Vegan

This MFP group might work for you. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/105865-vegetarians-vegans

I'm a long-time vegetarian (25 years/15 vegan). I'm just getting back into MFP, so feel free to add me!

I could do with some help on my macros. I am transitioning to a Vegan diet but have a very active job (burning 2000kcal just with work) and I am really struggling to hit the amount of protein I need so I don't lose muscle mass. I can't have fake meat products and prefer not to have processed products like vegan protein powders. How can I add more protein while minimising the carbs that come with it? I already have three cooked meals a day packed with lentils, chickpeas and oats and have homemade trail bars full of nuts and seeds. I am considering adding another full meal but not sure if this is going to help...

ieatveggie wrote: »

I could do with some help on my macros. I am transitioning to a Vegan diet but have a very active job (burning 2000kcal just with work) and I am really struggling to hit the amount of protein I need so I don't lose muscle mass. I can't have fake meat products and prefer not to have processed products like vegan protein powders. How can I add more protein while minimising the carbs that come with it? I already have three cooked meals a day packed with lentils, chickpeas and oats and have homemade trail bars full of nuts and seeds. I am considering adding another full meal but not sure if this is going to help...

Does "fake meat" for you include traditional foods like tofu and tempeh and alternatives you can make at home like tempeh? If not, those are options. Beyond that, it's pretty hard to add more protein without a decent amount of carbs. The lowest carb vegan source of protein is likely seitan.

You can eat more nuts and seeds if calories aren't an issue, but the highest protein options besides the ones I mentioned above will be more beans and lentils.

As kimny72 said, is there a reason carbs are a problem? Something to keep in mind is that many foods containing carbs (definitely beans and lentils, but also non starchy veg, which will contribute some protein as well, and whole grains (which also will), and nuts and seeds) will tend to have a decent to high amount of fiber as part of the carbs.

I am a vegetarian (but love the idea of a vegan diet) - feel free to add me

ieatveggie wrote: »

I keep trying Tofu and Tempeh but just can't seem on with them. I just find them to be really bland. I think I just need some really good recipes for them or ways to incorporate them into meals in a way I find less noticeable.

I completely agree you need to find the good recipes that bring out the flavor! In Pinterest there are a lot of recipes and you can tweak them to suit your dietary needs. A VERY important tip I've learnt is to always drain your tofu before cooking with it! I do this by wrapping the tofu block in a kitchen cloth and then placing on top a heavy skillet and maybe a jar or two inside the pan. Keep it like this for at least 10 mins while you prep other ingredients, the longer the better (there are other methods I haven't tried but are said to be effective such as boiling the tofu). This will enable the tofu to absorb any sauce and flavor you're cooking it with.

Examples of sauces I like: Grate ginger, some fresh garlic, cayenne, lemon juice, soy sauce and honey combined and letting it cook and reduce. Or even better, coating the diced tofu before in a bit of cornstarch (and flaked coconut, ground almonds, pepper..), sauteed, take them out and let the sauce reduce on it's own, then add back tofu. Add veggies to your liking! I love for this style greens like bok choy, broccoli, onion and carrot.
Or a curry or tomato sauce and you can add the tofu in the last 10 minutes of cooking. Seasoning and frying the tofu before (if you don't mind the extra calories) will make it crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside, and then you can just top it on your plate. For stews I recommend adding at the end just enough to cook it through because the tofu dices sort of "blow up' and become bigger.

ieatveggie wrote: »

I am only trying to limit the carbs associated with the protein as I find my carb macros are easy to reach.

For perspective I burn over 5000kcal on a work day because of the physical nature of my job so my protein requirements are nearly 3 times higher than the average person in order to support the muscles and muscle recovery I need for work.

I find it easy to snack on dried fruits and most of my meals are pasta or rice dishes such as vegetable curries/chilles/bologneses/stews etc with lots of veggies on the side.

Fake meat for me means things like Quorn as they use a lot of mushroom based products/ingredients and I am highly allergic so for my safety I won't consume any pre-prepared vegetarian/vegan products. I also think it defeats the object of being vegetarian if you are consuming things designed to appear to be meat.

I keep trying Tofu and Tempeh but just can't seem on with them. I just find them to be really bland. I think I just need some really good recipes for them or ways to incorporate them into meals in a way I find less noticeable.

What are your macros currently? Maybe try 60% carbs and 20% each fat and protein? When I lived in a yoga community I knew lots of healthy, fit, and active vegans who were probably eating around those macros.

Yes, tofu is really bland. That's what makes it so versatile. Are you using Indian or other Asian spices? A good curry powder or some soy sauce and ginger will really kick it up several notches.

My library system has 428 vegan cookbooks available.

Here are 45 main dish vegan recipes featuring tofu: https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/search/ ?f[0]=field_special_diet:158786&f[1]=field_recipe_course:772&f[2]=field_recipe_main_ingredient:786

And 28 main dishes featuring beans/lentils (120 recipes if you leave out the Main Dish filter) https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/search/ ?f[0]=field_special_diet:158786&f[1]=field_recipe_course:772&f[2]=field_recipe_main_ingredient:789

xelsoo wrote: »

ieatveggie wrote: »

I keep trying Tofu and Tempeh but just can't seem on with them. I just find them to be really bland. I think I just need some really good recipes for them or ways to incorporate them into meals in a way I find less noticeable.

