Any other pescatarians?!
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yb6ysj825w
Posts: 4 Member
Hello! New member here. Wanted to start a discussion about struggles in getting enough protein as a pescatarian. I primarily eat plant-based with some seafood. Main sources of protein right now are tofu, beans, lentils, chia seeds, and vegan protein shakes (my filler).
Any other protein recommendations I’m missing or should try?
Any other protein recommendations I’m missing or should try?
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My husband--69 yrs old--is pescatarian and has been since he was a child. He will eat milk products and sometimes eggs. He eats a lot of cheese and I integrated his diet with whey protein powder 5 years ago. He gets enough protein.
If you don't eat milk products or eggs it will be difficult. Someone else will step up for sure.1 -
Although I never set out to be one, and it is not -and never will be- my goal, for all practical intents and purposes, I am a pescatarian and a limited one at that. The only animals I eat (knowingly) now and have been eating for a few years now, are sardines. I bought them frozen before and those remain my favourites, but the pandemic has nudged me in the direction of canned sardines. I eat one can of sardines with vegetables as my very first meal of the day.
For the rest, I currently have two other sources most people would recognise as protein sources: soybeans and lupini flakes. Vegetables also contain small, but non-negligible amounts of protein. As a result, my protein intake is actually quite high, usually between 90 g and 100 g a day. Given that I have lived like this for several years, it seems that this is adequate since I have no ill effects or deficiencies.
Don't forget that we actually *need* very little protein and, relatively speaking, the vast majority of people in the industrialised world gets what can arguably be called "too much protein" and not "too little".
As for tofu, you really may want to consider soybeans. Industrial tofu does not taste very good. Artisanal tofu is wonderful but is not necessarily easy to get. However, soybeans are just about the tastiest beans there are and they are very easy to prepare. I always wonder why so few people eat them, and opt for the processed version instead.4 -
snowflake954 wrote: »My husband--69 yrs old--is pescatarian and has been since he was a child. He will eat milk products and sometimes eggs. He eats a lot of cheese and I integrated his diet with whey protein powder 5 years ago. He gets enough protein.
If you don't eat milk products or eggs it will be difficult. Someone else will step up for sure.
Pescatarians don't use all the other snimal products, plus it is nit hard at all. I was pescatarian for years, now completely plant based and no problem at all with protein. It is just learning 🙂2 -
The only problem I am aware of that you could possibly have, and it is a serious one, is a depletion of your B12 reserves. How do you take that on? Supplements, food that has been fortified, something else I am not thinking of?snowflake954 wrote: »My husband--69 yrs old--is pescatarian and has been since he was a child. He will eat milk products and sometimes eggs. He eats a lot of cheese and I integrated his diet with whey protein powder 5 years ago. He gets enough protein.
If you don't eat milk products or eggs it will be difficult. Someone else will step up for sure.
Pescatarians don't use all the other snimal products, plus it is nit hard at all. I was pescatarian for years, now completely plant based and no problem at all with protein. It is just learning 🙂
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snowflake954 wrote: »My husband--69 yrs old--is pescatarian and has been since he was a child. He will eat milk products and sometimes eggs. He eats a lot of cheese and I integrated his diet with whey protein powder 5 years ago. He gets enough protein.
If you don't eat milk products or eggs it will be difficult. Someone else will step up for sure.
Pescatarians don't use all the other snimal products, plus it is nit hard at all. I was pescatarian for years, now completely plant based and no problem at all with protein. It is just learning 🙂
Interesting, because when I looked up "pescatarian" for a definition, it said eggs and milk products are allowed.3 -
That is why doctors are taught to ask patients what they actually eat if and when patients tell them they are vegetarian, pescatarian, flexitarian, even vegan... because the words have no well-defined meaning, and even if they sometimes do have one, the patients often don't know that and attach their own ideas to the term they are using. And sometimes, they are not aware that what they are doing actually violates "the rules". In other words, to someone in healthcare, these words are meaningless.snowflake954 wrote: »snowflake954 wrote: »My husband--69 yrs old--is pescatarian and has been since he was a child. He will eat milk products and sometimes eggs. He eats a lot of cheese and I integrated his diet with whey protein powder 5 years ago. He gets enough protein.
If you don't eat milk products or eggs it will be difficult. Someone else will step up for sure.
Pescatarians don't use all the other snimal products, plus it is nit hard at all. I was pescatarian for years, now completely plant based and no problem at all with protein. It is just learning 🙂
Interesting, because when I looked up "pescatarian" for a definition, it said eggs and milk products are allowed.
