It’s safe to say that cottage cheese is having its “it girl” moment and to be honest, I’m here for it! Y’all know I love the dairy section of the grocery store but cottage cheese holds a special plate in my heart because love it or hate it, you cannot deny its nutrient density. With a fairly low calorie content, a fairly high protein content (most brands featuring 10 grams +), and the micronutrients we know and love of milk-based products, cottage cheese is a great addition to your plate! Not sure where to start? Here are 10 of my favorite ways to incorporate cottage cheese into your diet.

A question for the crowd: Why do foods fall into specific categories? Why are pancakes a breakfast food? Why is chicken on the afternoon/dinner menu? When did pecans get limited to trail mix and dessert recipes? Pecans are a seamless addition to much more than pie and can be added to sweet and savory recipes to amp up the satisfaction and crunch factors. Before we get to this delicious pecan-crusted maple and mustard salmon, let’s lean into the versatility of pecans and talk about why you should include them on your plate!

Milk has 13 essential nutrients that can support a healthy and active lifestyle and can even enhance athletic performance. While nutrition is a crucial component of exercise, it’s also important to properly time your snacks to get the most out of your workout. To know which nutrients to focus on, and when to focus on them, it’s helpful to break your snacking into two categories: pre-workout and post-workout. We’ve included a number of delicious recipes below for each, but first, here’s a quick breakdown showing how snacks that include milk and cottage cheese can fuel your workout and help you recover after exercising.

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”… a mantra we have all grown up hearing. Not only is eating breakfast important, but what you choose to eat at that breakfast is equally as important! While some breakfast foods can be high in carbohydrates and nothing else, breakfast is a great meal to focus on fat and protein instead to ensure you are making the most of that meal.

Calling all my fellow coffee lovers, this one is for you! Espresso scented pumpkin bread with a delicious whipped coffee butter icing… need I say more? We’re in the season of pumpkin everything. Pumpkin in your coffee. Pumpkin in your smoothies. Pumpkin in every baked good you could possibly think of. Hey, I’m not complaining, but I am looking to shake things up a bit. This pumpkin bread has light hints of espresso, the spice of nutmeg, and is all held together with Challenge butter. Challenge butter is churned fresh daily from pure cream from its family-owned dairies making it the perfect addition to this delicious fall loaf.

A lot of flavor doesn’t need to mean a lot of time OR require a lot of ingredients. I live by this philosophy when I cook and applied it full force to this simple taco salad. Don’t let its simplicity fool you, this salad is still packed with flavor from fresh ingredients. With only 10 ingredients and minimal prep time required, I see this healthy salad becoming a dinner staple in your house!

A lot of flavor doesn’t need to mean a lot of time OR require a lot of ingredients. I live by this philosophy when I cook and applied it full force to this simple taco salad. Don’t let its simplicity fool you, this salad is still packed with flavor from fresh ingredients. With only 10 ingredients and minimal prep time required, I see this healthy salad becoming a dinner staple in your house!

A lot of flavor doesn’t need to mean a lot of time OR require a lot of ingredients. I live by this philosophy when I cook and applied it full force to this simple taco salad. Don’t let its simplicity fool you, this salad is still packed with flavor from fresh ingredients. With only 10 ingredients and minimal prep time required, I see this healthy salad becoming a dinner staple in your house!

With just 6 simple ingredients, this cinnamon apple and walnut oatmeal is quick and easy and the perfect level of cozy cinnamon spice to get you ready for cooler autumn weather.

We all know that eating well while traveling can be a challenge. Whether you are gearing up for a long flight, a road trip, or your friend’s birthday BBQ, here are 5 tips for healthy snacking while traveling this summer!