I completely agree you need to find the good recipes that bring out the flavor! In Pinterest there are a lot of recipes and you can tweak them to suit your dietary needs. A VERY important tip I've learnt is to always drain your tofu before cooking with it! I do this by wrapping the tofu block in a kitchen cloth and then placing on top a heavy skillet and maybe a jar or two inside the pan. Keep it like this for at least 10 mins while you prep other ingredients, the longer the better (there are other methods I haven't tried but are said to be effective such as boiling the tofu). This will enable the tofu to absorb any sauce and flavor you're cooking it with.

Examples of sauces I like: Grate ginger, some fresh garlic, cayenne, lemon juice, soy sauce and honey combined and letting it cook and reduce. Or even better, coating the diced tofu before in a bit of cornstarch (and flaked coconut, ground almonds, pepper..), sauteed, take them out and let the sauce reduce on it's own, then add back tofu. Add veggies to your liking! I love for this style greens like bok choy, broccoli, onion and carrot.
Or a curry or tomato sauce and you can add the tofu in the last 10 minutes of cooking. Seasoning and frying the tofu before (if you don't mind the extra calories) will make it crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside, and then you can just top it on your plate. For stews I recommend adding at the end just enough to cook it through because the tofu dices sort of "blow up' and become bigger.

I couldn't agree more! I'm totes going to add you! 😁

3011sophie wrote: »

ieatveggie wrote: »

I also think it defeats the object of being vegetarian if you are consuming things designed to appear to be meat.

I completely understand your other reasons for abstaining from meat-substitutes (especially as most Quorn products are not vegan as they contain egg), but I really don't get it when people cite this as a reason! For me, the objective of being vegetarian is to reduce my contribution to animal suffering. Quorn chicken-style fillets do not contribute to animal suffering (putting the egg argument to one side...). They make it easier for me to eat sufficient protein and to cook recipes that are familiar to me from pre-veggie days, which makes it easier for me to remain vegetarian and therefore continue to reduce my contribution to animal suffering. So meat-substitutes absolutely support the objective of vegetarianism!

Regarding Tofu and tempeh being bland - you are already choosing to follow a restrictive diet (veganism) so you need to decide whether you want to prioritise your protein intake over being unflexible about what you eat within that restriction. I read a post ages ago where someone said that calorie counting had helped them to realised that not every meal has to be super tasty, and that seeking tasty food for every meal was contributing to their weight gain. Have tasty meals a few days a week, have bland meals a few days a week!

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To the bolded: Some of us never liked meat much in the first place (one of the things that made vegetarianism easy for me starting 45 years ago ), so eating something that tastes like a poor imitation of meat isn't really very appealing. The new "can't tell it from meat" fake meats are kind of my nightmare. We're all different in our tastes, y'know? :flowerforyou:

I don't think it defeats the object of being vegan/vegetarian if a person eats imitation meat, though; I just don't personally think it's tasty or satisfying.

From my perspective, many pseudo-meats also don't have a great nutritional profile (a few are OK): They often (not always) have too many calories or too much sodium for the amount of protein to fit well in my tastes and goals, and from a taste preference standpoint I prefer eating simpler and traditional foods. I don't have any quasi-religious feelings about "no more than 5 ingredients" or anything like that, but I personally think things like beans/legumes, nuts, whole grains, etc., taste better and are more satisfying.

I also think life is too short to accept food that isn't tasty, when there are so many tasty foods to eat . . . even (especially? ) plant-based ones. I agree that tofu and tempeh are quite neutral-tasting, but there are options like smoked tofu that are more flavorful; baking or broiling it to lightly brown and a bit dry puts it in a state where it really absorbs any flavorful sauce or condiment you put on it, which is a really useful thing taste-wise. Tempeh, once browned (slice/fry with minimum oil, or brown under broiler) has a richer taste that's nice with veggies or in sandwiches and such.

Soy or chickpea pastas are a good way to increase protein, too. The soy ones are mostly kind of chewy, so I prefer those in pseudo-Asian preparations (a sauce made with chili paste, peanut butter powder and rice vinegar, plus seasonings of choice, is nice; miso is also good with it). The chickpea type, to me, are a little flatter tasting than wheat pasta, but a similar texture, so a hearty/flavorful sauce is good with those IMO. Someone here recommended a tomato sauce with lentils and ground up dried mushrooms (use a blender or food processor) and seasonings: I think that's really tasty, hearty and filling.

P.S. FTR, I'm not vegan, I'm ovo-lacto, so I eat a lot of fully plant-based foods, but also a good bit of dairy and the rare eggs.

3011sophie wrote: »

ieatveggie wrote: »

I also think it defeats the object of being vegetarian if you are consuming things designed to appear to be meat.

For me, the objective of being vegetarian is to reduce my contribution to animal suffering. Quorn chicken-style fillets do not contribute to animal suffering (putting the egg argument to one side...).

Thank you for being vegetarian to reduce animal suffering. However, your statement above is completely false, and since you still eat and support eating eggs, you 10000% contribute to animal suffering, unfortunately. Please watch Dominion and let me know if that statement still stands true.

To OP, why are you trying to be vegan?