High-calorie Vegetarian Diet?

KharismaticKayteh

So it's really hard for me to keep up my caloric intake, as I am a very dainty eater and I am easily satisfied with low-calorie foods, like tomatoes and cucumbers. Anyway, I want to go on a vegetarian diet, just for the health benefit, but I'm worried I'll have any more trouble reaching my calorie needs.

Anyone have any ideas of various foods that are vegetarian-friendly (which includes fish for me), but are also moderate- or high-calorie foods? I'm drawing a complete blank.

rainydaze613

Organic peanut butter is pretty high in calories (and fat, but the good kind). A tablespoon or two spread on ezekiel bread can go a long way, along with organic fruit spread. A classic pb&j, but healthier.
Snacking on nuts throughout the day can also help to up your caloric intake. The same goes for avocado- it can be used as a spread in sandwiches or a side in salads, too.
Generally, a fuller meal with brown rice and tofu has a good amount of calories. I often have half a cup of brown rice along with half a cup of tofu for my meals (minimum- sometimes I have one cup of one or the other) along with steamed vegetables, and that very quickly is about 280 calories.
Beans or chili tend to have high caloric contents as well. I believe the Amy's Organic line carries several- all are vegetarian, with some being vegan.

khagador

One of my favorite meals is tofu with rice noodles in peanut sauce. The recipe is on the nasoya extra firm tofu box that they sell at BJs. high in calories, super filling and delicious.

KharismaticKayteh

Oh, super. Thanks, guys~! . .

I've heard things like peanut butter and various other nuts have a high calorie content in even a small serving, which is something I feel I need. I eat very daintily, so I need as high a ratio of calories-to-volume as possible. xD.

lsatqueen

Hello! I make Giada De Laurentiis's caponata salad and Kathy Freston's Vegan Philly Cheesesteaks recipe. Both are vegan friendly, easy to make, and easy to eat small portions but get high nutrition. I added these recipes are "share recipes" here at myfitnesspal and you can access them online at foodnetwork.com and droz.com. Healthy eating!

Kassieisproud

Nuts for sure and dont forget coconuts bake some goodies with them and dried fruit

enewsome2

Try the blog "Oh she glows". It is a great vegan resource.

She has an avocado pasta on there that is higher calorie but *awesome*.

Also, nuts have a ton of calories in them, as do beans.

Quinoa is also good.

If you like sushi, that is also a great option (400-500 calories a roll sometimes).

misskerouac

Nuts & Nutbutters, Avocados, Beans. Since you aren't vegan dairy is good too.
I have a lot of food intolerances and some days when I'm trying to get my calories or protein up I use vegan/gluten-free/soy-free Protein shakes and protein bars (like Lara Bar, Nugo, or Vega) especially on work out days when I'm trying to eat 1800 calories in the day

rachelelizabeth88

nuts, nut butters, oatmeal, lots of veggies.. pretty much I just over do it on the veggies but also breads if you want a sandwich, pastas... soy products-- tempeh is pretty high in cals

KharismaticKayteh

nuts, nut butters, oatmeal, lots of veggies.. pretty much I just over do it on the veggies but also breads if you want a sandwich, pastas... soy products-- tempeh is pretty high in cals

Quoting for "over do it on the veggies". That's my kind of diet. xD. LOVE ME SOME VEGGIES.

tigersword

So it's really hard for me to keep up my caloric intake, as I am a very dainty eater and I am easily satisfied with low-calorie foods, like tomatoes and cucumbers. Anyway, I want to go on a vegetarian diet, just for the health benefit, but I'm worried I'll have any more trouble reaching my calorie needs.

Anyone have any ideas of various foods that are vegetarian-friendly (which includes fish for me), but are also moderate- or high-calorie foods? I'm drawing a complete blank.

Exactly what "health benefits" are you looking for? If you're already having trouble reaching your calorie goals, further restricting your diet will be worse for you than any perceived health benefits* a vegetarian diet will give.

