Upgrade Your Morning Bagel By Adding A Protein Boost To Your Cream Cheese

If you love starting your mornings with simple, reliable meals, bagels and cream cheese often satisfy your taste buds in a way no other breakfast food can. The only drawback to these chewy baked goods and rich, milky spread is the fact that (even together) they don't always pack enough protein to keep you full and energized until lunchtime. However, you don't have to swap out this popular pairing for more filling recipes, such as high-protein English muffin breakfast sandwiches. All you need to do is make a protein-rich cream cheese alternative made solely from Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and salt.

Believe it or not, Greek yogurt contains significantly more protein and fewer calories than most cream cheese brands. While 100 grams of cream cheese contains roughly 300 calories and nearly 6 grams of protein, the same amount of Greek yogurt equates to approximately 100 calories and almost 9 grams of protein. Fortunately, as long as you have some cheesecloth and a colander, you can turn Greek yogurt into an extra-nutritious cream cheese substitute.

Once you add small amounts of lemon juice and salt to your yogurt, spoon the combined mixture into the cheesecloth. Then, add the yogurt to your colander and place it over your mixing bowl to collect any excess moisture. From here, all you need to do is store this setup in your refrigerator for 24 hours. By the following day, you'll have thick and creamy Greek yogurt cream cheese.

To turn your next container of Greek yogurt into protein-rich cream cheese, there are a few factors you should keep in mind. For starters, use full-fat Greek yogurt instead of low or non-fat varieties. Full-fat Greek yogurt successfully transforms into a cream cheese alternative that has a rich taste and lush consistency similar to regular cream cheese. While you can definitely make this substitute with low-fat varieties, these contain more water and often yield a thinner result.

Speaking of texture, once you combine your cream cheese ingredients and place the yogurt mixture in your colander, consider weighing it down with a heavy object, such as a coffee mug or small plate, for the thickest end result. The pressure from this additional weight will ensure all of the residual moisture from your yogurt is removed. On that note, if you don't have cheesecloth for proper draining, you can also use a nut milk bag, a clean dishcloth, or a few sheets of sturdy paper towels as sufficient alternatives.

Once your cream cheese is sufficiently drained, enjoy it plain or flavor it with a few sweet and savory extras. Savory options include garlic powder, chili flakes, and fresh herbs. Sweet-tasting mix-ins include strawberry jam and cinnamon sugar. Now that you have a high-protein cream cheese alternative to enjoy, you're free to explore more ways to take plain bagels and cream cheese to the next level.