Going vegan for a week--help!

Phoenixflame

I'm always curious about alternative ways of doing things. A lot of my acquaintences are vegan/vegetarian.

So, for one week, I want to go vegan.

But I also strength train, so I eat a lot of protein. I have rice protein powder to supplement, but I like to get most of my nutrients from whole food.

I know some might say to just go balls-out with tofu...but I'm highly suspicious of the soy industry. Is tempeh better than tofu, healthwise?

Any vegans want to help me plan a few meals? I know that my mindset on food planning is going to need to change a little--it's not just taking out the meat. I'd love some advice!

Phoenixflame

I'm always curious about alternative ways of doing things. A lot of my acquaintences are vegan/vegetarian.

So, for one week, I want to go vegan.

But I also strength train, so I eat a lot of protein. I have rice protein powder to supplement, but I like to get most of my nutrients from whole food.

I know some might say to just go balls-out with tofu...but I'm highly suspicious of the soy industry. Is tempeh better than tofu, healthwise?

Any vegans want to help me plan a few meals? I know that my mindset on food planning is going to need to change a little--it's not just taking out the meat. I'd love some advice!

hiddensecant

How much protein are you going for per day? Do you have fat, calorie, or carb restrictions?

One cup of cooked soybeans (29 gms of protein), lentils (18 gms of protein), black beans (15 gms of protein), kidney beans (13 gms of protein), chickpeas (12 gms of protein), veggie baked beans (12 gms of protein), pinto beans (12 gms of protein), black-eyed peas (11 gms of protein), peas (9 gms of protein), spinach (5 gms of protein) and broccoli (4 gms of protein) ...

There are also seeds, nuts, sprouts, tofu, --not to mention your grains: quinoa, couscous ...

Be sure to vary the source of proteins. I can't really help with any recipes without knowing your goals and restrictions.

AshBear

I've been a vegan for about 2 years so I might be able to help.I don't take any supplements and still feel like I get adequate nutrition. I'm also a nutrition major...

So if your concerned about protein and don't want to go for soy (even though I don't see a problem with it), there are plenty of other options. First off, tempeh is still soy. It's made from fermented soybeans. Seitan, on the other hand is another meat substitute that is made out of wheat. It's generally referred to as "wheat meat". It's easy to cook and has a chewy texture.

Another options for protein is beans. Beans are low fat and have plenty of protein. Try making a 3 bean chilli or look up recipes for vegan bean burgers. They're delicious! Have you tried hummus? You can get it at any grocery store and it goes well with veggies, pita, and on sandwiches.

Personally I've never had a problem getting enough protein as a vegan. You should be more concerned with calcium and iron. I eat fortified cereal and drink soymilk and that generally takes care of that. You can also buy fortified rice milk, hemp milk, or almond milk.

Here are some meal ideas:
Cereal
Toast with peanut butter
Oatmeal with lots of fruit
pancakes
hummus
pasta with tomato sauce
stir frys
vegetable sushi
veggie burgers
mushroom bugers
PBandJ

Good Luck!

naugustyniak

It also depends on if you want to go vegan or vegetarian.

naugustyniak

It also depends on if you want to go vegan or vegetarian.

Sorry...I reread your post and it definitely says vegan.

Phoenixflame

I try to get 1 gram of protein per pound of my goal weight (which I'm pretty close to), making it 125.

I've heard of seitan! What's it like?

I have a pack of lentils. I also can get black beans, pinto beans, and chickpeas from my school's cafeteria.

I actually just bought some hemp milk today. It had more protein than anything else except soy milk.

hiddensecant

I try to get 1 gram of protein per pound of my goal weight (which I'm pretty close to), making it 125.

I've heard of seitan! What's it like?

I have a pack of lentils. I also can get black beans, pinto beans, and chickpeas from my school's cafeteria.

I actually just bought some hemp milk today. It had more protein than anything else except soy milk.

That sounds pretty easy considering you're using some rice protein too. And you can make your own hummus really easy. I have it every day at 4g per 1/4 cup.

Don't forget your nuts .. almonds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, soy nuts, etc .... almond butter is yummy!

A whole wheat bagel can have up to 9g of protein. A lot of whole wheat breads have 5g of protein per slice also.

Phoenixflame

Gotcha! Thanks so much!

July

Yay for you!

I'm also (mostly) vegan. Here's some tips:

Seitan is so yummy. You can cook it in just a little water to make it juicy, or just plop it on top of a salad. It's almost all protein, maybe 1 carb, and no fat.

For $3, in the natural foods section, you can buy a box of powdered hummus mix. It's not as good as the expensive stuff, but it makes a ton. I eat in on veggie sandwiches or with 1-2 cups of celery sticks or cucumber slices.

Beans really help me to stay full because of the soluble fiber. I put a 1/2 cup on top of my salad. I also eat my oatmeal with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter or 1-2 tablespoon of nuts or seeds.

hiddensecant

It's not expensive or difficult to make hummus ... powders often have salt and sugar added.

1 can 15oz gabonzo beans (drained and rinsed)
2tsp diced garlic (or 2-3 cloves)
1tsp cumin
2tbs lemon juice
1/4 cup soy yogurt (veggie broth can work too but soy yogurt makes it creamy and boosts the protein ... some people use a tbs of olive oil when they need extra fat)

Just throw everything into your blender, processor, or magic bullet and blend until creamy.

artschoolgirl

That's a great idea! I really like the idea of trying out different diets and lifestyles. A couple of my friends are vegan & I usually eat similar to them but would like to go fully for it for a whole week! We should start a thread to support each other & give each other ideas for meals and whatnot.

CarolynD1986

First of all, you need to know that beans, lentils, soy, are legumes, which means that on their own are not complete proteins. You need to match them up with a grain. Beans and rice, or corn for example would be a complete protein.

I also agree with you about the soy thing. Soy is sketch as hell and I personally try not to eat any at all. Tempeh is a lot better though because it is fermented (same with miso) so I would say that is probably alright but be careful on overdosing on soy (soymilk, tofu etc).

I was vegan for 3 years and recently started eating fish and eggs again. I feel WAY better. Ive lost weight without even trying because the protein/energy is so much more available and I find myself needing to east a lot less to get the amount of energy I need to get through my active lifestyle.

I think a vegan diet is very healthy but I think it's not as efficient as some animal products in terms of energy. I'm really happy not to be vegan anymore.

Hope this helps!

Vanessa1969

I'm a vegetarian and I have been noticing that both my protein and fat counts are really low on some days. Chick peas don't have a strong flavour on their own, so if I am low, I try and add a half cup of them to something else I am eating. A half cup isn't that much, so if you like them you could eat them on their own with a bit of pepper or another spice sprinkled on.
Be careful of the calories though, because chick peas are fairly high. My half cup are 170 calories, but have 10g of protein. I always rinse the tinned ones well, because they are way too salty.
I only drink soy milk too, and that is fairly good for protein, and it is delicious! My soy milk only has 90 calories per cup, with 7g of protein.