My 'new' Greek Yogurt

With all the hoop-la over Greek yogurt and its weight management benefits, it is easy to see how someone could get burnt out over eating so much yogurt. I am a fan of plain, because I don't like all the additives (like evaporated cane juice or modified food/corn starch etc) that gets added to flavored varieties, but there is only so much tart yogurt that I can eat with the addition of homemade granola and berries or red grapes. ENTER ricotta cheese! Yes, you heard right, the same stuff you layer lasagna with and make cheesecake out of! For breakfast? you ask....absolutely! Run down to the store and get yourself a container of part-skim ricotta cheese and see the plethora of things you can add to it for a yum-yum breakfast.

First - I know you all want nutrition facts, so in actuality, if is protein you are concerned with 1/2 a cup of part-skim ricotta actually has MORE protein then Greek yogurt! "AHHHH" I can hear the screams now of people who have been self reportedly 'suffering' through consumption of Greek yogurt for the protein because that was a better tasting choice to them then cottage cheese. Ricotta, although unflavored, is not tart like plain yogurt either, and I find the texture - while thick, to be more airy then Greek yogurt as well.

Second - WHAT DO I DO WITH IT you ask? Well here are some suggestions of flavor combos....
*all fruit jam(*) + slivered almonds
*local honey + chopped walnuts
*lemon juice or lemon zest + raspberries
*orange juice or orange zest + pecans
*vanilla extract + banana slices
*cocoa powder + splenda
*high quality extra virgin olive oil or balsamic vinegar + sea salt + fresh black pepper (maybe not at breakfast time!)

(*) I prefer apricot or fig all fruit jam with the ricotta, but ligonberry or a mixed berry would also be great. The snob that I am, prefers French jams - mostly for their lack of additives, but Polaner makes a nice all fruit spread that will work perfectly as well.