We all know someone (and maybe that’s you) trying to hit their protein goal. And while shakes and bars are a couple ways of hitting those goals, may we suggest: Put down the protein powder! Instead, reach for high protein ingredients — like cottage cheese, eggs, and oats to make something wholesome and truly delicious.
After making them dozens of times, I’m certain I’m the #1 fan of our Super Protein Pancakes. Protein content aside (8 grams per pancake!), I love the deeper whole grain flavor and hearty-yet-tender texture they get from oats and slight tang from cottage cheese. I often make a batch at the start of a week and reheat leftovers — having pancakes with maple syrup always feels like a luxury during the work week.
For a more hands-off high-protein breakfast, overnight oats are a classic. It’s one of the easiest breakfasts you can make ahead of time, and after years of just freehanding the chia, oat, and milk ratios, I’ve finally realized it’s worth following a recipe to get the perfect pudding-like texture every time.
It’s hard (and expensive!) to find a great protein bar. Turns out, the best ones are the ones you make yourself. Our No-Bake Chocolate and Date Energy Bars recipe is made with a base of ground cashews, dates, and toasted oats, which yields a texture that’s simultaneously fudgy and chewy. A layer of chocolate on top gilds the lily.
I’ve never been excited about making a sandwich with store-bought protein breads, but our newest Multigrain Protein Bread makes the case for going homemade. Each slice clocks in at 11 grams of protein thanks to the additions of egg whites, oats, and cottage cheese to the dough, and the bread gets plenty of toasty flavor from whole grains and seeds (it can also be made in a bread machine).
Want a faster protein-packed bread? These cottage cheese-based flatbreads are ready in just one hour. Initially, the generous use of chili crisp and cilantro (two of my most used ingredients in the kitchen) is what piqued my interest in this recipe — with just a handful of ingredients, they deliver punchy, bold flavor. The 14 grams of protein per serving is only a bonus. Now they’re on frequent weeknight rotation; what dinner isn’t made better with a stack of fresh flatbreads.
