Healthy Recipes Nutrient-Focused Diets High-Protein Recipes High-Protein Breakfast & Brunch Recipes 19 High-Protein Breakfasts for Healthy Aging By Camryn Alexa Wimberly Camryn Alexa Wimberly Camryn Wimberly is EatingWell's Editorial Fellow. As a food and mental health blogger, Camryn explores how food and cooking can help improve mental health and also be an avenue to connect with one's culture and heritage. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on October 28, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Close Photo: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel As you age, it’s important to make sure you’re eating a variety-filled diet that provides your body with the essential nutrients it needs to thrive. These tasty breakfast recipes meet our parameters for healthy aging since each dish contains at least 20% of the Daily Value for nutrients like fiber, calcium and/or vitamin D. They’re also high in protein, with at least 15 grams per serving, to support healthy muscles, bones and more. You’ll want to try options like our Cauliflower Steaks with Poached Eggs & Pesto Hollandaise and Black Forest Cake-Inspired Overnight Oats for a nourishing breakfast that will help you feel your best. 01 of 19 Peanut Butter, Banana & Blueberry Overnight Oats Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek These overnight oats pack 17 grams of protein per serving, thanks to Greek-style yogurt, peanut butter and soymilk. We sweeten these oats naturally with banana, and add blueberries for more fruity flavor. Divide the mixture into Mason jars for an easy grab-and-go breakfast. View Recipe 02 of 19 Cauliflower Steaks with Poached Eggs & Pesto Hollandaise Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel This weekend-worthy dish features cauliflower “steaks” flavored with Italian seasoning and topped with sautéed kale, a poached egg and pesto-flavored hollandaise. No need to fret over finicky homemade hollandaise—our blender method simplifies the process, bypassing the stovetop hassle with a creamy stable sauce that won’t break or separate. View Recipe 03 of 19 Black Forest Cake-Inspired Overnight Oats Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley These overnight oats are filled with classic Black Forest cake flavors. From the rich chocolaty oats to the sweet, dark cherry yogurt base, it feels like having dessert for breakfast in the best way possible. Dark sweet cherries are traditional for the classic cake, but you can replace the cherry yogurt and chopped cherry topping with another fruit if you prefer. View Recipe 04 of 19 Greens-&-Gruyère Mini Quiches This mini quiche recipe uses classic Provençal flavors—garlic, oil-cured olives, anchovies, caramelized onions—to season these very-green egg cups. They keep well, perfect for breakfast on the fly, but the flavors are sophisticated enough to serve for brunch. If you frequently make mini quiches, consider investing in silicone mini muffin tins; they make popping these out a dream! View Recipe 05 of 19 Mixed Berry Cheesecake-Inspired Overnight Oats Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Marianne Williams, Prop Stylist: Tucker Vines These cheesecake-inspired overnight oats feature layers of sweet berries and creamy oats with a graham cracker topping, just like the classic dessert. Any combination of berries works well here. If your favorite berries aren’t at their peak, swap them out for frozen, keeping in mind that they may add more liquid to the mixture as they sit. View Recipe 06 of 19 Scrambled Tofu & Spinach Wraps Jacob Fox Tofu stands in for eggs in these healthy vegetarian wraps stuffed with onion, bell pepper, spinach, feta and lots of fresh herbs. Serve these wraps for a filling breakfast. View Recipe 07 of 19 Overnight Quinoa Pudding This quick and easy recipe blends quinoa and chia seeds for a protein-packed dessert or grab-and-go breakfast. This recipe uses kefir rather than milk for a probiotic boost and, instead of refined sugar, this pudding relies on maple syrup for its sweetness. Prep time is minimal—just leave the mixture in the refrigerator overnight to firm up. View Recipe 08 of 19 Avocado Toast with Burrata Burrata (cream-filled fresh mozzarella cheese) takes this avocado toast recipe to the next level for a weekday-friendly breakfast. View Recipe 09 of 19 Breakfast Bowl with Egg, Spinach & Feta Jen Causey This breakfast bowl with eggs, spinach and sesame-crusted feta is absolutely delicious. The sesame seeds add nuttiness and crunch to the feta, while the inside remains soft and creamy. If you're in a pinch for time, you can skip the step of cooking the feta, and use toasted sesame and crumbled feta as a garnish instead. View Recipe 10 of 19 Snickers-Inspired Overnight Oats Photographer: Stacy K. Allen, Props: Christina Brockman, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf Dessert for breakfast? Yes, please! These fiber-rich Snickers-inspired overnight oats have all the features of the famous candy bar—crunchy peanuts, rich chocolate and a buttery caramel drizzle over tender and tangy oats. View Recipe 11 of 19 Spinach, Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie Ali Redmond Peanut butter and banana is a classic combo that's even more delicious with the addition of tangy probiotic-rich kefir. Plus, this peanut butter banana smoothie helps you up your veggie servings for the day with a bit of mild-flavored spinach mixed in. View Recipe 12 of 19 Peach Pie Overnight Oats Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling These peach pie overnight oats are packed with the classic flavors of peach pie, featuring warming spices and layers of cooked summer-ripe peaches bringing dessert-like flavors to breakfast. If peaches aren’t in season, you can substitute with frozen peaches—just thaw and drain them before cooking. View Recipe 13 of 19 Muffin-Tin Spinach & Mushroom Mini Quiches Switch up your morning routine with these easy vegetarian mini quiches. Earthy mushrooms and spinach pair nicely with rich and creamy Gruyère cheese. Serve them on a platter with a fresh fruit salad for a simple weekend brunch. View Recipe 14 of 19 Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser These overnight oats are chock-full of classic strawberry-cheesecake flavors—from the rich cream cheese layers to the sweet strawberry base, this feels like dessert for breakfast in the best way possible. If strawberries aren’t at their peak, swap them out for raspberries, blueberries or chopped stone fruit like peaches or nectarines. You could try frozen strawberries, but they may add more liquid to the mixture. View Recipe 15 of 19 Savory Oatmeal with Cheddar, Collards & Eggs Have you tried savory oats yet? It's a nice change-up from the sweet way oatmeal is typically served, plus you get a full serving of vegetables. Serve with hot sauce, if desired. View Recipe 16 of 19 Peanut Butter-Banana French Toast Casserole Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster This French toast casserole is sweetened with banana and a touch of maple syrup. The drizzle on top adds nutty peanut butter flavor to every bite. If your peanut butter is lumpy, blend the custard filling in a blender to smooth it out. You can add chocolate chips or chopped nuts for extra flavor if you prefer. View Recipe 17 of 19 Brownie Batter Overnight Oats Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Love dessert for breakfast or breakfast for dessert? This brownie-batter overnight oats recipe is a delicious way to start or end your day. The melted chocolate shell on top is fun to eat, plus adds texture and sweetness. If you want to skip the melted chocolate topping, stir the chocolate chips and cocoa nibs directly into the oats. View Recipe 18 of 19 Strawberry-Banana Green Smoothie This green smoothie recipe is sweetened only with fruit and gets an extra dose of healthy omega-3s from flaxseeds. View Recipe 19 of 19 Carrot Cake Overnight Oats Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Catherine Jessee, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle Carrot cake for breakfast? We say yes! These carrot cake overnight oats taste just like the classic dessert—complete with a frosting-like layer—but with far less added sugar. We like layering some of the frosting in between layers of oats, but you can just dollop it all on top if you prefer. View Recipe Medically reviewed by Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. 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