Our 12News medical expert, Dr. Sonal Haerter, shares recipes featuring the viral ingredient taking over the internet.
PHOENIX — Meet the internet’s favorite protein-filled snack of choice: cottage cheese.
The low-calorie curdled milk product has a mild flavor and is often described as sweet or tangy. While not everyone is #TeamCottageCheese, social media is helping the protein-packed ingredient make a comeback. Cottage cheese sales are reportedly up 20% and many believe the rise is thanks to influencers posting recipes using it.
Dr. Sonal Haerter with Dignity Health Medical Group stopped by 12News studios to discuss the newest food trend having a moment on social media, and how you can add cottage cheese into your diet using four new recipes.
Cottage cheese parfait
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe:
1 cup cottage cheese (Haerter prefers to use low-fat cottage cheese)Fruit of your choice (Haerter says she likes to use mangoes/ berries/ cherries/ banana/ peach 1-2 teaspoons of sweetener (Some options Haerter recommends: honey, maple syrup, stevia, date sugar)1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon or ground cardamom
Blend all of the above into a smooth consistency. Refrigerate for a couple of hours and top it with any nuts if you like.
High-protein brownies
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe:
1 cup blended cottage cheeseCocoa powder unsweetened 1/2 cup Almond flour 1/2 cup Maple syrup 1/3 cup Vanilla extract 1 tsp Baking powder 1/2 tspSalt a pinch Chocolate chips as much as you would likeWalnuts crushed 2 tbspEggs 2
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Blend cottage cheese, maple syrup and vanilla to a smooth consistency. Mix dry ingredients (almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt). Combine wet with dry ingredients. Add half of the chocolate chips to this mixture. Pour it into an oven-proof baking pan. Top it with more chocolate chips and nuts.
Bake for 25 minutes. Use a toothpick to determine if it’s all cooked. Cool it and enjoy.
High protein bagels
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe:
2 cups of blanched almond flour 1 cup fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese 1 egg (egg wash for glazing the bagel)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Mix the above ingredients except the egg. Mix until the cottage cheese is fully mixed. Knead the dough until it’s smooth.
Make six individual portions. Roll each one into a rope-like structure. Take the two ends and seal them to each other to make a circle. If it crumbles, just knead it again and then try to make a circle.
Place these circles on a baking pan lined with parchment paper.
Whisk the egg and brush it on the top of each bagel. Top it with the seasoning of your choice, and then bake for 25 minutes.
High-protein pasta
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe:
1 cup of pasta2 cups of marinara sauce1 cup of cottage cheese1 teaspoon Italian seasoning1 teaspoon onion powder Black pepper to taste
Blend the marinara sauce and cottage cheese with the dry spices. Adjust seasonings for your taste.
Cook pasta. Add your marinara sauce towards the end of cooking, and then top it with more pepper and parmesan cheese.
You can make this dish even higher in protein by adding cooked ground chicken or turkey.
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Dining and Cooking