Protein in Your Breakfast

This isn't my first blog discussing the importance of breakfast and it probably won’t be my last. Breakfast has long been touted as the most important meal of the day and as I've mentioned in the past, there is truth and some mistruths mixed in that statement. You see, the timing of breakfast, how most of us think of it as that early morning meal, is not what it’s all about. The magic is in what your breakfast is made of.

Think of breakfast as just what it is, a break in the small fast you have had while you have been sleeping. Whether that break is at 6am or 10am or 1pm gets into the weeds on intermittent fasting (a topic for another day). Instead, the truth in breakfast being the most important meal of the day lies in what you eat during that meal. Breakfast (at whatever time you choose to eat it), basically sets the metabolic tone for your body for the entire day. So, how do we make sure we are getting our bodies and our metabolic health off to the best start? Protein.

Protein in your breakfast will help stabilize your blood sugar levels and can lead to more gradual rises and falls in blood sugar throughout the day as opposed to the quick spike and resulting crash caused by most of the typical American breakfasts (cereal, granola, oatmeal, doughnuts, biscuits, pastries). Protein will also keep you feeling full longer and provide a sustained release of energy throughout the day, contributing to improved focus and productivity. Most of the protein-rich foods typical for breakfast are also nutrient dense and contain essential vitamins and minerals. A waffle can’t do that for you. Below are 5 of my favorite high protein easy-to-make breakfasts. Try them out for yourself and let me know what you think!

1. Rancheros Scramble (27 grams of protein)
   2 eggs, scrambled
   1 TBS. avocado oil
   ½ cup of black beans
   ¼ cup of shredded cheese
   ½ cup diced tomatoes

2. Kate’s Powerhouse Smoothie (34 grams of protein)
   1/2 cup Greek yogurt
   1 cup water
   2 TBS chia seeds
   1/4 cup almond butter
   ½ cup of milk or almond milk
   1 TBS flax seeds
   ½ banana
   1/2 tsp. cacao powder
   Dash of ground cinnamon
   1 cup ice

3. Plant Based Bowl (25 grams of protein)
   1 cup cooked Farro
   ½ cup shelled cooked edamame
   ¼ cup cooked navy beans
   ½ cup tomatoes, diced
   ¼ cup hummus

4. The Sweet & Savory (28 grams of protein)
   ½ cup Greek yogurt (mix with next 3 ingredients)
   ¼ cup walnuts
   1 TBS. chia seeds
   ¼ cup diced strawberries
   &
   1 egg scrambled with 1 oz. goat cheese

5. Western Breakfast Bowl (32 grams)
   1 egg scrambled in ½ TBS. grassfed butter
   ½ cup diced cooked steak
   ½ cup shredded cheese
   ½ cup diced tomatoes
   ½ cup diced green bell pepper