4 Quick And Healthy Breakfasts With 30g Of Protein

If you know you need to eat more protein but aren’t sure where to start, breakfast is a good place. Eating a sizeable portion of your daily protein goal first thing not only ticks a box early, it also helps to curb energy slumps, sugar cravings and sluggishness later in the day. Current UK guidelines recommend 0.75g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, but this number can change depending on your age and lifestyle. For example, if you strength train regularly or have an active job, this number may increase. If you’re older and more sedentary, it’ll decrease.

“Eating a healthy portion of protein for breakfast can help balance blood sugar and energy,” says nutritionist and founder of Artah, Rhian Stephenson, who tends to recommend closer to 1.2g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight to her clients. “Plus, studies have shown that front-loading your day with adequate protein improves satiety and decreases appetite throughout the day.” Consider us persuaded. Here are four simple high-protein breakfast recipes to incorporate into your morning routine.

1. High-protein yoghurt bowl

Nutritionist and functional medicine practitioner Farzanah Nasser eats this high-fibre, high-protein breakfast most mornings. “This recipe hits 30g of protein and 13g of fibre, which is almost half of the daily recommended amount. It also contains two sources of probiotics (which helps maintain a healthy gut microbiome), and will keep you full until lunchtime – no energy crashes in sight.”

• 150g 0% fat Greek yoghurt
• ¼ to ½ cup kefir
• 20g shelled hempseed
• 20g ground flaxseeds
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• 1 heaped tsp oats
• 1 heaped tsp almond butter
• Fruit of choice
• Optional: honey

1. Add the yoghurt, kefir, hempseed, flaxseeds, chia seeds and oats into a bowl and mix well.
2. Then top with your fruit of choice (Nasser likes one green and one yellow kiwi fruit) and a drizzle of almond butter and honey.

2. High-protein spinach scramble

“This satisfying breakfast is quick to make and provides a healthy dose of protein to start the day,” says Lingo by Abbott’s resident nutritionist, Sophie Bertrand. “Eggs are rich in a variety of nutrients, including vitamins A, B12, E, as well as choline, zinc and selenium. The spinach adds beneficial antioxidants and fibre, too.”

• 3 large eggs
• ¼ cup low-fat cottage cheese
• ½ cup fresh spinach
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: 1 tbsp chia or hemp seeds

1. Heat a pan over medium heat and add the olive oil.
2. Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk them until the yolks and whites are well combined.
3. Pour the eggs into the pan and cook, stirring gently, until they begin to set but are still slightly runny.
4. Add the cottage cheese and spinach to the eggs and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the eggs are fully scrambled and the spinach has wilted.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle in chia or hemp seeds if using.
6. Serve immediately and enjoy.

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3. High-protein peach smoothie

“This peachy ‘springtime in a glass’ smoothie not only delivers more than 30g of protein – thanks to the protein powder – but the hemp seeds and nut butter support everything from blood sugar balance to muscle recovery and neurotransmitter health,” says naturopathic nutritionist and hormone specialist Jessica Shand. “The maca root powder helps with energy and hormone balance, while the bee pollen supports immunity, and the fruit is rich in antioxidants.”

• 200ml organic kefir
• 50ml unsweetened almond milk
• 1 scoop protein powder
• 1 tsp maca powder
• 1 tbsp bee pollen
• 1 peach
• 1 cup frozen raspberries
• ½ cup frozen avocado
• ½ cup frozen mango
• 2 tbsp hemp seed
• 1 tbsp nut butter

1. Add all ingredients to your blender and blitz until smooth.

4. High-protein vegan eggs on toast

“Tofu is a minimally processed product made from soya beans and is an excellent source of protein with good amounts of all nine essential amino acids,” explains plant-based nutritionist Rohini Bajekal. “This recipe is also rich in herbs and spices, which are the most antioxidant-rich of all food groups. When you use them in dishes, it tends to reduce the desire for excess salt, oil and sugar.” This recipe pairs well with sourdough or rye bread, says Bajekal, but you could also pop it into a wrap for a portable version.

• 150g firm tofu (15g protein
• 50g chickpea flour (10g protein)
• 30g spinach (1g protein)
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (4g protein)
• 1 slice wholemeal bread (3g protein)
• ¼ avocado
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ small onion, diced
• ¼ bell pepper, diced
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp cumin
• Optional: ¼ tsp black salt
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh herbs such as basil for garnish

1. Mix the chickpea flour with 60ml water, salt, and 1 tbsp nutritional yeast to make a batter.
2. Cook this batter in a small pan like a pancake until set on both sides.
3. In another pan, sauté the onion and bell pepper in olive oil until soft.
4. Crumble tofu into the pan, add turmeric, cumin, paprika, black salt and remaining nutritional yeast.
5. Cook for 5 minutes, add spinach and cook until wilted.
6. Toast bread and top with mashed avocado.
7. Serve tofu scramble over the chickpea pancake with avocado toast on the side and garnish it with fresh herbs.