If you’re anything like me, you don’t always pre-plan your meals… especially breakfast, lunch, and snacks. I usually try to pre-plan dinner and often rely on leftovers for lunch. But on days without leftovers, when I’m short on time, don’t feel like cooking, or want a change from scrambled eggs, cottage cheese and fruit bowls are one of my go-to meals that never disappoints!
Cottage cheese bowls are great for a few reasons: One, they are protein-packed from the cottage cheese and nutrient-rich from fruits, nuts, and seeds; two, they are a blank canvas for whatever flavors or fruits you have on hand; and three, they are highly customizable and a cinch to make.
Let me walk you through how I make this no-fail, nutritious, balanced, and delicious meal.
Start with a 4 oz serving of high-quality, full-fat cottage cheese. You want “full-fat” as that will help keep you satiated for longer. You can substitute full-fat plain Greek yogurt if you prefer, or even do a half-and-half situation; both are good protein-heavy options.
Next, comes the fun part. The toppings. My favorites are apple pieces, banana coins, fresh sliced berries, and chunks of pineapple. You can stick to just one of these or add whatever suits your fancy. In my opinion, the more the merrier.
After the fruit, you’ll want to add your nuts and seeds. I usually gravitate towards pecans, walnuts, slivered almonds, or cashews. My family tends to enjoy the addition of a high-quality organic granola as well, but this is optional. For seeds, we love, love, love chia seeds and pumpkin seeds (or pepitas). Seeds and nuts are also usually high in protein, health fats, and full of amino acids, which makes them a great addition to any meal.
Finally, you can add whatever additional toppings you enjoy… really, whatever you’re craving. Some of my favorite final additions are a dash of cinnamon, a drizzle (or two) of honey or maple syrup, a sprinkle of dark chocolate chips, a small spoonful of peanut or almond butter, a scoop of jelly or jam, and pillowy mounds of shredded coconut.
There you have it. A super simple, quick, tasty, and healthful breakfast, lunch, or snack option that didn’t even require the stove or microwave.
I hope that you and your loved ones enjoy it as much as we do. <3
If you’re needing a bit more inspiration, here are some of my household’s favorite flavor combinations:
| Cottage cheese, Pineapple, Slivered almonds, or granola, Chia seeds, and Honey |
| Cottage cheese, Strawberries, Chia seeds, and Dark chocolate chips |
| Cottage cheese, Banana, Walnuts, Honey, and Cinnamon |
| Cottage cheese, Diced Apple, Pecans, Cinnamon, and Dark chocolate chips |
| Cottage cheese, Diced Apples, Peanut butter, Walnuts, Chia seeds, and Cinnamon |
| Cottage Cheese, Diced Apples, Almonds, Cinnamon, dark chocolate chips, and Honey |
| Cottage Cheese, Banana, Maple Syrup, and Granola |
| Cottage cheese, Diced Banana, Peanut Butter, Chia seeds, Walnuts, and Dark chocolate chips |
| Cottage cheese, Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Chia seeds, Honey, Granola, or any nut of choice |
| Cottage cheese, Diced Banana, Coconut, Dark chocolate chips, Slivered Almonds, and Honey |
Optional tips/ ideas:
· If you’re feeling fancy, you can even blend the cottage cheese so it is thoroughly creamy, thick, and rich. It eats even more beautifully but is totally unnecessary 😊
· If you want to use frozen fruit, you definitely can. Just be sure that you thaw it overnight.
· We usually plate it in a bowl, but, parfait-style in a glass would be fun too, giving you a chance to layer each component however you wish. Makes for a pretty presentation if you’re trying to impress a guest.
· You can even turn this into a healthier dessert idea by adding a dollop of whipped cream. We make it from scratch. Super easy and far more delicious than store-bought·
Lastly, if you regularly consume a high-quality protein powder as a meal replacement, you could consider adding some and mixing it into the cottage cheese portion of the bowl for an extra boost of protein.
May God bless you and those you love!
<3 K&J
