Cheese — the rich, creamy appetizer at your favorite Mexican restaurant, the indulgent crumbles atop gooey pizza, one of the main foods you should steer clear of if you're trying to improve your body, right? Not exactly. Studies have shown that in moderation, the right cheeses can have positive, even preventative effects on your health.

Instead of adding that processed slice of square cheese food to your turnkey sandwich, grab instead fresh goat cheese, feta, or natural cheeses from grass-fed cows. These creamier cheeses contain higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Although research on CLA is still in early stages, the positive results from studies conducted thus far have health aficionados and researchers optimistic.

Eat Wild, a leading Web site for the promotion of grass-fed animal and dairy products, reports that CLA, in animals at least, is a cancer-fighting agent. It’s proving to be effective in blocking all three stages of cancer growth, as well as in the fight against the spread of certain tumors. Some studies have gone as far as to say that women with substantial CLA in their diets reduce their risk of breast cancer by up to 60 percent.

Reported by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health,results from a 12-week study showed that increasing the amount of CLA in your diet could help you reduce your body's amount of fat. The impact on weight, however, in both the participants taking CLA supplements and those ingesting placebos, was insignificant.

Certain cheeses with higher levels of CLA can also increase your metabolism and help you feel more satiated. Calcium is proven to stimulate your metabolism, especially in conjunction with protein — cheese has both boosters.

Here is a healthy, cheesy and totally guilt-free recipe that will satisfy.

Blackened Chicken and a Blue Cheese Vinaigrette with Sautéed Spinach, Pine Nuts and Feta

Ingredients:

6 ounce portion of chicken

Blackening seasoning

1 – 2 ounces of feta cheese crumbles

1 – 2 ounces of blue cheese crumbles

3 cups of baby spinach, fresh

¼ cup of pine nuts

2 ½ tablespoons of olive oil (or safflower oil for less fat)

Sprinkle your chicken with blackening season and heat a skillet, on medium high, containing 1 tablespoon of oil. Once hot, cook the chicken for approximately 3 minutes on each side. Place it in a 350 degree oven, on an oven-safe pan, for 10 – 15 more minutes.

While you wait for your chicken, de-stem 3 cups of fresh baby spinach and toss lightly with 1 tablespoon of oil and ¼ cup of pine nuts. You can sauté you spinach in the same pan you cooked your chicken in earlier. On medium heat, sauté the greens until they begin to wilt, add an ounce or two of feta crumbles and remove from heat tossing occasionally.

When you remove your chicken, place it on your sautéed spinach and add the blue cheese vinaigrette. To make the vinaigrette, simply warm ½ tablespoon of oil and an ounce or two of blue cheese crumbles for 45 seconds – 1 minute in your microwave. The consistency should be creamy and homogenous.

This dish is packed with flavor, antioxidants and protein — and a little cheese, the right cheese, goes a long way to make it creamy and irresistible.

This post was included in the Delicious Endeavors Blog Carnival and Make it From Scratch.