Recipes with cottage cheese (low-fat 1%)

Savory garlic coeurs a la creme with goat cheese, cottage cheese, roasted garlic puree, and yogurt. A French-style molded cheese appetizer drained overnight, served with smoked salmon and toast.

Simple 3-ingredient breakfast parfait with cottage cheese or yogurt, fresh fruit, and wheat germ. A 5-minute high-protein breakfast or snack for busy mornings.

Low-fat cheesecake made with overnight-strained yogurt and blended cottage cheese instead of cream cheese. Dense, silky, and tangy on a graham cracker crust with no cream cheese at all.

Tater-stuffed mushrooms: button mushroom caps stuffed with mashed potato, cottage cheese, and onion soup mix. A clever low-fat appetizer that uses up leftover mashed potatoes.

Layered confetti macaroni casserole with whole wheat pasta, cottage cheese, zucchini, yellow squash, peppers, and tomatoes. No-boil casserole, healthy weeknight dinner.

Spinach sausage cheese bake with Italian sausage, cottage cheese and mozzarella. Easy casserole layered and baked in 45 minutes, wheat-free.

A layered baked spaghetti casserole with crumbled tofu, cottage cheese, and melty mozzarella in a herb-tomato sauce. The surprise? It's vegetarian and nobody will guess.

No-bake chocolate mousse pie made with blended cottage cheese, skim milk, and cocoa on a cinnamon-graham cracker crust. Light, creamy, and high in protein. A smarter way to satisfy a chocolate craving without heavy cream or butter.

A light, soufflé-style cauliflower bake with cottage cheese, buttered breadcrumbs, and fluffy whipped egg whites. Baked in a water bath until puffed and firm for a simple, elegant vegetarian main dish.

Crepe blintzes filled with sweetened cottage cheese, Neufchatel, lemon zest, and vanilla, then pan-browned in a touch of canola oil. Served warm with non-fat yogurt, fresh berries, and a dusting of powdered sugar. Brunch favorite, lightened up.

Low-calorie cottage cheese plate with fresh vegetables or tropical fruit, a hard-boiled egg, and rye crisp crackers. A high-protein, no-cook light lunch on a bed of lettuce.

Lighter chocolate amaretto cheesecake made with reduced-fat cream cheese, cottage cheese, and cocoa. Baked low and slow with mini chocolate chips folded in.

Baked stuffed mushroom caps filled with spinach, feta, cottage cheese, and fresh dill, rolled in sesame seeds for a crunchy crust. A Greek-inspired vegetarian appetizer ready in under 30 minutes.

Mexican-style bean lasagne layered with fat-free refried beans, taco sauce, corn, cottage cheese, and olives. No-boil noodles bake right in the pan. Vegetarian and low-fat.

A lighter cheesecake-style pie made with strained yogurt cheese, cottage cheese, and lime in a buttery graham cracker crust. Topped with fresh strawberries. Creamy, tangy, and no-bake filling.

Low-fat no-bake cheesecake built on cottage cheese and gelatin, topped with fresh strawberries and raspberries. Heart-shaped Valentine's-ready dessert that skips the cream cheese and the oven.