Protein Powerhouse Morning Delight—Breakfast for 1
The Protein Powerhouse Morning Delight is a Mediterranean-inspired breakfast dish packed with high-quality proteins. This hearty meal combines fresh vegetables, lean meats, and legumes to kickstart your day, offering a perfect balance of taste and nutrition. Ideal for those seeking a protein-rich start to their morning.
Do This With That Stuff
- ‘Gather all your ingredients and cookware
- Preheat your grill pan over medium heat for the chicken breast
- Season the chicken breast with salt, pepper, and 1/2 tsp of oregano
- Once the grill pan is hot, place the chicken breast on it and grill each side for about 6-7 minutes or until fully cooked through
- Remove the chicken from the grill pan and let it rest on a cutting board Once cooled, slice it into thin strips
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat
- Add chopped onion to the skillet and sauté until it becomes translucent, about 3-4 minutes
- Add minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for another minute until fragrant
- Add chopped red and green bell peppers to the skillet Sauté until they are soft, about 5-6 minutes
- Add cooked chickpeas and lentils to the skillet Stir well to combine with other ingredients
- Add diced tomato to the skillet Cook for another 2-3 minutes until tomatoes are slightly softened
- In a small bowl, crack open two large eggs Whisk them well with a fork until yolks and whites are fully combined
- Pour whisked eggs into the skillet over the sautéed vegetables and legumes Stir gently with a spatula to scramble them with other ingredients in the skillet Cook until eggs are done as per your liking (soft or hard scrambled)
- Add fresh spinach leaves to the skillet Stir well until spinach is wilted down into other ingredients in about 1-2 minutes
- Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese over top of everything in the skillet Cover with a lid for about a minute or two just so that cheese can soften from steam inside covered skillet
- Finally add sliced grilled chicken breast on top of everything in skillet Sprinkle remaining oregano over everything in skillet as final seasoning touch before serving
- Your Protein Powerhouse Morning Delight is ready to serve’
Obvious and Not So Obvious Variations and Pairings
☕ Bitter
- Add 1/2 cup of arugula leaves
- Add 1/4 cup of radicchio, chopped
- Increase spinach to 3 cups
- Add 1 tsp of ground coffee to the chicken seasoning
- Replace red bell pepper with 1/2 medium yellow bell pepper for a less sweet flavor profile
- Add 1 tbsp of lemon zest to the skillet when adding chickpeas and lentils
🧂 Salty
- Increase the feta cheese to 1/2 cup
- Add 1/2 tsp of sea salt to the eggs before whisking
- Add 1 tbsp of capers when adding chickpeas and lentils
- Add 8 chopped Kalamata olives along with the diced tomato
🍋 Sour
- ‘Add 1 tbsp of lemon juice
- Add 1/2 tsp of sumac
- Replace olive oil with 1 tbsp of tahini
- Add 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt
- Increase the feta cheese to 1/2 cup’
🌶️ Spicy
- Add 1 tsp of cayenne pepper
- Increase garlic to 3 cloves, minced
- Add 1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes
- Add 1 small jalapeno, finely chopped
- Replace green bell pepper with 1/2 medium poblano pepper, chopped
- Add a pinch of turmeric for color and subtle heat
🍬 Sweet
- ‘Add 1/4 cup of chopped dates
- Add 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
- Increase the red bell pepper to 1 medium
- Replace the onion with 1/2 medium sweet onion
- Add 1 tbsp of honey drizzled over the dish before serving’
🍄 Umami
