Vegetarian Sources of Protein

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)

• Tofu Vegetable Stir-fry
• Tempeh and Potato Salad
• Homemade Seitan
• Mediterranean Veggie Burgers

Brown Rice

You can usually substitute brown rice for white rice recipes. However the cooking time for brown rice is different from white rice.

• Paella Primavera
• Brown Rice and White Beans with Shiitakes and Spinach
• Brown Rice Vegetable Paella

Oats, Nuts, and Seeds

(Oatmeal, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, Ezekiel bread

• Ezekiel Bread recipe
• Hemp Seed recipes
• Walnut Veggie Burger

Dairy

(Milk, Cheese, yogurt)

• Milk and protein smoothies
• Loaded Vegetarian Quiche
• Vegetarian Black Bean Enchilada

Eggs

• Loaded Vegetable Omelet
• Veggie Cheesy Omelet

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)

• Vegetarian Shepard’s Pie
• Roasted brussel sprouts
• Spinach Cheese bake

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