Calling all vegetarian/vegans!

jacalynrose11

Hello, I am a very new vegetarian. I'm a little on the fence (barely) about pescatarianism, but mostly I just want to be healthy, and environmentally friendly.

I am having a little trouble meeting my protein goal some days. I'd like some protein suggestions, also tips on how to incorporate more protein into the diet, obviously plant-based.

Proteins I usually eat on a daily basis:
Quinoa
Beans
lentils
Plain greek yogurt (although I'm considering a nondairy lifestyle as well but unsure)
and a variety of vegetables that contain some protein

I'm considering plant based protein powders even, so if you have a suggestion for that, I'd much appreciate it.

All that aside, i feel great, mentally and physically. I want to take care of myself and am enjoying doing so. Thanks for any and all suggestions offered!

As a new vegetarian, I'm open to all input opinion-wise, just please keep it positive and friendly!

janejellyroll

I've been vegan for about twelve years. I eat beans just about every day and I have tofu, tempeh, and seitan regularly too. That, combined with the protein in grains and vegetables, pretty much takes care of my protein needs. I have protein powder 1-2 times a week. I prefer an unflavored one that I can put into coffee or baked goods, right now I'm using Bob's Red Mill hemp protein powder, but I've also liked brown rice and pea protein powders (not really brand-loyal, I just grab whatever is cheapest generally).

BaVIP073

Hi. I am vegan, and one thing I do to get protein is to make overnight oats and add a bit of protein powder to them. Also. tofu and tempeh are good sources of protein. You can find recipes for them on many vegan/vegetarian sites. Sometime I make veggie burgers that combine tofu and beans.

jacalynrose11

janejellyroll wrote: »

I've been vegan for about twelve years. I eat beans just about every day and I have tofu, tempeh, and seitan regularly too. That, combined with the protein in grains and vegetables, pretty much takes care of my protein needs. I have protein powder 1-2 times a week. I prefer an unflavored one that I can put into coffee or baked goods, right now I'm using Bob's Red Mill hemp protein powder, but I've also liked brown rice and pea protein powders (not really brand-loyal, I just grab whatever is cheapest generally).

I do like tofu! However, I've never even heard of tempeh or seitan! I'll look into those, thank you!

zeejane03

I'm experimenting with a pescetarian woe right now. Besides the 3 servings a week of fish I'm now eating, I get my protein from whole grains, dairy (especially Greek yogurt), beans (1-2 servings a day), and things like potatoes.

jacalynrose11

BaVIP073 wrote: »

Hi. I am vegan, and one thing I do to get protein is to make overnight oats and add a bit of protein powder to them. Also. tofu and tempeh are good sources of protein. You can find recipes for them on many vegan/vegetarian sites. Sometime I make veggie burgers that combine tofu and beans.

I love veggie burgers! I recently found a great quinoa recipe! Like I said to janejellyroll, I've never even heard of tempeh! Where would I find that?

janejellyroll

jacalynrose11 wrote: »

BaVIP073 wrote: »

Hi. I am vegan, and one thing I do to get protein is to make overnight oats and add a bit of protein powder to them. Also. tofu and tempeh are good sources of protein. You can find recipes for them on many vegan/vegetarian sites. Sometime I make veggie burgers that combine tofu and beans.

I love veggie burgers! I recently found a great quinoa recipe! Like I said to janejellyroll, I've never even heard of tempeh! Where would I find that?

Not sure where you are, but I get my tempeh at Target. If your grocery store carries it, you can usually find it right by the tofu. It looks a little weird (it's a pressed cake of crushed soybeans), but once you marinate it and cook it you can crush it for "sausage" or slice it into "bacon" or use it in stir-fry or sandwiches.

jacalynrose11

oh awesome! I do have a target nearby so I will totally try that. Thank you!

kimkimcoleman

I'm a vegetarian (lacto/ovo) of 11 years, and when I tried to be vegan years ago I had a hard time getting enough fat. My hair started falling out because of it. Make sure you pay attention to that too.

