This protein-packed granola tastes like Christmas
The secret ingredient is one of our favorite pantry superstars
Happy December, crew, and welcome back to Cool Beans! If you are trying to restore some balance to your diet after a big week of holiday eating, then I’ve got just the thing for you. It all starts with breakfast—and the eternal struggle to pack in protein. For those of us with a sweet tooth, things get even trickier. Luckily, I’ve come up with a sneaky way to turn my bowl of cereal into a protein powerhouse that keeps me full until lunch. Enter TVP (or textured vegetable protein), the pantry MVP that can really do it all.
Holy, granola!
On chaotic mornings I really want something I can grab when I’m running out the door, which explains why I’m pretty hooked on granola. The issue is most supermarket versions have a lot of sugar and not a lot of protein. The first time I tried TVP—which is flaked dehydrated soy flour—right out of the bag it reminded me of Uncle Sam cereal, but with less flavor and more nutrients. So, one day, I threw some into a batch of homemade granola, and I’m not looking back.
While TVP typically needs to be rehydrated when using it meatishly—as in our veggie-fied sloppy Joes—you can skip this step since we want it to be super crunchy. A ½ cup serving of this mix delivers 10 grams of protein. You can easily double the recipe, as it lasts several weeks in a sealed container or a few months in the freezer. A scoop of this granola with some plant yogurt has become my favorite breakfast al-desko lately.
Gingerbread Protein Granola
Yield: 12 servings (about ½ cup each)