Getting more protein into breakfast

[Pinklightning]

With food restrictions. I’m starting ADHD meds and have been advised by the prescriber to eat more protein in the morning. This will be challenging.

I can now eat almonds after a successful food challenge test but still need to test other nuts.
I don’t eat meat, fish, eggs and try not to eat UPFs too often so wouldn’t add protein powder to anything. I did try some once and it gave me terrible stomach cramps over the few days I tried it. I have IBS and my gut did not like it at all. I don’t think I could stomach cooking anything beyond porridge on a school day morning and don’t have loads of time. I’m very active and need carbs at breakfast otherwise I feel faint by 9am. adding Greek yogurt to porridge wasn’t a pleasant experience and if I have yogurt for breakfast it’s not enough to keep me going. The school run is a 3 mile round walk and it’s hilly.

I’m currently eating leerdammer and breadsticks. I’ve had 18g protein from the cheese. I’ll have hummus and breadsticks for lunch as always. Dinner I’ve no idea. Maybe vegetable soup.

I don’t think I’ll succeed at this especially as the meds are likely to decrease my appetite.

What could I eat?!

I'm vegetarian & don't eat eggs either.

before I had the stroke last year I used to mostly have FAGE (blue, full fat) yogurt for breakfast with almond slices & frozen raspberries. But since the stroke it's a bit 'faffy' for me & I need to eat before I take medication, so I now have single serve Arla Protein Yogurt, it's 200g & it keeps me going all day. (It's also cheaper! Bonus!!)

occasionally I'll have Jason's Sourdough Protein Bread toasted with peanut butter.( the nuts about nature' one , 100% peanuts . (I actually prefer regular peanut butter, but they have less good oils in them).

I take ADHD meds and most days have Skyr which is a naturally low fat fromage frais - tastes like Greek yoghurt - with chopped walnuts and berries. It's high protein.

You could also have Greek yoghurt with fresh fruit and seeds/nuts or topped with granola.

I read once that good quality wholemeal or seedy bread with peanut butter is supposed to combine to make protein as good as red meat.

Nutty muesli with milk will have decent protein.

It sounds weird but I have a porridge that's part oats and part quinoa. I chuck a a cardamom pod and cinnamon into the milk, then add some fruit

Ricotta cheese has a decent amount of protein but low fat. I mix it with strawberries (fresh or frozen), banana, and cinnamon, topped with toasted flaked almonds. Very tasty and filling

I like Alexandra Stafford's chia overnight oats recipe, but made with half kefir instead of all the oat milk. (Obvs you can use diary milk too.)

I recently made some "bagels" with just self-raising flour and Greek yoghurt and although they weren't very bagel-like they were very nice, and very quick. Almost a slightly scone-like texture.

You mention lentils, OP (I love lentils) - how would you feel about a sort of lentil salad for breakfast? A sort of Greek/Turkish-inspired feta and watermelon type affair with e.g. puy lentils.

What would make granola higher protein, presumably lots of nuts and seeds? The nice thing about making your own is it's very customisable. My kids and I like a lot of walnuts, any seeds, and rye flakes, plus olive oil and maple syrup. Often I make it partly with apple compote too.

Some great ideas, thank you.

Protein pancakes with maple syrup.

Oat bran over porridge, more fibre and twice as much protein. Since you can eat hazelnuts @Pinklightning make it with 200ml of hazelnut milk (45g oat bran). Leave it soak for a couple of minutes then 2/2.5 minutes in the microwave. Add whatever you wish on top. Has helped with my IBS, I make it with Plenish Cashew milk though.

Hot hazelnut milk makes excellent hot chocolate too.

Collagen coffee
Cottage cheese on Aldi Protein sourdough (spinach / mushrooms/ grilled tomatos)
Nuts, seeds and berries on Biotuful kefir protein yoghurt
Smoked temph or tofu, crisped up in the airfryer with baked beans on toast or with houmous on a protein flatbread.