HeidiMightyRawr

Mostly my protein comes from black beans, chickpeas, lentils (red+green), tofu and seitan. Seitan is ridiculously high protein and super cheap & easy to make. I'm always over my protein goal when I have that but it is quite hard to digest IMO so don't have it all the time. The rest should be enough to hit goals if you're eating enough in general, but if not there are vegan protein powders out there too, my favourite so far has been the Vega brand (vanilla flavour) - I blend it with oat milk. If you're ok with mock meats too a lot of them have decent protein content - I love the "Fry's" range, but I'm in the UK. If it's not available where you are I'm sure there'll be similar alternatives.

janejellyroll

HeidiMightyRawr wrote: »

Mostly my protein comes from black beans, chickpeas, lentils (red+green), tofu and seitan. Seitan is ridiculously high protein and super cheap & easy to make. I'm always over my protein goal when I have that but it is quite hard to digest IMO so don't have it all the time. The rest should be enough to hit goals if you're eating enough in general, but if not there are vegan protein powders out there too, my favourite so far has been the Vega brand (vanilla flavour) - I blend it with oat milk. If you're ok with mock meats too a lot of them have decent protein content - I love the "Fry's" range, but I'm in the UK. If it's not available where you are I'm sure there'll be similar alternatives.

I think the digestability of seitan can vary for individuals. There are periods when I have it 1-2 times a day for several days in a row and I've never had any issues with it.

HeidiMightyRawr

janejellyroll wrote: »

HeidiMightyRawr wrote: »

Mostly my protein comes from black beans, chickpeas, lentils (red+green), tofu and seitan. Seitan is ridiculously high protein and super cheap & easy to make. I'm always over my protein goal when I have that but it is quite hard to digest IMO so don't have it all the time. The rest should be enough to hit goals if you're eating enough in general, but if not there are vegan protein powders out there too, my favourite so far has been the Vega brand (vanilla flavour) - I blend it with oat milk. If you're ok with mock meats too a lot of them have decent protein content - I love the "Fry's" range, but I'm in the UK. If it's not available where you are I'm sure there'll be similar alternatives.

I think the digestability of seitan can vary for individuals. There are periods when I have it 1-2 times a day for several days in a row and I've never had any issues with it.

Yes that’s true, my partner has it frequently (and not in small portions either!) with no issues, compared to myself and everyone else I’ve spoken to at least having a little bit of a harder time digesting it than other foods - it does have little to no fiber so I can see why, but by all means if you can have no issues go for it! 😊

berube0604

I’m an ovo-vegetarian so I have eggs every day (1 whole egg and 3 egg whites) and make black bean burgers homemade which are so delicious! I also do a protein shake every night as “dessert) I’ve used plant fusion because it’s basically allergen free, but I’m currently using garden of life because of the challenge)

AnnPT77

Since you're a new vegetarian, I have a couple of suggestions, from a perspective of being a little more experienced.

I've been ovo-lacto veg for nearly 45 years, including about a year of weight loss (2015) and several of maintenance since. At 5'5", weight mid 130s, and quite active (rowing and spin, mostly), I eat a minimum of 100g protein daily. I don't normally eat fake meat, protein powder, or protein bars (nothing against them in theory, I just don't find them tasty/filling personally). I eat very few eggs (again, just taste/preference).

I think what I'm about to say would apply to strict vegetarians (no dairy/eggs), and I think I could hit my protein goal eating that way. (I don't choose to: I love dairy too much, and my Northern European genes mean I digest it just fine.)

I always suggest that new vegetarians re-orient their thinking about meals. Ominvores often think of meals focused on one big protein. ("What's for dinner?" "Chicken" "Burgers" etc.). The big protein sources (plant-based ones) are still important for vegetarians, but it's very helpful to think more broadly: How can you add increments of protein in most things you eat, throughout the day? Those small numbers of grams can really add up, when added to your main-dish-y sources.

