The most common question I have received about serving my family a vegetarian diet is how can you sustain them nutritionally without protein? Below are some of our favorites:
Quinoa
Many stores have quinoa products on their shelves such as Costco, Safeway, and Giant. Customers can purchase quinoa sold in a bad like rice, or quinoa made into pastas. Here are some recipes that you and your family may enjoy.
- Red Quinoa Salad
- Baked Tomatoes with Quinoa, Corn, and Green Chiles
- Quinoa Tabbouleh
- Quinoa with red pepper and beans
- Morning muffins with quinoa and flax
Beans and Legumes
(Lentils, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, and more)
- Lentil Vegetable Soup
- Vegan Coconut Curry Lentil Soup
- Falafel Bean Patties
- Black-Eyed Peas with Herbs and Vegetables
Soy
(Tofu, Tempeh, and other non-meat substitutes)
Brown Rice
You can usually substitute brown rice for white rice recipes. However the cooking time for brown rice is different from white rice.
Oats, Nuts, and Seeds
(Oatmeal, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, Ezekiel bread
Dairy
(Milk, Cheese, yogurt)
Eggs
Some Fruits
(Avocados, dried apricots, prunes, raisins, figs, dates, blackberries, and more)
- We love adding dried fruit to our morning oatmeal
- 8 Avocado Recipes (Besides Guacamole)
Some Vegetables
(Broccoli, corn, potatoes, spinach, brussel sprouts)
Protein Supplements
How much protein do our bodies need each day? Choosemyplate.gov has a great chart available that explains our protein needs.
Image reference:
Choosemyplate.gov. How Much Food from the Protein Foods Group is Needed Daily? Retrieved September 30, 2014 from http://www.choosemyplate.gov/printpages/MyPlateFoodGroups/ProteinFoods/food-groups.protein-foods-amount.pdf
About Elle Cole
