Protein rich vegan food except for tofu

I've been wondering this as well! Maybe quinioa or another high protein grain? Could also have a smoothie with a plant based protein powder like rice or pea in it

If you're gluten free and can't handle soy, then this is going to be tough. All other vegan protein sources tend to come with a hefty helping of carbs. Maybe try a pea protein supplement?

That is tough because many great meatless proteins are either soy or have gluten. Beans and nuts are going to be your best bet. There are also some grains that have relatively high amounts of protein but no gluten--quinoa, amaranth, etc. Peas also have a good amount of protein relative to other green veggies.

If you're consistently well under your protein goals, you might add a protein powder. There are a few vegan ones that are soy-free and gluten-free, like Vega, Orgain, and Trader Joe's pea protein powder.

My answer, as always, is to read the thread below, which links to a spreadsheet that lists many, many foods in order by protein efficiency (most protein for fewest calories). Go to the spreadsheet, scroll past the meaty/fishy things at the top, find some plant foods you like, and eat more of them.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also

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Hemp!!!!

rodsteph777 wrote: »

Tempeh,Seitan meats,protein powders, chickpeas, vegan yogurt cups,vegan cheeses.

Not vegan cheeses so much. Most of the commercial ones have 1g or less of protein per serving, unfortunately.

I've been vegan for 3 years now, and the best protein is honestly black beans. When I don't have time I grab a can from the store, otherwise I just cook my own in water. It's an amazing source of protein, and black beans are super tasty with rice and veggies and some thai sauce. Super easy, nutritious and low calorie. I always opt for natural foods that some processed food powders, even if the powder is vegan and organic it still contains way more chemicals than is needed, and it's hard on the liver and the kidneys. Good luck!

Re the protein in lentils above, I'm seeing about 100 g of protein for 1275 cal of lentils (from USDA).

IMO, the easiest vegan sources other than soybeans are:

Other beans and lentils (in addition to lentils, some numbers): black beans (roughly 100 g of protein in 1500 cal), kidney (roughly 100 g of protein for 1400 cal), so on.
Protein powder (but I can see not wanting to consume a lot of it, and it can be hard to find a good vegan one)
Seitan (if you enjoy it)

Best option is probably including a mix of things with protein -- beans/lentils for sure, and also grains, vegetables, nuts and seeds, so on.

Re the claim above that all protein powders contain way more "chemicals" (what specific chemicals, everything has chemicals) than needed and are hard on the liver and kidneys -- on what is that based, and given the huge diversity of ingredients it seems, well, like a statement of faith or something from a dubiously-sourced website.

Here are the ingredients in TJ's pea protein, unsweetened: pea protein isolate.

Now, Vega's All in One shake has a ton of ingredients (to contrast), but they are mostly because they purport to be healthy. Are they worth paying extra for it? That's a legitimate question (I would say depends on the taste -- some Vega products I like, some I don't, I really think it's about the amount of stevia, since I am not wild about the taste of it, I prefer milder or unflavored kinds and then adding my own flavors with the ingredients I choose, like frozen fruit. But in any case, here are the ingredients so we can determine what's bad for the liver and kidnets:

PEA PROTEIN, FLAXSEED, ORGANIC ACACIA GUM, PEA STARCH, HEMP PROTEIN, SACHA INCHI PROTEIN, ORGANIC GELATINIZED MACA ROOT, ORGANIC BROCCOLI, INULIN (FROM CHICORY ROOT), ORGANIC SPIRULINA NATURAL FLAVORS, DRIED FRUIT AND VEGETABLE BLEND (NUTRIENTS EXTRACTED FROM SPINACH BROCCOLI, CARROT, BEET, TOMATO, APPLE, CRANBERRY, ORANGE, CHERRY, BLUEBERRY, STRAWBERRY, SHITAKE MUSHROOM), ORGANIC KALE, ORGANIC MARINE ALGAE, PROBIOTICS (BACILLUS COAGULANS), CHLORELLA VULGARIS, PAPAIN, SILICON DIOXIDE, DRIED FRUIT BLEND (GRAPE SEED EXTRACT, ORGANIC POMEGRANATE, ACAI, MANGOSTEEN, ORGANIC GOJI, ORGANIC MAQUI)

Don't go overboard with brazil nuts on a regular basis. Selenium toxicity is a risk. The US recommended daily upper limit for selenium is 400 mcg for adults. There can be that much in a half-dozen nuts. Enjoy in a dish occasionally? Sure. Daily staple? Maybe not the best idea.

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-HealthProfessional/