If you want to integrate new and healthy foods into your diet that are also appetizing, cottage cheese is for you. In addition to being rich in protein, calcium and vitamin D, they also have a mild enough flavor to be used in a variety of dishes. It is therefore possible to customize them in an infinite number of ways. Cottage cheese can be eaten on its own, but you can also use it to make rich, hearty toppings or fillings. They are also a more nutritious alternative to other dairy products that contain higher amounts of fat and calories.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Eat the cottage cheese yourself
Step 1. Eat them alone
Put the cottage cheese in a bowl with the help of a spoon and eat them immediately. If you find them a little bland, you can season them lightly with a pinch of salt and coarsely ground black pepper. Many people also accompany them with crackers or other foods with a crunchy texture, which allow them to be tasty and appetizing.
- Being rich in protein, calcium and other nutrients that are good for the body, cottage cheese is perfect for making a complete and well-balanced snack.
- Cottage cheese can be eaten like yogurt, so you can add a variety of ingredients, such as granola, chocolate, or chopped pistachios.
Step 2. Serve them with fruits and vegetables
Cottage cheese can be accompanied with slices of fresh peaches, apples or tomatoes. You can also dip carrot chunks and celery sticks in it. The sweet and pungent notes of fruit and vegetables will create a pleasant contrast with the neutral and delicate taste of cottage cheese.
Prepare a platter of raw vegetables and serve them with cottage cheese for dipping. It is a light and refreshing snack, perfect to be enjoyed by the pool during the summer
Step 3. Spread them on toast
For breakfast, set the butter aside and opt for cottage cheese, which is a much healthier fresh cheese. Spread a layer of it on the toast to soften it and make it tastier. You can eat it this way or add other ingredients, such as salted nut butter, raisins, or a thin layer of honey.
- You could also try spreading them on a bagel or a toasted English scone.
- Cottage cheese are higher in protein than milk and cream cheese, but they also contain less fat.
Step 4. Add them to salads
Add a generous spoonful of beetroot cottage cheese, herb croutons, or toasted almonds to finish making a hearty salad. It will thus be perfect as a single dish. It is no coincidence that cottage cheese is an essential ingredient in many bars and restaurants. In fact, they go well with most of the ingredients of salads, but avoiding them acquiring a mushy consistency, a problem often found with other dressings.
Cottage cheese can also be used to bind the ingredients of other types of salads, such as chicken or tuna
Method 2 of 3: Cooking with cottage cheese
Step 1. Use them to make lasagna
Cottage cheese can be used instead of béchamel to make your beloved lasagna more healthy. Beat them by hand, then start creating the layers of lasagna by alternating sheets, cottage cheese and ragù. Cottage cheese can be beaten with grated Parmesan cheese, a little minced garlic and parsley or fresh basil to make the lasagna even tastier.
- Drain the excess liquid from the cottage cheese and blend them for a few seconds with a food processor to obtain a consistency more similar to that of bechamel.
- Don't worry about spoiling your lunch - while you don't particularly love cottage cheese, you won't even notice the difference after cooking lasagna.
Step 2. Use cottage cheese to thicken the sauces
Incorporate them into sauces or stews as they simmer to make them thicker and more substantial without the need to add meat. Once heated, the flakes will lose their initial soft consistency and will thicken quite well in dishes with a creamy base, such as vodka sauce or stroganoff.
- Add cottage cheese to the leftovers of a dish just before reheating it to prevent it from becoming too dry.
- If you want to make a hearty flan, replace the béchamel with cottage cheese.
Step 3. Add cottage cheese to the bread and cake dough
When you feel like making cakes, cookies or cornbread, stir in cottage cheese after mixing the liquid and dry ingredients. The final product will be rich and flavorful. When you take it out of the oven you will also notice that it will have acquired a remarkably smooth and homogeneous consistency.
Try making dense desserts like cantucci and scones with cottage cheese rather than buttermilk
Step 4. Use cottage cheese to make pancakes or garnish them
In the first case, add the cottage cheese directly to the dough, but first beat them or blend them to remove the larger pieces. The result? A hearty (but not heavy) and complete breakfast that will energize you and get you off to a good start.
- You can also add a tablespoon of cottage cheese to garnish pancakes along with maple juice, banana slices, chocolate chips, or other ingredients you like to use.
- Incorporating cottage cheese into pancake (and waffle) dough is ideal for making a protein-rich breakfast without having to resort to powdered ones, which can often interfere with the flavor of a dish.
Method 3 of 3: Finding Other Uses for Cottage Cheese
Step 1. Use cottage cheese instead of sour cream or mayonnaise
Pour a couple of cups of cottage cheese into the jug of a blender, add a splash of white vinegar or lemon juice and blend until smooth and homogeneous. At the end of the preparation, you will have a convenient and practical sauce that will have almost the same appearance and taste as equivalent products full of fat. However, it will have a much lower calorie intake.
- Serve the dip instead of sour cream with nachos, baked enchiladas, a bowl of chili con carne, or a hamburger.
- Stuff stuffed eggs with cottage cheese sauce to make a protein-rich snack.
Step 2. Add them to a smoothie
Replace half the amount of milk you usually use for smoothies with cottage cheese. The protein content of the drink will be increased considerably. Plus, by making it thicker, you no longer run the risk of making watered-down smoothies.
- Adding sweet ingredients can help balance the salty flavor of cottage cheese.
- Prepare the ingredients (cottage cheese included) that you would use to make various smoothies, separate them into different bags and freeze them. This way, all you have to do is empty the contents of a bag into a blender jar when you need to grab a quick snack or substitute a meal.
Step 3. Use them to garnish baked potatoes
Cottage cheese goes well with baked potatoes, especially when paired with bacon, chives, shredded cheddar, and other toppings. In fact, they have a smooth enough texture and a salty enough taste to make butter useless. This way, you can save yourself a lot more calories and fat.
Cottage cheese can also be used to stuff double-cooked baked potatoes and potato skins
Step 4. Try using them to make your favorite dips
Preparing a sauce with cottage cheese blended instead of spreadable cheese can enrich both its flavor and texture. For example, use cottage cheese to make a spinach and artichoke sauce or a creamy buffalo chicken wing sauce with blue cheese. The final product will be very appetizing, perfect for making a great impression with the guests you've invited for dinner or an evening with friends.
- To prepare a dish inspired by Mediterranean cuisine, make a light version of the tzatziki sauce by mixing cottage cheese with cucumber, dill, mint and lemon juice.
- Don't forget to drain the whey before using them when you want to make a sauce.
Advice
- Choose cottage cheese with a reduced fat content if you are counting the calories you consume.
- Fresh cottage cheese are the best. Before you start cooking, check the packaging to make sure they are not expired.
- Make cottage cheese at home to always have them at hand.
- By carefully selecting the ingredients, you can modify your favorite dishes and continue eating them even while on a diet, without giving up.