*From a scientific standpoint, there is no health advantage to eating vegetarian, compared to a healthy diet that includes meat. Health markers are the same, life expectancy is the same.

celticgladiator

Try the blog "Oh she glows". It is a great vegan resource.

She has an avocado pasta on there that is higher calorie but *awesome*.

Also, nuts have a ton of calories in them, as do beans.

Quinoa is also good.

If you like sushi, that is also a great option (400-500 calories a roll sometimes).

i think quinoa is like 222 cals per cup. i eat a lot of it. so good and good for you. best of luck!!!! your helth will thank you for going plant based.

KharismaticKayteh

So it's really hard for me to keep up my caloric intake, as I am a very dainty eater and I am easily satisfied with low-calorie foods, like tomatoes and cucumbers. Anyway, I want to go on a vegetarian diet, just for the health benefit, but I'm worried I'll have any more trouble reaching my calorie needs.

Anyone have any ideas of various foods that are vegetarian-friendly (which includes fish for me), but are also moderate- or high-calorie foods? I'm drawing a complete blank.

Exactly what "health benefits" are you looking for? If you're already having trouble reaching your calorie goals, further restricting your diet will be worse for you than any perceived health benefits* a vegetarian diet will give.

*From a scientific standpoint, there is no health advantage to eating vegetarian, compared to a healthy diet that includes meat. Health markers are the same, life expectancy is the same.

It's just easier for me to stay away from junk if I go vegetarian. When I get paid and I feel like, "Oh, god, McDonald's is nearby," it's easier for me to turn it down by thinking, "No, most of what they offer is meat" when I go vegetarian than to think, "No, all their food is terrible for me" when I am just dieting. Really, my diet is already mostly vegetarian, but the few meats and such I eat are fried or fast food, and it's just nasty. Going vegetarian cold-hard vegetarian (or even "occasional" vegetarian) will benefit me much more than my current diet, I just need to reach my calorie goals.

daffodilsoup

Nut butters, avocados, rice, tortillas and protein powders are all great ways to add calories to your diet without having a lot of "mass" involved.

Also, if you do include fish in your diet, you are pescatarian - a fish is an animal.

_VoV

So it's really hard for me to keep up my caloric intake, as I am a very dainty eater and I am easily satisfied with low-calorie foods, like tomatoes and cucumbers. Anyway, I want to go on a vegetarian diet, just for the health benefit, but I'm worried I'll have any more trouble reaching my calorie needs.

Anyone have any ideas of various foods that are vegetarian-friendly (which includes fish for me), but are also moderate- or high-calorie foods? I'm drawing a complete blank.

Exactly what "health benefits" are you looking for? If you're already having trouble reaching your calorie goals, further restricting your diet will be worse for you than any perceived health benefits* a vegetarian diet will give.

*From a scientific standpoint, there is no health advantage to eating vegetarian, compared to a healthy diet that includes meat. Health markers are the same, life expectancy is the same.

This is a highly debatable point, yet you present it as fact without any references to back it up. There's no need to be provocative, when someone is merely looking for suggestions on a dietary change she has decided upon.

KharismaticKayteh

So it's really hard for me to keep up my caloric intake, as I am a very dainty eater and I am easily satisfied with low-calorie foods, like tomatoes and cucumbers. Anyway, I want to go on a vegetarian diet, just for the health benefit, but I'm worried I'll have any more trouble reaching my calorie needs.

Anyone have any ideas of various foods that are vegetarian-friendly (which includes fish for me), but are also moderate- or high-calorie foods? I'm drawing a complete blank.

Exactly what "health benefits" are you looking for? If you're already having trouble reaching your calorie goals, further restricting your diet will be worse for you than any perceived health benefits* a vegetarian diet will give.

*From a scientific standpoint, there is no health advantage to eating vegetarian, compared to a healthy diet that includes meat. Health markers are the same, life expectancy is the same.

