These satisfying and high-protein breakfast recipes are approved by the whole family.  All easy to make and tested by your’s truly, these recipes are all the perfect way to add more protein to your current diet. Thank you so much to Sprouts and locally-owned Birch Benders for sponsoring this post!

As I slowly trudge my way into the world of endurance sports (more on my recent triathlons coming later this month), I’m being told more and more often to add protein to my diet.

Not only do protein-rich foods aid in building and repairing tissue, but they’re the building block needed to make muscle, bone, cartilage, skin, and blood.

In looking at my recent diet, while I’ve been making sure to have plenty of healthy calories and munch fruit and veggies with reckless abandon, I was definitely low on the protein scale.

My food journal has helped me to realize that I was missing a lot of healthy protein in the morning, which is especially important for me since my workouts typically occur in the early AM hours.  This doesn’t leave me with a lot of time to prep a massive meal, so these recipes are quick, easy to make, include very few ingredients, and (perhaps most importantly) are PACKED with healthy proteins.  Even better, all of the ingredients for each recipe can easily be found in your local Sprouts for one-stop, super-easy shopping!

10 High Protein Breakfast Recipes

Super Protein Pancakes

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup Birch Benders Protein Pancake and Waffle Mix (*Note: This pancake mix is super charged with whey protein, equaling 16-grams of protein per serving!)
• 2/3 cup Water
• 1/4 cup Chia Seeds (plus additional for garnish)
• 1/3 cup Dried Goji Berries (plus additional for garnish)

Directions

1. Heat a griddle or skillet to medium-high heat. The pan is hot enough when flecks of water sizzle off quickly after contact. If using a cast iron pan, keep an eye on your heat as the pan will hold heat well and you may need to turn down your burner over time.
2. Lightly grease pan – we like to use about a tablespoon of vegetable oil and use a paper towel to quickly spread and wipe off excess.
3. Combine Birch Benders, chia seeds and water before folding in goji berries.
4. Using a 1/4 cup measure, scoop batter into pan, one or two pancakes at a time, depending on the size of your pan.
5. Cook until bubbles have formed and popped.
6. Turn Once.
7. Remove from heat.
8. If making a larger batch, pancakes can be stored in a 200° oven while you finish cooking.
9. Garnish with additional goji berries and chia seeds, and top with syrup.

Healthy Blender Breakfast Bars

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups Old Fashioned Oats
• 1 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
• pinch of Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 cup whole Milk
• 1 large very-ripe Banana
• 3 tablespoons Maple Syrup
• 1/4 cup Coconut Oil (melted)
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray an 8×8’’ baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Combine 1 1/4 cup of the old fashioned oats, cinnamon, salt and baking powder in a high-powdered blender and process until consistency resembles flour.
3. Add milk, banana, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, egg and vanilla to the blender and process until a relatively smooth batter forms. (You may need to periodically stop the blending and scrape the edges of the blender with a spatula to make sure everything properly mixes together.)
4. Stir in remaining 1 1/4 cup old fashioned oats.
5. Pour batter into baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes or until edges appear golden brown and the center is cooked through.
6. Allow to cool and slice into bars.

Sweet Potato Hash

(Egg free, Paleo, & Whole30-friendly)

Ingredients

• 3 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 small White Onion (chopped)
• 2 Sweet Potatoes (julienne cut)
• 1 batch French Fry Seasoning (I combine salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper in a bowl to create, but add whatever ingredients you prefer)
• 1 t Onion Powder
• 1 t Garlic Powder
• 1 t Salt
• 1/4 t Cayenne Pepper
• 1/4 t Paprika

Directions

1. Heat 1 T oil on medium heat in a cast iron skillet or pan. Add onion and cook until onions are slightly charred, about 10 min.
2. Coat sweet potatoes in french fry seasoning in a medium bowl.
3. Add sweet potatoes to the pan with the onions. Add the remaining 2 T olive oil. Stir to coat potatoes in oil. Add a lid that is wrapped in a dish towel to soak up moisture. This is essential in getting the potatoes crispy!
4. Cook for 10 minutes on medium, then turn to high for 5 to slightly char the potatoes. Enjoy!

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

Ingredients

• 4 Large Eggs
• 8 ounces Mushrooms (de-stemmed & sliced)
• 1 cup Cooked Spinach (de-stemmed; about 1 bunch, raw)
• 1 large Sweet Onion (diced)
• 1/2 cup Green Onion (diced; about 4 springs)
• 1 cup Gruyere Cheese (shredded)
• 1 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 Pie Crust (store bought work, or use can use this recipe to make from scratch)

Directions

1. If you’re making a pie crust, start with that! I like to pre-cook my crust to prevent a soggy bottom, so ‘blind bake’ your crust by setting it up in your pie tin, poking holes with a fork to prevent bubbles, and baking at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes.
2. Caramelize your onions! I added a tiny bit of coconut oil to a pan pre-heated on low heat and popped my diced sweet onion in. Allow this to slowly caramelize, stirring every so often to make sure nothing burns until onions are brown and translucent- about 5-10 minutes.
3. Add sliced mushrooms and spinach to caramelized onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Prepare the filling! Whisk four eggs until fluffy then add in milk and heavy cream, whisk until incorporated.
5. Add your gruyere, your caramelized onion vegetable mixture, green onion, and salt and pepper to taste (I added about a teaspoon and a half of salt and about a teaspoon of pepper.)
6. Pour mixture into your pre-baked pie crust.
7. Pop the quiche into your preheated oven at 375 degrees until the quiche looks like it has formed a bit of a film on top (doesn’t look completely liquid) about ten minutes, and then lower the temperature to about 350 degrees and cook for another 35 minutes or until the center of your quiche has completely set and the top has started to brown.
8. Pull the quiche out of the oven and allow to cool completely before serving! Enjoy!

