vegetarian struggling to get his protein levels up, any sugg

carlosdon
carlosdon Posts: 125
edited October 5 in Food and Nutrition
any ideas welcome, except eating meat and fish of course!
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Replies

  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I don't know what your protein goals are, but feel free to look at my diary for some ideas.

    Eggs, dairy, beans, whole grains, nuts ...
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 Member
    beans, nuts, hemp seeds/hearts. I won't touch tofu / soy with a 10 foot pole.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Peanut butter or other nut butters, beans, quinoa, soy or almond milk, nuts.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    I use edamame to pump my protein. It's soy protein. There's a lot of broscience that says it will turn you into a lady but I've been eating a ton of this stuff and I haven't bought any bras yet. Since you're a vegeterian, I'm guessing you aren't a stranger to soy.

    According to MFP, 1oz of Seapoint roast edamame has: 130 calories, 14g of protein and 8g of fiber.
  • erin_zuk
    erin_zuk Posts: 226 Member
    feel free to add me as a friend and check out my diary - I've been a vegetarian for almost 20 years.
  • rebeccask
    rebeccask Posts: 140 Member
    greek yogurt, quinoa, cottage cheese, eggs, nut butters, nuts/seeds, lentils, tofu, tempeh and of course the meat substitutes (boca, morningstar, gardein, etc)
  • sjr1957mfp
    sjr1957mfp Posts: 6 Member
    whey protein powder, beans + rice, eggs, greek yogurt, seitan
  • therealkatarr
    therealkatarr Posts: 32
    Greek Yogurt is a favorite, with nuts coming in at a close second for me. Good luck.
  • Yakisoba
    Yakisoba Posts: 719 Member
    chobani-coupons.jpg
  • nanodot
    nanodot Posts: 154 Member
    Full fat greek yogurt, with protein powder mixed into it, is Fantastic.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I eat about an 80% vegetarian diet (my wife is a vegetarian). Try eating some or all of the following:
    Greek Yogurt
    Cottage Cheese
    Low fat Cheeses
    nuts, seeds
    nut butters
    Milk
    tofu
    Tempeh
    eggs
    egg whites
    lentils, beans
    Edamame
    Protein powder
    Protein Bars
    etc.
  • krithsai
    krithsai Posts: 668 Member
    I am a vegetarian too and like a previous poster said, I can't be in the same room as Soy...that doesn't help very much :P :P Anyways, I eat a lot of legumes, whole dairy, eggs...Indian cuisine gives you several ways of getting lentils/legumes into your diet...you might wanna try looking up some "Dal" recipes...
  • m_wilh
    m_wilh Posts: 362 Member
    raw nuts, seeds, raw nut butters, protein powders from the health food store mixed in almond milk. Protein powder comes in all flavors and gives you approx. 22-25 gr. of protein per scoop.
  • carlosdon
    carlosdon Posts: 125
    beans, nuts, hemp seeds/hearts. I won't touch tofu / soy with a 10 foot pole.

    I like soya but loathe tofu and I don't care how many types they are or this it tastes like the sauce you cook it in, to me it's still vile!
  • carlosdon
    carlosdon Posts: 125
    I use edamame to pump my protein. It's soy protein. There's a lot of broscience that says it will turn you into a lady but I've been eating a ton of this stuff and I haven't bought any bras yet. Since you're a vegeterian, I'm guessing you aren't a stranger to soy.

    According to MFP, 1oz of Seapoint roast edamame has: 130 calories, 14g of protein and 8g of fiber.

    sounds great will give that a try!
  • spiritwolf13
    spiritwolf13 Posts: 67 Member
    hello I am also a vegterian but eat eggs if you do not eat eggs edammame has protein in it tofu legumes peanut or almond butter
    you can also do protein shakes I do somer intense workouts like Insanity and a protein shake usually helps get me thru and you can add almond butter I hope that helps good luck and you can check out many veg. websites
  • carlosdon
    carlosdon Posts: 125
    whey protein powder

    i use this but it gets boring quick!
  • carlosdon
    carlosdon Posts: 125
    that's some great advice people just what I was looking for! I eat some of these already, but most of the rest I will try! where about do I find kale and pulses in a supermarket?
  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
    I have been having these amazing breakfast burritos that you could easily use Boca sausage patties in instead of turkey (like I use).

    I use:
    6 TBSP Egg Beaters all whites
    1/2 of a colored pepper, diced
    2 sausage patties (Boca or Morningstar farms for you), cut into small pieces
    ~1 c. chopped fresh spinach (I just get the big bag, and grab a big handful and chop it up)
    1 tsp chili powder
    1/2 tsp garlic powder
    2 Ole Xtreme Wellness high fiber tortillas
    1 TBSP Kraft chipotle mayo

    I saute the peppers and spinach in a little PAM. Add the sausage and cover for about a minute. Pour egg over top, sprinkle with chili powder and garlic powder. Then scramble. After fully cooked, I mix in the chipotle mayo (totally optional, but oh so good!) and then eat in the tortillas.

