Filling Vegetarian Food

HollywoodXL

I have been vegetarian for 4 months now. I went cold turkey vegetarian and weighed 290lbs. I've been doing great staying vegetarian HOWEVER, in order to remain "full" at times I find myself eating lots of carbs (bread, pasta, potatoes) because they sit well and kill my hunger. Any suggestions on "filling" vegetarian foods that aren't as heavy or carb loaded as these options??

RodaRose

Pinto beans, lentils, chic peas, green peas, broccoli, swiss chard, romaine lettuce, brussel sprouts, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds.

adriennel502

It is a difficulty as protein is the best filling option. Best sources of protein for vegetarians (assuming your doing it full vege and not eating fish) are in three groups. Nuts and seeds, pulses (ie beans and lentils) and grains (your pasta and rice. If you have any two of those groups in one meal you're getting complete protein (i.e all the protein groups). That's not too difficult if you think about it - peanut butter sandwiches, baked beans on toast, throwing some lentils or chickpeas into a pasta sauce. also including cheese and any sort of egg dish - omelettes, poached eggs, that sort of thing, can help.

As for staying full, though, try cutting down on the carbs as much as you can and fill up on the vegetables instead. A plate of cauliflower sprinkled with some feta and relish can be a good replacement for pasta, and a nice soup or two can really help without pushing your calories up too much.

You might also try checking out the vegetarian options at the supermarket - there are lots of vegetarian sausages around. Tofu's good too (check out the internet for recipes for this - it's delicious if you know what to do with it!) and quorn as well. Some of these products are ghastly though so I suggest just trying one or two a week and not getting put off if you don't like one!

I've been vegetarian going on 20 years now, and my husband his entire life - it can be great if you do it sensibly! Best of luck.

lynn_glenmont

HollywoodXL wrote: »

I have been vegetarian for 4 months now. I went cold turkey vegetarian and weighed 290lbs. I've been doing great staying vegetarian HOWEVER, in order to remain "full" at times I find myself eating lots of carbs (bread, pasta, potatoes) because they sit well and kill my hunger. Any suggestions on "filling" vegetarian foods that aren't as heavy or carb loaded as these options??

Well, not to be critical, but technically, if you're eating turkey, you're not vegetarian.

tlharin

It can be a real problem, especially as you're still settling into being a vegetarian. I can recommend three things.

1. You might see if your vegetables and vegetarian proteins are the physical bulk of your meals. If they're not, that might explain the carb dependence, and maybe you can try to shift your ratios instead of dropping the carby things. My pasta dinner tonight was a mix of a few cups of cooked onions, peppers, spinach, and broccoli, some white beans, some tomato sauce, and a small portion of whole wheat noodles, with a sprinkle of cheese. It was really filling, still had the carbs I wanted, and was arguably "good" for me. Play with your own ratios when cooking?

2. While nutrition and what will make you feel full and good is always personal, for *me* it's been important to make sure I'm including enough ("good") fat to also feel full. I skipped this a lot when I was first trying to lose weight and also found myself reaching for more rice, another piece of bread, etc. Now I try to add a bit of something slightly fatty to every meal: some avocado, a bit of good cheese, a fried egg, some sriracha mayo, light cream cheese, etc.

3. So what you really wanted was to know about other foods. Have you tried out: spaghetti squash, roasting vegetables you maybe haven't always liked (eggplant, Brussels sprouts, parsnips, cauliflower), using cauliflower to make "rice"/couscous? I find stuffed things pretty filling: stuffed peppers, stuffed eggplant, and stuffed zucchini go over well. Easiest thing you might try is also simple substitution for things that might feel more satiating: sweet potatoes/yams instead of regular potatoes, buy only whole wheat versions of breads and pastas, try out protein-fortified granola or cereal.

tomatoey

I'm not a vegetarian but I can only really get full on "veggie" meals if I throw on an egg, cheese or greek yogurt (all protein sources with a lot of fat). Can you eat those?

isulo_kura

HollywoodXL wrote: »

I have been vegetarian for 4 months now. I went cold turkey vegetarian and weighed 290lbs. I've been doing great staying vegetarian HOWEVER, in order to remain "full" at times I find myself eating lots of carbs (bread, pasta, potatoes) because they sit well and kill my hunger. Any suggestions on "filling" vegetarian foods that aren't as heavy or carb loaded as these options??

