Most people think of cottage cheese as a diet food but it is an excellent, low-calorie source of protein!  A half-cup of 1 percent low-fat cottage cheese has about 14 grams of protein and 82 calories. 

Cottage cheese is a cheese curd product.  The curds are drained and not pressed, so the individual curds remain loose.  But back to cottage cheese – here are five recipes for cooking with cottage cheese.  (Thanks to the NY Times)

Cottage Cheese Pesto: This pungent mixture serves as a vegetable dip, spread or pasta sauce.

Lasagna With Spinach and Cottage Cheese: Cottage cheese substitutes for ricotta in this rich pasta dish.

Raspberry Cream: This simple dish is a perfect setting for frozen raspberries.

Cottage Cheese and Herb Loaf: This savory, high-protein bread is ideal for sandwiches.

Summer Squash and Cottage Cheese Gratin: This comforting, high-protein gratin is a great vehicle for the summer squash now pouring into farmers’ markets.

If you’re interested in making your own cottage cheese, view the below video for step-by-step instructions.