Healthy Honey Almond Cream Cheese
Bagels can be a satisfying and delicious addition to your healthy lunches and breakfasts.
I try to keep my bagel breakfast balanced with the addition of fruit, veggies, and protein.
Light cream cheese is great, but one of my favorite combinations is a bagel topped with my homemade Healthy Honey Almond Cream Cheese, which includes cottage cheese as a secret ingredient. It is terrific on English muffins, spooned over Croffles (one of my favorite Korean Recipes), or spread over top of a plain bagel from your local bagel shop.
My favorite is this spread on a blueberry bagel, especially Dave’s Killer Bread cinnamon raisin Bagels.
Ingredients and Tips
Cottage Cheese – I prefer a full-fat cottage cheese for the most flavor.
Honey – In a pinch, you can swap for maple syrup.
Almonds – I prefer to use toasted almonds. It will give the spread more flavor. If you have food allergies to almonds, you can use sunflower seeds.
Vanilla Extract – You could swap for almond extract
Salt – I use flakey sea salt or kosher salt
Step-By-Step Instructions
- In a food processor, blend the cottage cheese until smooth.
- Add the chopped almonds, honey, vanilla, and salt to the food processor. Blend well.
- Taste the mixture and adjust the honey to your liking.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Enjoy your homemade honey almond cream cheese spread on bagels, toast, or as a dip for fruit.
Creating a Balanced Breakfast
You may have heard breakfast is “the most important meal of the day” for many, and this is true. Numerous studies have found eating a balanced breakfast regularly is associated with a range of health benefits including reducing the risk of obesity, type II diabetes, and better school performance in children and adolescents.
A balanced breakfast includes a variety of nutrients in appropriate proportions to provide energy while promoting satiety.
I like to start my day with a balanced breakfast because it kickstarts my healthy eating for the rest of the day. You might be thinking, but Sarah, bagels are NOT healthy. Au contraire, my friend.
Bagels have carbohydrates, fiber, and protein. But most of all, I love the taste! I especially love bagels because I engage in regular exercise. Bagels are a convenient and tasty way to fuel my workouts.
Tips On Creating a Balanced Breakfast
Here are some tips for creating a balanced breakfast.
- Pick more Protein
- Focus on Fiber
- Choose Healthy Fats
- Limit Added Sugar
- Don’t forget those Vitamins and Minerals
Ingredient Spotlight: Dave’s Killer Bread Organic Bagels
The Cinnamon Raisin Remix and Boomin’ Berry Bagels pair oh so well with this recipe. It’s important not to get too hung up on the numbers but here are a couple of reasons why I love to include Dave’s Killer Bread Organic Bagels in my diet.
- With 11 to 12g of protein and 12 to 14g of whole grains, these bagels are baked to keep you fuller longer. Pair The Cinnamon Raisin Remix Bagel with a heaping 1/4 cup of my Honey Almond Cream Cheese and you are eating 18g of protein.
- Pair that combo with a piece of fruit and you’ve got yourself a balanced breakfast or healthy lunch any dietitian would be proud of! Fruit adds additional fiber, vitamins, and minerals making it a smart addition to a balanced breakfast.
More Healthy Recipes
Enjoy these other breakfast recipes that are vibrant, nutritious, and tasty.
Healthy Honey Almond Cream Cheese
Equipment
- 1 Food Processor or blender
- 1 set of measuring cups
Ingredients
- 8 oz cottage cheese I prefer 4% milk fat
- 1/2 cup toasted and chopped almonds
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- In a food processor, blend the cottage cheese until smooth.
- Add the chopped walnuts, honey, vanilla, and salt to the food processor. Blend well.
- Taste the mixture and adjust the honey to your liking.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Enjoy your homemade honey walnut "cream" cheese on bagels, toast, or as a dip for fruit.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Sarah Harper. I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who loves to cook, eat, and talk about food! Here at The Addy Bean, you'll discover an array of flexitarian recipes. My mission is to inspire and encourage others to eat and explore the world of plant-based foods!
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