April 9, 2014

My Favorite Breakfast

Breakfast + Brunch
52 comments

Thank you to FitFluential LLC for sponsoring this post on behalf of Daisy Cottage Cheese!

Guys, something awesome happened this week: it’s finally warm enough to eat out on our porch again!!! This morning, I had my standard favorite while enjoying the sunny, crisp morning: my Perfect Microwave Banana Oatmeal with frozen wild blueberries (hence the purple) and topped with Daisy cottage cheese, cinnamon, and slivered almonds.

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Have you guys tried cottage cheese with oatmeal yet? I know I’ve written about it quite a few times now so if not, it’s time to get on it! The sweet/salty combination is amazing and the cottage cheese adds some great protein and staying power to the mix, too – 13g of protein per 1/2 cup serving. Nice!

Between the protein from the cottage cheese and milk, the fiber from the banana, blueberries, and oats, and the healthy fat from the almonds, this breakfast keeps me full for quite awhile. Move over, instant oatmeal made with water – you aren’t welcome here. 🙂 Plus, this version is just as quick to make! 3 minutes in the microwave (2 minutes with just the banana/milk/cinnamon/oats, then for the last minute add the frozen berries) and that’s that.

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I jumped on the opportunity to work with Daisy for this post for a couple reasons. 1) I love cottage cheese and eat it nearly every day in some form, and 2) Because Daisy has by far the best ingredients list of all the brands and as a result, they are my #1 favorite cottage cheese. Check this out:

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Milk, cream, salt. Boom. I feel like every other brand (even organic ones) I’ve looked at has 10+ ingredients, including the occasional additive, preservative, and thickener. I LOVE that this brand keeps it simple and pure. Looking at the ingredients list on products and making sure that you understand/recognize everything on it (and that it’s not a mile long) is something I heavily emphasize with my AnneTheRD clients!

FYI – the dark blue lid on my container indicates the regular, full fat version (ya’ll know how I roll). If you’re interested in the lower fat variety, look for the light blue lid!

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Some of my other favorite ways to eat cottage cheese are:

What is your favorite way to eat cottage cheese?

p.s. Interested in chatting about how to fuel properly to power your way through the day? FitFluential and Daisy are co-hosting a Twitter chat tomorrow, April 10, 2014, at 9 p.m. EST. Join in the fun by following #DaisyDifference.

