Ten Protein Focused Breakfasts

If you browse the breakfast aisle in any grocery store, you would be lead to believe that processed carbohydrates should be the focus of your first meal of the day.

• bagels

• breads

• muffins

• croissants

• cereals

• oatmeal

• English muffins

This concept of eating processed grains stems from our unhealthy food pyramid that prioritized grains as the staple of our meals since the early 1990s. Even our current food guide still encourages one fourth of your meal to be from grains.

If you look to the average North American diet, the rest of our meals revolve around grains as well.

• sandwiches or wraps for lunch

• pasta and rice as main or side dishes

• potatoes as a staple in homes (potatoes are a vegetable however they are not great for nutrients and they are high in starch which spikes your blood sugar)

• snacks of granola bars, crackers, cookies, and chips

Grains are cheap to produce but they lack decent nutrients beyond fibre. When you plan your meal around grains, you spike your blood sugar and resultantly, your insulin levels. This puts you on the slow but steady track to metabolic health issues.

Where the current Nutrition Guide does get it right is where they focus on about half your plate being made up of vegetables. The reason I like this is because vegetables (and fruits) are not only very high in vitamins and nutrients but they are high in fibre. The truth is you can get your fibre from vegetables instead of getting it from processed grains. Grains don’t need to be completely avoided but they can be used minimally and more as a garnish instead of as a main food source.

Why focus on protein for breakfast?

There are a number of reasons to focus on protein during your first meal.

Protein is satiating.

We stay fuller, longer when we eat protein. One egg has 80 calories in it and if you were to compare that to an 80 calorie glass of orange juice, you would be much fuller, longer with the egg.

Protein helps regulate cravings.

Protein takes longer to digest than carbohydrates and thus it helps regulate our appetite and minimize cravings.

Protein helps stabilize blood sugar.

Protein breaks down very slowly and thus not only minimizes blood sugar spikes but it also helps blunt the effects of carbohydrates on blood sugars.

Protein increases lean muscle mass.

When we lose weight, we can lose muscle mass too. However, if you consume protein, your body is more focused on shedding fat instead of muscle mass. Secondly, the muscle-building effects of protein helps with maintaining a healthy weight as muscle burns more calories.

How you start your day determines how you finish it.

Research shows that if you start the day off with a balanced breakfast, you are much more likely to continue making better choices throughout your day. This is a process called HABIT STACKING and it’s premise is that with one healthy habit, you make more and more to see compounding positive effects.

• drinking water instead of caffeinated or sugary drinks

• going out for a walk during work or school breaks

• choosing to consume other balanced meals during your day

• opting for vegetables or healthy fats for a mid afternoon snack (if needed)

• opting for herbal teas instead of alcohol after dinner

• meditating before bed instead of scrolling on socials

Let me share with you ten protein focused breakfasts that can help you get started on the right foot each morning.

Ten Protein Focused Breakfasts

These breakfasts are all easy to make and take less than less than 10 minutes to prepare (except for the Egg Breakfast Bites). Every ingredient can be re-purposed for other meals throughout your day so that you aren’t adding costs to your grocery list each week.

GODDESS SMOOTHIE
- 1 C raw milk
- 1 handful berries
- 1/4 C mint leaves
- 1 scoop Vanilla Whey Protein (dōTERRA)
- 1 tbsp fibre (dōTERRA)
Blend together until smooth.

THREE EGG PROTEIN WRAP
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 C veggies of choice, chopped
- 2 pieces bacon
- 1 tbsp shredded cheese of choice
- 1 protein wrap (La Tortilla Factory)
Saute bacon and veggies together. Add eggs to cook through. Top with cheese and serve on protein wrap.

PROTEIN PANCAKES with BACON
- 1 banana, mashed
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 1 scoop Vanilla Whey Protein Powder (dōTERRA)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Bacon (cook separately)
Mix together ingredients and cook as you would normal pancakes. Serve with fresh berries as topping.

GREEK YOGURT with FRESH FRUIT
- 1/2 C Greek plain yogurt
- 1/2 C berries
Top with berries and serve. Truthfully, this is a LOW protein breakfast and should be consumed alongside 2 eggs.

VEGGIE OMELETTE
- 3 eggs, whisked
- 1 C veggies of choice, chopped
Saute veggies together. Add in eggs. Cook until done and serve.

SMOKED SALMON, AVOCADO & HB EGGS
- 2 slices smoked salmon
- 1/2 avocado, sliced
- 2 hardboiled eggs
Arrange on plate, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve.

EGG BREAKFAST BITES
- 6 oz bacon, chopped & sauteed
- 2 C spinach, chopped
- 1/2 C onion, chopped, sauteed
- 1 C shredded cheese
- 8 large eggs, whisked
- 1/2 C half & half cream
Grease muffin tin or use silicone muffin liners. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs and cream. Add in spinach, onion and cheese. Divide evenly into muffin tin. Spinkle evenly with bacon. Cook for 22 minutes at 375. Serve immediately or freeze for later use.

SAUSAGE & VEGGIES
- 1 turkey sausages
- 2 C chopped onions and sausage
- Salsa
Saute veggies and cook turkey. Add together and top with salsa. Serve.

PBJ Smoothie
- 1 C raw milk
- 1 tbsp almond butter
- 1/2 C frozen strawberries
- 1 tbsp fibre (dōTERRA)
- 1 scoop Vanilla Whey protein powder (dōTERRA)
Blend all ingredients together and serve.

Let me know which breakfast you’d be most likely to make each morning. Stick to a protein-focused breakfast for 7 days and look for differences in your level of hunger and energy throughout your day.