High Protein Berry Mousse
Posted on February 9, 2013 by Alison Murray
I think that anyone who trains regularly has figured out that their diet is just as important as the exercise they are undertaking. You can lift all the weights you want, but if you’re not fuelling your muscles then you’re missing out on half the equation. I’m not talking about artificially sweetened and flavoured protein bars or wonder powders either. I’m talking about the need for real fitness food. Think steamed fish, poached chicken breasts, hard-boiled eggs, tofu and tempeh, beans and seeds – all delicious and fantastic for you. I believe however that there also has to be some fun-food somewhere. We all want (need?) a little dessert now and then!
Cottage cheese is one ingredient that is now a fridge staple in our house. Why? Well it’s brilliant in both savoury and sweet recipes, low in fat and high in protein and calcium. While eating it off the spoon is an, ahem, acquired taste I’ve been enjoying eating it on crackers with home-grown cherry radishes or whipping it into some banana pancakes or a bowls of oats in the morning.
Cottage cheese is particularly great though for after-dinner desserts. Being full of casein protein, it’s a very slow digesting protein to aid muscle building all throughout the night while you sleep. It’s a truly wonderful protein source for muscle repair with an extremely high biological value of around 85%. With 2 servings for this recipe, you’re getting around 16g of protein from a very delicious dessert. Cottage cheese is also pretty unique that it’s naturally low in carbohydrates, it’s the ultimate guilt-free pre-bedtime snack!
Just about any berry or fruit flavour will taste fantastic here; this dessert is as versatile as it is guiltlessly rich and velvety. Try it with puréed fruit like overripe bananas, sugar-free fruit spread or some cacao and peanut butter (foodgasm!). If you want the mousse to be firmer, add more almond meal. Thaw your berries completely if you want them to break down and streak through the mousse more.
- 250g cottage cheese
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp fresh apple juice
- 1 tbsp almond meal
- optional sweetener – ½ tbsp coconut, rapadura or other unrefined sugar OR maple syrup
- 150g frozen berries, thawed slightly.
- Use a blender or food processor to process cottage cheese, juices, almond meal and sweetener (if using) until creamy and all lumps are gone. This may take a few minutes, but it will get there!
- Pour mixture into a large bowl and fold through frozen berries berries until breaking up and streaking through mixture. Serve immediately.
Now, I’ll leave you with my Fresh Friday list for the week
- I have been promoted at work, meet the new Assistant Manager of Sunnybrook Health Store/Gluten Free Shop
- Kam also got a promotion and pay rise, so go us! Woohoo! We’re putting the extra income towards buying a house.
- I harvested my first mini watermelon of the season today, check instagram for the image (soon).
No biggy, but the ONLY things I like with cottage cheese are, first, pineapple tidbits or chunks, and if out of pineapple, canned Mandarin oranges. I really prefer just a carton of 2% cottage cheese and unfortunately I can eat a whole carton in the evening watching TV or while I’m on the computer. I really try to dish out one portion from the carton but crave plain cottage cheese the way some people crave chocolate. Just thought I’d mention it. My daughter cannot stand cottage cheese except mixed with garlic & rosemary in her lasagna in lieu of ricotta.
I LOVE cottage cheese with pineapple too and in the middle of summer love to combine them in the form of pancakes or pikelets for breakfast, YUM! I’m not as brave as you in eating the whole carton Janie, but I’m building up to it the more I’m falling in love with cottage cheese My partner loves savoury dishes using it, like your daughter, but he really loved this dessert and asks for it often
Thanks for the comment!
I don’t mean to sound like a suckup, but I saw this linked on your FB page and within 5 minutes of reading the recipe I was eating it!
I always have cottage cheese in the fridge and by luck bought berries last night (not frozen) – this was so yum my son and I ate the whole thing right now. Thankyou Ally!
With such kind words, you can suckup to me anyway Alyssa! So happy you loved it, making a mousse is one of my favourite ways to guiltlessly indulge with cottage cheese!
Could I use coconut flour instead of almond flour to increase the protein/fibre even further? I’ve always got frozen berries for protein smoothies, next time I’m going to try this instead of a protein shake.
Coconut flour is very thirsty, so I’d suggest using maybe 1/3 less than what I have in the recipe and see what the texture is like. What time do you normally workout Peter? As I have said in the post cottage cheese is the best protein to have before you go to bed for recovery.
What a healthy mousse! I like that sweetness of berries in this.
Me too Natalie, I’m a sucker for berry desserts… Especially when I don’t have to feel guilty afterwards
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