Before starting my Metabolic Balance® nutrition plan, goat cheese was not something I was familiar with; who knew there were so many choices? Not me, for sure.

A quick Google check tells me that goat cheese, like goat milk, is easier on the human digestive system and lower in calories, cholesterol and fat than its bovine counterpart. In addition, goat milk cheese is a good source of calcium, protein, vitamin A, vitamin K, phosphorus, niacin and thiamin.

Since the beginning of the year, I can honestly say I’m now fairly facile in the goat cheese aisle of my local co-op, supermarkets and more recently our newly opened-for-the summer Farmer’s Market.

Take Cypress Grove Creamline Midnight Moon. It’s a hard, tasty if a bit tart in flavor.

Nordic Creamery Grumpy Goat Cheese, while also quite firm, is a tasty change from what I’ve been eating for over 40 years — mature English Cheddar, which is not on my plan. I wouldn’t have believed it six month ago if someone had told me that I wouldn’t miss it.

Simply delicious is how I’d describe Cypress Grove Chèvre Humboldt Fog goat cheese. It ranks among my favorites.

Two convenient goat cheese for picnics or meals on the fly are Montchevré Goat milk Cheddar Sticks (12 sticks) and Natural Valley Cheese Colby-Jack Goat Cheese Sticks (six sticks). They come in individually wrapped sticks that weight 25 grams or 0.83 ounces.

Bel Gioioso Fresh Mozzarella Snacking Cheese is another conveniently packaged goat cheese that comes in six 30 gram or 1-ounce packages made up of three large marble-sized balls and makes a great take along cheese. Because of it’s packaging, which would easily fit in a small purse or even your pocket, it can be used as the first couple of bites of protein when you’re going out or, like I did for lunch today, a quick and easy protein on a salad.

In less than five minutes, I put together fresh spinach and spring onions from my local Farmer’s Market (within walking distance), plus cherry tomatoes with flax oil, balsamic vinegar and my go-to spices: turmeric, garlic powder, Bourbon St. All Purpose Seasoning, salt and pepper. On the side, I added some Gardetto’s Special Request Roasted Garlic Rye Chips as a substitute for my homemade sourdough rye bread because I love the crunchiness as a texture contrast.

A somewhat creamier goat cheese is Mount Sterling Co-Op Creamery Goat Milk Feta Cheese Greek Style, which if it’s left out of the refrigerator to reach room temperature, is spreadable and the warmer temperature enhances the flavor. It helps that my sourdough rye bread is denser than white or even whole wheat breads in terms of spreadability.

The Top 2 Prize Winners for my favorite goat cheeses are Crottin Plain Montchevre 100 percentNatural Goat Cheese, which is similar to a brie in consistency and has a rich, creamy taste. And with a name like The Drunken Goat Cheese, I can’t help myself. I love it. Despite it’s high price tag: $22.99 a pound. Beyond delicious!

When I’m in a new area or go into a new supermarket, I now head straight to the cheese department and ask about their goat cheese selections.

Even though some of the goat cheeses are high-priced, I justify it by balancing the fact that I can’t have other expensive cheeses like blues and bries and Cheddars. It works for me and besides, I deserve it.