Proteinrich breakfast ideas?

[lyktemenn]

I've started going to the gym and find I need to upgrade my breakfast habits a bit, specifically add some more protein to it. So I come begging recipes. I'm a zombie in the morning so I need something that keeps me from burning down the kitchen, i.e. no fiddling with the stove. It's gotta be quick and easy to make, even if prepped the day before. Oh, and no dairy... vegetarian is a plus, but not a requirement;)

Comments

[stealth_noodle]

I was all set to rec refrigerator oatmeal until I got to "no dairy," though maybe dairy-free/soy-based yogurt would work? (I make an even lazier version of this by just mixing uncooked oats with greek yogurt and maybe fruit and then letting it sit a few minutes before eating it, ha ha.)

If you like cold hard-boiled eggs, those are super-easy to make ahead and keep in the fridge. Nuts or nut butters are good, too; I keep a jar of almonds around so that I can have a handful with a protein-poor meal. And sliced almonds on oatmeal are tasty!

[lyktemenn]

Almonds yes! That's an excellent idea, if I can just keep myself from eating them up 5 minutes after I bought them:D

Those oatmeals looks tasty though... might have to try them regardless:)

[katarik]

Make some quinoa the day before. Heck, make a big pot, it'll last in the fridge for a week or so. Heat it up in the microwave or in a double-boiler with a little coconut milk. Add some cinnamon, a little honey or brown sugar, some fruit -- dried or fresh, apples or pears or berries or peaches or cherries or whatevs. Eat!

Oatmeal, if you don't like quinoa, will work nicely as well, but you may want to add some flax seeds/flax seed meal. Steel-cut oats will give you more protein and more fiber than rolled, but rolled oats will still give you more protein and more fiber than instant.

If you have no coconut milk or almond milk or don't like sweet breakfasts, microwave quinoa or oatmeal with a little broth and eat it with salt and pepper and whatever leftovers you have -- sauteed veg? Pasta? Heck, crack an egg on top and microwave it that way.

(Rice milk will work, but has more sugar and less fiber/protein than the others, hence not actively recommending it.)

[lyktemenn]

Quinoa has finally started to hit the shelves here as well so definitely gonna have to test it... a week in the fridge sounds like heaven for my lazy self;)

I haven't even considered broth as something I could combine with oates. Gonna try that first thing tomorrow, I don't even have to hit the stores first:D

[katarik]

Sweetened is how oatmeal is generally eaten in my area (USA) but I know several people who use it as a savory meal. They just cook it with broth instead of milk or water to start with, which would also get you some extra protein and flavor.

[lyktemenn]

Sweetened is the way as well in Norway... or the way I'm most used to, just pour some milk over the oates and add some sugar or jam, then eat. (Which I've been doing lately, making me suspect my family's lactose intolerance is trying to catch up with me. D'oh.) Broth is nice flavor, up in the northern parts of the country you can find it on the machine beside coffee and cocoa... never seen it in the south though:(

(I have no idea where your icon's from, but it's damn cool.)

[katarik]

If you can get almond meal (by purchase or food processor), you could make your own almond milk and do your oats that way! Take some almond meal, wrap in muslin or cheesecloth or a similar fabric, tie it off, put in glass bowl, add boiling water, and let sit. The white liquid you will get after a bit is almond milk, and the remaining almondy Stuff can go in smoothies or oatmeal or baked goods or whatever.

(Thank you! It's from a comic book called The Judas Contract, which is a storyline that took place in the 80's, in DC Comics' Teen Titans line. That particular panel is the first conversation between Major Slade Wilson and the woman who would train and marry him, Captain Adeline Kane. She is, I should add, the one speaking to him: "You're a hotshot, Major. But I can make you better.")

[lyktemenn]

Almond meal shouldn't be hard to get, especially with xmas drawing near with it's marzipan and cakes:D

(Sounds like an awesome captain, gotta add it to my to-read list.)

[metawidget]

I was going to suggest this, too. Cooked quinoa is tasty cold; my wife made some with dried cranberries, squash and feta cheese mixed in, and it was very tasty and kept well. Maybe you could swap in nuts for the cheese? Cashews or almonds might be nice.

[brigid]

You said no oven. Is a blender do-able? A friend of mine recently got a bunch of protein powder that tastes "just like vanilla ice cream, it's great!" and makes smoothies every morning with the powder, almond or soy milk, a banana, flax, and whatever produce she feels like eating (berries, fruits, spinach, etc) and ice. Like me, she is not a morning person, but that goes down easy and fills her up.

If you eat eggs, you could make egg muffins or breakfast burritos and leave them in the freezer or fridge, then heat them up in the morning in the microwave.

Toast spread with nutbutter and sliced banana might be fast and easy as well.

[lyktemenn]

I think that might be do-able, only got the blender a few months ago and have yet to do something horribly wrong with it;)

Burritos sounds good, and I've always wanted to test breakfast muffins (I just forgot they existsXD).

[brigid]

I've made those egg muffin things before, that are like mini quiches or souffles or something where you mix up eggs with a bit of baking soda and drop them in muffin pans with whatever filler you want (I used cheese and sausage and diced sauteed red pepper). Advice: OIL THE FUCK OUT OF THE PAN. I used a cooking spray and still had major stick issues, which was frustrating. Actually, baking them in ceramic (or glass) custard cups (that are liberally oiled) might be a better way of doing it.

You could also make "breakfast cookies" or granola bars or grain-based muffins that have protein added (via protein powder?) or something. When I make cookies or muffins or cupcakes, a lot of times I put a bunch of them in the freezer and then pull out whatever I need the night before I need it. NOTE: I HAVE experienced texture changes with cookies, where they are softer after the freezing and thawing than they were fresh, but not unpleasantly so. I've never done this with a crisp cookie, just chewy ones like chocolate chip, oatmeal, peanut butter, etc.

[bobcatmoran]

I've gone the breakfast muffin route before, and I've found that a silicone muffin tin or liners works wonders when it comes to being able to get your muffins out in one piece.

[wetdryvac]

On the prior-day prep sans dairy: Beans and rice glop. Sounds awful, but flavors easily to taste.

1) 1 cup of rice, rinsed and done up in a rice cooker.
a) I use a 4 cup cooker, rinse rice twice, add water to first knuckle depth.
b) First knuckle - touch finger tip to rice, add water to knuckle.
2) Once rice is done, toss in a pot, add a can of beans, stir, and store.

Rice + Beans (I use black beans, garbanzos, or kidney beans) = complete protein.

I spice to whatever I'm feeling like the night before. Usually a combination of zaatar, garlic, ginger, and chili peppers - but almost any spice you enjoy with rice works. I usually add dairy: Butter, sour cream, cheese, or a combination of the above. Without dairy, I'd probably go with a spot of olive oil.

For the non-veg version, I'll sear up some meat cut in thin strips. If I want proper veg, I'll add anything from steamed spinach to leftover stir-fry. The key is just tossing it all in the pot and stirring until it's somewhat evenly mixed. Come morning, I schlep it into a bowl, microwave, and go. Or, if I've been slow, cold works too.

Weird things that work in place of meat and stir fry which I didn't expect to: Chopped nuts, rice milk, banana or other fruit, peanut or almond butter, leftover almost anything. Doesn't go well with coffee, despite my morning clumsiness including that a couple times.

Bit of mayonnaise and some pocket bread or a wrap, and it makes a lovely portable food for lunch, too.