Protein in the am...ideas?

[Reha]

Well, just as soon as I got pregnant, I feel like I have lost all creative ideas about what to eat.

I'm vegetarian, so that does complicate things a bit, but I wanted to see what sorts of ideas you ladies have for eating a protein rich breakfast. I think it will really help me, but I'm out of ideas. I can't eat nut butters everyday, and I don't particularly *like* eggs. Part of the problem, I think, is that almost everything I can think of sounds so unappealing.

Any ideas, anyone? Care to share what you have for breakfast?

[treehugger75]

I'd love to hear some answers to this, also! I know protein is so important, but I just can't think of anything that would be appetizing in the morning.

Or any time of day, really. All I've been able to tolerate today are a few Ritz crackers, yogurt and a pop tart. Ugh.

[Amberoxy]

Just wondering, have you tried farm raised local eggs? They taste a million times better than supermarket eggs so you may like them. If the chickens are fed right, the shells are stronger and thicker and the yolks are a deeper yellow / orange color. They make super scrambled eggs without adding anything to them.

Another thought...how about grilled cheese? I think cheese has protein? Nice comfort food

There's also Kefir...kind of like yogurt but different...made with milk so will give you some protein.

I'm not a vegitarian so don't have much experience with substituting for animal meat but those are the thoughts that came to my brain...

[Ianthe]

tempeh bacon
breakfast burrito with black beans, tofu scramble, etc
tofu scramble
"lightlife" veggie sausage
oatmeal with chopped nuts or nut butter
bagel with peanut butter

thats all I can think of right now!

[kristinb]

Quinoa. Sprinkle some brewers yeast on it. Lots of protein.

Hummus.

Vegetarian chili with lots of beans (who says you have to eat breakfast foods at breakfast?!)

[songbird45]

I've been eating peanut butter toast

[mamaveggie]

Get thee to the library and check out every veggie cookbook they have! I love all of Sarah Kramer's cookbooks and the Vegan with a Vengence. I love black beans on toast for breakfast from La Dolce Vegan

19oz can black beans 1/4c salsa
1/2tsp cumin 1/4c veggie broth
1/2tsp salt 4 slices of toast
1/4tsp black pepper 1/2c cheeese/vegan cheese grated
1/4tsp garlic powder

Cook first 7 ingredients in pot, bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer 8-10 min. Mash it up and put it on toast and garnish with cheese.

Just make up a big batch and stick it in the fridge. Also there are dozens of recipes for scrambled tofu, just change the seasonings. I've been a veggie for the past 6 years through two other pregnancies.

[treehugginhippie]

Not in your DDC and didn't see it posted yet but I LOVED hemp protein powder mixed in with my oatmeal.

[Ianthe]

quinoa can also be eaten like oatmeal, and it's gooood!

[KimProbable]

What about a smoothie with some sort of protein powder mixed in?

[jilly]

Oatmeal with milk or yogurt and toast with marmelade have been my staples here. I'm finding it hard to eat protein at breakfast, but I'm sure making up for it the rest of the day, so I'm not worrying too much. Maybe give yourself a break and eat protein an hour or so after you first eat, if you can.

Also, if you like black beans you could scramble those up with eggs and salsa (if salsa's not making you feel nauseous).

Or you could just give yourself a break for a month or so. You'll make up on the protein front later.

[blissful_maia]

Smoothie made with yogurt, nut butter on toast or on an apple, cheese (grilled, sliced, whatever), oats made with milk or cream, eggs (try them different ways than you're used to... boiled, scrambled in a burrito, so on). Baked beans or beans in a breakfast burrito with cheese etc. I love to make brown rice pudding with milk or coconut milk and stir chopped nuts into it (usually pecans or walnuts)! So delicious!

[organic-mama]

I'm having the same problems. Also, exactly how many grams of protein should we be eating a day while pregnant? I'm finding that since I got preg, I can only eat a very small amount of protein rich foods per meal. I have to force myself to eat my entire bowl of oatmeal in the morning.

[leila1213]

Not in your DDC but I've read that eating protein in the middle of the night, like a piece of cheese or a few almonds, helps stave off morning sickness, so that might make it easier to eat protein first thing in the morning also.

[Reha]

Originally Posted by Amberoxy

Just wondering, have you tried farm raised local eggs? They taste a million times better than supermarket eggs so you may like them. If the chickens are fed right, the shells are stronger and thicker and the yolks are a deeper yellow / orange color. They make super scrambled eggs without adding anything to them.

That's the only kind we buy, but they still taste like eggs.

[Reha]

Originally Posted by mamaveggie

Get thee to the library and check out every veggie cookbook they have! I love all of Sarah Kramer's cookbooks and the Vegan with a Vengence. I love black beans on toast for breakfast from La Dolce Vegan

19oz can black beans 1/4c salsa
1/2tsp cumin 1/4c veggie broth
1/2tsp salt 4 slices of toast
1/4tsp black pepper 1/2c cheeese/vegan cheese grated
1/4tsp garlic powder

Cook first 7 ingredients in pot, bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer 8-10 min. Mash it up and put it on toast and garnish with cheese.

Just make up a big batch and stick it in the fridge. Also there are dozens of recipes for scrambled tofu, just change the seasonings. I've been a veggie for the past 6 years through two other pregnancies.

Thanks! I think the main problem is that NOTHING sounds appealing. I was vegetarian through my last pregnancy, too, but I also spent the first 4 months throwing up everyday, and I'm doing my best to avoid it this time around.

[tinyblackdot]

bean burritos with a verda salsa?

[Reha]

Originally Posted by organic-mama

I'm having the same problems. Also, exactly how many grams of protein should we be eating a day while pregnant? I'm finding that since I got preg, I can only eat a very small amount of protein rich foods per meal. I have to force myself to eat my entire bowl of oatmeal in the morning.

Well, I'm not at all concerned about getting adequate protein at this point. The reason I'm looking for breakfast protein ideas is to help me stave of my morning sickness, which was horrible last time.

[Reha]

I'm coming to terms with the fact that I may be a hopeless case. You have all given me such lovely ideas, and with the exception of oatmeal with protein powder and a smoothie, everything else makes me want to gag just thinking about it. Not good.

Around midnight, I ate a huge handful of almonds. Then around 3am, I woke up hungry, so I got up and had a thick slice of homemade wholewheat bread slathered with peanut butter and topped with a whole banana. I was hoping it would help me feel better when I woke up a few hours later. Not so. I still had the same feeling like if I moved, I might vomit. So, I had dh bring me some crackers with peanut butter and ate them in bed, and I'm doing ok now. I'm sipping calm-a-tum tincutre in hot water, and that helps to.

I just wish food would be appealing, once again.

[Reha]

Originally Posted by jilly

Oatmeal with milk or yogurt and toast with marmelade have been my staples here. I'm finding it hard to eat protein at breakfast, but I'm sure making up for it the rest of the day, so I'm not worrying too much. Maybe give yourself a break and eat protein an hour or so after you first eat, if you can.

Also, if you like black beans you could scramble those up with eggs and salsa (if salsa's not making you feel nauseous).

Or you could just give yourself a break for a month or so. You'll make up on the protein front later.

I read your post thinking....I wish I could just get up and eat oatmeal with milk and toast with jam for breakfast. If only! I'm SO not concerned about protein intake at this point, I'm just trying to live an emesis-free life so far! So far, so good.