Nutri-Data . . . Cottage Cheese : Tasty Ideas for an Everyday Food Take the Boredom Out of Dieting

More than any other food, cottage cheese has been synonymous with dieting. Cottage cheese with pineapple, cottage cheese with tomatoes, cottage cheese with peaches, pears or apricots and cottage cheese in a cantaloupe. No wonder dieters become bored.

But why not use cottage cheese as an ingredient instead of as a bland main dish to mound on a lettuce leaf and garnish with fruit? The ideas here feature low-fat cottage cheese as a substitute for cream, sour cream or other rich ingredients, turning an otherwise high-fat dish into a low-calorie plate.

Pasta With Artichoke and Cottage Cheese Sauce is a bold blend of flavors in the manner of the Piedmont region of Italy. Shallots, mushrooms and artichoke hearts are sauteed, then blended with cottage cheese, Sherry, Parmesan cheese and basil for a pasta dish that provides plenty of taste for its 366 calories per serving. Complete the meal with fresh fruit or a green salad dressed with lemon juice.

Colorful Fruit Platter

For a lower-calorie pasta dish, try the Noodle Cottage Cheese Scallop. This simple dish is a combination of wide noodles baked in a sauce of cottage cheese, peppers and onion that adds up to only 266 calories per serving. A green salad and glass of nonfat milk will supplement this dish with vitamins A and C, calcium and riboflavin.

Other ideas here include a colorful fruit platter dressed with a creamy mustard dressing that uses cottage cheese enriched with sour cream but still adds up to only 229 calories per serving. Or try baked zucchini stuffed with a savory cottage cheese filling or a not-so-standard cottage cheese salad spiked with chopped green onion, green pepper, celery, tomato and basil.

Low-fat cottage cheese offers a healthy choice for the calorie-conscious, and with a little imagination it should remain synonymous with dieting without becoming boring.

PASTA WITH ARTICHOKE AND COTTAGE CHEESE SAUCE

1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and cut in halves

6 ounces mushrooms, quartered

1 shallot, chopped

2 tablespoons margarine

1/3 cup milk

2 cups low-fat cottage cheese

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon dry Sherry

1 tablespoon chopped basil or parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

12 ounces pasta, cooked and drained

Saute artichoke hearts, mushrooms and shallot in margarine in large skillet. Add milk, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, Sherry, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer until cheeses are melted and smooth. Serve over hot pasta. Makes 6 servings.

PER SERVING: 366 calories; 21 gm protein; 50 gm carbohydrate; 9 gm fat; 587 mg sodium; 443 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 33% Riboflavin 36% Vitamin A 10% Niacin 26% Vitamin C 11% Calcium 12% Thiamine 39% Iron 12% NOODLE-COTTAGE CHEESE SCALLOP

4 cups wide noodles

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1/4 cup margarine

3 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

2 cups nonfat milk

1 pound low-fat cottage cheese

Paprika

Cook noodles in boiling water until tender. Drain well. Cook onion and green pepper in margarine 5 minutes. Stir in flour, salt and celery seeds. Slowly add milk and cook until thickened. Fold in cottage cheese. Combine noodles and sauce and turn into greased 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees 45 minutes. Makes 8 servings.

PER SERVING: 266 calories; 14 gm protein; 29 gm carbohydrate; 10 gm fat; 866 mg sodium; 204 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 22% Riboflavin 17% Vitamin A 09% Niacin 07% Vitamin C 12% Calcium 13% Thiamine 12% Iron 06%

FRUIT PLATTER WITH COTTAGE DRESSING

1 avocado, peeled and sliced

1 papaya, peeled and sliced

1 head bibb lettuce

1 small cucumber, sliced

2 cups watermelon balls or cubes

2/3 cup low-fat cottage cheese

2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Cottage Dressing

Arrange avocado and papaya slices on lettuce-lined platter. Surround with cucumber slices and watermelon balls. Place cottage cheese in center and sprinkle with bacon. Serve with Cottage Dressing. Makes 6 servings.

Cottage Dressing

1 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 clove garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons tarragon vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Combine cottage cheese, sour cream, garlic, vinegar, mustard, salt, white pepper, paprika and sugar in blender container. Blend several seconds until smooth. Chill until ready to serve.

PER SERVING: 229 calories; 12 gm protein; 16 gm carbohydrate; 14 gm fat; 503 mg sodium; 620 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 19% Riboflavin 18% Vitamin A 37% Niacin 07% Vitamin C 72% Calcium 10% Thiamine 10% Iron 10%

LOW-CAL COTTAGE CHEESE AND ZUCCHINI

2 pounds zucchini (4 medium)

Boiling water with 1 teaspoon salt

1 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1/4 cup minced onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon rosemary, crushed

3/4 teaspoon marjoram

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup half and half mixed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Paprika

Trim ends from zucchini. Gently cook in boiling salted water 5 to 8 minutes or until barely tender. Run under cold water to cool. Cut each zucchini lengthwise, removing top third. Chop top third pieces. Scoop out and discard seeds from center of each zucchini. Drain upside down.

Mix cottage cheese, onion, salt, rosemary, marjoram, pepper and chopped zucchini. Spoon into zucchini shells. Place in shallow baking dish. Spoon half and half over top. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees 25 to 30 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

PER SERVING: 164 calories; 12 gm protein; 12 gm carbohydrate; 8 gm fat; 527 mg sodium; 474 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 19% Riboflavin 23% Vitamin A 20% Niacin 10% Vitamin C 40% Calcium 17% Thiamine 10% Iron 06% CONFETTI COTTAGE CHEESE

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1 tablespoon minced green onion

2 tablespoons finely diced celery

1 tablespoon finely diced green pepper

1/4 cup seeded and drained diced tomato

Dash crushed dried basil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Black pepper to taste

2 leaves Boston lettuce

Combine cottage cheese, green onion, celery, green pepper, tomato, basil, salt and pepper. Serve on lettuce leaves. Or, place mixture on lettuce leaves and roll up to eat out of hand. Makes 1 serving.

PER SERVING: 124 calories; 17 gm protein; 9 gm carbohydrate; 2 gm fat; 1,016 mg sodium; 390 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 26% Riboflavin 15% Vitamin A 20% Niacin 04% Vitamin C 58% Calcium 10% Thiamine 06% Iron 06%