1 -
snowflake954 wrote: »snowflake954 wrote: »My husband--69 yrs old--is pescatarian and has been since he was a child. He will eat milk products and sometimes eggs. He eats a lot of cheese and I integrated his diet with whey protein powder 5 years ago. He gets enough protein.
If you don't eat milk products or eggs it will be difficult. Someone else will step up for sure.
Pescatarians don't use all the other snimal products, plus it is nit hard at all. I was pescatarian for years, now completely plant based and no problem at all with protein. It is just learning 🙂
Interesting, because when I looked up "pescatarian" for a definition, it said eggs and milk products are allowed.
I agree, my understanding of ‘Pescatarian’ is basically someone who doesn’t eat the flesh of animals and birds but considers fish, being cold blooded, as not in the same category of ‘living beings’
Therefore eggs, dairy etc are still on the table.4 -
yb6ysj825w wrote: »Hello! New member here. Wanted to start a discussion about struggles in getting enough protein as a pescatarian. I primarily eat plant-based with some seafood. Main sources of protein right now are tofu, beans, lentils, chia seeds, and vegan protein shakes (my filler).
Any other protein recommendations I’m missing or should try?
Shrimp is 97% protein by weight and the highest protein % of any food. Fish like sole, halibut, flounder basically most white fish are in the 80% area as well as most shellfish like clam, mussels, oysters and scallops. The fattier cuts of fish like sardines, anchovies, herring and salmon are in the 40% area so it would depend on where you get the best bang for your buck calorie wise if your trying to lose weight. This also covers B12 and omega 3's.
For example 100g's of shrimp has about 20g's of protein for about 105 calories. Atlantic salmon has around 19g's of protein per 100g's and 185 calories.
Not sure what you call adequate protein or what your goals are but it's pretty easy imo consuming enough protein. I get just over 200g's a day but then again I'm low carb and eat animal products for my protein.3 -
I love to cook and eat seafood. A couple weeks ago, I did some searching through MFP to see if there were any discussions about favorite seafood recipes. I didn't have much luck. I didn't start one myself, but if there was one, I'd join in.
Before my smoker died, it made some great fish. Many species of salmon. Rockfish. Lingcod.
I love to make pan-fried rockfish; coat with seasoned flour, dip in egg, roll in panko, and shallow-fry. If I don't feel like that much oil, they can go in the convection oven just fine.
Baked salmon; just made some a couple days ago. Friends got together the last couple years and bought some "shares" of Sockeye from a boat that fishes in Alaska.
Lingcod en papillote is easy and leaves little mess to clean up.
In season, I have a marinade I use for fresh albacore and the grill far away from the charcoal with some green fruit wood on the coals. So good it feels like it's melting in your mouth even though it's not.
Where I live, Dungeness Crab season just opened. It's a month late again, and I'm looking forward to getting some crabs. I haven't been diving for them in a while, but that's fun too. I should borrow some traps and go get some.
I also do enjoy canned fish.
I am working on some good fish soup dishes too.2 -
yb6ysj825w wrote: »Hello! New member here. Wanted to start a discussion about struggles in getting enough protein as a pescatarian. I primarily eat plant-based with some seafood. Main sources of protein right now are tofu, beans, lentils, chia seeds, and vegan protein shakes (my filler).
Any other protein recommendations I’m missing or should try?
What about tempeh, seitan - do those work for you?
I'm vegetarian (ovo-lacto), don't have much trouble getting adequate protein without supplements.
Are you trying for low-processed foods? If you're not super strict about that, you could consider red lentil or chickpea pasta (similar to wheat pasta in texture/flavor) or edmame/soy pasta (chewier but IMO good in Asian-esque noodle dishes). There's even chickpea "rice" (really a chickpea orzo pasta, but substitutable for rice in many dishes, for higher protein content).
It also helps me to include lots of smaller sources of protein, like miso or defatted peanut powder or nutritional yeast as flavoring ingredients, higher-protein veggies, breads and grains with relatively more protein to use as ingredients/sides, higher protein snacks, and that sort of thing. Little bits from those sources add up through the day, in addition to the "one big protein per meal" idea.
