Ingredients
Scale
For the Savory Bowl:
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese (nonfat, low-fat, or whole milk, your call)
- 1/4 avocado, sliced
- A small handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 soft or hard boiled egg (optional, for extra protein)
- 1 teaspoon fresh chives, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Toppings: everything bagel seasoning, a drizzle of balsamic glaze, or a dash of hot sauce
For the Sweet Bowl:
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese
- 1/3 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- Toppings: a spoonful of nut butter, chopped nuts, a pinch of cinnamon, or a drizzle of honey
Instructions
- Choose your cottage cheese base. Spoon 1/2 cup of cottage cheese into a wide bowl. If you’re using frozen raspberries for the sweet version, pull them out of the freezer a few minutes ahead so they soften slightly.
- Savory bowl: layer your toppings. Arrange the sliced avocado on one side of the bowl and the halved cherry tomatoes on the other. The colors matter here; it makes it feel like an actual meal, not just something you threw together.
- Sweet bowl: scatter your fruit. Spoon the raspberries over the cottage cheese. Fresh ones are bright and slightly tart; frozen ones get a little jammy as they thaw, which I personally love.
- Add your egg (savory bowl). If you’re using a boiled egg, slice it in half and nestle it right alongside the avocado. A soft boiled egg with a just-set yolk works especially well here.
- Sprinkle the extras. For the savory bowl, add the fresh chives, a pinch of salt, and a good crack of black pepper. For the sweet bowl, sprinkle the chia seeds over everything.
- Finish with your toppings. For savory, reach for everything bagel seasoning or a thin drizzle of balsamic glaze. For sweet, swirl on some almond butter, scatter a few chopped walnuts, or go simple with just honey and cinnamon. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Not all cottage cheese is the same texture. Good Culture and similar small-curd brands tend to be creamier and less watery than store-brand options, which makes a real difference in the final bowl.
- If your cottage cheese seems too wet, give it a quick drain through a fine mesh strainer for a couple of minutes.
- Chia seeds absorb liquid fast, so if you’re prepping the sweet bowl ahead, add them right before serving to keep the texture from getting too thick.
- Both bowls can be prepped a few hours in advance, but keep the avocado separate until you’re ready to eat to prevent browning. A small squeeze of lemon juice helps too.
- This recipe scales easily; just double or triple the quantities for meal prep or family breakfast.
- For those watching calories, nonfat cottage cheese cuts the fat significantly without changing the protein content much.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Assembled
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1–1.5 cups)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg