Skinny High-Protein Berry Smoothie Cottage Cheese
This is the best-tasting high-protein berry smoothie with frozen berries, cottage cheese, protein powder, chia seeds and almond butter. This cottage cheese smoothie supports your weight loss goals with a balanced blend of protein, healthy fats, and fiber, which help keep you full and satisfied longer.
This is the best-tasting high-protein recipe for a berry smoothie with cottage cheese, offering a creamy texture that’s both satisfying and delicious. This easy cottage cheese smoothie combines frozen fruit with the addition of cottage cheese to create a high-protein smoothie packed with lots of protein and dietary fiber, making it the perfect way to fuel your day. With its creamy smoothie consistency, this healthy snack helps you maintain muscle mass and provides 23 grams of protein, making it an ideal choice for anyone looking to boost their protein intake.
How Does This Cottage Cheese Berry Smoothie Support Weight Loss Goals?
This Skinny High-Protein Berry Smoothie Cottage Cheese supports weight loss goals by providing a balanced blend of protein, healthy fats, and fiber, all of which help keep you full and satisfied longer, reducing the urge to snack between meals. The high protein content from the cottage cheese and protein powder aids in muscle maintenance and boosts metabolism, while the fiber from the berries and chia seeds promotes healthy digestion. Additionally, it’s low in added sugars and made with clean, natural ingredients, making it a nutritious option that aligns with weight loss efforts.
Why You’ll Love This Cottage Cheese Berry Smoothie Recipe
- You only need a few simple ingredients.
- It is super easy to make for an impressive result.
- It is full of delicious flavor!
- All the ingredients are easily digestible for a gentle tummy.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here is everything you need to make the best berry protein smoothie recipe:
Almond Milk: Substitute with oat milk, coconut milk, skim milk, cashew milk, whole milk, or soy milk.
Frozen Berries: You can use any variety of berries, including fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries instead of frozen.
Plain Cottage Cheese: You can use full-fat cottage cheese or non-fat cottage. Also, large curd or small curd. You can also replace it with Greek yogurt or silken tofu. Or a dairy-free cottage cheese for a vegan option.
Protein Powder: You can use any variety of protein powder you like. I prefer a vanilla flavored protein powder. You can also substitute it with collagen powder, hemp protein, or 1/4 cup of rolled oats.
Almond Butter: You can omit or swap it with peanut butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, or tahini.
Chia Seeds: These are an excellent source of fiber. You can omit them or replace with flaxseeds or hemp seeds.
How to Make My Delicious Cottage Cheese Smoothie Recipe
Here are easy, detailed, step-by-step instructions for making my easy cottage cheese protein shake. The instructions are also repeated in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.
Step 1: Add Ingredients to Blender
Pour 1 cup of almond milk into your high-speed blender. Then add 1 cup of frozen berries, 1/4 cup of cottage cheese, 2 tablespoons of protein powder, 1 tablespoon of almond butter, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds for added fiber and nutrients.
Step 2: Blend the Ingredients
Blend all the ingredients on high until smooth and creamy, ensuring there are no lumps. Pour the smoothie into a glass, serve immediately, and enjoy your nutritious, high-protein berry smoothie!
Helpful Recipe Notes
Texture Adjustment: If you prefer a thicker smoothie, add more frozen berries or a few ice cubes. For a thinner consistency, add an extra splash of almond milk.
Sweetness: Taste your smoothie before serving; if you prefer it sweeter, add a drizzle of honey, maple syrup, or a few drops of stevia.
Meal Prep: To save time, portion out the ingredients (except the liquid) into individual freezer bags. In the morning, just add the contents to your blender with almond milk.
Delicious Serving Suggestions for High Protein Smoothies
- Berry Cheesecake Smoothie: To turn this into a berry cheesecake smoothie, blend in a tablespoon of cream cheese and top with graham cracker crumbs for a dessert-inspired twist.
- Cottage Cheese Smoothie Bowl: For a heartier option, pour the smoothie into a bowl and top with fresh fruit, a handful of spinach, and a sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs for added crunch.
