You’ve heard the saying before: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But are all breakfasts created equal?
September was deemed “Better Breakfast Month,” an occasion to remind people that there are indeed better — and equally convenient — alternatives to eating a couple of toaster pastries straight out of the package.
So what are the elements of a better breakfast? Does it taste better? Is it healthier? More convenient? The answers are yes, yes and yes.
LIMU LEAN® Protein Shake Mix is a fantastic source of protein with over a dozen essential vitamins and minerals. This gives you flexibility to create healthy, tasty, cost-effective recipes — and because variety is yet another key to eating a better breakfast, here are four great ways to do just that:
1. Greek Yogurt Protein Pancakes
Who doesn’t love pancakes? The Greek yogurt in this recipe helps these pancakes stay incredibly moist, so you can prepare them the night before for a quick reheat. Otherwise, the batter will stay good for up to the next three mornings.
Ingredients:
• ½ cup rolled oats
• ½ cup flour
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 large eggs, 1 large egg white (mixed together)
• 1 packet, LIMU LEAN® Creamy Vanilla Protein Shake Mix
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp. unsweetened almond milk
What you’ll need:
• Medium skillet
• Cooking spray
Directions:
The night before:
• Add all the ingredients to a bowl or blender in the order listed and whip until the oats have broken down and batter is frothy.
The morning of:
• Preheat a skillet over medium heat and coat it with cooking spray or light oil. Set a timer for five minutes as you go about your morning routine, because you want to make sure that it’s very hot before you start cooking.
• Using a ladle, drop batter onto skillet until desired size of pancakes is reached. Cook until the edges begin to look dry and bubbles start to form on the top of the pancake, about one minute. Using a spatula, flip and cook about two more minutes on the other side. Repeat with the remaining batter, making sure to coat your skillet again with oil between each batch.
2. Carrot Cake Protein Muffins
You see those huge, delicious-looking muffins in the cases of coffee shops and bakeries all the time. The temptation can be overwhelming until you think about them as the butter and calorie bombs they are. But the addition of applesauce and chocolate protein powder make these muffins just as moist and delicious, without any of the guilt. Plus, they’ll be right there in your fridge, ready to go.
Ingredients:
• 3 large carrots, finely grated
• ½ cup rolled oats
• ½ cup flour
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp. honey
• 1 packet, LIMU LEAN® Dutch Chocolate Protein Shake Mix
• 1 tbsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• pinch of salt
What you’ll need:
• Two six-cup muffin pans (the large kind) or a single 24-cup pan (the medium kind).
• Paper muffin liners matching the size of the pan.
• Cooking spray
• Grater
Directions:
• Preheat oven to 350° F for the medium muffins or 325° F for larger ones.
• Grate carrots and place in large bowl.
• Combine applesauce, eggs, flour and oats, and mix well.
• Add honey, protein powder, cinnamon, baking powder and salt and mix well. Fold in raisins and walnuts.
• Line pan(s) with cups and fill each cup two-thirds with batter. Fill each unused cup with two tablespoons of water to keep the pan from warping.
• Bake medium muffins for 20–25 minutes; larger ones for 25–30 minutes. The muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
3. Peanut Butter Protein Breakfast Bars
There’s a problem when it comes to store-bought protein bars: they’re overpriced, not filling and the flavors leave a lot to be desired. On the other hand, homemade protein bars can be so good it can sometimes feel like cheating. These peanut-buttery protein bars pack plenty of homespun flavor, and the extra peanut butter coating on top cooks up to form a unique, satisfying texture.
Ingredients:
• 1 ½ cups, rolled oats
• ¼ cup, wheat germ
• ¼ cup, ground flax seed
• 1 packet, LIMU LEAN® Creamy Vanilla Protein Shake Mix
• 1 tsp., cinnamon
• ½ tsp., salt
• 3 bananas, ripe
• ⅓ cup, natural peanut butter (for mixture)
• ¼ cup, natural peanut butter (for topping)
• 2 tbsp., honey
What you’ll need:
• 8×8-in. baking dish
• Aluminum foil
Directions:
• Preheat oven to 350° F. Line bottom and sides of 8×8-in. baking dish with aluminum foil. Spray with cooking spray.
• Stir oats, wheat germ, flax seed, protein powder, cinnamon and salt together in a bowl. Mash bananas in a separate large bowl and stir one-third-cup peanut butter, honey and vanilla extract into bananas, mixing well. Stir dry ingredients into banana mixture and spread onto the prepared baking dish.
• Spread peanut butter over the top.
• Bake for 20 minutes.
• Cut into squares and refrigerate before serving.
4. Kale and Avocado Smoothie
Earthy, nutty and slightly sweet, this smoothie recipe is invigorating, very filling and chock full of nutrients while also being rich in fiber and monounsaturated fats — the good kind, which help lower cholesterol.
Ingredients:
• Handful, ice cubes
• 6 oz. unsweetened almond milk
• 1 packet, LIMU LEAN® Dutch Chocolate Protein Shake Mix
• ½ Hass avocado
• 1 heaping tbsp. natural creamy peanut butter
• 1 small banana
• Handful kale
What you’ll need:
• Blender
Directions:
• Add ingredients to blender in the order listed and blend until smooth. If the result is too thick for your liking, just add almond milk a little at a time until you reach a desired consistency.
Related: LIMU LEAN Holiday Treats: 5 Healthy Recipes for Your Seasonal Sweet Tooth
