The Easiest Snack of the Summer Will Seriously Surprise You

Before you turn up your nose and have flashbacks to breakfast at your grandparents' house, listen up: This is definitely not your grandma's cottage cheese.

Muuna's reimagined version takes creaminess to the max (think: none of that watery stuff and only rich and creamy goodness) and has all of the nutritional benefits of Greek yogurt—and then some. Muuna packs a mega-dose of protein (a whopping 19 grams in the 5.3 ounce plain variety) without any artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners.

Single-serve cups of Muuna (which come in plain and fruit-on-the-bottom flavors like mango, pineapple, peach, strawberry, and blueberry) are a busy girl's saving grace for a high-protein snack or meal on the go.

Plus, using protein-packed Muuna in place of sour cream, mayo, or milk in recipes like smoothies, dips, or even scrambled eggs dials the health factor of your favorite foods up a notch. Just consider this your kitchen's new secret ingredient.

Scroll down for four healthy and delicious meal ideas and recipes for any time of day (because cottage cheese is definitely not just for breakfast).

Breakfast: Fruit-on-the-Bottom Cup of Muuna Cottage Cheese

You know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but who has time to cook a full brunch-style spread every morning? Muuna's single-serve cups solve the age-old conundrum with all the nutrition you need to fuel your busy mornings (a la 15 grams of protein and 2.5 grams of healthy fats per 5.3 ounce container), without making you late for work.

Do it up like a smoothie bowl: Add apples, berries, granola, nuts, or even a drizzle of honey to top your Muuna cup. An on-the-go breakfast has never looked prettier.

Lunch: Dijon Dill Salmon Salad

You'd never guess this dish was made without mayo, but the simple substitution makes it way more nutritious. With a whopping 19 grams of protein per 5.3 ounce single-serve container of Muuna's lowfat plain cottage cheese, this lunch is designed to keep you full until dinner.

Yields 2 servings

Ingredients
15 oz. canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste
5 oz. wild canned/packaged salmon
1 Muuna 5.3 oz. container lowfat plain cottage cheese
½ cup diced cucumber
2 Tbsp capers
1½ Tbsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp dried dill (or 2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill)
Sliced bread or large green leaf lettuce leaves

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss chickpeas with olive oil, half the smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, and spread out on a lined baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden and crispy.

2. While chickpeas roast, prepare the salmon salad by combining the salmon, cottage cheese, cucumbers, capers, dijon, lemon juice, dill, remaining smoked paprika, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix until well combined.

3. Add chickpeas to the mixture before serving and gently stir to combine.

4. Serve with lettuce wraps or toasted bread.

Snack: Strawberry Mint Avo-Cottage Toast

This is not your average avocado toast. Give your favorite green snack a major upgrade (and snap out of your 3 p.m. slump) with creamy cottage cheese, juicy strawberries, and a zing of mint.

Yields 1 serving

Ingredients
1 slice crusty whole wheat bread, toasted
1/3 fresh avocado
2-3 Tbsp lowfat plain Muuna cottage cheese
1 tsp fresh mint, chopped
2 fresh strawberries, sliced

1. Layer the sliced avocado on top of the bread and top with cottage cheese.

2. Garnish with mint and sliced strawberries.

Dessert: Pink Berry Nice Cream

Because summertime requires ice cream, but sometimes you could do without all that extra sugar. Using Muuna's strawberry cottage cheese (with just 10 grams of sugar) makes for an über creamy treat—no ice cream machine required. Pro tip: Sub your post-workout smoothie for this berry blend and get all the protein you need for recovery, while also satisfying your sweet tooth.

Yields 2 servings

Ingredients
1 Munna 5.3 oz. container strawberry cottage cheese
2 frozen bananas
½ cup frozen raspberries and strawberries

1. In a food processor, add all ingredients and blend until combined. At first, the consistency will be chunky, but as the banana warms slightly, it will smooth and become more like ice cream. Scoop into a bowl and serve with toppings of your choice.

2. If you would like the consistency to be slightly harder (more like store-bought ice cream rather than soft serve), put the Nice Cream into a container and freeze for one to two hours.

In partnership with Muuna

Photos: Muuna