- Strawberry Cottage Cheese Smoothie Recipe: Swap the mixed berries for strawberries to create a refreshing strawberry cottage cheese smoothie. Pair it with a side of fresh spinach for an added nutrient boost.
- Blueberry Cottage Cheese Smoothie: Use only blueberries as the fruit base for a blueberry cottage cheese smoothie. Add a frozen banana for creaminess, and top with graham cracker crumbs for a blueberry cheesecake flavor.
- Green Berry Smoothie: Add a handful of fresh spinach to the mix for extra vitamins and a vibrant green color. This pairs perfectly with any berry or fruit you choose, whether you opt for a strawberry smoothie or stick with mixed berries.
What is the Best Protein Powder to Use in Healthy Smoothies?
I get asked this question a lot so I’ve summarized my criteria for the best protein powders for smoothies. There are basically two categories of protein sources, including animal-based and plant-based.
Animal-based protein powders offer a complete amino acid profile, meaning they contain all the essential amino acids your body needs for building and repairing tissues. They are often digested more quickly than plant-based proteins, making them popular for post-workout recovery. Since I already eat eggs daily and try to minimize dairy in my diet, and beef protein is expensive, I don’t typically use these powders.
- Whey protein
- Casein protein
- Egg protein
- Beef protein
- Collagen protein
Plant-based protein powders are a great option for those following a vegetarian or vegan diet. They are generally lower in cholesterol and saturated fat compared to animal-based proteins. While they may not contain all essential amino acids in the same proportions as animal-based proteins, combining different plant-based sources can help ensure a complete amino acid profile. I like to use pea, hemp, and nut protein powders.
- Pea protein
- Brown rice protein
- Hemp protein
- Soy protein
- Quinoa protein
- Chia protein
- Flaxseed protein
Now, let’s consider how the protein powder is sweetened. There are four main categories of sweeteners to choose from:
Artificial Sweeteners: These synthetic compounds offer intense sweetness with zero calories. Examples include aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium. These give me gas and I don’t believe they benefit our microbiome.
Sugar Alcohols: These natural sweeteners, such as erythritol and xylitol, provide a sweet taste with fewer calories than traditional sugars but may cause digestive issues in some people. These also give me gas and I don’t care for how over-processed they are.
Intense Sweeteners: Derived from natural sources like monkfruit and stevia, these sweeteners offer a high sweetness intensity without the calories or carbohydrates of traditional sugars. I feel fine when I eat these, but I don’t care for how hyper-sweet they are. I feel like they make my taste buds accustomed to an unnatural level of sweetness.
Traditional Sweeteners: Natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, cane sugar, and coconut sugar provide a classic sweetness and may offer additional nutritional benefits. These are my favorite sweeteners to use. I use moderation to minimize my daily intake of sugar.
The best sweetener for you depends on your personal preferences, dietary needs, and any health concerns. Experiment with different options to find your favorite!
These are my favorite protein powders:
Do you love smoothies? Check out more of my easy and nutritious breakfast smoothie recipes:
Skinny High-Protein Berry Smoothie Cottage Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 cup frozen berries
- 1/4 cup cottage cheese
- 2 tablespoons protein powder
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
Instructions
- Pour 1 cup of almond milk into your high-speed blender. Then add 1 cup of frozen berries, 1/4 cup of cottage cheese, 2 tablespoons of protein powder, 1 tablespoon of almond butter, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds for added fiber and nutrients.
- Blend all the ingredients on high until smooth and creamy, ensuring there are no lumps. Pour the smoothie into a glass, serve immediately, and enjoy your nutritious, high-protein berry smoothie!
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I love a berry smoothie, this takes it to a next level with all that protein, thanks!
You’re so welcome, Amy! Thank you for the review 🙂
this is delicious! I’ve never added cottage cheese before and I loved it!
Thank you for the review, Micah!
I’m excited to share this recipe with you! It so yummy and full of protein!