So, a few suggestions, with #1 most relevant if you're logging foods (whether you're trying to lose/maintain):

1. Review your food log. Find foods with relatively many calories that bring you relatively few protein grams. Reduce or eliminate those foods, substituting others you enjoy that have a better protein-to-calorie ratio. (If you're trying to gain weight, you can of course simply add protein foods: Your weight goal, if any, wasn't obvious in your OP.)

2. As I mentioned, try to get at least a few grams of protein in nearly every food you eat. Prefer snacks with protein, veggies with protein, grains with protein, even fruits with protein (they exist). Because plant-based proteins tend to be incomplete (in amino acid profile), vary them across the day and week to get a more complete mix. You can look into more formal ways of combining plant proteins to get complete amino acids ("protein complementarity"), but I don't personally structure my eating that formally anymore (I did moreso when I was newly veg, as a learning exercise.)

(Just as an example: For another thread, I tallied one routine day in which I logged 28 distinct foods, if I counted correctly. Only 6 had zero protein (coffee, cinnamon, blackstrap molasses, mustard, sauerkraut and olive oil). Only 2 of those had >10 calories: Olive oil at 27 calories, and molasses at
67. Only 4 food servings had >10g protein: Greek yogurt, smoked tofu, black beans, cheese. At that point, I was at 99g protein, with several hundred calories left to get that last gram; that was with a net calorie goal these days of about 1850 in maintenance. I don't recall how much exercise I did that day, but it's typically 250-350 calories worth, all of which I eat.)

3. Take a look at the thread linked below. It links to a spreadsheet that lists many, many foods by protein efficiency, most protein for fewest calories. You'll need to scroll past the mostly meaty/fishy stuff near the top of the list, but the plant sources are there, further down. Find some foods you enjoy, and eat more of them. I'll bet there are some you wouldn't otherwise have thought of.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also

Best wishes!

nicolasandrea

I’ve been vegan for a year and a half. I usually add my protein powder to my coffee and or teas haha sounds weird but I think it tastes pretty great! I make matcha tea with almond milk and add it there which is nice and warm for the colder months. During summer months I’m obsessed with smoothie bowls and I add my protein powder in them for breakfast. I would definitely recommend smoothie bowls because you can also top them with hemp seeds, chia seeds other nuts which can give you a great source of protein to deliciously start off your day.

jacalynrose11

Thank you, everyone, for your support and suggestions. This thread has been so helpful!

zeejane03

nicolasandrea wrote: »

I’ve been vegan for a year and a half. I usually add my protein powder to my coffee and or teas haha sounds weird but I think it tastes pretty great! I make matcha tea with almond milk and add it there which is nice and warm for the colder months. During summer months I’m obsessed with smoothie bowls and I add my protein powder in them for breakfast. I would definitely recommend smoothie bowls because you can also top them with hemp seeds, chia seeds other nuts which can give you a great source of protein to deliciously start off your day.

What's a smoothie bowl?

janejellyroll

zeejane03 wrote: »

nicolasandrea wrote: »

I’ve been vegan for a year and a half. I usually add my protein powder to my coffee and or teas haha sounds weird but I think it tastes pretty great! I make matcha tea with almond milk and add it there which is nice and warm for the colder months. During summer months I’m obsessed with smoothie bowls and I add my protein powder in them for breakfast. I would definitely recommend smoothie bowls because you can also top them with hemp seeds, chia seeds other nuts which can give you a great source of protein to deliciously start off your day.

What's a smoothie bowl?

I make these sometimes -- for me it is just smoothie ingredients blended up and then placed in a bowl with some oats mixed in, topped with chopped fruit or seeds. It's like a smoothie you eat with a spoon.

