Vegetarian recipes: Low-cal, high protein?

segacs

I'm looking for vegetarian meals that are under 400 calories and have upwards of 30g of protein.

I'm not a vegetarian but I don't eat much meat, just chicken or fish 2-3 days a week. Since starting with MFP, I find myself eating chicken or fish more often than I would like, just to get my protein targets in within my calorie goal.

I do eat dairy, legumes, beans, tofu, etc. The problem is that the ratio of protein-to-calories is so much lower with most veggie protein sources. My protein goal is fairly low (only about 20% of my intake) but most days I even have trouble meeting that. And I hate resorting to meat or fish all the time, since I really don't like eating it so often.

I'm not a fan of "fake meat" substitutes that are designed to taste or look like meat (since the reason I don't eat meat is food preference) or protein bars/shakes/powders. I'm really just looking for recipe ideas.

Please share your recipes here!

Tiernan1212

Try this website: rippedrecipes.com/index.html

You can customize macros and calories, and it even has a vegetarian search option

ldy_78

I like TVP - it's high in protein and fiber and low in calories. You can use it pasta sauces and soups. You can also mix it with taco seasoning to use in a taco salad or other kind of recipe that calls for ground taco meat. Do you eat wheat? Seitan is an excellent source of protein and can replace chicken in most chicken recipes. I also replace salad dressings with a combo of plain greek yogurt and lemon juice. It really ups your protein content.

My saving grace, however, has been whey protein pancakes, which I eat everyday if possible -

1 scoop whey protein (use a low carb kind - I like cellucor)
1/4 egg whites
1/4-1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk or water
1 tsp baking powder

Use non-stick cooking spray on a non-stick pan. Since there is no fat in the recipe, it will stick if you aren't careful. You can always add some coconut oil. The recipe makes about 3 regular pancakes or 4 smallish ones. I add a dollop of greek yogurt and fruit and it makes for a good breakfast. And it clocks in at about 30 grams of protein and around 200 calories.

SomeGirlSomewhere

Unfortunately I don't have time to cook much these days so I don't really have any specific recipes to share, but I do eat a mostly vegetarian diet. According to my doctor and two different registered dieticians a person doesn't need to eat nearly as much protein as the USDA recommends we eat. As long as you are eating an average of 50 grams of protein per day you should be just fine.

This recipe for Lentil and Brown Rice Casserole from food.com is very similar to one I made often in the past when I did have more time to cook. I would recommend using either reduced fat or fat free cheese (not specified in the recipe) to keep the calorie/fat content down without losing any of the protein.
http://www.food.com/recipe/brown-rice-and-lentil-casserole-74629

segacs

Thanks, some great suggestions here!