If you haven't seen it, you might find this thread a good resource, though you'll have to skip the meat-y entries on the linked spreadsheet - there are plenty of fish/seafood and plant options there, just a bit further down the list.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also
If you're logging, reviewing your diary can give some insights about reducing some relatively high calorie foods that aren't that important to you for other reasons, and making room for some better protein contributors from amongst other foods you enjoy. I found the spreadsheet really useful for that.4 -
BartBVanBockstaele wrote: »
That is why doctors are taught to ask patients what they actually eat if and when patients tell them they are vegetarian, pescatarian, flexitarian, even vegan... because the words have no well-defined meaning, and even if they sometimes do have one, the patients often don't know that and attach their own ideas to the term they are using. And sometimes, they are not aware that what they are doing actually violates "the rules". In other words, to someone in healthcare, these words are meaningless.snowflake954 wrote: »snowflake954 wrote: »My husband--69 yrs old--is pescatarian and has been since he was a child. He will eat milk products and sometimes eggs. He eats a lot of cheese and I integrated his diet with whey protein powder 5 years ago. He gets enough protein.
If you don't eat milk products or eggs it will be difficult. Someone else will step up for sure.
Pescatarians don't use all the other snimal products, plus it is nit hard at all. I was pescatarian for years, now completely plant based and no problem at all with protein. It is just learning 🙂
Interesting, because when I looked up "pescatarian" for a definition, it said eggs and milk products are allowed.
I just went to the dictionary.
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BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »snowflake954 wrote: »snowflake954 wrote: »My husband--69 yrs old--is pescatarian and has been since he was a child. He will eat milk products and sometimes eggs. He eats a lot of cheese and I integrated his diet with whey protein powder 5 years ago. He gets enough protein.
If you don't eat milk products or eggs it will be difficult. Someone else will step up for sure.
Pescatarians don't use all the other snimal products, plus it is nit hard at all. I was pescatarian for years, now completely plant based and no problem at all with protein. It is just learning 🙂
Interesting, because when I looked up "pescatarian" for a definition, it said eggs and milk products are allowed.
I agree, my understanding of ‘Pescatarian’ is basically someone who doesn’t eat the flesh of animals and birds but considers fish, being cold blooded, as not in the same category of ‘living beings’
Therefore eggs, dairy etc are still on the table.
Anyone can make up any rules they want and they do and have. It's not a science but mostly a dogma of some description. Keto and Mediterranean, same same but different.
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neanderthin wrote: »BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »snowflake954 wrote: »snowflake954 wrote: »My husband--69 yrs old--is pescatarian and has been since he was a child. He will eat milk products and sometimes eggs. He eats a lot of cheese and I integrated his diet with whey protein powder 5 years ago. He gets enough protein.
If you don't eat milk products or eggs it will be difficult. Someone else will step up for sure.
Pescatarians don't use all the other snimal products, plus it is nit hard at all. I was pescatarian for years, now completely plant based and no problem at all with protein. It is just learning 🙂
Interesting, because when I looked up "pescatarian" for a definition, it said eggs and milk products are allowed.
I agree, my understanding of ‘Pescatarian’ is basically someone who doesn’t eat the flesh of animals and birds but considers fish, being cold blooded, as not in the same category of ‘living beings’
Therefore eggs, dairy etc are still on the table.
Anyone can make up any rules they want and they do and have. It's not a science but mostly a dogma of some description. Keto and Mediterranean, same same but different.
Exactly. Pesce means "fish" in Italian (perhaps other Med languages also). It just means you eat fish, and someone put a fancy name on it. My husband's been eating this way for 60 yrs and doesn't even know there's a label--or rules. By the way, he's naturally thin.2 -
snowflake954 wrote: »neanderthin wrote: »BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »snowflake954 wrote: »snowflake954 wrote: »My husband--69 yrs old--is pescatarian and has been since he was a child. He will eat milk products and sometimes eggs. He eats a lot of cheese and I integrated his diet with whey protein powder 5 years ago. He gets enough protein.
If you don't eat milk products or eggs it will be difficult. Someone else will step up for sure.
Pescatarians don't use all the other snimal products, plus it is nit hard at all. I was pescatarian for years, now completely plant based and no problem at all with protein. It is just learning 🙂
Interesting, because when I looked up "pescatarian" for a definition, it said eggs and milk products are allowed.
I agree, my understanding of ‘Pescatarian’ is basically someone who doesn’t eat the flesh of animals and birds but considers fish, being cold blooded, as not in the same category of ‘living beings’
Therefore eggs, dairy etc are still on the table.
Anyone can make up any rules they want and they do and have. It's not a science but mostly a dogma of some description. Keto and Mediterranean, same same but different.
Exactly. Pesce means "fish" in Italian (perhaps other Med languages also). It just means you eat fish, and someone put a fancy name on it. My husband's been eating this way for 60 yrs and doesn't even know there's a label--or rules. By the way, he's naturally thin.
