Hi guys. I put this up over at Men's Health, and I thought it might be useful to put it over here as well, thanks to a friendly reminder from JP
I've compiled some of my favorite ways to eat cottage cheese, from simple to complex:
Some people love it. Many more despise it. It’s generally agreed, however, that the curd is one of the best muscle foods. Personally, I don’t mind the taste and texture, and often eat it with just salt and pepper. But there are ways to make it taste much better, so for those of you who can’t choke the stuff down in its original form, read on.
First, the taste of different brands of cottage cheese varies greatly, so experiment with different types. Borden is one of my favorites, but it’s a little on the expensive side, so I often settle for some of the generic brands. Also, the lowfat varieties are often much more palatable than the nonfat ones, and the difference is only 1 gram of fat per half cup.
Alright, now for the tips. Adding just a couple of ingredients can dramatically alter the taste of cottage cheese, and many of these are simple and quick. These are all my favorites, but all of them certainly won’t appeal to everyone. Just cycle through them until you find one you like, and don’t be afraid to try one because it sounds odd. You might be pleasantly surprised.
With Splenda
Add Splenda. Simple as that. It tastes sort-of like yogurt, and if I have some nonfat plain yogurt, I’ll often add that into the mix. Cinnamon can also be used to add a twist.
With Pineapples
Add chopped pineapples. For some reason, the taste of cottage cheese and pineapples compliment each other very well, so just mix them together in a bowl and spoon them up.
As a salad dressing
Put a dollop on the side of your salad. The cottage cheese often compliments the taste of various veggies in the salad, especially tomatoes.
With Oatmeal
Do-up your oatmeal as usual, and add ½ cup of cottage cheese at the end. If you know how to make a tasty bowl of oatmeal regularly, this addition will make it even better.
Eastern Mediterranean Style
I have Israeli friends who wolf down more of the curd than your average Strongman competitor. Here’s a mixture that I learned from them. Spread some cottage cheese in a bowl, add chopped cucumbers and tomatoes around the edge, then drizzle olive oil over everything. Top with a can of tuna and enjoy.
Tortilla picante loca del pollo
This one is more of a main dish, so roll-up your sleeves, throw on your chef’s hat, and step up to the kitchen. Slice one grilled chicken breast in strips, then mix the following in a bowl: ½ cup cottage cheese, ½ cup salsa, 1 chopped roma tomato, 2 slices of onion (chopped), and a dash of salt, pepper, and ground cumin. Lay out 2 whole wheat tortillas, and layer them first with the chicken, then the mixture. Wrap them up, and put them in the oven for 5-10 minutes at 400-degrees, or nuke them in a pinch.
Dessert Fudge Shake
Throw these in a blender: ½ cup cottage cheese, 1 scoop chocolate protein powder, a dash of spenda, 1 cup of ice, ½ cup water. Blend for 30 seconds, open the lid, throw in 1 oz. walnuts, and chop for a few seconds. It tastes like an ice cream dessert, no kidding.
EFA Shake
This one kills two birds with one stone: flax oil and cottage cheese. Separately, they can cause repulsion and dry-heaving. But throw them in a shake and they're magic. Put these in an electric blender: one scoop chocolate protein powder, 2 tablespoons whole flax seeds, ½ cup cottage cheese, 1 cup ice, couple of dashes Spenda. Blend on high for about a minute, until all of the flax seeds have been ground.
Fruit Shake
Take frozen berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, or a mixture thereof), and mix them in an electric blender with 1 scoop vanilla or strawberry protein powder, 1 cup ice, ½ cup cottage cheese, some Splenda, and ½ cup of nonfat milk (or vanilla soymilk if you’re feeling kinky). Blend for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Cheesecake Shake
Go buy some lowfat Jell-O cheesecake mix, and add one tablespoon to this mix: 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, ¾ cup of cottage cheese, 1 cup ice cubes, a dash of Splenda, and just enough water to mix it in a blender. To make this really special, add a couple of drops of vanilla extract and a graham cracker. Blend on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Blueberry Cheesecake
Use another tablespoon of the cheesecake Jell-O, and mix with the following in an electric blender: ¾ cup frozen blueberries, ¾ cup cottage cheese, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 1 cup ice, and ½ cup water. Blend on high for 30 secs, then pour into a bowl and top with about ½ inch of raw oat bran. Lightly press the oat bran into the mix , until it looks like a crust, then refrigerate for an hour.
Peanut Butter Cup Pudding
Put 1 scoop chocolate protein powder, 1 tablespoon chocolate fudge Jell-O mix, 2 tablespoons natty peanutbutter, ¾ cup cottage cheese, 1 cup ice cubes, and ½ cup water in a blender, blend on high for 1 minute. Pour it into a bowl, sprinkle with chopped walnuts, and refrigerate for an hour.
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