- anne

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52 comments
  • I love eating cottage cheese with sliced tomatoes and some fresh cracked pepper on top. Delicious!
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    • I actually have yet to try savory cottage cheese! This sounds awesome - must try!
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  • I had that same breakfast this morning! I am traveling for work and picked up some cottage cheese and berries to add to the oatmeal and banana available at my hotel. So delicious!
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    • Yay, that's awesome! Love that you're staying healthy on the go. :)
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  • I had your microwave banana oatmeal for breakfast today, too! It keeps me full for a long time and is so easy to pull together. Yum!
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    • Hardcore, I like it. :)
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  • I have never tried cottage cheese with oatmeal. I've used them together to make protein panackes but this I must try!
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  • I cannot eat dairy, however I totally remember when my mom used to force feed me C. Cheese. It was... Interesting. It definitely needed to be paired with something. I couldn't really get over the chunks, but when I was younger I just didn't like chunky food - I hated fruit chunks in my yogurt for instance, however, these days, I like texture so I'd prob like cottage cheese!
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  • I been trying to find a breakfast that I could get some berries in my diet, this looks like it could be a good choice! I never would think to put cottage cheese in oatmeal, but I guess there is a first time for everything! :)
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  • I have done some sweet items with cottage cheese but I typically do savory. I love topping a sweet potato with some cottage cheese and a little cinnamon. So yummy!
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    • Great idea - I've never tried that!
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  • I actually JUST started eating cottage cheese...the texture always kinda weirded me out. I have been eating it with pineapple slices and it's pretty good. Idk about adding it to my oatmeal...idk how that would taste but perhaps I will take your word for it and try it!
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    • It's one of those "sounds weird, tastes awesome" type things. Try it! The banana oatmeal is the key - it's really good with the sweet banana.
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  • I went through a huge cottage cheese phase a few years ago. I'd have one of those Breakstones snack pack nearly every day (until I got smart and bought my own containers and filled them with the same serving size). I haven't had some in forever and have always been one to eat it with more savory things, such as crackers or veggies. But you have me intrigued with the oats. I'm all about protein + fiber + fat for staying power! Thanks for sharing!
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  • My favorite way to eat cottage cheese is to top it with pepper and have it with grilled chicken!
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    • With grilled chicken?? Innnnteresting!
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      • You have to try it! It's the perfect combination - especially when the chicken has been marinated or seasoned. :-)
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  • When I was young I would eat cottage cheese and peaches all the time. I still do sometimes now but I'm the only person in my house who likes it so I can't get a big container of it. I've had the single serving cups once in a while b/c my Dad said that's what he does! I get on a roll where I will eat it a lot, then I have weeks where I don't ever want it.
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  • I've been eating this for breakfast for the last few months every single workday. Cottage cheese in my oats = Game changer. I can't believe people ever buy instant oats; this is so easy!
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  • Looks like a great combination, Anne. Will try it! Thanks --
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  • My favourite meal at the moment is inspired by your oatmeal recipe. I melt the cottage cheese in the microwave first though and then add yoghurt, cinnamon and blueberries to it afterwards, before topping with oats and almond butter. I love the different textures and the sweet/salty combination. So good! =)
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    • I've never tried melting the cottage cheese in the microwave before!
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      • It goes stringy like normal cheese does. I think it makes the bowl way more interesting to eat and I much prefer this texture to the lumps. Some people may find it totally weird in a sweet dish though.
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  • This looks AMAZING and have never thought of adding cottage cheese to my oatmeal...GENIUS! Definitely adding this to my breakfast repertoire. :) Thanks for sharing!
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  • Yum! Thanks for reminding me how much I miss cottage cheese! I used to eat it every day too but took it out of the diet for a little to do a sugar detox. Definitely will be adding it to the grocery list next week!
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  • I love cottage cheese, I only ever eat it savoury. My absolute favourite way is to make cottage cheese pancakes with a roast capsicum salsa.
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      • The recipe is Australian (that's where I am!) but I think the only substitution is what we call plain flour you call all-purpose flour. It also says to only use the egg whites but unless I have a use for the egg yolks in another recipe I put the whole egg in (hate wasting eggs) http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/4200/cottage+cheese+pancakes+with+roasted+capsicum+salsa+low+fat
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  • Hi Anne, I live in the Arlington, VA area as well and i never saw Diasy brand of c.cheese in the local wholefoods or trader joes..where did you get it ?
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    • They have it at giant!
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      • oh thanks ! I will go look for it.
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  • I love chive cottage cheese with pork chops and applesauce! Weird but awesome!
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    • I'll have to try this!!
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  • I love cottage cheese! I will even just eat it straight up! I miss it in France... boo..
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  • I love this savory tart from Deborah Madison's "Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone". It's a spinach, herb, and cottage cheese filling in a potato crust. Super delicious, healthy, and very satisfying. It makes an excellent "company" dinner paired with simply prepared spring vegetables. Something like peas & asparagus with butter and mint works perfectly. http://seattletimes.com/html/foodwine/2008015460_recipe25spinachveget.html
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  • Cottage cheese and applesauce, FTW!
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  • This may sound odd, but trust me: spaghetti with tomato sauce. Put a big ol' dollop of cottage cheese on top. There is something about the cold/hot combo and texture that I love. My mom always served cottage cheese with her spaghetti and meatballs. Also - you should try whipped cottage cheese (a little harder to find than regular) on toast. A-Mazing. I also love cottage cheese as a salad topper!
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  • I have cottage cheese almost every day for breakfast. Just cottage cheese and a handful of those purple grapes. Incredible combination.
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  • As a kid, my mom would always get me cottage cheese & diced hard boiled eggs from the salad bar, i LOVED it! (only i would eat from the salad bar then haha!) so you should try it! i grew out of that phase & havent had cottage cheese in years until a few months ago when i saw a lactose free version! i tried it again, and it took a bit to get used to, but now i like it plain :) its so rich!
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  • I love cottage cheese and couldn't wait to try your recommended combination. I'm always looking to add protein to my oats (and finding the right protein powder that doesn't ruin the consistency is a fine art I have yet to master) and this seems perfect. I also am a fan of banana in my oatmeal for the potassium alone. I have a favorite protein pancake recipe with banana so I knew your recipe would be great! P.S. I love cottage cheese sweet or savory. I love it on a piece of whole grain english muffin with a teaspoon of apricot preserves and a few almonds sprinkled on top. I also like with with a bit of salsa mixed in with a some multi-grain tortilla chips. :)
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  • Cottage cheese with oatmeal = brilliant. Cinamon and some splenda over it. Normally I like to add tomatoes, cucumbers, Jalapeños to my cottage cheese on a bed of romaine lettuce. So I was a bit surprised that it went so well with the sweet flavors. Good call!
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    • Sounds good minus the splenda! :) (I'm not a fan)
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  • I recently made whole wheat pancakes, topped them with cottage cheese and a poached egg on top. I my was delicious!
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    • Sounds delicious!!
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  • I would have never thought to put cottage cheese on my oatmeal, but it really works with the mashed banana, milk, cinnamon and nut topping. Very tasty.
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    • Unexpectedly delicious combo, right? Glad you liked it!
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  • I love cottage cheese with broken up cheese crackers - the soft/crunchy combo is so good!! I'm not fond of sweet but I'm going to try mixing the cottage cheese with oatmeal and maybe some almonds for the crunch. PS My Mom mixed cottage cheese into her oatmeal for years instead of milk.
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    • Your mom was clearly ahead of the trend! :) I love the soft/crunchy combo, too.
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