While the belief that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” has been blown out of proportion over the years -- both in how “essential” it is to eat immediately upon waking to “stoke the metabolism” as well as how eating breakfast can “ruin” your fat burning (an idea promoted heavily by the intermittent fasting community).
Regardless, there’s no denying the fact that a “proper” breakfast can set the stage for a successful day in the life, no matter if your goal is to build muscle, burn fat, or improve athleticism.
Besides who says that “breakfast” has to be in the morning. Technically speaking, breakfast literally means to break the fast, with “the fast” usually indicating the time from when you eat your last meal of the previous day to when you eat your first meal of the next day.
With this definition, breakfast is whatever your first meal of the day is, whether it’s a protein shake at 6AM before your morning workout or a big plate of steak, rice and veggies at 1PM.
Still, many individuals struggle to eat a quality breakfast (regardless of the time of day that breakfast is consumed), which limits their performance -- both mentally and physically -- as well as their recovery and growth.
With that in mind, here are 5 quick & easy breakfast recipes to fuel your body and mind for maximum results during your transformation challenge!
5 Quick & Easy Breakfast Recipes for Better Results
#1 High-Protein Smoothie
There’s almost nothing simpler or easier to fix that a smoothie -- just throw all of the ingredients in a blender and VOILA! You have an (almost) instant breakfast that’s a one “pot” meal and is packed with protein, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals.
No double you’ve seen so-called “healthy smoothies” at juice bars, coffee shops, and gyms before, but the majority of those options are packed with sugar and very low in fiber and/or protein.
Our high-protein smoothie recipe costs a fraction of what you’ll pay for those overpriced sugar bombs and is teeming with nutrition.
Here’s one of our “go-to” protein smoothie recipes:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk (whichever type of milk you like)
- 1 scoop protein powder (1UP whey protein, egg white protein, organic vegan protein)
- 1 Tablespoon nut butter of choice
- 1 serving (140g) frozen mixed berries
- ½ banana (this helps give the smoothie a milkshake like sweetness and texture)
- ½-1 cup ice cubes
Directions:
- Add all ingredients into the blender in the order listed.
- Blend
- Enjoy!
One of the best things about this recipe (as well as many of the other recipes to follow) is that it’s highly versatile and can be customized to your goals, be it weight loss or muscle gain.
For instance, if you’re looking to build muscle, you could use whole milk and add an extra serving of protein powder or tablespoon of nut butter. On the flip side, if you’re looking to save on calories (thereby supporting weight loss), you could use skim milk (or almond milk) and/or swap nut butter for a defatted peanut flour, such as PB2.
Other ways to jazz up the recipe could include changing the flavor of protein powder, using different fruits, and/or alternating nut butters.
#2 Proats (Protein Oatmeal)
Another quick-fix breakfast that requires next to no effort, yet is packed with protein, fiber, and micronutrients is a bowl of proats -- protein oatmeal.
Much like a protein smoothie, proats can be tailored specifically to your tastes and calorie needs.
Here’s one of our favorite combos:
Ingredients:
- 1 serving of old-fashioned (rolled) oats (40 g)
- 1 scoop of protein powder (1UP whey protein, egg white protein, organic vegan protein)
- 1 serving of blueberries, fresh or frozen (140g)
- Dash of cinnamon (or nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice)
- Optional add-ins: cwalnuts, pistachios, pecans, almonds, nut butter, chia seeds, flax seeds, etc.
Directions:
- Cook oatmeal in the microwave according to the package directions
- Allow to cool for 1 minute and then stir in the protein powder
- Once protein powder is thoroughly incorporated, add berries (using frozen berries helps further cool down the piping hot oatmeal), cinnamon and any other add-ins you wish to include.
#3 Overnight Oats
Protein smoothies and oatmeal are incredibly quick to make, but for those looking for an even easier option (if that’s even possible) is to make your breakfast the night before. That way, all you have to do in the morning is pick it up and eat it!