This is a highly debatable point, yet you present it as fact without any references to back it up. There's no need to be provocative, when someone is merely looking for suggestions on a dietary change she has decided upon.

Oh, it's okay. I didn't really see it as aggressive. I tend to speak the same way, so I understand where they're coming from.

KharismaticKayteh

Nut butters, avocados, rice, tortillas and protein powders are all great ways to add calories to your diet without having a lot of "mass" involved.

Also, if you do include fish in your diet, you are pescatarian - a fish is an animal.

I've never heard the term! I always thought the same thing ("Uhh... fish is an animal, duh") any time I've been told that fish is acceptable as part of a vegetarian diet.

daffodilsoup

I've never heard the term! I always thought the same thing ("Uhh... fish is an animal, duh") any time I've been told that fish is acceptable as part of a vegetarian diet.

I do know of some vegetarians who include fish in their diets, the only reason I point it out is that it can make things difficult when people start associating fish with meat-free diets, ie people start offering salmon as the "vegetarian option", haha. Ultimately you are free to label your diet however you wish, but pescatarian is the "official" label for a diet that excludes meats other than fish

Edited to Add: Look into tempeh as well - it's a delicious vegetarian protein source, and at about 250 calories per 8oz., one could consider it "higher" calorie, especially when paired with rice. Rice and beans are also a nutritious but more calorie-dense meal - bagels, dried fruit, nuts, coconut oil, I could go on. Mother Nature has so many calorie- and nutrient-rich plant-based foods for us to choose from!

_VoV

If going vegetarian helps you limit junk food, that's as valid a reason as anything to try it.

I would agree that nuts and nut butters are good calorie-dense sources of nutrition if you aren't a volume eater. Grains, beans and veggies like sweet potatoes and avocado aren't high volume foods. Compressing grains and beans into a patty might be a good idea too.

TheFunBun

Oh man, I would eat tiny dishes of curry all day. They'd all be DOSED with coconut cream and tahini or peanut butter. It would just be me and curry, a fine relationship of saucy vegetables and fish, tofu, or seitan.

daffodilsoup

Oh man, I would eat tiny dishes of curry all day. They'd all be DOSED with coconut cream and tahini or peanut butter. It would just be me and curry, a fine relationship of saucy vegetables and fish, tofu, or seitan.

This is a daily menu I could get behind!

_VoV

Oh man, I would eat tiny dishes of curry all day. They'd all be DOSED with coconut cream and tahini or peanut butter. It would just be me and curry, a fine relationship of saucy vegetables and fish, tofu, or seitan.

This is a daily menu I could get behind!

Me, too! Or maybe a Thai or Vietnamese tofu stir-fry with rice.

pdworkman

Lots of good food suggestions so far. Feel free to browse my diary and look for the higher calorie items! I don't have any trouble reaching my calorie goals.

Glucocorticoid

So it's really hard for me to keep up my caloric intake, as I am a very dainty eater and I am easily satisfied with low-calorie foods, like tomatoes and cucumbers. Anyway, I want to go on a vegetarian diet, just for the health benefit, but I'm worried I'll have any more trouble reaching my calorie needs.

Anyone have any ideas of various foods that are vegetarian-friendly (which includes fish for me), but are also moderate- or high-calorie foods? I'm drawing a complete blank.

Exactly what "health benefits" are you looking for? If you're already having trouble reaching your calorie goals, further restricting your diet will be worse for you than any perceived health benefits* a vegetarian diet will give.

*From a scientific standpoint, there is no health advantage to eating vegetarian, compared to a healthy diet that includes meat. Health markers are the same, life expectancy is the same.

This is a highly debatable point, yet you present it as fact without any references to back it up. There's no need to be provocative, when someone is merely looking for suggestions on a dietary change she has decided upon.

Can you offer any data that vegetarian diets are superior?

Nut butters, avocados, rice, tortillas and protein powders are all great ways to add calories to your diet without having a lot of "mass" involved.

Also, if you do include fish in your diet, you are pescatarian - a fish is an animal.

