MAKES 2 SERVINGS / PREP: 5 MINUTES / TOTAL: 5 MINUTES
Italian food means comfort, and nothing says comfort food like an Italian dessert. Italian pastries may be out of the question on a weight-loss plan, but this creamy ricotta cheese will have you thinking you just ate velvety, delicious cannoli filling. Sprinkle on a little 100 percent cocoa powder if you’d care for a chocolate twist.
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon powdered stevia extract
1 In a small container with an airtight lid, use a spoon to mix the ricotta cheese, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and stevia for 1 minute, until the spices are well distributed among the ricotta cheese.
2 Serve right away or refrigerate overnight for even better flavor.
Ingredient tip: Both ricotta and cottage cheese are excellent sources of protein, and the low-fat versions are low in calories. Plus, they are extremely well tolerated in the first few days and weeks post-op. For a savory ricotta treat, mix some low-sugar spaghetti sauce with the ricotta cheese and have a noodle-less lasagna. Try adding Taco Seasoning (here) combined with cottage cheese for a Southwest twist, or stir in some dried onions and chives.
Per Serving (½ cup): Calories: 116 Total fat: 5g Sodium: 140mg Total carbs: 6g Sugar: 4g Fiber: 0g Protein: 13g
Post-Op Servings
¼ cup 
½ cup 
½ to 1 cup