Cottage Cheese Balls with Fruit Yogurt

Cottage Cheese Balls

PREP TIME: 15 - 20 MIN. ACTIVE, 20 BAKING
SERVING SIZE: 4 PORTIONS

Full of protein and calcium, cottage cheese balls are a great treat for breakfast or low calorie snack. They can also be served as dessert when garnished with fresh berries or jam, which makes them a perfect meal for kids as well.

Traditional cottage cheese balls are fried in oil. The healthier alternative is to bake them in the oven.

The aesthetic and taste depends on the quality of the main ingredient - cottage cheese. I like when cottage cheese balls are soft and "fluffy". To get a fluffy ball, look for cottage cheese that is not too moist --preferably a little on the dry side. Blending the ingredients in a mixer makes them super tender. They literally melt in your mouth.

Cottage Cheese Balls

Ingredients

  • cottage cheese (4-5% fat) - 250 gr
  • oat bran - 2 Tbsp
  • cream of wheat - 3 Tbsp
  • egg - 1 pcs
  • greek yogurt - 5 Tbsp
  • golden raisins - 7 Tbsp (soaked in a hot water over night)
  • baking powder - 1 tsp (or 4 if you prefer sweeter taste)
  • vanilla extract - 2 tsp
  • orange zest (to taste)
  • ground ginger and cinnamon to taste

Preparation

  1. Mix cottage cheese, egg, orange zest and spices in a blender. Process for about 40 seconds, so that spices and orange zest are distributed evenly.
  2. Move cottage cheese mix to a big bowl.
  3. Add raisins, oat bran and cream of wheat. Mix well and put aside for 30 minutes. It will allow the ingredients to blend together better. The dough should become a smooth paste and be "sticky"
  4. Start making balls. To make a ball you need about a scoop (1 Tbsp) of dough. Roll the dough in your hands till you make a ball.
  5. Put baking paper on the baking tray and place the ball on it. Allow some distance between the balls, preventing them from sticking to one another.
  6. Bake for 20 min at 180-200 C. You will understand that cottage cheese balls are ready when you smell the warm cottage cheese fragrance.

Berry Yogurt

Ingredients

  • raspberries - 100 gr
  • blueberries - 100 gr
  • whole milk - 4 cups
  • plain yogurt - 3 Tbsp
  • honey to taste (optional)

Preparation

I prefer to blend fresh berries into plain yogurts rather than purchasing flavoured yogurts.

Serving Suggestions and Alternatives

You can also serve cottage cheese balls with hot chocolate sauce, fresh berries sprinkled with confectioners sugar, honey or sour cream.