High Protein Oatmeal

(gluten free, dairy free)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Steel Cut Oats Plain – gluten free
• 1/4 cup Shredded Carrots
• 1/4 cup Shredded Zucchini
• 1 serving of your favorite Protein Powder
• 2 tbsp Egg Whites
• 1/3 cup Water (add as needed)
• Cinnamon and Blueberries to top

Directions

1. Mix oats, veggies, egg whites and water
2. Pop in microwave for 90 seconds, stir
3. Microwave another 30 seconds
4. Add protein powder and a little water if needed (I like mine super thick)
5. Top with cinnamon and berries as desired.

DIY Frozen Egg Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 8 slices of Bread or 4 of your favorite Breakfast Bread (ex. English Muffins)
• 4 of your favorite Breakfast Meat (Black Forest Ham preferred)
• 4 slices of Cheese (Baby Swiss preferred)
• 3 large Eggs
• Fresh Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon Water
• PAM or Butter for greasing pan

Directions

1. Combine eggs, water, and salt/pepper into a small bowl and whisk until frothy on top.
2. Heat a small skillet to medium and coat the bottom of the inside of the skillet with PAM. Add 1/4 of the egg mixture to the pan and let sit for ~1 minute. Flip the egg combination and allow to sit for another ~30 seconds. Remove from heat and repeat the process until you have 4 eggs done.
3. The order for your sandwich can vary, but I prefer the following: bottom slice of bread, slice of cheese, egg combination, freshly ground pepper, breakfast meat, top portion of bread. Once your sandwiches are completed, put in a zipper-close bag to be put in the freezer for up to one month.
4. To reheat, line a microwave-safe plate with a paper towel, before putting the sandwich on top. Heat the sandwich in the microwave until the cheese is melted, which should be ~1 minute.

Strawberry Surprise Protein Muffins

Ingredients

• 3 cups Birch Benders Protein Pancake and Waffle Mix
• 1 cup Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1 1/4 cups Milk
• 12 fresh Strawberries (stems removed)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F, and place liners in a muffin tin.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixing, whip together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Mix in eggs. Add Birch Benders, 1 cup at a time, alternating with portions of milk.
4. Scoop batter into lined muffin tin, filling each cup 3/4 of the way.
5. Press a strawberry, point down, into every well. Top with remaining batter.
6. Bake 25- 30 minutes, until golden brown and fully set. (If testing with a toothpick, be sure to avoid the strawberry.)
7. Let cool in the pan a few minutes before serving. For maximum dramatic effect, slice directly through the center.

Vanilla Banana Protein Superfood Baked Oatmeal

(Gluten-free)

Ingredients

• 3 cups Organic, Gluten-Free Rolled Oats
• 2 servings of your favorite Vanilla Protein Powder
• 2 Eggs
• 3 tablespoons Organic Cacao Nibs
• 1/2 cup Nut Butter (peanut or almond preferred)
• 1 cup Milk (Coconut Milk preferred for the sweetness)
• 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
• 3/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 1 tablespoon Hemp Seeds
• 1/2 cup Organic Coconut Oil (melted)
• 1 Banana (mashed)
• 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup (or sub honey, if preferred)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease an 8 x 8 glass baking pan.  (You could also use a 9 x 13 for a thinner serving.)
3. Mix together all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
4. Pour it all into the baking pan.
5. Cook for 20-25 minutes, until desired consistency.
6. Top with whatever you want (Ashley, who made this recipe originally, prefers nut butter and banana.)  Enjoy!  Feel free to put the rest in the fridge to eat later.

High Protein Vanilla Chia Pudding

(Vegan & dairy-free)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Quinoa (cooked)
• 2 tablespoons Chia Seeds
• 2 tablespoons Hemp Hearts
• 1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Powder
• Dash of Stevia or use 2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
• Pinch of Cinnamon
• 3/4 cup Cashew Milk or Milk of choice

Directions

• Add all ingredients to a jar and stir together. Tighten lid and place chia pudding in the fridge to set, about 2 hours (or more).
• Remove and top with desired toppings. Enjoy!

Avocado and Hemp Seed Waffles

Ingredients

• 1 cup Birch Benders Protein Pancake and Waffle Mix
• 1 Avocado
• 1/4 cup Hemp Seeds
• 1/3 cup Water
• Maple Syrup

Directions

1. Preheat your waffle maker.
2. Mash avocado in a large bowl.
3. Stir in Birch Benders and hemp seed, add water.
4. Scoop onto waffle maker and cook according to your waffle makers instructions.
5. Serve topped with syrup, and garnish with hemp seed and avocado!