When you think about dairy, milk, yogurt, and cheese (and probably ice cream—I mean how can anyone forget that) are the products that most likely jump to mind. But one delicious dairy product that doesn’t get much attention is good ol’ cottage cheese. This delicious food can be a bit mysterious so we are going to give you a backstage pass to all things cottage cheese.
Cottage cheese, a protein-packed nutrition powerhouse, is made like most traditional cheeses—by adding an acid to milk. This acidification naturally separates milk into curds and liquid. Salt is added back to the curds and cottage cheese makers add their own special blends of flavors and seasonings to make this delicious stand-alone snack.
And with a nutritional profile high in protein (plus, it is lower in lactose than milk) cottage cheese can be incorporated into your favorite meals and appetizers that are sure to please. Here are five new ways to try adding cottage cheese to your favorite recipes:
½ cup of low-fat cottage cheese contains less than 100 calories and is bounding with flavor and texture. Refresh your favorite lasagna recipe by adding a layer of cottage cheese.
Pizza and cottage cheese might not be the combo you’ve, really ever, thought about. But, in our experience, it mixes amazingly well with fresh greens like arugula and broccoli and can be an excellent way to mix up pizza night. Add a layer of cottage cheese to a flatbread, naan or pizza crust, top with caramelized onions and greens for a delicious appetizer or main dish. Your fitness friends will not only appreciate this unique and healthy way to “carb-load” but will also appreciate the cottage cheese for its recovery benefits—yep, cottage cheese has the same quality protein as milk.
Swap out buttermilk for cottage cheese in morning pancakes for a protein punch. With a little bit of milk or water, cottage cheese can often make a direct swap with other wet ingredients. Give it a try with small curd cottage cheese first, or try blending cottage cheese in a traditional blender or food processor if a smoother texture is your preference. You can even search for recipes that call for cottage cheese. Cottage Cheesecake calls directly for cottage cheese in its ingredient list, really—you should try it!
Not sure about cottage cheese recipe substitutions? No problem! Serve cottage cheese with your breakfast instead. It is delicious topped with fresh fruit like strawberries, blackberries, or pineapple. For a savory snack, try cottage cheese spread on toast with fresh basil and sliced tomatoes. Or try any of these combinations spread on whole-grain crackers. Cottage cheese has less lactose than a glass of milk (a lot of the lactose is removed when liquid whey is drained from the cottage cheese curds) which can make it a treat for those a bit lactose-sensitive.
Whip together cottage cheese and fresh herbs from your garden in your blender for a raw vegetable dip. Cottage cheese is naturally salty and full of flavor.
With these new tricks and recipe ideas up your sleeve, you are sure to have plenty of delicious, protein-packed meals ready in no-time.
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