Start your day on a healthy foot by meal prepping these three high-protein breakfast recipes ahead of time.
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Our Breakfast Meal Prep series streamlines mornings by giving you the shopping lists and recipes you need to prep easy, nutritious breakfasts for the whole week.
If you're trying to get lean, you know eating enough protein is important for plenty of reasons.
Of the three macronutrients, protein can boost your metabolism the most, as explained by an April 2015 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Compared to carbohydrates and fats, protein is also the most satiating.
But when it comes to eating protein, our diets are askew.
We usually backload our diets with protein-rich foods as in, lunch and dinner are higher in protein and our breakfasts tend to be carb-heavy, a June 2014 study in the Journal of Nutrition confirms.
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This is a problem because spreading our protein intake throughout the day versus eating most of it at lunch and dinner helps keep us lean and allows our muscles to grow more effectively.
By meal prepping high-protein breakfasts in advance, you're setting yourself up for success.
You'll actually eat a more balanced breakfast no, chomping on a sugary granola bar on the way out the door isn't the way to go and have a greater chance of reaching your health goals.
To get you started, we've created three high-protein breakfasts recipes and the best part is you only need eight ingredients to make all three.
Each recipe has 25 grams of protein or more per serving, so you can count on these breakfasts to keep you satiated throughout the morning.
This week, you'll be making Buckwheat Pancakes With Blueberry Compote, Blueberry-Banana Smoothie and Creamy Kale and Buckwheat Breakfast Bowl.
You can count on these breakfasts to last you all week. All you need to make them are eight easy-to-find ingredients (and a few more common staples, such as spices, you probably already have at home) to make all three meals.
Either buy these online or shop for them at your local grocery store. Click here for a printer-friendly version of this week's grocery list!
Make sure you've got your containers, so you can save your meal prep leftovers properly. For this week's recipes, we recommend the following containers.
1. Buckwheat Pancakes With Blueberry Compote
These dietitian-crafted pancakes ditch the sugary toppings and call for an easy and delicious homemade blueberry compote.
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Most pancakes are high in refined carbs and added sugar but we gave these a healthy makeover by using buckwheat as the base and sweetening with blueberries instead of syrup.
Buckwheat is a whole grain that provides both protein and fiber. Eggs, milk and protein powder are what help bump up the protein in this dish as well each fluffy stack has 27 grams!
Recipe yields 3 servings for 3 days of the week.
Store pancakes in an airtight container for two to three days in the fridge or up to three months in the freezer.
You'll also want to store the blueberry sauce separately to keep the pancakes from getting mushy. The OXO 2-cup Smart Seal Glass Round Container will do the job.
2. Blueberry-Banana Smoothie
You'll need to grab a large mason jar or tall cup for this fruity smoothie one serving is generous and more filling than your average cup.
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If you grab a smoothie on the way to work, there's a good chance it's filled with juice, sweetened milk, honey and other sugary ingredients.
We made this a fruit-and-veg-packed smoothie that's high in fiber and low in added sugar, all while providing 27 grams of protein per large cup. We used frozen blueberries in this recipe, but any frozen fruit you like will do.
Recipe yields 2 servings for 2 days of the week.
Store the fruits and vegetables in an airtight freezer bag, like the Stasher Reusable Silicone Stand-Up Bag. That way, when you're ready for a smoothie, all you have to do is dump the ingredients into the blender with some liquid and press on.
The smoothie ingredients will keep in the freezer for eight to 12 months.
3. Creamy Kale and Buckwheat Breakfast Bowl
While this recipe calls for kale, you can definitely add sauteed mushrooms to this bowl to bump up its hearty factor.
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We love cooking with buckwheat because it's a hardier whole grain and it's high in fiber 6 grams per cup cooked.
By preparing the grain with milk instead of water, you're not only adding extra creaminess to pair with the cheese, but you're also adding a hefty dose of filling protein. Each serving has 25 grams of protein.
Recipe yields 2 servings for 2 days of the week.
Store your cooked buckwheat bowl in an airtight container, like the Pyrex Simply Store 3-cup Rectangular Glass Food Storage Dish, for three to four days in the fridge or up to two months in the freezer until you're ready to enjoy.
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Continue reading here:
How to Meal Prep for a Week of Metabolism-Igniting Breakfasts With 25 Grams of Protein or More - LIVESTRONG.COM