Right, some indigenous peoples around the Med do eat lots of fish, no doubt about it, especially coastal communities.
I was referring to the actual term. The term "pescatarian" was first uttered in the US back in the 90's. Adjustments to a strict plant based diet goes back to it's beginnings in the late 1800's if I remember correctly and then adjusted further from even the lacto ovo eating regimen to add fish, why would be speculative but I'd imagine it was health related and considering what we know now, that is probably why. Since then it's basically what ever someone believes to be a better way forward, and nobody is really wrong, how could they be, imo. Vegan is different in the respect they believe anything that is harmful to animals should be avoided, of course with blinkers on, couldn't happen otherwise.1 -
There is nothing wrong with that. We just have to take into account that dictionaries have to make choices and that those choices cannot possibly include any and all ways people use the word we are looking up. Some of my own main problems with this are that many people seem to think that "most" = "all, without exceptions" or that "may" = "will", and I have yet to find a good way to protect against that.snowflake954 wrote: »BartBVanBockstaele wrote: »
That is why doctors are taught to ask patients what they actually eat if and when patients tell them they are vegetarian, pescatarian, flexitarian, even vegan... because the words have no well-defined meaning, and even if they sometimes do have one, the patients often don't know that and attach their own ideas to the term they are using. And sometimes, they are not aware that what they are doing actually violates "the rules". In other words, to someone in healthcare, these words are meaningless.snowflake954 wrote: »snowflake954 wrote: »My husband--69 yrs old--is pescatarian and has been since he was a child. He will eat milk products and sometimes eggs. He eats a lot of cheese and I integrated his diet with whey protein powder 5 years ago. He gets enough protein.
If you don't eat milk products or eggs it will be difficult. Someone else will step up for sure.
Pescatarians don't use all the other snimal products, plus it is nit hard at all. I was pescatarian for years, now completely plant based and no problem at all with protein. It is just learning 🙂
Interesting, because when I looked up "pescatarian" for a definition, it said eggs and milk products are allowed.
I just went to the dictionary.
And, of course, dictionaries also contain errors. One that has frustrated me tremendously over 40 years ago is that I was unable to convince my parents that my snakes were pythons, not boas, despite what their dictionary told them.0 -
Tempeh seems to have become more widely available in the last few years. I find it bland, even the ones with flavours added to them (but certainly better-tasting than industrial tofu), but I am a big fan of nattou that, unfortunately, is harder to get. There is also stinky tofu, although that might be too salty for many people, it is for me, sadly because it tastes really great. On the other hand, I am also a very big fan of boiled soybeans (I bought an Instant Pot that I only use to boil soybeans, and it is a completely hands-off process) or even soynuts (cooked in the microwave, very tasty and very little work involved).What about tempeh, seitan - do those work for you?
Seitan is problematic if people have cœliac disease. That is less than 1% of the population, but still, someone who has it has it 100%, obviously ^_^. That said, seitan truly is a wonderful product. Good suggestion!1 -
BartBVanBockstaele wrote: »
Tempeh seems to have become more widely available in the last few years. I find it bland, even the ones with flavours added to them (but certainly better-tasting than industrial tofu), but I am a big fan of nattou that, unfortunately, is harder to get. There is also stinky tofu, although that might be too salty for many people, it is for me, sadly because it tastes really great. On the other hand, I am also a very big fan of boiled soybeans (I bought an Instant Pot that I only use to boil soybeans, and it is a completely hands-off process) or even soynuts (cooked in the microwave, very tasty and very little work involved).What about tempeh, seitan - do those work for you?
Seitan is problematic if people have cœliac disease. That is less than 1% of the population, but still, someone who has it has it 100%, obviously ^_^. That said, seitan truly is a wonderful product. Good suggestion!
I finally found the trick to fabulous tempeh. I had tried in the past several methods to marinade it before baking or whatever. At some point I figured out this trick, and one of my favorite things was to stack one of my smoker racks full of the stuff when I'd smoke anything. One of these days I may replace the smoker; it was lots of fun. For now I am without one.
So what's the trick? Steam! Yep. If your tempeh is in the freezer, thaw it in the fridge for a day or so first. Then cut it into the sizes/shapes you want to bake/smoke it in. I cut it into small rectangles about 2"x3". Put a little water in a pot with a steamer basket in it, and bring it up to temperature. Add the tempeh, put the lid on, and steam for only five or ten minutes. Remove the steamer basket and THEN put your tempeh in your marinade for a few hours. I usually use some mix of olive oil, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, some kind or kinds of chiles, soy sauce, and other spices. I usually add some fresh-squeezed lemon juice too. Then bake, grill, smoke, or cut into smaller pieces and toss in a stir fry.
