I am a vegetarian and try my best to be vegan (no dairy). Coming from a greek/italian family I always get the same question, "Where are you getting your protein?"or "You need protein!" My Aunt from Cyprus made me a dish especially for me after I told her I was vegetarian, it was orzo with lamb. She said "You need your protein." Sounds like something out of the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." Of course I put it on my plate to make her feel better but didn't touch it. Sorry Thea Fanoulla :) Love you!
You truley don't need meat to get your protein. In my opinion, Americans eat too much protein, and vegetarians can easily get enough protein in their diet. So many people think that you can only get your protein from an animal source! Unless you are pregnant or an Olympic athlete/bodybuilder, you will most likely get more than enough protein without even trying. Here are some great sources of protein for vegetarians.
Quinoa and Other Whole Grains.
Whole grains are a great source of protein, but the grain that is a true winner when it comes to protein content is quinoa. Quinoa contains all of the essential amino acids, making it a "complete protein." Just one cup of quinoa contains 18 grams of protein, as well as nine grams of fiber. Other whole grains, such as whole grain bread, brown rice, barley are all healthy protein rich foods for vegetarians and vegans as well. FYI, whole grains are a bargain! If you shop in bulk, you can stock up on whole grains for about $1.50 a pound! Not bad.
Beans, Lentils and Legumes.
These are my favorite! I love cooking with these ingredients. I make a dish twice a week and end up having it for lunch the next day. Great for leftovers. My husband isn't a big "leftover eater" and he eats these dishes the next day no problem! They are also another bargain buy!! All beans, lentils and peas are an excellent vegetarian and vegan source of protein, so eat whichever one you like!
One cup of canned kidney beans contains about 13.4 grams of protein. I personally don't buy the canned, I always shop in the bulk isle and boil my own. So delish!
Tofu and other Soy Products.
I have to admit, tofu is my least favorite only because its a texture thing with me. I am not crazy about the texture of it. This doesn't mean you can't make it tasty. When cooking tofu, it takes on the taste of whatever you are cooking with, which is great! You can add a bit of tofu to just about anything you cook, including stir-fries, pasta sauces, soups and salads. You can get soy protein in so many different products like, soy milk, edamame, soy ice cream, soy yogurt, soy nuts, and soy cheese. As an added bonus, many brands of tofu and soy milk are fortified with other nutrients that vegetarians and vegans need, such as calcium, iron and vitamin B12. A half-cup of tofu contains 10 grams, and soy milk contains 7 grams of protein per cup. I suggest not to have tofu and soy products every day due to its high level of estrogen. I always keep almond milk in my fridge instead because that is good to have everyday.
Nuts, Seeds and Nut Butters.
I love love love all of these! Whats better then buying fresh peanut butter from the machine from Whole Foods or Wild By Nature?! Nuts, including peanuts, cashews, almonds, and walnuts all contain protein, as do seeds such as sesame seeds and sunflower seeds. Because most nuts and seeds are high in fat, even though its a good fat, you don't want them to be your primary source of protein. But they're great as a post-workout or occasional snack. Nut butters are delicious as well, and kids of course love peanut butter. Two tablespoons of peanut butter contains about 8 grams of protein. Try almond butter or cashew butter for a little change up, if your bored of peanut butter.
Check out the labels of your store bought meat substitutes products and veggie burgers. You will see that they are pretty high in protein! One veggie patty contains about 10 grams of protein, and 100 grams of seitan provides 21 grams of protein. Toss some veggie burgers on the grill or in the microwave, and watch those daily protein grams add right up!
Tempeh.
Tempeh is made from cooked and slightly fermented soybeans and formed into a patty. Its very similar to a very firm veggie burger, and like tofu and seitan, its quite high in protein and can be prepared in so many different ways, making it perfect for vegetarians, vegans and even people wishing to reduce meat consumption while exploring protein sources. It varies from brand to brand but as a guideline, one serving of tempeh (100 grams) provides about 18 grams of protein, thats more protein per gram than tofu! I love to cube my tempeh and Sauté it with broccoli rabe or kale! So yummy!
Protein Supplements.
If you are a very active person that goes to the gym, works out a lot or training for a certain race, your protein needs will be higher than a typical vegetarian. You may need protein powders or protein shakes. The one I have is called Sunwarrior Protein. It is raw vegan protein powder and I buy the vanilla only because I am allergic to chocolate. For one scoop, it is 70 calories, 1 gram of fat, 15 grams of protein and 0 grams of sugar which is great! They also have one that is higher in protein that includes hemp powder. Hemp is a great source of protein. Checkout there website at sunwarrior.com
So now that I shared with you some protein sources, I hope you can experiment on some great meals!
I love to google recipes, or just make up my own crazy concoction!
Try making yummy vegan tacos with ground meat substitute, or lentils with tomatoes, rice and sautéed onions. Enjoy!
No comments:
Post a Comment