This perfectly pink smoothie packs a protein punch thanks to cottage cheese. With the same creamy consistency as a yogurt smoothie, subbing in cottage cheese adds more protein without sacrificing texture.
Read MoreStart to finish: 7 minutes
Impresses: 1
Ingredients
1 packet instant or quick-cooking oats
Whole milk (measured per packet directions)
⅓ cup cottage cheese
½ fresh pear, diced
1 teaspoon brown sugar
½ + ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup chopped pecans
Method
Prepare the instant oatmeal according to package directions. Once oats are cooked, remove and allow to cool slightly. Add the brown sugar and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, and stir to combine. Place the diced pears in a small bowl and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon. Stir to combine, then add to the cooked oats along with the cottage cheese and chopped pecans. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon if desired and serve immediately.
Notes: If your pears are slightly underripe, place them in a brown paper bag and store on your countertop for 1-3 days until they soften. Use the remaining pears for salads, fancied-up grilled cheese sandwiches or simply enjoy fresh slices.
Comfort food doesn’t have to be heavy — or sacrifice flavor. This butternut squash lasagna is loaded with veggies and layered in flavors that will leave you satisfied.
Read MoreKick-start your day or power through the afternoon with smoothies packed with flavor and nutrients.
Start to finish: 5 minutes | Impresses: 1
Ingredients
6–8 cubes plain yogurt, frozen in ice cube trays
1 cup whole milk
¾ cup fresh berries
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
Method
Blend all ingredients together in a high-speed blender until smooth. Pour into a glass and serve immediately.
Start to finish: 5 minutes | Impresses: 1
Ingredients
½ cup cottage cheese
1 cup spinach leaves, packed
½ cup fresh pineapple, diced
¼ cup fresh mango, diced
3–4 fresh mint leaves
1 wedge pineapple for garnish, optional
Method
Blend all ingredients together in a high-speed blender until smooth. If the smoothie is too thick, add ¼ cup water to help reach desired consistency. Pour into a glass and garnish with optional wedge of pineapple. Serve immediately.
Start to finish: 5 minutes | Impresses: 1
Ingredients
1 cup milk
5 cubes cold brew coffee, frozen in ice cube trays
1 banana, sliced
1 tablespoon cocoa nibs
1 heaping tablespoon almond butter
Method
Blend all ingredients together in a high-speed blender until smooth. Pour into a glass and serve immediately.
Start to finish: 25 minutes
Impresses: 4
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
1 pound ground turkey
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ cup 4% milk fat cottage cheese
½ cup plain, whole wheat bread crumbs
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon Chinese five spice
For the sauce:
¼ cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh ginger
1 teaspoon chili paste
For serving, optional:
Sesame seeds
Cooked white rice
Steamed green beans
Method
For the meatballs:
Heat oven to 450 F and line a baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until fully combined.
Using a cookie scoop or 1 tablespoon measuring spoon, make meatballs the size of a golf ball. Place onto prepared pan and bake 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and place immediately into a large bowl with 1/2 cup sauce (recipe below). Toss to combine and place back onto the pan and bake 3 more minutes to slightly caramelize.
Remove from oven and serve immediately.
For the sauce:
Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl to combine.
Place 1/2 cup into a large bowl for meatballs (instructions above) and save the remaining for serving.
For serving:
Drizzle with additional sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using. Serve as an appetizer or with rice and green beans for a complete meal.
Start to finish: 35 minutes
Impresses: 4
Ingredients
8-ounce package gnocchi pasta
2 cups 4% milk fat cottage cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup roasted red peppers
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 sprig rosemary, leaves removed from stem
¼ cup dry red wine
½ cup fresh mozzarella pearls, halved
Method
Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil and cook gnocchi for 1 minute. Drain and set aside.
Heat oven to 400 F and spritz a baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
Add cottage cheese, Parmesan, roasted red peppers, garlic, crushed red pepper, salt, rosemary and red wine to a blender. Pulse to combine before blending on high for 2 minutes, or until smooth.
Toss cooked gnocchi with 2 cups sauce and pour into prepared baking dish. Pour remaining sauce on top and dot with mozzarella pearls.
Bake 15 minutes or until bubbly and cheese has melted. Let set 5 minutes before serving.
Start to finish: 15 minutes
Impresses: 6
Ingredients
2¼ cups rolled oats
1 cup whole milk
1 cup 2% milk fat cottage cheese
1 egg
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons baking powder
Butter, for greasing pan
For serving, optional:
Sliced bananas
Walnut pieces
Method
In a blender, combine all ingredients except butter and blend until smooth — about 30 seconds.
Bring a low-sided skillet to medium heat. Melt 1/2 tablespoon of butter in pan and pour 1/4 cup scoopfuls of pancake batter onto skillet — cooking no more than three pancakes per batch. Cook 2 minutes, or until the top has began to bubble and is slightly set, before flipping and cooking a remaining 1–2 minutes.
Repeat process, including melting butter for each batch, until batter is gone.
Serve immediately or keep warm in a 200 F oven. Top with sliced bananas, walnut pieces and additional syrup if desired.
