the many who have not given up red meat all together, then you're probably purchasing 98% lean ground beef and trimming every visible ounce of fat off of your sirloin with surgical precision. Don't get me wrong, these are great heart healthy moves, but every once in a while, treat yourself to a nice steak dinner. I recommend going out to a nice steakhouse where they know how to do it right. They'll butterfly your steak, cook it in butter and serve it with a pile of steak fries on the side. Order some creamed spinach to complete the meal. Fill all of your carnivorous desires in once meal then sit back and unbuckle your pants.

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