Here is a recipe I tried recently: https://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-weight-loss/a22350411/rad-raspberry-beet-smoothie-bowl/

I substituted coconut milk yogurt for the diary yogurt.

anetkastefaniak

@jacalynrose11 I eat a lot of string cheese, cottage cheese, feta cheese and eggs for protein but am too thinking about cutting out dairy slowly. I've been bloated randomly so I may have to do an elimination diet to see what's causing it, maybe it's the dairy.

I just googled and see articles mentioning oats, almonds, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds & peanuts as high protein foods.

@janejellyroll @zeejane03 Which beans do you recommend? I use a lot of black beans but wanted to try something new.

janejellyroll

anetkastefaniak wrote: »

@jacalynrose11 I eat a lot of string cheese, cottage cheese, feta cheese and eggs for protein but am too thinking about cutting out dairy slowly. I've been bloated randomly so I may have to do an elimination diet to see what's causing it, maybe it's the dairy.

@janejellyroll @zeejane03 Which beans do you recommend? I use a lot of black beans but wanted to try something new.

I love black beans, but I also enjoy garbanzos, pinto beans (had some for breakfast this morning), kidney beans, and cannellini beans. Black-eyed peas and lentils are also favorites.

anetkastefaniak

@janejellyroll thank you!!!

zeejane03

anetkastefaniak wrote: »

@jacalynrose11 I eat a lot of string cheese, cottage cheese, feta cheese and eggs for protein but am too thinking about cutting out dairy slowly. I've been bloated randomly so I may have to do an elimination diet to see what's causing it, maybe it's the dairy.

I just googled and see articles mentioning oats, almonds, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds & peanuts as high protein foods.

@janejellyroll @zeejane03 Which beans do you recommend? I use a lot of black beans but wanted to try something new.

I like them all-for salads and rice bowl they're all good. I've also started mixing large cans of baked beans (pinto), with small cans of black, kidney, northern etc (ratio 1 large can to 2 regular cans). This freezes easy (in quart freezer bags). Then defrosted, I microwave a serving for about 35 seconds, drizzle a bit of mustard in and eat as an easy side-the sauce from the baked beans is enough to cover all the beans

cathipa

jacalynrose11 wrote: »

janejellyroll wrote: »

I've been vegan for about twelve years. I eat beans just about every day and I have tofu, tempeh, and seitan regularly too. That, combined with the protein in grains and vegetables, pretty much takes care of my protein needs. I have protein powder 1-2 times a week. I prefer an unflavored one that I can put into coffee or baked goods, right now I'm using Bob's Red Mill hemp protein powder, but I've also liked brown rice and pea protein powders (not really brand-loyal, I just grab whatever is cheapest generally).

I do like tofu! However, I've never even heard of tempeh or seitan! I'll look into those, thank you!

I'm new as well. Seitan is delicious and even my omni family doesn't know its not meat I make my own (easy and cheap). Just made tofu for the first time last night that tasted amazing (previously didn't press and it was nasty) so this will be on high rotation. I agree with the others about the overnight oats and adding protein powder. I make mine with soy milk and add hemp and chia seeds as well. I get about 80g protein a day.

anetkastefaniak

@zeejane03 ooo sounds yum. Thank you!

AnnPT77

anetkastefaniak wrote: »

@jacalynrose11 I eat a lot of string cheese, cottage cheese, feta cheese and eggs for protein but am too thinking about cutting out dairy slowly. I've been bloated randomly so I may have to do an elimination diet to see what's causing it, maybe it's the dairy.

I just googled and see articles mentioning oats, almonds, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds & peanuts as high protein foods.

@janejellyroll @zeejane03 Which beans do you recommend? I use a lot of black beans but wanted to try something new.

If calories are a factor, nuts and seeds generally are not a great way to get lots of protein, because they're so high in fats - more fats than protein, really. They can be useful in small ways, since we do need some fats, but one needs a pretty high calorie goal to fit in lots of them regularly.