    My version is 391 calories, 15 g. fat, 47 g. protein, 25 g. fiber, 44% iron, and (yeah; this part isn't pretty) 1067 mg sodium.

    Yours would be slightly different because of the sausage swap out. With two Boca patties, yours is 43 g. protein; with just one it's 35 g. Those have a lot of sodium, so I'd personally go with just one. Morningstar Farms actually has slightly less sodium and a little extra protein (8 vs 10).


    Another high protein addition is a protein shake. I use this site: http://www.dashingdish.com/2010/03/i-cant-believe-its-not-a-milkshake/ as a guide for mine.

    The best one I make is a simple one. Blueberry pie.

    3/4 c. frozen blueberries
    5 or 6 ice cubes
    1 6 oz. container greek yogurt OR 1/2 c. cottage cheese (I like it with yogurt; less sodium)
    1 tsp cinnamon
    1/2 tsp vanilla extract
    1 scoop protein powder
    1/2 c. milk-your choice. I use almond, but it's higher protein to use soy or cow's.
    sweetener of your choice (stevia is a good option)
    1/2 tsp xantan gum (optional, but it makes it thicker)

    Whiz in blender and enjoy. It's around 300 calories and 30 g protein the way I make it.

    Other choices are simpler: just add a plain protein shake with milk, a Greek yogurt, string cheese, a handful of almonds.
  • carlosdon
    carlosdon Posts: 125
    I have been having these amazing breakfast burritos that you could easily use Boca sausage patties in instead of turkey (like I use).

    yep will have to try this! I've never tried Greek yoghurt either about time I tried it!
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    greek yogurt, quinoa, cottage cheese, eggs, nut butters, nuts/seeds, lentils, tofu, tempeh and of course the meat substitutes (boca, morningstar, gardein, etc)

    Oh yes, quinoa! GREAT source of a whole protein for vegetarians. I need to eat more of that.
  • krist3ng
    krist3ng Posts: 259 Member
    I love tofu. A standard dinner for me is half a pack of frozen broccoli, half a pack of frozen green beans, a cube of extra firm tofu cut into smaller cubes, and an onion (lightly sauteed beforehand), cooking on medium with some teriyaki sauce. My boyfriend and I split the results, and the meal is all veggies and protein, so it's really good for you!

    I got tired of 'em, but I used to really love garbanzo beans. Garbanzos, butter, and french cut green beans (yeah I like butter! SO WHAT!) are incredibly simple yet delicious. Good protein too.
    Another thing you can do is crumble tofu and mix it with spinach and eggs. YUM!
  • SandraM329
    SandraM329 Posts: 6 Member
    All the ideas below are good. I also found this cereal that is made from Kamut. The grain actually came from Egypt and is now being cultivated in the U.S. I know the name sounds funny but it really does taste great. You can find it in most health stores. It's high in protein. It has a slightly sweet / wheat flavor to it. I've added everything from apples to almond or coconut milk to it and every variation tastes great.
  • bluebird321
    bluebird321 Posts: 733 Member
    My wife (who is vegan) has incorporated quinoa into her diet.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I don't even taste tofu when I cook with it. I grate it into pasta sause or saute it up with oil, spices and other veggies and it's like it's not even there. And the texture and appearance is chicken-ish, so that doesn't bother me.
  • erin_zuk
    erin_zuk Posts: 226 Member
    that's some great advice people just what I was looking for! I eat some of these already, but most of the rest I will try! where about do I find kale and pulses in a supermarket?

    kale is a yummy leafy green found with the veggies in the produce section
    try steaming it with garlic, ginger and slivered almonds and some grilled tofu on the side. SO YUMMY!
  • carlosdon
    carlosdon Posts: 125
    kale is a yummy leafy green found with the veggies in the produce section
    try steaming it with garlic, ginger and slivered almonds and some grilled tofu on the side. SO YUMMY!

    sounds great will have to try it!
  • MrsJax11
    MrsJax11 Posts: 354 Member
    Nutritional yeast -- 8 gs protein per serving.
  • vger11
    vger11 Posts: 248
    inquiring myself...
  • StrawberrySuzyQ
    StrawberrySuzyQ Posts: 107 Member
    I would suggest nuts but also adding quinoa to your diet may be very helpful for you. It is VERY high in protein and a great recommendation for anyone eating vegan or vegetarian. Many of my vegetarian friends eat quinoa on a regular basis and some who are vegetarian who had never heard of it before have joined the bandwagon and got on board. It is a wonderful 'grain' and is really tasty and versatile. I think you would enjoy this addition to your diet (if you don't already include it).
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