I know these Berries and Cottage Cheese Parfaits may sound a little odd, but hear me out before you go! These little treats are completely decadent and satisfying to even the biggest sweet tooth but they’re also really high in protein and packed with other healthy ingredients so they’re really the perfect breakfast, snack, or dessert.
The theme this month for my Gay Lea #BornOnTheFarm post is “Reveal Your Secret Indulgence”. I would have to say that my secret indulgence is definitely night time snacking. I know they say that you’re not supposed to eat right before bedtime but I just can’t help myself. I’m not one to eat a whole pack of cookies or a tub of ice cream in the middle of night, I usually crave something more like a full meal. I’ll make a giant salad with everything on it, or sautee some shrimp in butter and fresh herbs, OR if I want something sweet, it has to be something filling and nutritious like these cottage cheese parfaits. I need REAL FOOD! It takes a lot of brain power to write all these blog posts all the time you know. 🙂
OK, so I know you’re still hung up on the fact that I just said cottage cheese. Parfaits are usually made with ice cream, or if they’re the healthier ones, yogurt. If you haven’t been introduced to smooth cottage cheese yet though, you’re in for a surprise and a real treat. I first discovered this smooth cottage cheese from Gay Lea in my grocery store dairy case kind of by accident. I picked it up because I just couldn’t resist. I was so curious! What in the world? Smooth cottage cheese? I discovered that it’s kind of like a richer, creamier version of greek yogurt and it has significantly more protein! I’ve been buying it pretty consistently ever since because I’ve honestly been worried that one day it may be discontinued. If I hadn’t heard of smooth cottage cheese before, then probably not many other people have either and I’ve always been worried that they probably aren’t buying it either. But it’s SO GOOD! So I’m taking this opportunity here today to tell you about it. Luckily, this product is still always in my grocery store and I’m sure a lot of other people must have had the same curiosity that I had and are completely hooked by now as well. 🙂
So here’s how I like to use the smooth cottage cheese to make these great parfaits!
Here’s what you’ll need:
-Mini Mason Jars
–Gay Lea Smooth Vanilla Bean Cottage Cheese
-Sliced Strawberries
-Blueberries
-Walnuts
-Rolled Oats
-Maple Syrup
Start out by sprinkling a few blueberries and a few strawberry slices in the bottom of your jars. I usually make enough parfaits to last me 2-3 days.
Next, sprinkle just a pinch of the oats over the berries. When these parfaits sit in your fridge overnight, the oats will soften up a bit and add the perfect little extra bit of texture to your parfaits.
Now grab one of the little containers of smooth cottage cheese!
Scoop out a big heaping spoonful of cottage cheese and layer it in your jar over the berries.
If you look closely, you can see the little flecks of vanilla bean in there!
Add another layer of berries and oats, followed by another layer of cottage cheese, and finish up with some more berries and oats on top.
I like to add a few walnuts and just the tiniest drizzle of maple syrup too!
These parfaits are perfect for night time snacking (or anytime snacking, really) because they’re just waiting right there in your fridge, ready for you to grab one and dig in!
If you often find yourself with a bit of a sweet tooth at night and you’re looking for something a little healthier that will still hit the spot, make sure you give these a try!
Have you ever tried smooth cottage cheese? There’s a lemon flavor too, and a salted caramel that’s really tasty, so check that out as well if this sounds like something you definitely need to grab on your next shopping trip!
As a little bonus this month, Gay Lea is giving away five pairs of heavy duty Gay Lea oven mitts and one grand prize of a Kitchenaid stand mixer and a pair of the oven mitts! Enter below!
Gay Lea
KitchenAid Mixer Giveaway – February 2017
I created this blog post as a paid ambassador with Gay Lea Foods and PTPA. All opinions, advice, and thoughts are my own as always!
Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.