As with the other recipes discussed so far, you can tailor your overnight oats to your specific calorie and macronutrient needs. So, if you’re looking to drop a few pounds, you can make a “leaner” overnight oats recipe or if you’re looking to build muscle and strength you can “beef” up the size/quantity of the ingredients included.
That’s another of the great things about overnight oats -- you can tailor it to your specific calorie needs and flavor preferences.
Don’t like chocolate? No sweat, use a vanilla or coconut flavored protein powder.
Don’t want to use berries? That’s ok, you can use diced apples, grapes, or any other fruit.
The options really are endless.
Here’s a can’t-miss recipe for overnight oats that we keep coming back to again and again:
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup (40g) rolled oats
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds or ground flax meal
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1 scoop of protein powder (1UP whey protein, egg white protein, organic vegan protein) -- the coconut ice cream flavor of 1UP Whey works phenomenally well in this recipe, especially with mixed frozen tropical fruit
- 1-2 tablespoons shredded coconut
Directions:
- Whisk together all ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Spoon mixture into a jar with a tight-fitting lid (such as a Mason jar).
- Close the lid and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight before eating.
If you’re not feeling the tropical overnight oats vibe, here’s another one of our favorites for you chocolate and peanut butter fans out there:
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup milk of choice
- 1/2 cup (40g) rolled oats
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds or ground flax seed (flax meal)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter (or other nut butter of choice)
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 scoop 1UP Whey Protein Chocolate Peanut Butter Blast
- Optional: For the “bulkers” out there, feel free to also stir in a serving of dark chocolate chips.
Also, if you’re looking for some recipe ideas or help figuring out how many calories you need to eat each day to hit your goals, check out the 1UP Fitness App, where we provide free customized nutrition plans and training programs based on your goals and where you are right now in your fitness journey.
#4 Quickie Veggie Omelette
Eggs are a breakfast staple and for good reason -- they’re packed with protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients like choline (which is important for brain health!).
Eggs are also one of the most versatile foods on the planet that can find their way into both sweet and savory dishes. Best of all, they can be cooked quickly, giving you a delicious, healthy meal that doesn’t take all morning (or night) to prepare.
Now, chances are you’ve probably tried making scrambled eggs in a mug before (with varying degrees of success), but why not try to add a bit of zest and spice to your morning meal with a veggie Omelette.
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1-2 teaspoons butter
- 1 oz (28 grams) shredded cheese
- ¼ cup salsa (homemade or store-bought)
Directions:
- Combine eggs and water in a microwave-safe bowl and whisk together
- Place butter in the bottom of a small 8- or 9-inch glass/pyrex pie plate and microwave on high for 10-15 seconds, just until the butter is melted
- Remove the dish from the microwave and tilt so that melted butter covers the bottom of the plate.
- Pour egg & water mixture into a pie plate and cover with plastic wrap, leaving a small slit to vent steam.
- Microwave on high for 1.5-2 minutes.
- When no visible liquid egg remains, season with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle half of the cheese on one half of the omelet.
- Fold omelet in half with a spatula and sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese.
- Microwave the folded, cheese-topped omelette on HIGH until the cheese melts (about 10-15 seconds).
- Remove the glass/pyrex dish from the microwave and slide omelette onto a serving plate (or eat directly from the pie plate).
- Top with salsa and eat or serve on the side.
#5 Hard Boiled Eggs & Fruit
This one is so easy it doesn’t even really need a recipe. It’s also so deceptively simple (yet highly effective) that most people don’t even think to make it their breakfast.
And, as we just mentioned, eggs are one of the most nutritious foods on the planet, and they’re frequently regarded as the “perfect” protein due to their high biological value, rivaled only by that of whey protein.
Also, if you’re thinking of ditching the yolks, think again as research shows that whole eggs are superior to egg white in terms of hormone response and muscle building potential!
For this final quick & easy breakfast recipe, simply grab a couple (or three or four) hard-boiled eggs and a piece of fruit and you’ve got everything you need for the perfect pre workout meal or grab-and-go breakfast to keep you fueled and energized all morning long!
