I love starting my day with a hot breakfast of eggs and veggies. It’s my go to, and the combination keeps me satisfied and satiated for a few hours. I also like knowing I’ve eaten a few solid servings of veggies first thing in the morning!
I keep things varied by changing up the type of egg I make day to day and what veggies I incorporate week to week. Some of my favorite combos are Brussels sprouts and sweet potato or mushrooms and peppers. Or any combo of those with spinach!
Occasionally though, I’ll find myself in the mood for something different – at least for a day or two before back to eggs it is! Also, not all my clients love having eggs for breakfast, for various reasons – some just don’t like them, some are sensitive to eating them, others find they don’t actually keep them that full despite being such a morning go to staple.
Here are 5 go to high protein breakfast suggestions without eggs:
Smoothies
Smoothies are a great way to get in a lot of nutrients right away first thing, especially if you are someone who doesn’t enjoy cooking and/or you want ways to sneakily up your veggie content. For protein, you can add Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, protein powder, even tofu! Ingredients like chia seeds, flax seed, and hemp can add an extra protein punch too. One of my favorite smoothie combos is 1 scoop chocolate protein powder, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 cup cold water, 3/4 cup frozen cherries, 1 cup frozen spinach, 1/3 an avocado, 1 tbsp chia seeds, and ice. So delicious!
Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are another option for those who don’t love to cook and/or just want something quick to grab and go in the morning. You just combine all or most of the ingredients in a mason jar or lidded container, refrigerate overnight, then wake up in the morning, stir, and enjoy. A nice base template you can follow is 1/2 cup rolled or quick oats, 1/2 cup milk of choice (I like unsweetened almond), and 1/2 cup yogurt or cottage cheese. Then you can add in your fruit, nut butter, chia seeds, a little vanilla extract, etc. Feel free to play around with other mix ins too. I’ve also added protein powder to overnight oats for an added boost. Both the smoothies and overnight oats tend to make their appearance more in the summer months in my house, especially when it feels too hot to cook.
Protein Pancakes
Yes, you can make pancakes without any eggs! You can actually use flaxseed and water to make an egg substitute – just combine 1 tbsp ground flaxseed and 3 tbsp water. You can combine that with 1/2 cup rolled oats, some vanilla protein powder, 1/4 almond or coconut milk, 1/4 cup cottage cheese, and 1 tsp ground cinnamon, and you have a single serving protein pancake. Obviously you can make more than one to have on hand. Top with fruit like some banana, or mix in fruit like blueberries.
Yogurt or Cottage Cheese Bowls
With this option, you’ll use a few scoops of yogurt or cottage cheese as your high protein base, and then you’ll add your favorite mix ins. Think about fruit, nuts, protein powder, some high protein granola or cereal, coconut flakes, chia seeds, really anything goes!
No Egg Scrambles / Sautes
Finally, think about how you can make some scrambles still without the eggs. I have a client who loves having a chicken sausage, kale, and veggie sauté in the morning. She can make it ahead of time and just heat it up. I have another vegetarian client who uses tofu in the scramble in lieu of eggs, and I’ve seen the same done with chickpeas. I am always reminding my clients that they don’t HAVE to eat “breakfast food” just because it’s the morning. Could you have a breakfast salad? Why not?
Hope these egg-less options help give you some new ideas to change things up if you are in a rut!
Readers, let’s chat! What are your favorite go to egg-less breakfasts? Leave a comment below!