One of my June goals was to try to cook two recipes that are high protein/low carb or no carb, and I tried one with my son Barry on 03 June. I found this recipe on Facebook of all places. Madelaine Rascan has a reel on Facebook where she is making the viral cottage cheese wrap that I am sharing with you today. I discovered today that she also shared the same video on Youtube, so I will share that video with you at the end of this post.
Full disclosure, I did not follow the directions exactly the way Madelaine was trying to teach me in her video because I was SUPER excited and not paying attention, so I accidently doubled the ingredients. Thankfully, it worked out since Barry and I both wanted to try this wrap. We each had our own wrap instead of having to split one.
Ingredients
- 225 grams of cottage cheese *
- 2 eggs
- any seasonings *
- grated Parmesan cheese *
- healthy favorites for stuffing the wrap
* Note: For cottage cheese, I used Mayfield Dairy Farms Lowfat Cottage Cheese 1% Milkfat that I found at Target. For seasonings, I used a bit of salt and garlic powder. I did not add grated parmesan cheese.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Blend cottage cheese, eggs, and seasonings in a blender UNTIL smooth NOT runny.
- Put parchment paper on a baking pan.
- Pour mixture on the parchment paper in a circular motion by starting at the center, and working it around in a circle slowly. Don’t make it too thin.
- Gently press the mixture out to the side in the shape of a flatbread. Again, don’t make it too thin.
- Put it in the oven for 30 or so minutes or until golden brown to avoid mushiness inside.
- Let it cool for about 5 minutes before removing the wrap from the parchment paper.
- Stuff the wrap with your healthy favorites and cut it in half.
Since there is a good amount of protein (about 37 grams) in the cottage cheese wrap, I stuffed mine with one mini cup of Wholly Avocado Organic Smashed Avocado with Sea Salt (57g), tomatoes, and about 1/3 cup of shredded mild cheddar cheese. It was delicious!
I will definitely make this wrap again. However, I think I will add one more step next time. When I pull it out the oven, instead of letting it cool for 5 minutes and stuffing it right away, I will let it cool enough that I can pull it off the parchment paper without ripping it. Then, flip it over on the parchment paper and bake for another five minutes. Also, I will NOT blend it to death like I did the first time because the mixture got too runny. Excitement will do that to you, dear reader! Thankfully, I used a circular pan which contained it from spreading too thin on the pan.
Let me know if you try this recipe, dear reader. Also, if you have any healthy, high-ptotein recipes you enjoy, please share them with me. Here is the link to Madelaine’s video if you want to watch her making the cottage cheese wrap. I find her entertaining. She has plenty of healthy recipes, and there are quite a few that I want to try in the future. Happiness!
“All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
A month ago, my hubby and I stayed overnight at the Blake Hotel in New Orleans. Since he travels a great deal for work, he occasionally receives a free stay at a hotel. With COVID-19 cancelling plans and limiting activities this summer, we decided to take advantage of the change of scenery. Between me working as a supervisor for the ACT at Southeastern earlier in the day and restrictions in the city, we knew we would not be able to do much in New Orleans except maybe enjoy a nice dinner and go for a short walk around the French Quarter.
We were greeted by a friendly hostess who asked us to write our names and phone numbers in a notebook before being seated. Apparently, due to COVID, this is a social practice for restaurants in New Orleans. Appropriate social distancing was implemented within the dining area, so we felt comfortable. Emily was our waitress for the evening. She was lovely and took great care of us throughout the meal. Since this was the first time eating out in New Orleans in some time and probably would be the last for quite awhile, we opted to splurge. We started the evening off with 
cocktails. I chose the Oceana-tini (Absolut Vodka, Bols Sour Apple Pucker, Midori, & a touch of sour mix) and the hubster ordered a beer. Our appetizer was fried eggplant sticks. Yummy, crispy, and not greasy! I love fried eggplant, but I do not prepare it at home. When given the chance to order it while dining out, I take it. Next up, the entrees!
When Emily approached us about dessert, we ordered the New Orleans Bread Pudding (to split) without hesitation. I adore bread pudding, and there are so many ways it can be prepared, so I rarely pass up the opportunity to indulge in such a delightful treat. Yum-yum…yum-yum-yum! It was one of the finest bread puddings that I have ever eaten. I’m actually fantasizing about it right now.
I ordered a combo meal: meatball pho with a grilled shrimp Banh Mi, a Vietnamese PoBoy (sandwich). Michelle opted for the same, but ordered brisket pho. The bread used to make the sandwich comes from a well-known Vietnamese bakery in New Orleans East called Dong Phuong Bakery. The bakery is famous for their king cakes. I have not been fortunate enough to try one of their king cakes; however, the bread that was used to make my Banh Mi was delicious.
My first experience eating Vietnamese at Pho NOLA was gratifying. My food was scrumptious. The meatball pho was heavenly and a perfect choice for the cold day (warm with a perfect blend of seasonings). A basket was brought to the table with basil, cilantro, bean sprouts, and scallions to garnish the pho. I chose only to add bean sprouts and cilantro. My sandwich tasted fresh and flavorful with the right combination of grilled shrimp dressed with aioli (light mayo mixture), pickled carrots and daikon (radish), cucumber, and cilantro. YUMMO! We topped off lunch by ordering BOBA Smoothies with tapioca pearls. I requested a mango and pineapple smoothie (delicious), and Michelle requested an avocado one (equally delicious). She was sweet enough to let me taste her avocado smoothie. Now, I dream about these delightful concoctions. What a wonderful treat with my AMAZING friend! Pho NOLA was a hit and a perfect place to start trying twenty new restaurants this year.
Having lunch and spending time with Michelle is always a happiness boost. Trying a new restaurant AND a new cuisine with her was a joyful adventure. I will definitely eat Vietnamese cuisine again, and I look forward to trying the different types of pho. Dear reader, I highly recommend having an adventure eating a cuisine that you have never tried before or visiting a new restaurant. You can even be adventurous at a restaurant that you frequent often by trying something new. I’d loved to know what new foods or new restaurants that you have tried recently. Please share your adventures with me because I have 19 more new restaurants to try before the end of 2020.
The Kat Files 