Eating breakfast within thirty minutes of waking up is important,
but starting the day with the right foods has even greater effect on your
metabolism and muscle development.
Protein is
the nutrient most of us need to stay healthy, slim and energized, particularly
at breakfast. However, instead of whipping up your usual scrambled or boiled
eggs or adding a dash of protein powder into your smoothie, look to some other
delicious foods that can easily add a high content of protein to your
breakfast.
Apple-Cinnamon Breakfast Barley
Whole-grain
cereals are full of protein and fiber. Plus, the milk which used to cook the
grain or top it off contains a whopping eight grams of protein per cup.
Therefore, you will be satisfied with the result when combining them.
Ingredients:
- One cup of uncooked pearled barley
- ¼ cup of chopped walnuts
- 2 teaspoons of brown sugar
- One teaspoon of cinnamon powder
- ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
- One cup of 1% low-fat milk
- 6 teaspoons of chopped fresh apples
Instructions:
--Bring 3
cups of water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Add barley, bring water
to a boil, reduce to lower heat, cover and cook 35-40 minutes or until most
liquid is absorbed.
--Stir in
walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar. Add half a cup of milk and stir
until the mixture is cream, barley is tender and most liquid is absorbed. Add
half a cup of milk, if desired, to reach the consistency.
--Divide
barley evenly among 3 bowls and then top each bowl with apples.
Nutritional highlights: 348 calories, 47g carbs, 28g sugar, 16g
protein, 8g fat, 7g fiber, 2g saturated fat, 144mg sodium, calcium and iron.
Whole-grain Fruit and Yogurt Parfait
Farro, an
ancient grain, which tastes similar to brown rice, but only with a nuttier
flavor and pleasantly chewier texture contains a nice amount of protein with 14
grams per half a cup uncooked and provides other valuable nutrients such as
iron, vitamins A and E and magnesium.
Ingredients:
- Half a cup of dried quick-cooking farro
- 1½ cups of plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup of jam or honey
- 2 cups of berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or blackberries)
- ½ cup of sliced almonds
Instructions:
--Boil the
quick-cooking farro for 10 minutes, drain and leave it cool completely.
--Mix the
yogurt and jam or honey in a medium bowl.
--To assemble
the parfaits, layer the yogurt, grains, fruit and nuts in a jar or a bowl (½
cup of cooked grains, ¾ cup of yogurt and 1 cup of fruit per parfait).
--Serve
immediately or stored in the refrigerator overnight.
Nutritional highlights: 471 calories, 63g carbs, 30g protein, 18g
sugars, 14g fat, 11g fiber, 1g saturated fat, 63mg sodium, undefined calcium and
iron.
Overnight Cookie Dough Oats
If you are
looking to up your protein at breakfast, Greek yogurt is the best choice. It
contains more than twice the protein and less sugar and sodium than traditional
yogurt.
Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons of light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup of nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup of rolled oats
- ⅓ cup to ½ cup of low-fat milk
- 1½ teaspoons of Chia seeds
- A pinch of salt
- Dark chocolate, nuts, Granola, fruit (optional)
Instructions:
--Whisk
yogurt, milk, and sugar together in a small bowl and then stir in rolled oats
and chia seeds.
--Refrigerate
for at least 6 to 8 hours.
--Remove
from the refrigerator and add toppings if necessary.
Nutritional highlights: 267 calories, 53g carbs, 33g sugars, 13g
protein, 4g fat, 0.5g saturated fat, 224mg sodium, undefined calcium and iron.
Almond Breakfast Porridge
Nuts contain
not only healthy fat but also a nice dose of protein. A serving of half a cup
of almonds provides 16 grams of protein. Plus, when ground and heated with
coconut milk, nuts become high-protein porridge.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of ground almonds
- ¾ cup of coconut cream
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
- 1 dash of nutmeg
- 1 dash of cloves
- 1 dash of cardamom (optional)
Instructions:
--Heat the
coconut cream in a small saucepan on medium heat until a liquid obtained.
--Add the
ground almonds and sweetener and stir to mix for about 5 minutes.
--Add the
spices and serve hot.
Nutritional highlights: 502 calories, 42g fat, 22g carbs, 10g
sugars, 16g protein, 9g fiber, 7g saturated fat, 127mg sodium, undefined
calcium and iron.
Pinto Bean Tofu Breakfast Rancheros
It’s not
just the tofu adding protein to this vegan, gluten-free breakfast but also the
beans. A serving of this combination contains up to 18 grams of protein. Yum!
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
- 4 small corn tortillas
- ⅓ cup of canned vegetarian refried pinto beans
- ⅓ cup of diced, extra firm tofu
- 2 teaspoons of fined chopped black olives
- 2 teaspoons of diced green onions
- 2 teaspoons of prepared guacamole
- 2 teaspoons of salsa
Instructions:
--Heat ½
teaspoon of olive oil in a small skillet.
--Spread 3
tablespoons refried beans on one small corn tortilla.
--Place in
the skillet with bean side on top. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons tofu and 1
teaspoon black olives.
--Place
another corn tortilla on top of bean mixture and press. Cook on medium heat for
3 minutes until golden. Turn and cook on the other side for 3 minutes.
--Place on
dish and garnish with 1 tablespoon of guacamole, salsa and green onions. Repeat
the process to prepare second bean-tofu tortilla.
Nutritional highlights: 500 calories, 66g carbs, 20g fat, 18g
protein, 12g fiber, 4g sugars, 2g saturated fat, 618mg sodium, calcium and
iron.
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