Potato and cottage cheese bake and other recipes
This potato and cottage cheese bake is an easy oven dish for days when you want something nourishing but don’t feel like spending ages in the kitchen. Marek Morozov’s recipes also include fish patties, omelets and a chicken casserole, all made with everyday ingredients you can find in the shops.
Why does a potato and cottage cheese bake work so well?
These recipes date back to a time before fitness cooking became a quest for elaborate superfoods. Eggs, fish, chicken, potatoes, cottage cheese and vegetables were what you put on your plate. Frankly, that’s still a pretty sensible foundation.
The potato and cottage cheese bake is a good example. Boiled potatoes provide a filling base, cottage cheese adds protein and eggs bind everything together. If you train in the evening, you can prepare a dish like this ahead of time and simply reheat it later.
The same thinking applies to the other dishes. Salmon and rice flake patties make a good lunch with a salad. The trout and tuna omelets are quicker options you can cook in a pan. The chicken and blue cheese casserole is richer, but you can divide it into several portions.
Potato and cottage cheese bake: a simple basic recipe
For the bake, you’ll need 500 g boiled potatoes, 400 g cottage cheese, 100 g ham, 2 onions, 100 g low-fat cheese, 2 eggs + 2 egg whites, 1 dl milk, dill and green onion tops, and salt.
Dice the potatoes, ham and onions. Lightly fry the ham and onions in an ovenproof dish, then add the diced potatoes, cottage cheese and chopped herbs. Pour over the egg and milk mixture and sprinkle with grated cheese.
Bake in a preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes. The finished bake should be golden on top and soft inside, without being dry. If the cheese starts browning too quickly, move the dish to a lower rack in the oven.
Fish recipes to fuel your training
Salmon and rice flake patties
Mix together 3 dl cooked rice flake porridge, 1 dl coffee cream, 2 eggs, 2 tbsp starch, 1 onion, 2 slices of low-fat cheese and 100-150 g cold-smoked salmon. Season with lemon pepper and a little salt. Use a little oil for frying.
Chop the onion and lightly brown it in a frying pan. Chop the cheese and salmon too, mix all the ingredients together, then shape into thick patties and pan-fry. You can eat them hot or cold with a vegetable and fruit salad. You can also replace the salmon with trout. Servings: 2-3.
Trout omelet
For the trout omelet, use 400 g lightly salted or marinated trout slices, a little oil for frying, 1 small bell pepper, 1 onion or a piece of leek, 2 eggs + 2 egg whites, 4 tbsp milk or water, salt, leaf lettuce, dill, tomato and pine nuts.
Place the fish slices in an oiled frying pan and heat gently. Add the chopped vegetables and cook gently until soft. Beat the eggs with the milk, add a little salt and pour the mixture into the pan. Stir gently a couple of times, then leave the omelet to set over low heat.
Cut the lettuce into thin strips and add a few spoonfuls of pine nuts for flavor. Serve with rye bread and tomatoes. Servings: 3-4. Preparation time: 15 min.
Tuna omelet
For the omelet base, use 2 eggs + 4 egg whites, 3 tbsp water, 1 tsp salt, a little white pepper and 1 – 2 tbsp oil. For the filling, use 1 small leek, 1l tsp curry powder, 1 tbsp oil, 3-4 tomatoes, 1 can of tuna in water (approx. 185 g), 2 tbsp chopped dill, 10 – 12 black olives, salt and black pepper.
Make the filling first. Wash and trim the leek, cut it into strips, then heat the curry powder in oil in a saucepan. Add the leek and cook until partly softened, then add the sliced tomatoes and cook until soft. Drain the tuna and stir it into the filling. Add the dill and olives, then season with salt and pepper.
Beat the eggs, water, salt and pepper together with a fork. Heat the oil in a frying pan, pour in the egg mixture and stir the omelet a couple of times with a fork. When the surface is creamy and the underside is golden, spoon the filling onto one half and fold the other half over it. Serve immediately, for example with whole-grain bread and a salad. Servings: 3-4. Preparation time: approx. 20 min.
Practical tips for getting these recipes right
The first tip is simple: don’t cook eggs over excessively high heat. Your omelet will turn out better if you keep the pan at a moderate heat and let the mixture set gently. If the pan is too hot, the underside will brown quickly while the egg on top is still runny.
The second tip concerns salt. Fish, ham and blue cheese may already be salty. Season lightly at first, then add more if needed. This is especially important when you’re preparing food several days ahead.
The chicken and blue cheese casserole has the strongest flavor of all the dishes in this selection. You’ll need 1 kg chicken breast fillets, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp white pepper, 250 g bell peppers, 250 g onions, 200 g blue cheese, 2 garlic cloves, 250 g plain yogurt, oil for frying, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp salt and 500 g canned peaches or pineapple.
Season the chicken breast fillets with salt and pepper and bake in the oven at 200°C for about 20min. Gently cook the chopped bell pepper, onion and crushed garlic for about 5min. Crumble in the blue cheese and stir until it melts. Add the paprika, chopped chicken and diced peaches. Finally, add the yogurt and bring just to the boil, but do not let it boil. Serve with rice.
FAQ: potato and cottage cheese bake and omelets
Is potato and cottage cheese bake a good choice for a training day?
Yes, especially if you want a simple hot meal with potatoes, eggs and cottage cheese. It works well after a workout or on a day when you need a filling lunch.
Can you use trout instead of salmon in the patties?
Yes. The original recipe says so too: you can replace the salmon with trout. The flavor will be slightly milder, but the patties will still turn out well.
Why shouldn’t you boil the yogurt in the chicken stew?
Yogurt can curdle at a rolling boil. Simply bring it just to the boil, then take the pot off the heat or keep it over very low heat.
Author: Marek Morozov
Source: WHO – healthy eating.
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