I just found the perfect fast and easy breakfast idea! This microwave egg cups recipe is sure to be your go-to breakfast. It features beef, egg and veggies and is full of protein to start your day off right. Read on for my recap of the 30 day Protein Challenge I just took and get the simple recipe for making eggs in a cup! This post is brought to you by The Beef Checkoff and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own.

If you haven’t read up on why protein is key for busy moms, you totally should. I created that post to share about how simple swaps we make in our diets throughout the day can ensure we are getting enough protein for optimal health. I joined the 30 Day Protein Challenge, developed by The Beef Checkoff, and learned so much about why protein is essential in our daily diet. Part of the challenge was to create a food diary to help take a hard look at how I consume food throughout the day. This diary helped me see a clear area where I was doing it all wrong. Breakfast. Most Americans consume their daily protein allowance at dinner, so I know I’m not the only one who struggles to create a good breakfast option. As a work at home mom, I’m super busy and grab convenience food rather than protein. But protein will help me start my day off on the right foot. I decided to tackle this chaos filled time of day first (kids off to school, etc.) and really try to make a life change. My diary also told me my snacks need improving, plus I need to be more active. I’m planning on focusing on those once breakfasts are squared away. Small changes are the way to go here. Otherwise it can be too overwhelming and I’ll quit.

What I love about this recipe is that you can prep once and have a better breakfast for the next few days. Although I’m busy, I don’t mind cooking. I prefer it not to take hours, but I am willing to put together meals. This easy egg cups recipe starts off with making your own beef breakfast sausage. The flavors are not as bold as you might be used to in your sausage which makes this super versatile. Start with lean ground beef, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper, salt and fresh (or dried) sage.
Add the spices to the meat and brown it up in a pan the way you do for tacos. Feel free to change-up the seasonings in this as you see fit. You could even use your standard taco seasonings to make more of a southwest egg cup recipe. Once the meat is cooked through, let it cool and then split it up evenly in to plastic zipper bags. This recipe is also a great way to include your favorite vegetables. Prep these all at once and portion them in to the bags as well. Then they are super easy to grab each morning when you need to make a fast breakfast. For this version I used cherry tomatoes and baby bella mushrooms. Maybe next week I’ll add some bell pepper, or green onions. Zucchini would also work really well in here. There is no wrong answer. Just think of how fast you can make a healthy breakfast choice by simply grabbing a bag out of the fridge with the beef and veggies. The only other things I need is an egg, and some water. So simple! I’ve never made eggs in the microwave before. But it’s my new favorite way. I literally just stopped writing this post to make some because it’s so easy and I was starving! Just beat your eggs and water with a fork, add your beef and veggies and microwave! Couldn’t be easier! I just know you are going to love-making microwave egg cups for breakfast! While these are awesome for busy moms on the go, these are also great for kids! My kids usually prefer sugary breakfast items, but this way I can get some protein in before they head off to a long day at school. They get to pick their own veggies and mix this up all by themselves.

*NOTE: The photo directly above is actually 3 servings. The mug I used was really large and you could barely see the finished eggs when I made just 1 serving. The picture above this one shows just 1 egg and beef serving. Your eggs will not grow to fill out the cup like this image might have you believe! Oh, the blogger life…

By starting the day with protein, I can take control of my day and make the right food choices all day long. This challenge taught me to be smarter about what I am eating – and that these diet changes don’t take much more time than grabbing junk food. Protein throughout the day helps you avoid that over hungry feeling that leads you to eating a bag of chips for lunch. I also found that I wasn’t cranky from hunger or thinking about the next snack I was going to have next because the one I just finished didn’t satisfy me. Plus when I start adding in exercise to my daily routine, protein will help me build muscles and protect muscle mass. You can learn even more about the benefits of protein by heading to the Beef, It’s What’s for Dinner website.

When I feel good about my breakfast revamp, I’ll start looking at how to revamp my snacking. There are tons of great easy options for adding in more protein, such as snacking on nuts, nut butter, cheese sticks, small portions of beef. Check out this Protein Cheat Sheet and tips for adding protein for even more ways to up the protein throughout your day. This challenge really does make this easy for you!

Take the 30 Day Protein Challenge for yourself and find out how these small changes will affect your health for yourself! It’s a step by step way to help get you the optimal amount of protein throughout your day!

Thank you for supporting the brands like, Beef, It’s What’s For Dinner, that let me help you live a better life. All opinons are always my own.