Regarding your protein question, I think protein powder is a great thing. Your meals should always be a balanced blend of carbs, protein, and fats because of all the important things each component provides to your diet.

I don't like smoothies for breakfast. If I drink a big thing of milk on an empty stomach, my stomach protests ALL DAY, ugh.

Here's my favorite recipe (for lunch, ha):

12 oz. vanilla soymilk (I drink the Kirkland, i.e. Costco brand)
1 cup frozen blueberries (make sure they're not sweetened)
2 tbsp. MLO protein powder (I dislike the flavored protein powders, this one doesn't ruin the taste of my drink, IMO)

Yum!

This weighs in at 361 calories, 31g protein, 7g fat, 42g carbs... A perfect size for a meal, even when you're "dieting" IMO