Nut-Free, Dairy Free Protein Oatmeal with Anjou Pears

Ever since coming to college, I have been trying to be more conscious about my eating choices, and one of those choices has been adopting a primarily vegetarian diet! Now if you’ve ever considered a vegetarian diet before, then you know that one of the key aspects of this diet choice is making sure that you are still getting plenty of protein from non-animal sources. And as such, I’ve come up with a trick or two about how to add some sneaky protein to my meals! First on the menu? Amping up breakfast.

Although I’ll call this a recipe for convenience sake, it’s really kind of a “life-hack” I guess! (Fun, pointless fact about me: I really don’t like the word “hack” very much…) It’s also incredibly easy which is great, because college student. Now, even if you are 100% an omnivore (thanks middle school science), I still find that protein in my breakfast keeps me full longer! So let’s get on with it, shall we?

Protein Oatmeal using Instant Oats

½ cup whole grain instant oats

¼ cup unsalted pumpkin seeds

3/4 cup water

1 tbs raw sugar

A generous dash of cinnamon

¼ cup milk (optional, or you can use whatever non-dairy variety you enjoy)

½ Anjou pear + a few small slices for garnish

Measure out your pumpkin seeds, and grind into a powder in a food processor (or blender). Mix with the oats, add water, then microwave for the time suggested on the oats (1:30 for me). Stir in the raw sugar and cinnamon, so that it can dissolve with the heat, then add the milk. Finely chop your pear in the food processor (or blender), and stir together with the cooked oatmeal for a fresh twist!

Enjoy!

You can also prepare this recipe as overnight oats, by adding the pumpkin seeds to a recipe like this one!  Or, if you can have nuts, add a spoonful of peanut or almond butter to increase your protein even more. As for other variations, know that there about a billion delicious and creative oatmeal mix-in’s out there just waiting to be tried! I personally have enjoyed adding peanut butter and jelly or chocolate chips to my oatmeal in the past!

As for the flavor of the oatmeal, I don’t find it to be altered at all by the addition of pumpkin seeds, since they are a very mild taste to start with. The texture may change slightly if you do not get your seeds quite as finely ground, but I didn’t find the change to be bothersome at all!

So do you ever eat vegetarian? What sneaky protein tricks do you have?!

Stay lovely,