The Ultimate Vegan Protein Thread

Options
245

Replies

  • VeganFoodieMom
    VeganFoodieMom Posts: 9 Member
    Options
    Fantastic post! Here are some additions:

    High-Protein Grains: Switching to high-protein grains can really help boost vegan protein intake.
    -Quinoa: Use this rice-like grain in place of, well, rice. It packs 9g protein, as well as other nutrients commonly lacking in a vegan diet: iron, calcium, and B vitamins. Quinoa is yummy in cold salads, too -- or use in place of oatmeal.

    -Kashi brand cereals: If you are an oatmeal or cold cereal eater, swap your regular cereal brand for Kashi brand. One serving of Go Lean contains 13g protein, 10g fiber, and a good dose of iron, too.

    -High-protein bread: Lots of bread brands make high-protein variations, such as Fiber One. I don't do bread but my kids do, so I make sure their PB&Js pack as much protein as possible.

    Nuts and Seeds: I know, they are typically high in fat and calorie-dense, but on the bright side, their density makes them filling. Snack on a few almonds. Or add 2 Tablespoons of ground flax seeds to your oatmeal or smoothies. You'll boost the flavor, protein and fiber -- with just a sprinkle.

    Field Roast: This is my favorite faux meat brand. It's flavorful and is seitan-based, so it's high in protein and contains no soy (which is kind of hard to find in most meat-less meat products). Field Roast deli slices make for delicious sandwiches, with flavors like Wild Mushroom, Smoked Tomato, and Lentil Sage (my fave).

    Holiday "meats": With the holiday season upon us, I can't help but mention a few ideas for those who like traditional holiday centerpieces, such as turkey, there are tasty alternatives.
    -Tofurky Roast: Holy moly, this is so tender and juicy, you'll never feel left out on Thanksgiving! I cook mine surrounded by carrots, potatoes, etc. with rosemary, truffle oil, and vegan gravy. Ahhh-mazing.

    -Field Roast's Hazelnut Cranberry Roast: If you want to make the carnivores jealous, this classy meat alternative will do just that. It's wrapped in puff pastry, OMG. Not the most calorie-friendly option, but it's the perfect holiday indulgence. Field Roast also makes a Meatloaf, and a Celebration Roast.

    - For all you home-cookers out there, my favorite holiday entree is lentil loaf. Even though it goes unnoticed in the final product, I use both red and green lentils, in the spirit of the holiday. ;) I make my own recipe, which is a variation of the recipe found at MyVeganCookbook.com.

    Lastly, I have to plug my favorite vegan protein powder. It is no exaggeration to say that I've spent more than a decade on a quest to find the best protein powder. I found it! Nutribiotic Rice Protein Spectrum Shake. It's non-GMO brown rice that is processed with plant enzymes, not chemicals. It contains a significant amount of not only protein -- 10g in just 62 calories -- but iron, calcium, B vitamins, aminos and more -- all in a spirulina base. I used to make protein smoothies with protein powder, greens powder, sea vegetation mineral powder and a bunch of other nutrient additives. It was incredibly expensive and took up a bunch of space in my cupboards and fridge. Now, I get everything I need and want in Nutribiotic Rice Protein Spectrum Shake. Add some almond or vanilla extract and a peach or banana to sweeten it up a bit, and this smoothie will become your favorite meal of the day!

    Oh, and I can personally attest to the deliciousness of the Tempeh Bacon recipe from fatfreevegan. It's a favorite in our house. My kids favorite cold lunch includes a Tempeh BLT.

    Thanks so much, daffodilsoup, for writing such a thorough post and for starting a great conversation!
  • chrissi_k
    chrissi_k Posts: 175 Member
    Options
    bump for later :)
  • anastasiawildflower
    anastasiawildflower Posts: 197 Member
    Options
    bump
  • apricot_annie
    apricot_annie Posts: 54 Member
    Options
    Bump!
  • SmashleeWpg
    SmashleeWpg Posts: 566 Member
    Options
    This is great, thanks! I copied and pasted to my quick reference "Food" folder :)
  • VeganFoodieMom
    VeganFoodieMom Posts: 9 Member
    Options
    Oooh, I can't believe I forgot to mention a high-protein snack I couldn't live without: Primal Strips. They're soy, mushroom and seitain-based "beef jerky" strips in a variety of flavors from Mesquite to Thai Peanut, which has 74 calories and 10g protein!
  • calliope_music
    calliope_music Posts: 1,242 Member
    Options
    you're my new fave person. i love you, and this thread!
  • HealthyAcademic
    HealthyAcademic Posts: 85 Member
    Options
    I can't believe no one has shared nutritional yeast yet!

