Struggling to pack protein into your diet? Here’s a vegetarian breakfast, snack and shake you can fit into any day, that are all high in protein. 

If you’re vegetarian, no doubt you’ve heard the question ‘but how do you get enough protein in your diet without any meat?’ And to be fair, it’s a valid query, something probably a lot of meat-free eaters have asked themselves too. When we think of protein, our mind may jump to a chicken breast or salmon fillet, but there are actually lots of plant-based foods that are packed with protein too. Here are three recipes for a breakfast, snack and shake that all provide a healthy dose of protein. 

High protein breakfast:

toast with hummus, spinach and egg 

This power breakfast ticks all the boxes: spinach for protein and vitamins, whole wheat bread for fibre, hummus for healthy fats and eggs for extra protein. All in all, this is a protein-rich breakfast that will make your muscles extra happy. Eating it within half an hour after your workout will increase that effect.  Want to double your post-workout protein intake? Pair this with the smoothie recipe below. 

Cooking time: 10 minutes 

15g protein per serving 

Serves: 2 

- 2 eggs 

- 100 g spinach 

- 2 tbsp water 

- ½ tsp ground turmeric 

- 1/2 tsp ground cumin 

- 1 tsp salt 

- 2 thick slices of wholemeal bread 

- 3 tbsp hummus 

- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil 

- Sea salt flakes 

- Pepper 

- Optional: ½ tsp chili flakes 

1. Boil 2 eggs for 7 ½ minutes. Rinse under cold water. Peel and halve the eggs.  
2. Preheat a skillet on medium and cook the spinach with 2 tbsp water until the leaves have completely shrunk. Season with turmeric, cumin and salt.  
3. Spread each slice of bread with a layer of hummus. Place the spinach on top and arrange the eggs on top of the spinach.  
4. Finish with a drizzle of virgin olive oil, sea salt flakes and pepper. If you like spice, add a pinch of chili flakes too! 

High protein snack: 

Edamame beans with quick Asian topping 

Lifehack: always have a pack of soybeans in your freeze. That way you always have a healthy, protein-rich snack on hand, one that also takes you hardly any time at all. In addition to protein, soybeans also contain healthy fibre and omega-3 fatty acids. 

Cooking time: 10 minutes 

41.5 gram of protein per serving 

Serves: 2 

- 250 g of edamame in the pod, from the freezer 

- 1 lime, halved 

- 1 tbsp soy sauce 

- 2 tbsp sesame seeds 

- 1 tsp tahini 

- 1/2 tsp chili flakes 

- 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves 

1. Cook the edamame until tender in hot water (or steam for a few minutes in the microwave).
2. Stir together juice of half a lime, soy sauce, sesame seeds, tahini and chili flakes. Spoon the cooked edamame through the seasonings. 
3. Cut the lime into wedges. Serve the edamame with extra lime and with a few leaves of fresh mint. 

High protein shake: 

Protein-rich green shake with banana and spinach  

This smoothie is the best tasty reward after exercise. Plus, the list of health benefits of spinach is endless, for example, it’s good for your bone health and helps keep your blood sugar levels healthy. Reason enough to blend a handful of spinach through your smoothie as standard. 

Prep time: 10 minutes 

14.5g of protein per serving 

Serves: 1 

- 1 ripe banana, in pieces 

- 50 g spinach 

- 1 tsp hemp seeds 

- 2 tbsp Greek yogurt 

- 200 ml soy milk 

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender (or use your hand blender). 
2. Serve the shake in a glass, on ice cubes if desired.