I put nuts and seeds in my oatmeal today: 14g of walnuts is 92 calories, 2g of protein; 12g of ground flax seeds is 55 calories, 3g of protein; 10g of hemp hearts is 57 calories, 3g protein). Rolled oats (old fashioned, plain) are 30g for 114 calories, 4g protein. Peanut butter (natural) earlier today was 210 calories, 9g protein. Obviously, since I eat these, I consider them worthwhile in my overall nutritional picture for various reasons, but they're not profoundly calorie efficient as protein sources, and many people care about that.

I don't eat much quinoa (just taste preference), but it looks like it's around 220 calories for a cup (cooked) for 8.1g protein.

Obviously, getting 20g of protein from any of those foods is going to be kind of expensive, in calories, let alone 100g.

On the bean question: Lentils cook quickly from dry, and are around 116 calories for 100g (cooked), 9g protein. Lupini beans are kind of a pain to prep, but you can sometimes find them jarred/canned. The ones I get (in jars) are 100 calories for 11g protein, which is only (per label) about 44 beans (I weigh them, in practice).

Personally, I look for protein sources when possible that have at least 1g per 20 calories, but prefer 1g per 10 calories to consider them a good protein source (for large contributions to my protein goal).

If you eat processed foods, some things to consider are chickpea pasta (190 calories for 2oz. dry, which is 14g protein) or various soy pastas (varies, but usually around 200 calories for 2oz dry, 22g or so protein). Note that the soy pastas in particular don't usually have a normal pasta texture: They're kind of chewy. I don't like them with tomato-y or creamy sauces, but like them in pseudo-Asian preparations. I feel the same way about using black bean pasta, though I do use it in soups/stews as well as pseudo Asian - it's more soft (no "al dente" stage I've found) than chewy (and around 210 calories for 56g dry, 14g protein).

There's also peanut butter powder. Some have sugar, some don't. One that doesn't have sugar, that I've bought, has 47 calories per 2T (10g), and 5.3g protein. Nutritional yeast has about 20 calories per tablespoon and 3g protein (many are B12 fortified, which you'll want in some way if you're not eating animal products).

Of course, all the traditional soybean products - tofu, tempeh, natto - are high in protein, within reasonable calories for the amount of protein, as I think of "reasonable".

zeejane03

AnnPT77 wrote: »

On the bean question: Lentils cook quickly from dry, and are around 116 calories for 100g (cooked), 9g protein. Lupini beans are kind of a pain to prep, but you can sometimes find them jarred/canned. The ones I get (in jars) are 100 calories for 11g protein, which is only (per label) about 44 beans (I weigh them, in practice).

I've never heard of Lupini beans, will look for them next time I'm at the store!

zeejane03

anetkastefaniak wrote: »

@zeejane03 ooo sounds yum. Thank you!

I made a double batch this morning and almost took a picture-it looked so pretty lol.

2 large cans baked beans with a regular sized can of black, white kidney, red kidney and then northern beans. Mixed them together (I did not drain or rinse them, just dumped them in a mixing bowl), and filled quart sized freezer bags (used a 1/2 cup measuring scoop to fill the bags, to do serving sizes). Laid the bags flat and put them in a gallon bag (it was tight but I fit them all in one), and the bag is now in the freezer. laying flat. Each quart bag has around 5 servings, so I'll go through one a week. Beans can be frozen for a few months, or around a week in the fridge.

janejellyroll

AnnPT77 wrote: »

If you eat processed foods, some things to consider are chickpea pasta (190 calories for 2oz. dry, which is 14g protein) or various soy pastas (varies, but usually around 200 calories for 2oz dry, 22g or so protein). Note that the soy pastas in particular don't usually have a normal pasta texture: They're kind of chewy. I don't like them with tomato-y or creamy sauces, but like them in pseudo-Asian preparations. I feel the same way about using black bean pasta, though I do use it in soups/stews as well as pseudo Asian - it's more soft (no "al dente" stage I've found) than chewy (and around 210 calories for 56g dry, 14g protein).

