"The 3 snacks I swear by to make sure I'm getting enough protein."

On weekends, I morph into a fancy food snob. The tastiest wine, the super extravagant slow roast, the pizza with all the toppings and the chocolate lava cake. I will consume and cook everything and anything that requires a metre long recipe list.             

But during the week I have three goals when it comes to food; tasty, healthy, easy.   

For dinner I tend to stick to a protein (chicken thigh or salmon are my MVPs) with a bunch of vegetables. Lunch tends to be my biggest meal of the day and I go for something hearty like a jampacked sandwich or a big chunk of homemade veggie lasagne. For breakfast I am a granola, Greek yoghurt and fruit kind of gal. 

But by the time I've bought and planned my main meals for the week my enthusiasm to organise and get creative tapers off. It means I often end up eating snacks that probably aren't as nutritious and beneficial to me as they could be. I love the gym and live an active lifestyle, and as part of that I try to keep a close eye on balancing my exercise and food to make sure I am getting the best out of both. 

As my trainer tells me, to hit my daily protein goals I need to be eating protein-rich foods not just in my main meals, but in my snacks too.

Well, lucky I'm obsessed with Bulla Cottage Cheese.

I've realised that if I centre my snacks around one protein it takes away that 'ugh, what the hell am I going to eat after this workout, or to tide me over before dinner' conundrum I find myself in on the reg. 

This is where Bulla's Cottage Cheese comes in handy! It's the best I've found: it's super cheap ($3 for 200 grams), super good for you and super versatile. 

Here's three ways I've been incorporating it into my week-day snacking schedule.

Snack 1: Sourdough with cottage cheese, avocado and chilli flakes.

Image: Supplied. 

What: A wholemeal or grainy sourdough or bread, with Original Bulla Cottage Cheese, sliced avocado and chilli flakes.

When: This is the perfect post workout recovery snack if I'm on the hungry side after a big workout or if I haven't had a proper lunch. So say it's 3 or 4pm and I don't want to fill up too much before dinner, but I am starving AF after a workout? It ticks the box for me as something filling, but not too filling, and full of flavour. 

Why: Protein is the food group you need to help your muscles rebuild after exercise. I do about 3-4 weight based workouts a week, and to reach my goals of building strength and toning my muscles I need to make sure I am incorporating a healthy dose of protein in every meal I eat. 

Due to my work schedule, I exercise around 2pm in the afternoon which is not really conducive timing for eating a huge main meal. It means protein-rich snacks like this, that also incorporate healthy carbs and fats are perfect. 

Snack 2: Prosciutto & cottage cheese Corn Thins.

Image: Supplied. 

What: Corn Thins (I used Onion & Chives flavour), with Onion & Chives Bulla Cottage Cheese and prosciutto. 

When: An afternoon treat when I am craving something salty and luxe. 

Why: Because it's just so damn moreish. Honestly, I would serve this to my friends with a glass of wine. This is the kind of afternoon snack that acts as a healthier alternative to a bag of chips, but doesn't sacrifice on taste. It's a bonus that it also includes a healthy dose of protein.

Snack 3: Crackers with cottage cheese and berries.

Image: Supplied. 

What: Any kind of cracker (the grainer the better) with Bulla Cottage Cheese Original, strawberries and blueberries.

When: Period week.

Why: When it's that time of the month for me all I want to do is dive headfirst into a vat of chocolate, and don't get me wrong... I do. But this is another super yum, super sweet alternative that helps to satiate my cravings, while giving me a hit of protein and a much-needed boost of energy. 

Fatigue is a big one for me when I am menstruating, so making sure I keep my protein intake high helps to combat the brain fog.

Grab Bulla Cottage Cheese from your local Woolworths or Coles.

Feature image: Gemma Bath/Mamamia.