@Pinklightning if you don't like the way peanut butter sticks to the roof of your mouth try this.............good brown toast with peanut butter topped with sliced banana..............don't knock it til you've tried it🤣😋

I make smoothies with vanilla Greek yogurt, banana, milled chia seeds, mixed berries.
30g protein
Porridge or granola with seeds with milk
8g
Milky coffee
8g

Baked oats with apple, grated carrots, walnuts, milled chia seeds topped with Greek yogurt and mascarpone is lovely.
25g a portion

@Pinklightning How did you manage 79g of protein yesterday if you didn't have lunch and seemed to live on leerdamer and breadsticks?! Can you give an idea of all the food you had

I try and eat between 100-120g of protein a day and without meat, protein yoghurts, etc. I find it can be difficult.

Overnight oats with greek yoghurt and chia seeds or Weetabix 'cheesecake' are my go tos

Stir a couple of tablespoons of ground almonds through your porridge - super easy way to up protein and feel fuller.

@MrsClattenburg one babybel, 7 slices of leerdammer (split over breakfast and dinner), and banana milk mainly. I love yazoo banana milk but it’s UPF although not too bad in the great scheme of things.

I’ll log everything on my fitness pal over the next few days and see how I do.

Also broccoli has protein in it, I’ve started having that with my eggs in the morning for constipation issues but it does have protein as well as a plus

Low fat Greek yogurt has more protein than high fat apparently.

Do you have an eating disorder op? What’s with all the breadsticks?

Oh chia seeds in greek yogurt with fruit is high protein - let it sit overnight or for at least 1/2 an hour so the chia can expand

Organic protein company is delicious - try their madagascan vanilla - there’s an unflavoured one too you can bung in anything you eat.

I have porridge with a handful of toasted seeds (pumpkin and sunflower), some ground flax seeds and will sometimes stir in a spoonful of peanut butter for an extra boost.

@YesssSpringHasSprung I like breadsticks-has to be Crosta Mollica. They are my favourite lunch with hummus and I eat them daily. They were one of the few things I could stomach yesterday.

I'm waiting for my porridge to be ready. I left the ground almonds at my mum’s otherwise I’d add those to it. I’ve added extra chia and vanilla instead in an attempt to have less sugar on it. I’ve ordered an almond croissant from
Waitrose as a treat now I can eat them. That will be lunch.

I saw you mention hazelnut chocolate spread. You should try the Bonne Maman one. Still UPF unfortunately, but has 20% hazelnuts and no palm oil so much better than Nutella and the supermarket own-brand versions.

Have you considered speaking to a professional nutritionist OP? It sounds like you have various dietary issues that make having a healthy diet that meets your nutritional needs very challenging. I'm a bit worried that you are not making the best choices and are having too much sugar with the risk of diabetes, for example while you will get a decent amount of protein from an almond croissant it is also very high in sugar and fat and not really a suitable lunch on its own. Why not speak to the GP who has advised that you need more protein and ask for a referral?

Are you not hungry at lunch because of the ADHD meds? My DS gets this and really has to up the volume at breakfast and for his evening meal.

I agree that it may be helpful to speak to a nutritionist. I am not sure getting most of your protein from cheese (and I love cheese) is the most balanced approach. I get there are limitations. Even mixing in a bowl of Greek yoghurt with almonds and seeds would help you get more fibre and good nutrition? I can’t see if you are ok with fruits and vegetables but I’d also be filling up with those fo balance.

I really struggled with my breakfast this morning. I had to force it down. I’m going to get more banana milk as I’m happy to drink when I can’t eat well.

I’ll make some fruit compote later got the Greek yogurt I’ve got.

I suspect I may have ARFID as I'm
slso autistic and it goes hand in hand. I’m just very particular about what I will eat and have a lot of sensory issues about food. If I thought about the feel of food in my mouth I probably wouldn’t eat much at all. Avocado is a no. It’s slimy. I don’t like bananas much unless they are just at the right ripeness otherwise the taste and texture is unpleasant.