Go Further With Food at Breakfast

Breakfast is a time for building up muscles, stamina and frame of mind. This is the meal when protein intake is emphasized.  Breakfast is especially important for seniors and those recuperating from illness or injury.   While most Americans eat the bulk of the daily protein later in the day, it's best to to space the intake throughout the day.  

I aim for 20-24 grams of protein at breakfast.  That's more than a cup of milk or a container of yogurt-though that's a place to start. Soy and pea milk each have equivalent amounts of protein per cup (8 grams) as cows' milk.  Almond, rice and coconut milk do not.  Greek yogurt has twice the protein as regular milk.

Like other meals-include a fruit or vegetable and a whole grain with the protein foods. 

Fennel Muesli pictured above is paired with Greek yogurt (higher in protein than regular yogurt), strawberries and a glass of milk.

Bulgur Breakfast Bowl bolsters protein with peanut butter, ricotta cheese and yogurt.

A slice of Ricotta Frittata (leftover from dinner) has more than one egg and a serving of ricotta cheese.  To this meal, I'd add a slice of whole grain toast and a glass of milk.

This Quinoa Pancake with Lemon "Crema" bolsters high protein quinoa with egg, milk, yogurt and walnuts.   

Hard cooked eggs paired with spinach pesto pairs the ideal protein of eggs with cheese and nuts in the pesto.  This is an "egg-cellant" breakfast item to make ahead.

Try making an "Effortless Egg Salad" on the weekend to make a breakfast on the run sandwich Monday morning.

Nut butters spread on a muffin adds protein to this smoothie bowl breakfast.

Fennel Muesli

12 (1/3 cup) servings

Mix pepitas, almonds, pecans and seeds (It is fine to substitute other nuts). Toss on a wide rim baking sheet.  Toast in a 350 F. oven for 7 minutes.  Reduce oven to 275F.
1/3 cup pepitas
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup pecans
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 teaspoon fennel seeds

Mix honey, peanut butter, oil, orange and vanilla until smooth.  
1/3 cup honey
3 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon vanilla

Toss peanut butter sauce with nuts and seeds and oats.  Mix until completely covered.
2 cups old fashioned oats
Spread onto parchment lined rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.  Stir.  

Chop apricots and berries in a food processor.  Mix with partially roasted granola.  Bake in oven for another 30 minutes.
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/2 cup fresh berries, chopped (I used wild black raspberries picked last season and frozen)


National Nutrition Month® is a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.