Easy high-protein breakfast ideas and recipes - Evanston RoundTable (2024)

After a year of surgeries, overeating, and general malaise, I’m actively trying to lose weight. To this end, I’ve engaged the NOOM app to help me manage and track the “situation.” Along with holding me accountable for my food choices – I’m a food writer and recipe developer, so you do the math – it’s taught me a few things about my metabolism that I hadn’t really thought about. Namely, if you are a woman and/or of a certain age, your body processes things differently. It needs breakfast, and it wants protein.

Eating on a regular schedule, being active, and listening to your body when it says “I’m full!” are all part of the program as well. I’m seeing slow but steady results, which is heartening. Here are some of the things I’ve been eating for breakfast that help me throughout the day in terms of energy (no more sugar crashes or afternoon snoozes) and life balance. Some of these may need a bit of forethought, while some can simply be assembled from on-hand ingredients in your fridge and pantry. All are a delicious start to your morning.

Whole-Grain Waffles with Almond Butter, Raspberries, and Honey

Buy whole-grain waffles from the freezer section (Van’s, Kodiak, Kashi, and Banza all make high-protein varieties). Toast the waffle to your desired crispiness, spread with almond butter, dot with fresh raspberries (or blueberries, strawberries, or blackberries), and drizzle with good honey. If you’re feeling it, sprinkle some flax seeds on top. Enjoy.

Easy Tortilla Roll-Up

Scramble an egg with your favorite seasonings (I use salt, pepper, and za’atar). Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat, and brush lightly with olive oil. Scrape in egg mixture and cook for about a minute. Using a spatula, loosen egg from bottom of pan. Sprinkle with grated cheese of choice and top with a whole-wheat tortilla (best choice: sprouted -grain Ezekiel 4:9 tortillas, with 7g of protein), which will stick to the cheese; press down lightly to adhere. Flip over so tortilla is on bottom and heat for another minute to warm through. I like to throw a few slices of smoked salmon, deli tuurkey, cooked and thinly sliced chicken sausage, or prosciutto on top, and dot with chimichurri, salsa, or aioli. Slide the egg/tortilla onto a cutting board and roll up. Slice in half and serve warm or wrap in foil and eat on your commute.

Green Smoothie

This is different every time I make it, but the general gist is this: In blender container, pour 12 ounces of vegan milk, such as Calafia unsweetened almond milk or Chobani oat milk. Add one frozen banana, a cup of frozen pineapple chunks, a few handfuls of baby spinach, a Granny Smith apple (remove seeds and cut in big chunks, peel left on), the juice of ½ lemon, a ½-inch piece of fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons of almond butter, half an avocado, a pinch of salt, and some ground cinnamon or cardamom. Want to add in a spoonful of protein powder? Go for it. Blend until well combined, then add in a handful of ice cubes and blend again. Adjust seasoning if needed. Makes two generous servings.

High-Protein Egg Bites

These are great to make ahead, or to serve on a buffet for a crowd. Adapt it the way you like it: Change up the seasonings, add-ins, etc. (Ideas for add-ins: sauteed mushrooms and spinach; a sprinkle of parmesan or feta cheese; chopped bacon or crumbled cooked sausage; chopped olives and sun-dried tomatoes.)

To make, line a muffin tin with paper or silicon liners. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray with non-stick spray and put in about a tablespoon of your add-ins if using. In blender, combine 8 large eggs, 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese (2% works well), ½ teaspoon salt, freshly ground pepper, and your favorite seasonings. Blend until smooth. Pour evenly among prepared muffin cups and bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes. They should be puffed and golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center of an egg bite should come out clean. Remove from oven and let egg bite cups cool slightly on a wire rack. You can sprinkle with chopped parsley or dill for a bit of color. Can be frozen once cooled, then popped in a microwave for a minute or so to revive. Don’t have time to make these? Check out Trader Joe’s individual Egg Frittata with Swiss Cheese and Cauliflower in their freezer section.

Cheesy Avocado Toast

Elevate the protein in your avocado toast by using a higher-protein, whole-grain bread and cottage cheese, the current ingredient darling of TikTok. Toast your bread, cool slightly, and cover with slices of avocado. Mash them lightly onto the bread. Spoon some cottage cheese on top and sprinkle generously with everything seasoning and a drizzle of chimichurri sauce. Sometimes I’ll toss on some thin slices of tomato, too.

Some other high-protein breakfast ideas from around the interwebs:

SELF’s Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

Lexi’s Clean Kitchen’s Coconut-Cranberry Protein Bars

Minimalist Baker’s Southwest tofu Scramble

Delish’s Chia Pudding