Milk. It does a body good. Got milk?

These familiar tag lines are completely ingrained in our collective cultural memory. The first, from the National Dairy Council, recalls mom telling you to "drink your milk," and for some, the television ads in which kids grew into big, strong and beautiful adults right in front of your eyes. The latter, created by the California Milk Processor Board, with its accompanying white-upper-lipped celebrity photos, has been deemed the most recognized tag line ever. Milk is known to some as a superfood, an edible so jam-packed with beneficial nutrients that it is indispensable as part of a daily diet. To others, however, milk can be evil, particularly if you are one of an estimated 30 to 50 million Americans who are lactose intolerant.

As a growing child and a student-athlete, I can remember nothing tasting better on a hot afternoon than a nice cold glass of milk. Some days I might have three or four glasses of milk, in addition to milk in my cereal, yogurt as a snack and cheese on my lunch sandwich. I must have gone through gallons and gallons of milk as a child! The average American consumes 21 gallons of milk, 31 pounds of cheese and six gallons of ice cream annually, according to the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center of the USDA Agricultural Research Service.

While I certainly do not devour as much milk as I did when I was a kid, I do still try to drink, and more often, eat my fair share of milk.

Think of the possibilities: cow's milk, goat's milk, yogurt, soft cheese, hard cheese, cottage cheese, puddings, ice cream, ice milk, frozen yogurt! Many of these products are available in nonfat, lowfat, 1%, 2%, and whole varieties, and I suggest consuming no-hormone, no-antibiotic, organic or local milk obtained through a cow share. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends obtaining most of your three cups (two cups for children two to eight years old) of dairy from low- or nonfat sources. However, some studies have shown that milk fats can actually be beneficial or that the lowfat and nonfat varieties have no added health benefits other than saving some calories. (Personally, I eat full-fat dairy products, as I find many of the low- and no-fat products have added natural or artificial sweeteners, and, honestly, I like the taste better!)

Cow's milk provides huge amounts of protein, calcium, and vitamin D (mainly from fortification), even in non- and lowfat varieties. Protein is essential for building muscle, calcium is necessary to build and maintain strong bones, and vitamin D helps with both of these functions and may also help reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and some cancers. In fact, three cups of 1% milk provides 90% of the recommended daily allowance for calcium, 75% of the RDA for vitamin D, and 24 grams of protein, all with only 300 calories.

Because of all these things, milk is the perfect post-workout recovery drink. (And have I mentioned it's delicious? I just had to go get a glass!) So, if you can tolerate it, grab some milk (or cheese or yogurt or…), and try out some of these recipes!

Fried Herbed Goat Cheese Rounds

I love goat cheese (and milk), and this is a great way to create an elegant topping for a simple bed of greens. I have fallen in love with the goat cheese available from Grandma Honey's Pantry (http://www.grandmahoneyspantry.com/) at the Sunday Archwood Green Barns Farmers' Market in The Plains (and found in town at Annie's on their salads). For the salad, I used fresh, peppery arugula from Ayrshire Farm Market Gardens, which has a stall at the Middleburg Farmers' Market.

8 ounces goat cheese
4 tablespoons chopped herbs (I used parsley, lemon thyme, basil and garlic chives from my garden)
1 egg
Salt and fresh cracked pepper
¾ cup fresh, toasted bread crumbs
Vegetable or olive oil

In a small bowl, add the herbs, egg, salt, and pepper to the goat cheese and mix well. Form seven to eight patties using your hands. Roll in the breadcrumbs to coat evenly. Place in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Heat over high heat enough oil in a nonstick pan to coat the bottom with about ¼ inch of oil. Fry the patties for about two minutes or until browned on one side, carefully flip using tongs or a spatula, and fry on the other side for one to two minutes. Carefully remove from the oil and gently place on top of salad. Drizzle with your favorite vinaigrette. Serves 4.

Milk-Braised Pork Belly

My husband and I love all things pork, and there really is no better part than the belly. (Although a strong argument can be made for the cheek…) For this recipe, I procured the belly from Cedarbrook Farm (http://cedarbrookorganicfarm.com/) at the Purcellville Thursday Farmers' Market. Here, a long cooking process leads to tender meat, melt-in-your-mouth fat and a milky gravy that can be described as smooth, spicy and nutty (and is delicious over brown rice and sautéed greens). This is not a recipe that you'll ever see on 30-Minute Meals.

2-3 pound pork belly slab (also called pork side)
2 tablespoons finely chopped thyme
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 heaping teaspoon whole cloves
1 heaping teaspoon whole allspice
1 heaping tablespoon whole star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
2-4 bird's eye chiles, broken in half (optional)
1 quart vegetable or chicken stock
4 cups whole milk (or 2-3 cups low- or nonfat milk and 1-2 cups heavy cream to make 4 cups)

1. Combine the thyme, salt, sugar and garlic in a small bowl and smash to make a paste. Rub it into the pork slab. Place in a glass or stoneware container, cover and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 12 hours.

2. Rinse the pork. Place the pork, spices, chiles, and stock in a non-reactive pot. Add enough water to cover the pork belly slab. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and partially cover. Simmer for 90 minutes, occasionally flipping the pork. Cool slightly, and place the whole pot in the fridge. Refrigerate until the fat has risen and coagulated, several hours.

3. Remove the layer of fat from the pot and discard. Strain the remaining liquid to remove the spices and return to the pot with the pork. Add the milk (or milk and cream). Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer on low for another 90 minutes. Milk "curds" will form on the edge of the pot as the liquid reduces. You can scrape them back down into the liquid.

4. Remove the pork onto a cutting board. Preheat the broiler to 500°. Cut the pork into small rectangles and place on a broiler pan. Broil the belly pieces until browned and crispy on top. Meanwhile, continue to reduce the milk gravy in the pot. Taste the gravy and add salt or pepper if necessary. Serve pork with gravy and accompaniments. Serves 4.

Sweet & Peachy Rice Pudding

Rice pudding is a universally loved dish – nearly every country in the world has its own version. This recipe is easily adaptable to be made with whatever fruit is in season. I used simply divine peaches from Cornucopia Farm (http://www.cornucopiafarmva.com/). Later in the year, peel, slice and stew some apples or pears to replace the peaches and use toasted walnuts or any other nut of your choice. This is a fairly simple and subtly elegant recipe, but it does have to be babysat. Serve this with your favorite dessert wine for an exquisite meal-ender.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup sweet Japanese or Arborio (risotto) rice
1 cup lowfat or nonfat milk
4 small or 2 large white or yellow peaches, peeled and cut into chunks
1 cup water
2-inch piece of vanilla bean, split and scraped, or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3 2-inch pieces of lemon rind
1 cinnamon stick
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons honey
1-2 tablespoons crystallized ginger (optional)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons toasted blanched almond slivers
Cayenne pepper (optional)

In a blender, combine the milk and peaches. Blend until smooth to make about 3 cups of liquid. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the rice and cook for two minutes, stirring to coat in butter. Add the milk/peach juice, water, vanilla bean, lemon rind, and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low-medium, and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon every few minutes, for about 30 minutes. As it reaches a porridge-like consistency, add the cream, honey, ginger, and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring gently, for another 10-15 minutes, or until it is the consistency of pudding. Spoon into bowls, garnish with almonds and, if desired, a very, very light dusting of cayenne pepper. Serves 4-6.

Alyson Browett, MPH, CPT
Edible Complex, LLC
540.764.0711