Protein

I know you don't like veggies, but have you tried them in a smoothie? Oh man, I could live on spinach smoothies. I have one most days of the week. Just a couple handfuls of spinach, a frozen banana, some peanut butter, and some milk (I use almond). It's sooo good.

I'm vegan, so I don't get any protein for animal products. I eat lots of nuts, beans, grains (quinoa is my favorite, and it's so versatile), and veggies.

Give tofu another try. Only get extra frim and the trick is to throw the entire package (as is from the grocery store) straight into the freezer overnight. Then, take out and let thaw in your fridge. In my fridge it takes at least two full day to thaw, so plan accordingly. When you ar eready to use cut open package and stand over sink. Gently squeeze the tofu block and tons of water will rush out of it. Turn and squeeze again a couple of times.

My favorites to do with tofu:

Tofu Parm
Cut block into 8 slices. Dip into water and egg mixture and then coat in breadcrumbs lightly. In oiled pan ( I use about 2 tbsp) saute the tofu for about 4-5 min on each side until golden brown. You could use this in a variety of ways but I make into parmesan bake.

I use a little red sauce and spread in 8X8 casserole. Make one layer of the tofu, squish them into place if need be. Top with some tomato sauce, spread 1/2 cup fat free ricotta, sprinle 1/2 skim mozzerella shredded cheese, sprinkle 1 tbsp grated romano or parmesan cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes at 350 till melted and bubbly. Makes 4 servings. I put one serving over 2 oz of linguini with a 1/4 cup red sauce and it is about 490 calories for a filling dinner.

Stirfry:
Cut into one inch diced pieces, use a little oil, fry in large saute pan on med-high heat for about 10-13 minutes, turning to get each side cooked periodically. You can use whatever seasonings. I have this fast easy tofu lo mein dish from allrecipes.com which uses a bag of frozen asian veggies 1 tbsp lite soy sauce and 1/2 packet ramen noodle oriental mix. I add fresh broccoli and throw in mostly cooked ramen noodles block and then there's a nice tofu dinner too. I think that one is about 400 calories per serving.

Have you tried pork? Or a well marinated beef like tenderloin? I have heard that quinoa is high in protein but Im not sure about carbs. There are also ground chicken/turkey options that might help. You could make your own taco meat or meatballs? I personally like protein drinks and I do love chicken. My favorite protein drink is Unjury. Its tastey not granually and low in calories.

Try turkey as a change from chicken. Also, I monitor my sodium due to HBP and I can still salt my eggs. Go to MyHome, Goals, Change Goals, Custom and set your soduim level to 1500mg. Then change your diary settings to show sodium as one of your "macros." Then you can plan your meals for the day and see what your actual soduim intake is. If you monitor carbs, protein, fat and sodium you can basicaly eat whatever you like within those ranges and your total calorie count--even pizza.

I recommend peanut butter or another nut butter - you get healthy fats from the nuts and lots of protein. Also egg whites, turkey, beans, and lentils, as others have said. best of luck to you!

"Think Thin" bars, Trader Joe's carries them, are yummy and a good dose of protein!

Nature Valley makes great protein bars, I eat them every day!

Agreed!

Nuts and seeds are a great option when looking for more protein. I love almonds and walnuts in salads and sunflower seeds are fabulous on cottage cheese, especially with beets. Cottage cheese and yogurt are good for protein also. Try some smoothies. Hope this helps.

I'm a vegetarian and have trouble getting enough protein sometimes, too.

Here's the thing about tofu, in my opinion: It should NEVER be the "featured" ingredient. In fact, I camouflage it as much as possible by chopping it up really small and dousing it in spices. One of my favorite high-nutrient, low-calorie meals is lentil curry: Cook lentils according to the package directions. Then saute about half an onion and half a package of tofu (VERY FINELY CHOPPED!) with Indian spices in a little bit of olive oil in a skillet. Mix it all together with a large can of low-sodium diced tomatoes. I generally eat it with rice, but if you're watching your carbs you wouldn't have to.