In the past few years I’ve come to realize several new adult-preferences about myself; things I didn’t think twice about in previous years that just seem right these days.
Like eating ricotta cold, instead of cooking it atop pasta/pizza, etc.
While I’m still game for a good hunk of lasagna now and then, and won’t turn away a slice of pizza, ever, I’ve found that in either of those circumstances I would prefer a fresh dollop of ricotta on top, instead of having it already baked in. There’s something about the cool, creamy, delicately textured cheese that just tastes better to me when it’s uncooked.
Strange as it may seem, ricotta has become one of my go-to snacks lately. I’ve taken to eating little bowls of it with a drizzle of honey and olive oil, maybe a handful of nuts or a pinch of flaky salt on top. Once I realized how satisfying it was to eat ricotta like I do yogurt, I ended up mixing the two and using them as the base for breakfast.
And, in case you’re curious, Maple Brook Farm’s Hand Dipped Ricotta is hands down my favorite ricotta, ever. Don’t even get me started on their fresh mozzarella or burrata cheeses..OMG, so incredible. If you live in New England you need to get your hands on some of their cheeses, ASAP (I usually grab them at local markets and/or health food stores but they are pretty much always at Whole Foods, too!).
I digress; this post isn’t about Maple Brook Farm. It’s about the dreamy, creamy combination of ricotta, Greek yogurt, and orange zest, topped with your favorite winter citrus and a hearty drizzle of both olive oil and raw honey.
Yes!
It may seem like a strange combination at first, but by mixing the ricotta with yogurt it gets a little tangy, which is the perfect compliment to juicy sweet citrus, grassy olive oil, and floral honey. And, for a little bit of texture and a boost of nutrients, I even added a few pinches of hemp seeds on top. Toasted hazelnuts, walnuts, or almonds are also great choices here.
As far as citrus goes, the choice is all yours. I opted for a Blood Orange and a Satsuma Mandarin on the day I photographed these, but any citrus you love eating will work here: I’ve used Cara Cara Oranges, Cocktail Grapefruits, Pomelos, Clementines- you get the point. If it’s a ripe, juicy winter citrus that you’d love eating plain, it’s going to be incredible atop this ricotta bowl.
And, though it may seem like an exceptionally fancy breakfast, making yourself a ricotta bowl in the morning isn’t significantly more labor-intensive than a regular old bowl of yogurt topped with fruit and granola.
Whether or not you’ve recently discovered a personal infatuation with cold ricotta, I think you’re going to love this fun take on a yogurt bowl for breakfast.
It’s:
Creamy
Protein-packed
Filling
Sweet
Tangy
Colorful
and Downright fun to eat.
If you make it, let me know how it turns out! Leave a comment below, or take a picture and share it with me on Instagram. Enjoy, Friends!
Citrus & Ricotta Breakfast Bowls
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup full-fat ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- zest from half an orange clementine, mandarin, blood, cara cara, etc
- 2 small or 1 large orange or other citrus fruit of choice
- 1 Tablespoon shelled hemp seeds aka hemp hearts
- a drizzle each of extra virgin olive oil and raw honey
Instructions
- 1. Scoop yogurt and ricotta into a serving bowl, and stir them together with the orange zest. If using a larger citrus fruit like cara cara or navel oranges, grapefruit, or pomelo, only use the zest of about a quarter of the fruit (to yield 1/2 teaspoon, at most).
- 2. Peel and segment the citrus, and slice into bite sized pieces. Top ricotta mixture with citrus slices, hemp seeds, olive oil, and honey. Eat immediately.
Notes