We’re just a couple of weeks into the school year and already struggling to find healthy breakfast options the kids will love. Cereal and toaster waffles are easy, but hardly the breakfasts of champions! Most convenience breakfast foods — even the organic versions — are overly processed, loaded with sugar and carbs, and offer little nutritional value. Worse yet, they have very little or no protein. Kids (and adults!) need protein to keep their blood sugar stable and balance neurotransmitters in the brain. Kids who eat a high protein breakfast each morning tend to behave better, feel happier, pay more attention, and perform better in school. This is especially true of children who are hyperactive or inattentive.

Breakfast Oldies but Goodies

The old standbys — eggs and bacon, oatmeal — can be really healthy options. The average egg has over 6 grams of protein, and a slice of bacon has about 2 grams. A 1/3 cup (serving size for a child) of organic oats has over 4 grams of protein when cooked, and when you add 1/4 cup of nuts or seeds you can get another 5-6 grams of protein. What’s nice about plain oatmeal is the versatility. You can add natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup instead of refined sugar. Use coconut milk for 1/2 the liquid for a creamier consistency. Fresh, frozen, and dried fruit are all nice add-ins as well.

Looking for more nutritious breakfast ideas? The high protein breakfast recipes below will keep them going all morning ‘til lunch. Make them a few days ahead of time, and you’ll have all the convenience of a box of cereal, but healthier and more sustaining!

Paleo Baked French Toast with Blueberries, Chocolate Chips & Pecans

Ever since I tried the Paleo Bread Pudding recipe I wanted to make it into a baked French toast recipe. Well, here it is! This is a tasty, sweet, yet high-protein breakfast kids are sure to enjoy. I made this on Sunday and my son loved eating it all week.

Paleo Pound Cake Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tsp coconut flour, sifted
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 3 whole eggs plus 2 separated eggs
• 1/2 cup Perfect Coconut Oil, softened or melted
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Paleo Pound Cake Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the coconut oil, honey, vanilla, and lemon juice well.
4. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients on low-medium speed until any lumps are gone and the batter is smooth.
5. Place 3 whole eggs plus 2 yolks (save the 2 whites for later) in a medium sized bowl.
6. Slowly add the eggs to the batter, 1/3 at a time, mixing well to fully incorporate each addition.
7. Beat the 2 egg whites in a small bowl to create soft peaks, then fold into batter. Add chocolate chips last.
8. Grease and line an 8″ square pan with parchment paper so that two ends of paper fall over the pan edges for easy cake removal once baked.
9. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and cake is a golden brown. Since baking time may vary, watch closely for the last 15 minutes.
10. After the cake has cooled for 10 minutes, run a knife around the edge and remove cake from pan. Allow to cool completely to avoid an eggy taste. Enjoy cake as is, or proceed to the next steps below to make a Paleo Baked French Toast.

• Paleo Pound Cake, above
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 6 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup blueberries
• 1/3 cup pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Cut pound cake into 1″ squares.
3. Melt the butter and whisk together with the maple syrup. Pour into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.
4. Place the cubed pound cake in the dish next.
5. Add blueberries filling in any space between pieces of cake.
6. Beat eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour over the top.
7. Place in preheated oven and bake until golden and eggs are cooked through, 30 – 45 minutes depending on your oven.

Gluten Free Granola

This high-protein, gluten-free granola can be made in advance and eaten plain, with milk, or sprinkled over yogurt and berries. Some kids prefer all the nuts and seeds coarsely ground in the food processor so they don’t see them. To make this grain-free, replace the oats with 4 cups of chopped mixed nuts.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups oats (get gluten free if you can)
• 1 cups walnuts or almonds, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/2 cup honey

Method:

Mix everything together really well and spread into a thin layer on a baking sheet with a silicone mat. Cook at 325°F for 15-20 minutes for a chewy texture, or 30-45 minutes for crunchy. I added 3/4 cup organic dried apple juice sweetened cranberries and 1/2 cup dried apricots to the nut mixture after cooking. Very tasty.

Paleo Egg Muffins

This is a super versatile recipe that can easily accommodate each family member’s preferences and dietary restrictions. Kids will enjoy adding their favorite ingredients to their own muffin cups. My personal favorite was bacon, Swiss, sundried tomatoes, chive and snap peas. YUM!!! My daughter’s favorite was bacon, cheddar and ham. Make these on the weekend and reheat a couple each morning for a quick, healthy breakfast.

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup milk or coconut milk
• butter or coconut oil to grease muffin tins
• veggie, meat, and cheese add-ins of your choosing

Add-ins I used:

• chopped sun dried tomatoes
• chopped snap peas
• cooked bacon
• chopped ham
• cheddar cheese
• Swiss cheese
• chives cut from my garden

Method:

Whisk the milk into the eggs and set aside. Grease the muffin tins liberally or use silicone liners. If desired, place bacon slices along the bottom of each cup to create a bacon “crust.” Fill each cup about 3/4 full with add-in combinations. Then pour the egg mixture over the top of each cup, filling almost all the way. Bake at 350°F for 20 – 35 minutes, depending on your oven and the size of the muffin tins. You will know your egg muffins are done when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Check out more of our healthy, convenient breakfast recipes:

By Kerrie Bross