What do you mean by "without having a lot of 'mass' involved"?

_VoV

"Can you offer any data that vegetarian diets are superior?"



No. I didn't say they were, nor do I want to debate it.

sweet110

Most fattening things are vegetarian. Reasonable portions of meats are not particularly fattening or high calorie on their own. So if you eat calorie dense food, you'll be fine for calorie content. Such as:

Grains, beans, coconut fats (oil, milk, butter), avocado, potatoes, nuts and nut butters. All of these are calorie dense. Even the things that "feel" light like rice. The first time I looked at what 100 calories of brown rice looked like, I almost cried.

KharismaticKayteh

The first time I looked at what 100 calories of brown rice looked like, I almost cried.

Oh, gosh. That just made my night. x3.

You all have offered such awesome suggestions! Some things I've never even tried, but there's no reason I can't try it and see how it suits my diet and my taste buds. =3.

KharismaticKayteh

"Can you offer any data that vegetarian diets are superior?"



No. I didn't say they were, nor do I want to debate it.

I agree. This post isn't about debating how healthy a vegetarian diet is. It's about suggesting vegetarian foods that are high in calorie content. If you do want to debate it though, I suggest you make a separate topic about it, as it is something that is debatable and would probably make for an interesting conversation. Just not here.

kiminikimkim

When I think of high-calorie vegetarian diets, I think of Crudessence, a Vegan restaurant which makes DECADENT food. OMG it is so delicious. They have recipes online: http://www.crudessence.com/en/recettes/recipe-book
and they just came out with their own recipe book.

Instead of cheese, they use macadamia nuts to make a "ricotta" cheese. Their cheesecakes have no dairy in them but they are so delicious! Their white sauces are made of various nuts, so high in calories and a lot of healthy fats.

Glucocorticoid

"Can you offer any data that vegetarian diets are superior?"



No. I didn't say they were, nor do I want to debate it.

I agree. This post isn't about debating how healthy a vegetarian diet is. It's about suggesting vegetarian foods that are high in calorie content. If you do want to debate it though, I suggest you make a separate topic about it, as it is something that is debatable and would probably make for an interesting conversation. Just not here.

Walnuts are very calorie dense.

phatty4dayz

So it's really hard for me to keep up my caloric intake, as I am a very dainty eater and I am easily satisfied with low-calorie foods, like tomatoes and cucumbers. Anyway, I want to go on a vegetarian diet, just for the health benefit, but I'm worried I'll have any more trouble reaching my calorie needs.

Anyone have any ideas of various foods that are vegetarian-friendly (which includes fish for me), but are also moderate- or high-calorie foods? I'm drawing a complete blank.

Exactly what "health benefits" are you looking for? If you're already having trouble reaching your calorie goals, further restricting your diet will be worse for you than any perceived health benefits* a vegetarian diet will give.

*From a scientific standpoint, there is no health advantage to eating vegetarian, compared to a healthy diet that includes meat. Health markers are the same, life expectancy is the same.

It's just easier for me to stay away from junk if I go vegetarian. When I get paid and I feel like, "Oh, god, McDonald's is nearby," it's easier for me to turn it down by thinking, "No, most of what they offer is meat" when I go vegetarian than to think, "No, all their food is terrible for me" when I am just dieting. Really, my diet is already mostly vegetarian, but the few meats and such I eat are fried or fast food, and it's just nasty. Going vegetarian cold-hard vegetarian (or even "occasional" vegetarian) will benefit me much more than my current diet, I just need to reach my calorie goals.

It is very easy to become a horrible junk-food eating vegetarian. When I first became a vegetarian, potatoes became my lifeline (and added to my waist line). Not good. I did not see the light and start eating like a vegetarian that had some sense until January of this year. I'm not sure exactly how many calories you are hoping to hit, but my calories are set at 1300 (plus I eat most of my exercise calories). Feel free to add me for ideas. My diary is open to friends (but its not always pretty - like today).