Ranging from 82 calories for a 4oz serving of nonfat cottage cheese, to 110 calories for creamed cottage cheese, you can count of this fresh cheese to deliver protein and taste without ruining your weight loss efforts.
Many dieters use it as substitute for ricotta or sour cream, but there are plenty of delicious ways to eat cottage cheese that set it apart from other cheeses. Find out which fat fighting combinations can help you create a tasty treat with cottage cheese.
1. Cinnamon Cottage Cheese
Ranging from 100 calories in a cup of nonfat cottage cheese to 195 calories for a cup of the 2% fat version, this cheese is very versatile when cooking, but it can also work with minimal flavoring.
Cinnamon has great fat fighting powers and with only 6 calories in a teaspoon or 19 calories in a tablespoon of powdered cinnamon, you can always use it to give your cottage cheese snack a bit of kick.
2. Blueberry Cottage Cheese
One of the most delicious ways to eat cottage cheese is adding fruit to eat. Blackberries and blueberries are always a good fit and with roughly 1 calorie per small berry, you can enjoy them with cottage cheese without feeling guilty, while also getting their antioxidant properties. Raw almonds are another good choice for cottage cheese if you want your snack to be more chewy.
3. Cottage Cheese Bran Spread
With 90 calories per slice of wheat bran bread and 71 calories per slice of oat bran bread, cottage cheese makes for a great spread as part of a healthy breakfast. Want to spice things up without adding extra calories? Use fresh oregano, basil or mint to flavor your cottage cheese spread.
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4. Mexican Cottage Cheese
If you love Mexican cuisine, you probably already know that hot peppers do more than help you sweat. They also contain capsaicin, which has proven appetite curving properties. Add hot peppers with a little lime to your cottage cheese and try it with warm whole-wheat tortillas for one of the most delicious ways to eat cottage cheese.
5. Mixed with Nut Butter
When you’re not crazy about the taste of cottage cheese, but you’d like a high protein snack without a lot of calories, mix it with your favorite nut butter. You’ll get 94 calories from 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, and mixing it with half a cup of cottage cheese will create a tasty salty spread, that you can even eat with carrot or celery sticks.
6. Pasta Dressing
Its creamy texture makes cottage cheese a great addition to any red sauce for pasta. It’s one of the most delicious ways to eat cottage cheese, and if you don’t have time to make a sauce, just add plenty of pepper to it for a simple dish with whole grain pasta.
7. Fruity Cottage Cheese
While blueberries are a good addition to cottage cheese, you can pair it with pretty much any fruit for a snack that satisfies your sweet and salty cravings. Banana slices and peach slices are among the best options, but you can try anything from pineapple chunks or apple slices to melon balls.
8. Baked Sweet Potato Dressing
High in fiber, sweet potatoes are definitely one of the best starchy vegetables for weight loss, thanks to their high levels of carotenoids, which stabilize blood sugar levels. With 3.8 grams of fiber and 160 calories per average sweet potato (5 inches long, with top diameter of 2 inches), baked sweet potatoes can be topped with cheese and spices for one of the most delicious ways to eat cottage cheese.
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9. Cottage Cheese and Lemon Ice Cream
Make your own fresh ice cream with 1 cup of cottage cheese, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract and up to 4 tablespoons of sugar-free sweetener. This diet-friendly dessert should be eaten in under two hours after all the ingredients have been blended and frozen. If you wait for longer, it will freeze solid.
10. Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Definitely one of the most delicious ways to eat cottage cheese, pancakes are easy to make. You’ll need flour, a touch of lemon zest, a little butter, eggs and sugar or sugar-free sweeteners. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, cook on a griddle and top these fluffy pancakes with fresh fruit.