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There is no question that we Americans love cheese.  We put it on sandwiches, sprinkle it on soup, serve it in salads, and mix it into a wide range of dishes throughout our family’s menu.  This month, as you reach for your family’s favorite cheese, we encourage you to step outside of your comfort zone a little by adding a variety of cheese that may not be as familiar.  Goat cheese or chevre is made with goat’s milk and has a creamy rich texture.  It has a slightly tangier taste than cheese made from cow’s milk which can add a little something extra to any recipe.

If you are looking to limit your calories, goat cheese can be beneficial because you can get the flavor and texture you are looking for with fewer calories and less fat.  One ounce of goat cheese contains 80 calories and 6 grams of fat.  Goat cheese can also help you meet your daily dietary requirements.  It provides Vitamins A, B2, and B6, phosphorus, niacin, potassium, and of course, a hearty helping of calcium.  It is also a great source of protein, providing 8.7 grams per cup.

Take a chance this month and get to know this delicious dairy product.  Here are 31 ways, one for each day, to fill your plate with delicious dishes featuring goat cheese.

1. Almond Cheese Log
2. Baked Goat Cheese Crostini
3. Baked Goat Cheese Appetizer with Shrimp and Basil
4. Cardamom Goat Cheese Cookies
5. Goat Cheese Lettuce Wraps
6. Golden Beet, Avocado, and Fennel Salad
7. Mixed Greens with Goat Cheese Dressing
8. Goat Feta with Black Pepper and Thyme
9. Chèvre Truffles
10. Goat Cheese and Spinach Turkey Burgers
11. Swiss Chard with Pinto Beans and Goat Cheese
12. Apple Goat Cheese Bruschetta
13. Asparagus and Goat Cheese Quesadillas
14. Portobello Mushrooms, Fresh Peppers, and Goat Cheese Pizza
15. Arugula Salad with Beets and Goat Cheese
16. Goat Cheese Cake with Mixed Berries
17. Penne with Shrimp, Red Onion, and Goat Cheese
18. Jalapeño Goat Cheese Hushpuppies
19. Goat Cheese with Chipotle and Roasted Red Pepper
20. Roasted Garlic and Olive Relish with Toast and Goat Cheese
21. Herbed Goat Cheese and Roasted Vegetable Sandwiches
22. Penne with Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese
23. Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts
24. Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts
25. Filet Mignon with Balsamic Syrup and Goat Cheese
26. Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts 
27. Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Breast with Herbed Goat Cheese
28. Angel Hair with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese
29. Pasta with Onion, Bacon and Goat Cheese
30. Asparagus Goat Cheese Pasta
31. Eggplant and Goat Cheese Lasagna

Now that you have some great ideas for getting goat cheese into your menu this month, here are some of the places you can find goat cheese products fresh from the farm.

• Chile Acres – Tonopah
• Crow’s Dairy, Inc – Buckeye
• Fiore di Papra – Pomerene
• Foote’s Hold Dairy  – Dudleyville
• The Simple Farm – Scottsdale

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