Cottage Cheese Taco Beef Bowl

Serves 4 · 10 min prep · 12 min cook

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef (93% lean)
• 2 tbsp taco seasoning
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
• 3 cups shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 1 lime lime wedges
• to taste hot sauce

Instructions

1. 1Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and break it apart with a wooden spoon as it browns, about 6 to 8 minutes until no pink remains.
2. 2Drain any excess fat if needed, then sprinkle in the taco seasoning and pour in the water. Stir and simmer 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture thickens and coats the beef.
3. 3While the beef cooks, portion the cottage cheese into four meal-prep bowls or containers as the creamy high-protein base.
4. 4Layer shredded lettuce over the cottage cheese in each bowl so it stays crisp against the warm beef later.
5. 5Spoon the seasoned beef evenly over the lettuce. Add black beans and diced tomatoes in neat sections for color and texture.
6. 6Sprinkle shredded cheddar over the warm beef so it softens slightly. Tear cilantro leaves and scatter them on top.
7. 7Squeeze fresh lime over each bowl and add a few dashes of hot sauce if desired. Let the bowls cool slightly before sealing if meal-prepping.
8. 8Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Reheat the beef portion gently or enjoy cold for a ready-to-grab high-protein lunch.