I personally am quite picky about pasta texture (I absolutely couldn't handle black bean pasta), but I've personally found that the chickpea pasta I tried was almost indistinguishable from "real" pasta. I use the Banza brand. It's got a nice amount of protein and the price is reasonable for an "alternative" pasta so if someone is interested, I think it is worth checking out. When I combine it with beans, red lentil sauce (tomato sauce with red lentils cooked in it), or veggie sausage, the resulting protein counts can be good for a plant-based pasta meal.

AnnPT77

janejellyroll wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

If you eat processed foods, some things to consider are chickpea pasta (190 calories for 2oz. dry, which is 14g protein) or various soy pastas (varies, but usually around 200 calories for 2oz dry, 22g or so protein). Note that the soy pastas in particular don't usually have a normal pasta texture: They're kind of chewy. I don't like them with tomato-y or creamy sauces, but like them in pseudo-Asian preparations. I feel the same way about using black bean pasta, though I do use it in soups/stews as well as pseudo Asian - it's more soft (no "al dente" stage I've found) than chewy (and around 210 calories for 56g dry, 14g protein).

I personally am quite picky about pasta texture (I absolutely couldn't handle black bean pasta), but I've personally found that the chickpea pasta I tried was almost indistinguishable from "real" pasta. I use the Banza brand. It's got a nice amount of protein and the price is reasonable for an "alternative" pasta so if someone is interested, I think it is worth checking out. When I combine it with beans, red lentil sauce (tomato sauce with red lentils cooked in it), or veggie sausage, the resulting protein counts can be good for a plant-based pasta meal.

Yes, I agree about the chickpea pasta texture, and should've said that. (Thanks, Jane!). I do find that it tastes a little . . . I dunno . . . flatter? . . . than regular wheat pasta, but nothing a flavorful sauce can't fix.

Someone here (amusedmonkey, maybe?) recommended trying pasta sauce made with tomato sauce, ground (basically powdered) dried mushrooms, and lentils, plus whatever seasonings. It was really tasty, rich, and filling! (I like a little hacho miso in it, too, for even more depth of flavor).

Which reminds me, mushrooms are a very calorie-efficient protein source, though incomplete in amino acids (can be complemented, of course). The problem is that they're so low in calories that it takes a lot to get much protein! Still, for 1 oz (somewhere between 1-2 large ones, 3-4 small) of regular white button mushrooms (raw), it's 7 calories for 1g protein.

iseewholewheat

I have been a pescatarian for about 20 years. I eat fish about 2-3 times per week, but most of my protein comes from everything else that others have mentioned already (beans, beans, beans.) I also try to make sure that the vegetables I am eating are higher in protein or iron. While I love all fruit, it just doesn't pack the protein in one serving like legumes and some vegetables. Also I am vaguely dairy sensitive, but I don't seem to have any issues with Lactaid milk.

jacalynrose11

anetkastefaniak wrote: »

@jacalynrose11 I eat a lot of string cheese, cottage cheese, feta cheese and eggs for protein but am too thinking about cutting out dairy slowly. I've been bloated randomly so I may have to do an elimination diet to see what's causing it, maybe it's the dairy.

I just googled and see articles mentioning oats, almonds, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds & peanuts as high protein foods.

@janejellyroll @zeejane03 Which beans do you recommend? I use a lot of black beans but wanted to try something new.

I use a LOT of beans in my diet, usually for lunch. I eat lunch usually at school, or at work.

Something I truly love to do is make "sandwich filling" with garbanzo beans. I mash them with a potato masher and prepare it as I would have prepared a chicken salad using onions, celery, or any kind of veggies for color and texture diced really small, and adding mayo (I use vegenaise for taste preference), and seasonings. Super easy and super easy to take on the go and has lots of protein!

I make up a "taco" sandwich filler using black beans, taco seasonings, and texmex inspired ingredients too (corn, onions, avocado, tomato, quinoa, etc) and usually eat that as a wrap with plain greek yogurt and salsa. yum!