What wrong with Pasta, bread and potatoes. All good foods especially of your going wholgrain pasta and bread

yesimpson

RodaRose wrote: »

Pinto beans, lentils, chic peas, green peas, broccoli, swiss chard, romaine lettuce, brussel sprouts, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds.

I agree, especially pumpkin seeds and chickpeas.

prestigio

Avocado or other fat sources in a salad.
Adding some healthy fats that you have to chew (so not oil) will help you stay full for longer.
Also some protein will fill you up (feta, tempeh or tofu in salads tastes great too).

healthyemily93

I like vegetarian chili topped with a fat and with a carb on the side.

Sautee a small white onion in a tbsp of olive oil. Add minced garlic to taste, cook until fragrant. Add chili powder to taste - I use a tbsp - and whatever other seasonings you want. Add a can of tomatoes. I blend whole tomatoes until smooth. Then add 2-3 cans of beans. I'll use pinto, dark red kidney or light red kidney usually. Simmer until thick. This makes four servings for me.

I'll top it with either avocado, mexican blend cheese, or greek yogurt. Then on the side I'll have corn tortillas or homemade corn bread muffins. It feels like a real treat, lasts a long time in the fridge, and can be made vegan or vegetarian.

sailsgoboom

Since it sounds like gluten agrees with you, I highly recommend seitan as a protein source! You can make it yourself pretty easily, but is also available premade. I find it as satisfying and filling as meat.

jraps17

He's not eating turkey, he went vegetarian cold turkey.

Seitan is a great way to go. if you go to the grocery store in the frozen section you'll probably find a ton of different types of meat substitutes, some are made from soy some are wheat gluten some are a mix, give them a try.

I myself progressed into being a vegetarian cutting red meat first, a few months later poulry and so on and so on. But i still found/find myself eating too many carbs.

rosy2car

Quinoa is very filling, look for recipes with this, you can make quinoa burgers and they're pretty good. Hummus is also pretty filling. I sometimes have hummus for lunch and it keeps me full until dinner.

Need2Exerc1se

Nuts, seeds, beans, kasha, bulgur, root vegetables, spaghetti squash.

amcook4

I'm not a vegetarian, but I eat a decent amount of meatless meals. Some of my favorites that are really filling are chickpeas, lentils and beans. Tonight I'm actually doing a chickpea and kale stew, I do a lot of curries with these items too.

rosy2car

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

HollywoodXL wrote: »

I have been vegetarian for 4 months now. I went cold turkey vegetarian and weighed 290lbs. I've been doing great staying vegetarian HOWEVER, in order to remain "full" at times I find myself eating lots of carbs (bread, pasta, potatoes) because they sit well and kill my hunger. Any suggestions on "filling" vegetarian foods that aren't as heavy or carb loaded as these options??

Well, not to be critical, but technically, if you're eating turkey, you're not vegetarian.

HAHAHAHA! this one was hilarious. You thought he said he was eating "cold turkey". He meant that he didn't ease into it by cutting out meat a little at a time. He just outright cut out meat "cold turkey".

TristaD611

My favorite meat substitutes are made by Gardein. My non-vegetarian husband loves the 3 grain chik n strips. Some meat substitutes are terrible, though, so try different things and don't be put off by it. You'll find some things you love! Vegetables and beans are also very filling. Have you tried peanut butter with bananas or apples? Delicious! I also add hard boiled eggs and a sprinkle of cheese to my salads.

HollyDean1

HollywoodXL,
I'm on a vegan diet. Protein and healthy unsaturated fats are so essential. I myself have a bread problem. I will eat too much if I'm not careful. Try things like nuts, avocados, beans ect to add to meals. Be careful at the same time. They help fill you up, but have a lot of calories as well. For example, This morning for breakfast I had 2 slices of Ezekiel bread and a whole avocado mashed up and spread on my toast with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper! It is so delicious and keeps me full all morning for only a few hundred calories!

HollywoodXL

Thank you guys a ton. I will definitely be referring back to this post often and taking in all of your suggestions. Having not been vegetarian for 28 years I'm still learning the best alternatives and nutrient replacements. Thank you all for your input.

PS: Hilarious about the "cold turkey".

dopeysmelly

I find eating more fat helps with feeling full for longer, so as others have suggested, a variety of nuts and nut butters (not just peanut butter, but almond, hazelnut, cashews etc), avocado, seeds, and adding more oil to your food in general. Also, there are loads of really nice tofu recipes out there, particularly if you like spicy and they're really easy to make.