In the past, I used to poke tons of holes with a fork to try and get the flavor in. It. JUST. WOULD. NOT. TAKE. The steam somehow allows the tempeh to soak it up.
Am I a tempehtarian?
4 -
You don't even need tempeh for that. Just take normal tofu, freeze it and thaw it. You can then squeeze it. It is a bit like a sponge. It will also work a lot better for flavouring. Firm tofu is the best, in my opinion. I was a fan, but not so much of the industrial tofu.BartBVanBockstaele wrote: »
Tempeh seems to have become more widely available in the last few years. I find it bland, even the ones with flavours added to them (but certainly better-tasting than industrial tofu), but I am a big fan of nattou that, unfortunately, is harder to get. There is also stinky tofu, although that might be too salty for many people, it is for me, sadly because it tastes really great. On the other hand, I am also a very big fan of boiled soybeans (I bought an Instant Pot that I only use to boil soybeans, and it is a completely hands-off process) or even soynuts (cooked in the microwave, very tasty and very little work involved).What about tempeh, seitan - do those work for you?
Seitan is problematic if people have cœliac disease. That is less than 1% of the population, but still, someone who has it has it 100%, obviously ^_^. That said, seitan truly is a wonderful product. Good suggestion!
I finally found the trick to fabulous tempeh. I had tried in the past several methods to marinade it before baking or whatever. At some point I figured out this trick, and one of my favorite things was to stack one of my smoker racks full of the stuff when I'd smoke anything. One of these days I may replace the smoker; it was lots of fun. For now I am without one.
So what's the trick? Steam! Yep. If your tempeh is in the freezer, thaw it in the fridge for a day or so first. Then cut it into the sizes/shapes you want to bake/smoke it in. I cut it into small rectangles about 2"x3". Put a little water in a pot with a steamer basket in it, and bring it up to temperature. Add the tempeh, put the lid on, and steam for only five or ten minutes. Remove the steamer basket and THEN put your tempeh in your marinade for a few hours. I usually use some mix of olive oil, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, some kind or kinds of chiles, soy sauce, and other spices. I usually add some fresh-squeezed lemon juice too. Then bake, grill, smoke, or cut into smaller pieces and toss in a stir fry.
In the past, I used to poke tons of holes with a fork to try and get the flavor in. It. JUST. WOULD. NOT. TAKE. The steam somehow allows the tempeh to soak it up.
Am I a tempehtarian?
That said, before my weight loss journey, I used uncooked, unfrozen industrial tofu, put a mixture of roasted sesame oil and soy sauce on it, topped that with sliced green onions and katsuobushi, and that was relatively tasty, but nothing in comparison with artisanal tofu. It would be arguably quite delectable with tempeh. But since I just cook whole soybeans now, the issue has gone away on its own. Soybeans are very tasty, and I don't need to add anything at all. They are a bit like (very) soft small nuts, not totally unlike pistachios (but with a different taste). In fact, my next meal will consist of soybeans and kale (and some spices).
0 -
BartBVanBockstaele wrote: »
You don't even need tempeh for that. Just take normal tofu, freeze it and thaw it. You can then squeeze it. It is a bit like a sponge. It will also work a lot better for flavouring. Firm tofu is the best, in my opinion. I was a fan, but not so much of the industrial tofu.BartBVanBockstaele wrote: »
Tempeh seems to have become more widely available in the last few years. I find it bland, even the ones with flavours added to them (but certainly better-tasting than industrial tofu), but I am a big fan of nattou that, unfortunately, is harder to get. There is also stinky tofu, although that might be too salty for many people, it is for me, sadly because it tastes really great. On the other hand, I am also a very big fan of boiled soybeans (I bought an Instant Pot that I only use to boil soybeans, and it is a completely hands-off process) or even soynuts (cooked in the microwave, very tasty and very little work involved).What about tempeh, seitan - do those work for you?
Seitan is problematic if people have cœliac disease. That is less than 1% of the population, but still, someone who has it has it 100%, obviously ^_^. That said, seitan truly is a wonderful product. Good suggestion!