Start to finish: 1 hour 15 minutes
Makes: 25–30 nuggets
Ingredients
For the nuggets:
2 16-ounce bags frozen, riced cauliflower
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 eggs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 cups corn cereal, preferably flakes, crushed
1 cup barbeque sauce
2 tablespoons blue cheese
¼ cup parsley, chopped
For the dipping sauce:
1 package ranch dressing mix
2 cups cottage cheese
½ cup blue cheese crumbles
Method
For the nuggets:
Heat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Microwave riced cauliflower to package instructions. Once prepared, pour into a large bowl with Parmesan, 2 eggs, garlic powder, parsley flakes, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Press cauliflower mixture onto prepared baking sheet and bake 25 minutes, or until the top starts to brown.
Let cool at room temperature or pop in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Once cool, break or cut into pieces and set aside.
Line another baking sheet with parchment paper.
Lightly beat remaining eggs in a shallow dish and pour crushed corn cereal into another shallow dish.
Dip cauliflower pieces into egg and then coat with corn cereal. Place onto prepared baking sheet and bake 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and toss pieces in barbeque sauce. Place back on baking sheet and bake 5 more minutes.
Sprinkle with blue cheese and parsley and serve with dipping sauce (recipe below).
For the dipping sauce:
Combine ranch mix and cottage cheese in a blender and pulse until smooth. Fold in blue cheese crumbles.
Start to finish: 25 minutes
Impresses: 4
Ingredients
For the salad:
butter lettuce leaves
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
½ cup grapes, halved
2 stalks celery, diced
¼ red onion, diced
For the dressing:
½ cup cottage cheese
salt and pepper
Method
Combine cottage cheese, salt and pepper into a small blender cup and pulse until smooth. Set aside.
Carefully separate lettuce leaves from the core. Using a damp paper towel, gently wipe down each lettuce leaf and place onto a tray.
In a large bowl, combine all remaining salad ingredients and toss together with pureed cottage cheese. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before scooping into lettuce cups
and serving.
Start to finish: 15 minutes
Impresses: 6
Ingredients
1 cup whole milk cottage cheese
salt and pepper
2 bunches radishes
1 fennel bulb
¼ cup mint
Plating tip
Assorted cut vegetables for serving (we love carrots, celery and cucumber).
Method
In a large bowl, mix together cottage cheese, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Cut off the top and bottom of each radish and discard the stems.
Wash the radishes and dry before slicing into thin rounds. You can do this carefully with a sharp knife or with a mandolin.
Cut fennel bulb in half and then into thin slices. Roughly chop mint.
Add sliced radishes, fennel and mint to bowl with cottage cheese. Stir to combine.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. Serve chilled.
Recipe courtesy of Jenny Eisenga
Start to finish: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Impresses: 12
Ingredients
2 jars spaghetti sauce
1 pound hamburger
16 ounces cottage cheese
2 eggs, slightly beaten
4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
9 lasagna noodles, cooked just until done
Method
Preheat oven to 350 F. Brown hamburger and drain excess fat if needed. Add spaghetti sauce and stir to combine. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, boil noodles until slightly undercooked. Drain and set aside.
Combine slightly beaten eggs with cottage cheese, then set aside.
In a greased 9x13-inch dish, pour ½ cup of the simmering spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the pan. Lay 3 noodles on top. Add another layer of the sauce, cottage cheese mixture, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese and ¼ cup mozzarella cheese. Layer one more time, starting with the noodles. To finish, top with the last 3 noodles, remaining sauce and the last of the mozzarella cheese.
Cover and bake for 1 hour, uncovering the last 15 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.
Summertime is all about fresh, simple meals that are perfectly shareable. From potlucks to barbecues to weeknight dinners, throwing together a quick dish that can feed a crowd is a top contender when searching for recipes. Simplicity is taken to a new level when that same recipe can be used in a variety of ways. That's why we love this BBQ ranch dressing. Whether you're tossing it in a salad or enjoying it with your favorite veggies, this dressing tastes like summer — and it's good for you, too. Packed with protein from farmer-owned, nutrient-rich cottage cheese, even your pickiest taste testers will never guess this as an ingredient.
BBQ RANCH DRESSING
Ingredients
32 ounce container cottage cheese (we're partial to Kemps)
1 packet ranch seasoning
2 T barbeque sauce
1/2 cup water, more if needed
Method
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor, beginning with 1/2 cup of water.
Blend until smooth, adding more water 1 tablespoon at a time to thin if needed.
Pour back into the cottage cheese container to store.
Refrigerate for up to a week.
We love this dressing as a dip with fresh veggies or chips, tossed on a summer salad or drizzled onto a sandwich. Here are some of our favorite combos:
Santa Fe salad — Green lettuce, black beans, tomatoes, roasted corn, queso fresco, red onion, grilled chicken
Potluck pasta salad — Cooked macaroni noodles, cubed cheddar, thawed green peas
Chopped salad — Broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, celery, or any of your favorites
Zesty turkey wrap — Flour tortilla, green lettuce, red onion, tomato, pepper jack cheese, turkey lunch meat
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