For the cottage cheese-averse, take into account together with yogurt as an alternative. Geiger says that even nondairy choices can add as much as 12 grams of protein per one half-cup serving and gained’t be practically as powerfully flavoured as its cheesier counterpart. Prime it with a touch of honey and sliced almonds for a deal with harking back to baklava.

5. Flip to tofu.

Tofu in oats won’t seem to be a pure match, however don’t knock it ’til you strive it, says Harbstreet. For example, silken tofu performs equally to cottage cheese or yogurt in oatmeal, including creaminess and three to 4 grams of protein per serving in a single swoop. Plus, it does all that with none precise dairy, making it an amazing match for many who could also be avoiding milk due to an allergy or intolerance. Don’t fear about the way it will have an effect on the general style both. The opposite spices, mix-ins, and toppings you utilize will masks tofu’s already delicate flavour.

6. Cook dinner in egg whites.

A lot of the flavour in eggs comes from the yolks, so including simply the whites gained’t make an eggy-flavoured oatmeal however will present related portions of protein, says Yeung. All in all, two egg whites will enhance the protein depend of a dish like this by as much as seven grams. (Or, in case you’re shopping for a carton of the stuff, simply two tablespoons will add three.) People could also be hesitant to go this route—fearing a scrambled, gloppy texture and a farty, um, sulphurous odor—however cooking oats over low warmth and stirring continuously will cease that from occurring, she explains. The outcome? A fluffy, meringue-like bowl of oats that works properly with candy and savoury mix-ins.

7. Attempt a unique milk…or any milk.

Choosing a protein-dense cooking liquid fairly than water is one fast option to enhance the macronutrient with out actually altering its flavour or the way it’s prepped. In case you don’t have any points with dairy, Harbstreet says it’s price a strive. “With eight grams per cup, milk outperforms nondairy alternate options for protein and different key vitamins,” she explains.

If that’s not an choice for you, soy milk is without doubt one of the uncommon dairy alternate options that measures as much as the true stuff with out fortification, she says, and has roughly six grams of protein per one-cup serving measurement. Utilizing it rather than oat, rice, or almond milk (all of which have between lower than one and three grams per serving) will get you extra protein from no additional effort.

8. Crack open a can of beans.

The RDs we spoke with all agreed: Beans and oats are an unsung pairing that we must always all be speaking about extra. Nearly any legume could be a slot in a bowl of savoury oats, from a Mexican-inspired model with pico de gallo, black beans, and cheddar cheese, to a Mediterranean riff with crispy chickpeas, creamy tzatziki, and herbs like dill, Harbstreet says.

However if you wish to maintain the flavour of your oats plain since you’re planning on sweetening it up, there’s a method to do this with beans too. “White beans are impartial in taste and creamy, making them an ideal addition to oatmeal,” says Geiger. Mash up a half a cup of them and add to your oats as they cook dinner; this may seamlessly disguise them whereas additionally including 9 grams of protein. From there, you may add absolutely anything else you want—from brown sugar and chopped nuts, to peanut butter and cocoa powder—and also you’ll by no means discover the beans.

9. Swirl in a scoop of nut butter.

When unsure, it by no means hurts so as to add your favorite nut butter to oatmeal, Harbstreet says. Although the precise quantity of protein in numerous choices varies, it’s a dependable option to get a minimum of a couple of additional grams. For instance, peanut and almond butter—two of her go-tos—each include seven grams of protein in a two tablespoon serving. In addition they give oats a thicker, creamier texture and an earthy flavour that pairs properly with the whole lot from jam to maple syrup. To not point out, this trick works properly with a bunch of the others on this listing, so be happy to make use of a couple of on the identical time to make sure your oats at all times offer you that good, full feeling.

This text initially appeared on Self.