Cottage Cheese - A dieter's best friend?

 Grilled chicken breast, egg whites and cottage cheese have been the foods of choice among bodybuilders for decades. Because these foods are all low in fat, low in carbohydrates and high in protein, they should be among the foods of choice for anyone dieting for weight loss as well.

In this article, we'll tell you why cottage cheese should be part of your weight loss diet, shed some light on how versatile cottage cheese can be, offer you some recipe ideas and hopefully get you excited again over this much overlooked superfood.

A Unique Trifecta

Many foods can be categorised as being either low in fat, low in sugar or high in protein, but there aren't too many that can make all three claims. Cottage cheese can.

A 100g serving (of Bulla Plain Cottage Cheese) has approximately 91 calories, 2.3 grams of fat, 6 grams of carbohydrates, and 11.3 grams of protein.

As well as cottage cheese delivering the unique trifecta above, it is also:

• Low in calories versus other dairy products and good protein sources
  
• Is rich in riboflavin (Vitamin B2) that is important for healthy eyes and skin
  
• Contains phosphorous that is essential for the formation of strong bones and teeth.

A wonderful choice for a healthy lunch or snack

Cottage cheese can make the basis of a great high protein, low carbohydrate lunch or snack. Just one half-cup serving of low-fat cottage cheese has 16 grams of protein and cottage cheese has only 5 to 6 grams of carbohydrate per 100 grams.

If you've avoided cottage cheese because you think the only way of serving it is to plop it onto a piece of lettuce, you're in for some good news.

Plain cottage cheese can be used to produce some wonderful meals and now there are flavoured tubs of cottage cheese available, such as our favourites; Bulla Cottage Cheese with Sweet Chilli, Bulla Cottage Cheese with Sundried Tomato and Basil, and Bulla Cottage Cheese with Onion and Chives.

Preparation, uses, and tips

Cottage cheese is an adaptable source of protein for table use, snacks, salads, and in baking. The flavour goes well with fresh vegetables or condiments, such as peppers, olives or with fruits, such as pineapple, peaches, or berries.

Low-fat cottage cheese can be used to replace higher-fat-content cream cheeses in desserts such as cheesecake and Danish pastry, and it's good in savoury baked dishes such as lasagne because it can be used to replace grated cheese or ricotta cheese in most recipes.

To demonstrate just how versatile cottage cheese can be, here are some of the ways people are incorporating it into their favourite recipes:

Common uses of Cottage Cheese

• Cottage Cheese based Dips
  
• Cottage Cheese based Pastas
  
• Cottage Cheese based Salads
  
• Nachos with Cottage Cheese
  
• Cottage Cheese Smoothies
  
• Cottage Cheese Tortillas
  
• Cottage Cheese Enchiladas
  
• Cottage Cheese Waffles
  
• Cottage Cheese and Yogurt
  
• Cottage Cheese and Ice Cream
  
• Cottage Cheese Pizza
  
• Cottage Cheese Omelettes
  
• Cottage Cheese Quiche
  
• Cottage Cheese Muffins
  
• Cottage Cheese Pies

Appetite whet? Here's a Low-Carb Pancake recipe for you to try and below are links to some other healthy cottage cheese recipes:

Low-Carb Pancake Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 serving 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
  
• 2 egg whites
  
• 1 egg yolk
  
• 1 Tablespoon soy flour
  
• 1/2 Tablespoon cream of tartar
  
• 1/2 package artificial sweetener

Method:

1. Beat egg whites until frothy, then add the cream of tartar & continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
   
2. In separate bowl, mix together the egg yolk, cottage cheese, soy flour and sweetener.
   
3. Combine the two mixtures and stir until just combined.
   
4. Drop batter in large spoonfuls on surface of a lightly greased skillet.
   
5. Cook until each side is lightly browned.
   
6. Serve with low-carb store bought syrup. Or for an interesting low-carb topping, mix 1 Tablespoon of sugar-free jam with 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons water and microwave for 45 seconds.

Conclusion

Grilled chicken breast, egg whites and cottage cheese have been the foods of choice among bodybuilders for decades. Because these foods are all low in fat, low in carbohydrates and high in protein, they should be among the foods of choice for anyone dieting for weight loss as well.

In this article, we explained why cottage cheese should be a part of your weight loss diet, shed some light on how versatile cottage cheese can be, offered you some tasty recipe ideas using cottage cheese as a main ingredient and hopefully got you excited again over this much overlooked superfood.