Whipped Ube Cottage Cheese Protein Bowl

Name: Whipped Ube Cottage Cheese Protein Bowl
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 2 2 bowls
Ingredients: 2 cups Cottage Cheese (2% or Full-Fat), Small or large curd both work; full-fat blends the creamiest; 3 tbsp Ube Powder, Sifted to avoid clumps; 1 tbsp Pure Maple Syrup, Or honey; add more to taste after blending; 0.5 tsp Ube Extract, A clear extract adds flavor without artificial color; 2 tbsp Milk, Only if needed to get the blender moving; any milk works; 1 pinch Fine Sea Salt, Brings out the ube flavor; 0.75 cup Blueberries, Fresh or thawed frozen, for topping; 2 tbsp Unsweetened Coconut Flakes, Toasted if you have time; 0.25 cup Granola, A low-sugar, nutty granola works best; 2 tbsp Dark Chocolate (70% or higher), Roughly chopped, or use cacao nibs; 1 tbsp Ube Cookie Butter, Optional, warmed slightly and drizzled on top

Blended cottage cheese has become a favorite high-protein breakfast. Once it goes through a blender, the curds disappear and you get something that tastes like a light, tangy cheesecake filling. Ube suits it well. A couple of spoonfuls of ube powder turn the base a soft lavender and add the nutty, vanilla-like flavor ube is known for. A little maple syrup and a few drops of clear ube extract round it out. The result is a thick, spoonable bowl with about 28 grams of protein and no cooking, sweet enough to feel like a treat. Top it with blueberries, coconut flakes, granola, and a few chunks of dark chocolate for crunch. Add a spoonful of ube cookie butter if you want it to feel more like dessert.

Photo by Vicky Ng on Unsplash

Prep: 10 min · Difficulty: Easy · Makes: 2 2 bowls

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Ingredients

2 cups Cottage Cheese (2% or Full-Fat), Small or large curd both work; full-fat blends the creamiest
3 tbsp Ube Powder, Sifted to avoid clumps
1 tbsp Pure Maple Syrup, Or honey; add more to taste after blending
0.5 tsp Ube Extract, A clear extract adds flavor without artificial color
2 tbsp Milk, Only if needed to get the blender moving; any milk works
1 pinch Fine Sea Salt, Brings out the ube flavor
0.75 cup Blueberries, Fresh or thawed frozen, for topping
2 tbsp Unsweetened Coconut Flakes, Toasted if you have time
0.25 cup Granola, A low-sugar, nutty granola works best
2 tbsp Dark Chocolate (70% or higher), Roughly chopped, or use cacao nibs
1 tbsp Ube Cookie Butter, Optional, warmed slightly and drizzled on top

Instructions

Blend the Base Add the cottage cheese, sifted ube powder, maple syrup, ube extract, and salt to a blender or a single-serve blender cup. Blend for 45-60 seconds, scraping down the sides once, until completely smooth with no visible curds. If the blender stalls, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time. Add as little as you can, since every splash makes the base thinner.
Let the Ube Hydrate Taste and add a little more maple syrup if you like. Then let the base rest for 5 minutes, in the fridge if you have time. Ube powder keeps absorbing moisture after blending, so the base thickens, the color deepens, and any slight grittiness disappears.
Assemble the Bowls Divide the whipped ube base between two shallow bowls and smooth the tops with the back of a spoon. Scatter over the blueberries, coconut flakes, granola, and chopped dark chocolate.
Finish and Serve If using, warm the ube cookie butter for 5-10 seconds in the microwave so it drizzles easily, and spoon it over the top. Serve right away so the granola stays crunchy.

Pro Tips

Blend longer than you think. Cottage cheese goes from lumpy to grainy to completely silky, and the last 15-20 seconds make the difference. A single-serve bullet-style blender handles this small batch better than a big jug, which tends to leave the cheese stuck under the blades.
Use as little liquid as possible. Cottage cheese releases its own whey as it blends, so start with none and add milk only if the blades can't move. A thick base holds the toppings on top instead of letting them sink.
Salt matters here. Most cottage cheese is already salty, so taste before adding the pinch. Low-sodium cottage cheese needs it more, since a little salt is what makes the ube taste nutty instead of flat.

Variations

Greek Yogurt Version: Swap half the cottage cheese for plain Greek yogurt for a tangier, slightly lighter base with similar protein.
Halaya Swirl: Skip the maple syrup and swirl a tablespoon of ube halaya through each bowl instead. It adds sweetness and deeper purple streaks.
Make-Ahead Jars: Blend the base, divide it between two lidded jars, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Pack the toppings separately and add them just before eating.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

405 calories · 42g carbs · 28g protein · 14g fat · 22g sugar · 5g fiber

Frequently Asked Questions

Does blended cottage cheese taste like cottage cheese?

Much less than you'd expect. Blending removes the curd texture that puts most people off, and the ube, maple, and extract cover the slight saltiness. Most people say it tastes like a light cheesecake filling or a thick, tangy pudding.

Can I use ube halaya instead of ube powder?

Yes. Blend in 1/4 cup of ube halaya in place of the powder and leave out the maple syrup, since halaya is already sweetened. The base will be a little looser and slightly higher in sugar, but the ube flavor will be richer.

Why is my bowl pale instead of purple?

Ube powders vary a lot in color, and cottage cheese is very white, so the result is usually a soft lavender rather than a deep violet. Letting the base rest for 5 minutes helps the color develop. For a deeper shade, add another tablespoon of powder or a few blended blueberries.

Recommended Ingredient

NutriBullet Pro 1000 Single-Serve Blender (1000W) — read our review.