    At about 50 calories for 2 tbsp, it's got about 8g of protein in it! (1g fat, 5g carb, 4g fiber)

    Love the stuff.
  • daffodilsoup
    daffodilsoup Posts: 1,972 Member
    Options
    Great additions to this thread, people! I can't believe I forgot nutritional yeast and mushrooms! So glad this helped some people out - vegans and omnivores and everyone in between :)
    I just had an email discussion with Ginny Messina, author of 'Vegan for Life.' She's an RD with a very evidence-based nutritional science bent, so she is far from the queen of trendy. She said she is writing a blog entry on weight loss for the New Year here: TheVeganRd.com

    She suggested upping my protein through protein powders, since I find it hard to break 50 grams of protein while eating 1200 calories. So, I am definitely ordering that protein powder you suggest. Any flavor/sweetening you would recommend? I notice they custom blend everything. I would be using it in a smoothie, or possibly protein balls.

    I will definitely have to check out that site! I happen to use the pea/rice blend, but I know Vega is very popular (it's created by a vegan Ironman, but I think it's a little expensive for how much you get) and also SunWarrior raw vegan proteins. I get mine from trueprotein.com because you can customize the mix (and my wallet appreciates it), but I definitely want to try these powders! I don't love protein powder "straight up" mixed with water, but almond milk could be tasty when I get home. Generally I am an "adder", and I mix into into oatmeal, smoothies, and homemade protein bars.

    Edited to Add: Gotta give credit where credit is due! The seitan display picture is from the Seitan Ribs recipe at blog.fatfreevegan.com.
  • MFR1974
    MFR1974 Posts: 92
    Options
    bump
  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
    Options
    Mmm . . . tempeh . . .

    Good list! Just a little heads up for anyone transitioning to veganism and not just looking to expand their food horizons (which I strongly encourage everyone to do) - a lot of faux animal substitutes are not vegan, they often have eggs or dairy in them. As a vegan, if you eat processed foods, you get used to reading labels. Just something to keep an eye out for. Particularly Morningstar products tend to be vegetarian, but not vegan.
  • nygiantschick
    nygiantschick Posts: 289 Member
    Options
    great post fellow vegan!!! thanks for the taking the time to post it.
  • live2dream
    live2dream Posts: 614 Member
    Options
    LOVE THIS daffodil! :love:

    And I agree about the taste of meat part you said. I didn't go vegan because I didn't like the taste of meat, it was because I found out their were alternate sources to meat and animal products that taste GOOD and don't require killing an animal. Boca burgers (seasoned with a little soy sauce) with Daiya shreds, k&m and pickles taste just like a fast food cheeseburger... with half the fat & calories, same amount of protein, and without ground up animal parts. Being that it's processed food, I don't eat it often, but once in a while, wth.

    I've found tempeh and seitan are AWESOME in stirfries, wraps, tacos, etc....

    LOVE this tempeh recipe: http://www.thekindlife.com/post/yummy-tempeh-tacos :happy:
  • savethecat
    savethecat Posts: 290 Member
    Options
    Yes! Super bump!
  • DakotaKeogh
    DakotaKeogh Posts: 693 Member
    Options
    BUMP! BUMP! BUMP! BUMP!!!!!
  • erin_zuk
    erin_zuk Posts: 226 Member
    Options
    fantastic well written post!
    I hate how tofu has such a bad rep with all the people who have NEVER tried it before

    oh and I LOVE TEMPEH!!!
  • TheGoblinRoad
    TheGoblinRoad Posts: 835 Member
    Options
    I actually went into our ONLY "health food" store in the area and asked if they had Seitan. They didn't know what I was talking about. Bizarre.
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
    Options
    I've never heard of Seitan or Tempeh before, so I will have to look for those.

    I am an omnivore and I still have trouble getting enough protein, so I might try some of these suggestions just for fun.
  • _VoV
    _VoV Posts: 1,494 Member
    Options
    Just in case it's needed: Seitan is pronounced SAY tan, as in the t-shirt 'Praise Seitan'. And tempeh is pronounced TEMM pay.

    Also, some places may know seitan as 'wheat meat'. There are lots of different brands out there, but it's cheap and easy to make at home with gluten flour and some spices.
  • raevynn
    raevynn Posts: 666 Member
    Options
    All hail Seitan!! *genuflects*

    We just had some Tofurkey Roast for dinner. I don't often buy processed vegan "meats", but I do love me some Tofurkey around the holidays :happy:

    Seitan isn't hard to make, either... though it can be a little time consuming, unless you have a powerful mixer/food processor. Then, you can mix it up fairly quick, get it all kneaded in just a few minutes,. and cook it in a crockpot. If you make your own, you can also adjust the seasonings to just as you like it.

    Tempeh is our go-to substance around here. I taught my Dear Hubby how to make tempeh bacon, and now I have BLTs for lunch at least three times a week! (win!!)

Categories