- ‘Add 1 tsp soy sauce
- Add 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
- Add 1/2 tsp fish sauce
- Increase garlic to 3 cloves
- Replace chicken breast with 1/2 cup of diced pancetta’
🍸 Alcoholic
- ‘Greek White Wine (Assyrtiko): The crisp acidity and mineral notes of this wine will complement the flavors of the dish, especially the feta cheese and vegetables
- Spanish Rosé (Garnacha): The light, fruity flavors of this rosé will balance out the protein-rich ingredients like chicken, eggs, lentils, and chickpeas
- Italian Red Wine (Chianti): The earthy undertones and robust structure of Chianti can stand up to the hearty elements in this dish while harmonizing with the Mediterranean spices’
🥤 Non Alcoholic
- ‘Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice: The citrusy acidity and sweetness of the orange juice will complement the savory flavors of the dish
- Greek Yogurt Smoothie: The creaminess and tanginess of a Greek yogurt smoothie will balance out the hearty and robust flavors in the dish
- Mint Tea: The refreshing and light taste of mint tea will cleanse the palate, enhancing the various flavors in the dish’
🥓 Keto
- Remove 1/4 cup chickpeas, cooked
- Remove 1/4 cup lentils, cooked
- Increase 2 large eggs to 3 large eggs
- Increase 1 small chicken breast to 1 medium chicken breast
- Add 1/4 cup of olives, sliced
- Add 1/4 cup of avocado, diced
🍆 Mediterranean
- Replace chicken breast with 1/4 cup of chopped kalamata olives
- Add 1/4 cup of diced cucumber
- Replace 1 tsp oregano with 1 tsp of za’atar spice blend
- Add 1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
- Add 2 tbsp of chopped fresh parsley
🥑 Paleo
- Remove 1/4 cup chickpeas, cooked
- Remove 1/4 cup lentils, cooked
- Remove 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- Add 1/4 cup almonds, chopped
- Add 1/2 medium avocado, sliced
🐟 Pescatarian
- Remove 1 small chicken breast, grilled and sliced
- Add 1 small salmon fillet, grilled and sliced
🌱 Vegan
- Remove 2 large eggs
- Remove 1 small chicken breast, grilled and sliced
- Remove 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- Add 1/4 cup tofu, scrambled
- Add 1/4 cup tempeh, grilled and sliced
- Add 1/4 cup vegan cheese, crumbled
🥦 Vegetarian
- Remove 1 small chicken breast, grilled and sliced
- Add 1/4 cup of grilled tofu, sliced
🥩 Whole30
- Remove 1/4 cup chickpeas, cooked
- Remove 1/4 cup lentils, cooked
- Remove 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- Add 1/4 cup of olives, pitted and sliced
- Add 1/2 medium avocado, diced
🧠 Brain Health
- ‘Add 1/4 cup of walnuts, chopped
- Add 1/4 cup of blueberries
- Replace 1 small chicken breast with 1 fillet of salmon, grilled and sliced
- Increase spinach leaves to 3 cups
- Replace 1/4 cup feta cheese with 1/4 cup avocado, sliced
- Add 1 tbsp of flaxseeds, ground’
🌾 Celiac Disease
- No changes necessary. The recipe is already celiac disease friendly as it does not contain any gluten-containing ingredients.
💩 Crohns Disease
- ‘Remove chickpeas
- Remove lentils
- Remove onion
- Remove garlic
- Replace red and green bell peppers with 1/2 medium zucchini, chopped
- Replace tomato with 1/4 cup peeled cucumber, diced
- Decrease spinach leaves to 1 cup
- Replace feta cheese with 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded’
🩸 Diabetes
- Remove feta cheese
- Replace 2 large eggs with 3 egg whites
- Decrease olive oil to 1/2 tbsp
- Add 1/4 cup of chopped cucumber
- Add 1/4 cup of chopped celery
🍞 Gluten Intolerance
- No changes are needed for this recipe. All ingredients listed are naturally gluten-free and suitable for someone with gluten intolerance.