I finally found the trick to fabulous tempeh. I had tried in the past several methods to marinade it before baking or whatever. At some point I figured out this trick, and one of my favorite things was to stack one of my smoker racks full of the stuff when I'd smoke anything. One of these days I may replace the smoker; it was lots of fun. For now I am without one.
So what's the trick? Steam! Yep. If your tempeh is in the freezer, thaw it in the fridge for a day or so first. Then cut it into the sizes/shapes you want to bake/smoke it in. I cut it into small rectangles about 2"x3". Put a little water in a pot with a steamer basket in it, and bring it up to temperature. Add the tempeh, put the lid on, and steam for only five or ten minutes. Remove the steamer basket and THEN put your tempeh in your marinade for a few hours. I usually use some mix of olive oil, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, some kind or kinds of chiles, soy sauce, and other spices. I usually add some fresh-squeezed lemon juice too. Then bake, grill, smoke, or cut into smaller pieces and toss in a stir fry.
In the past, I used to poke tons of holes with a fork to try and get the flavor in. It. JUST. WOULD. NOT. TAKE. The steam somehow allows the tempeh to soak it up.
Am I a tempehtarian?
That said, before my weight loss journey, I used uncooked, unfrozen industrial tofu, put a mixture of roasted sesame oil and soy sauce on it, topped that with sliced green onions and katsuobushi, and that was relatively tasty, but nothing in comparison with artisanal tofu. It would be arguably quite delectable with tempeh. But since I just cook whole soybeans now, the issue has gone away on its own. Soybeans are very tasty, and I don't need to add anything at all. They are a bit like (very) soft small nuts, not totally unlike pistachios (but with a different taste). In fact, my next meal will consist of soybeans and kale (and some spices).
I don't eat much tofu anymore. I mostly avoid non-fermented soy products because the jury is still out on how phytoestrogens impact health, especially for men. Tempeh is fermented by a Rhizopus fungus. It also is a very different texture than even frozen and pressed tofu. I used to eat a lot of tofu. We even have a local company that makes VERY GOOD fresh tofu. I just mostly don't buy it. Tempeh? Bring it on.
I also use miso; it is made from soy and also is fermented.0 -
(snip)
I finally found the trick to fabulous tempeh.
. . .
So what's the trick? Steam! Yep. If your tempeh is in the freezer, thaw it in the fridge for a day or so first. Then cut it into the sizes/shapes you want to bake/smoke it in. I cut it into small rectangles about 2"x3". Put a little water in a pot with a steamer basket in it, and bring it up to temperature. Add the tempeh, put the lid on, and steam for only five or ten minutes. Remove the steamer basket and THEN put your tempeh in your marinade for a few hours. I usually use some mix of olive oil, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, some kind or kinds of chiles, soy sauce, and other spices. I usually add some fresh-squeezed lemon juice too. Then bake, grill, smoke, or cut into smaller pieces and toss in a stir fry.
In the past, I used to poke tons of holes with a fork to try and get the flavor in. It. JUST. WOULD. NOT. TAKE. The steam somehow allows the tempeh to soak it up.
Am I a tempehtarian?
I'll have to try the steam trick.
My more usual thing is to cut it into strips/fingers, bake them until crispy on the outside, then dip them in something tasty. The dip can be various things, from yogurt-y things (such as tzatziki) to marinara, BBQ sauce, salsa, etc. With the dip, the neutral flavor of the tempeh is a plus, IMO.
I'm an oddball: I adoooore ketchup, so I often dip mine in plenty of a no-sugar no-artificial-sweetener ketchup. That's not exactly a sugar-avoidance thing: I've found that the unsweetened brands of ketchup seem to need to use higher quality tomatoes to get the good, rich flavor, so those are an indulgence for me, and it's easily viable to eat a large amount of it (10 calories/tablespoon so taste and calorie win/win) .
For some purposes, I prefer the tempeh texture to tofu (and it holds together better). I tried freezing tofu, didn't love the resulting texture (spongy?). I prefer to cut it up and bake it for a while, then it absorbs liquids quite freely, too. I also puree it into things (spreads, soups, white lasagna layers, . . .).
The fog seems to have cleared somewhat on the question of unfermented soy foods for women with a history of estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer like me, compared to when I was first diagnosed. ACS used to be very cautious, but they've changed that. More recent research seems to be saying that up to a serving or two daily is fine from a phytoestrogen standpoint for this sub-population, and that more may also be fine (but they can't prove it because not enough Western diet folks eat enough of it to get reasonable stats). At worst there are no obvious contraindications at this point from more.
I don't know about the issues for men, though - I've seen references to the issue, but haven't researched it.
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