🫀 Heart Disease
- ‘Remove 2 large eggs
- Replace 1 small chicken breast with 1/2 cup of tofu, grilled and sliced
- Decrease 1 tbsp olive oil to 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- Remove salt to taste
- Replace 1/4 cup feta cheese with 1/4 cup low-fat feta cheese’
❤️ Heart Health
- ‘Remove 2 large eggs
- Add 1/2 cup of egg whites
- Decrease the olive oil to 1/2 tbsp
- Replace chicken breast with 1 small salmon fillet, grilled and sliced
- Remove feta cheese
- Add 1/4 cup of avocado, diced
- Increase spinach leaves to 3 cups’
🧂 High Blood Pressure
- Remove Salt to taste
- Replace 1 tbsp olive oil with 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- Replace feta cheese with 1/4 cup low-sodium feta cheese
- Add 1/2 cup diced cucumber
- Add 1/4 cup diced celery
🍔 High Cholesterol
- ‘Replace 2 large eggs with 1/2 cup egg whites
- Decrease olive oil to 1/2 tbsp
- Replace chicken breast with 1/4 cup grilled tofu
- Remove feta cheese’
🦠 Immune System
- Add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
- Add 1 inch piece of grated fresh ginger
- Increase spinach to 3 cups
- Replace chicken breast with 1/2 cup of cooked salmon
- Add 1/4 cup of chopped almonds
- Add 1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms
🚽 Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- ‘Remove onion
- Remove garlic
- Replace chickpeas with 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
- Replace lentils with 1/4 cup quinoa, cooked
- Replace red and green bell peppers with 1/2 medium zucchini, chopped
- Replace tomato with 1/2 medium cucumber, diced
- Decrease eggs to 1 large egg
- Remove feta cheese’
💧 Kidney Disease
- Remove 2 large eggs
- Decrease 1/4 cup chickpeas to 2 tbsp
- Decrease 1/4 cup lentils to 2 tbsp
- Remove salt
- Replace chicken breast with tofu, grilled and sliced, to make it low protein
- Replace feta cheese with a non-dairy cheese alternative, such as almond cheese.
🐄 Lactose Intolerance
- Remove feta cheese
🍺 Liver Disease
- Remove 2 large eggs
- Replace 1 small chicken breast with 1/2 cup tofu, cubed and grilled
- Decrease olive oil to 1/2 tbsp
- Remove feta cheese
- Replace salt with a salt substitute to taste
🤰 Pregnancy
- Ensure the chicken is fully cooked to at least 165°F to avoid foodborne illnesses
- Ensure the eggs are fully cooked to avoid salmonella risk
- Replace the feta cheese with pasteurized mozzarella cheese to avoid listeria risk
- Increase spinach leaves to 3 cups for additional folate and iron intake
Beti’s Reflections
On a recent culinary adventure through the Mediterranean, I stumbled upon a breakfast dish that was so delightful, it had me up with the sun just to savor it. The locals called it the Protein Powerhouse Morning Delight, and let me tell you, it’s not just a name—it’s a promise! This Mediterranean breakfast recipe is an absolute game-changer for those seeking a protein-rich start to their day.
The Protein Powerhouse Morning Delight is designed to serve one but can easily be multiplied for more. It’s perfect for those who are looking to incorporate high protein foods into their diet or simply want to try out some healthy morning meals inspired by the Mediterranean diet.
This recipe calls for fresh ingredients like eggs, chickpeas, lentils, and grilled chicken breast—each contributing its unique flavor and texture. The eggs provide a creamy base while the chickpeas and lentils add an earthy depth. The grilled chicken breast brings in a smoky element that pairs beautifully with the vibrant crunch of bell peppers and onions sautéed in olive oil. A sprinkle of feta cheese adds tanginess while spinach leaves offer freshness. Seasoned with garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper—this dish is truly an egg chickpea lentil skillet delight!
To make this high protein breakfast idea come alive, start by grilling your chicken breast seasoned with salt, pepper, and oregano until fully cooked through. In another pan, sauté onions until translucent then add garlic followed by bell peppers until they soften up nicely. Stir in cooked chickpeas and lentils followed by diced tomatoes until slightly softened. Pour whisked eggs into this mixture and scramble them gently till done as per your liking—soft or hard scrambled works perfectly! Add fresh spinach leaves till wilted down then sprinkle crumbled feta cheese over top of everything in the skillet before finally adding sliced grilled chicken breast on top as final touch before serving.
And there you have it—the Protein Powerhouse Morning Delight Recipe! A healthy chicken and egg breakfast that’s not only delicious but also packed with nutrients to kickstart your day right! So next time you’re looking for high protein breakfast ideas or simply want to try cooking with chickpeas and lentils—remember this Mediterranean diet morning meal that promises a power-packed start to your day!
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