Eating protein is key for staying satiated and full. But how can you add protein to plant based meals? Alex and I have been eating mostly vegetarian and vegan meals for years. And we’ve run into the problem at restaurants where we’ll order a vegetarian or vegan entree. It will be absolutely beautiful, but have no plant based protein. Sadly, we’ll be hungry just hours later! Luckily, there lots of options for adding plant based protein to your meals to make them filling and nutritious. It’s the most important thing we’ve learned about eating vegetarian and vegan recipes.
Best plant based protein foods
What are these plant based proteins? Here’s how to get protein into vegan and vegetarian recipes:
Legumes: Try lentils (red, green, brown, black, French), split peas, black-eyed peas, and beans (black, chickpeas, lima, navy, pinto, white, and kidney) Whole grains: Try quinoa, barley, bulgur wheat, amaranth, millet, and brown and wild rice Nuts and seeds: Try almonds, cashews, peanuts, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds Soy: Soy based products like tofu and tempeh are rich in plant based protein; stick to 2 to 4 servings per week. Veggies: Some vegetables have protein, but in much lower amounts than the foods above. Some higher protein veggies are corn, broccoli, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, and artichokes.
When you’re eating lots of protein from plants, it’s important to get a wide variety of protein sources. The point isn’t just to eat a can of black beans every day! Per the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, make sure to mix up your sources so no “essential” components of protein are missing. If you eat a vegetarian diet that includes dairy and eggs, those foods are rich in protein as well, so you can keep these in mind to combine with the plant based proteins. Alex and I eat vegetarian recipes (and some seafood), so we mix all of these protein sources together in our recipes. Note: Dairy, eggs, and seafood have the Vitamin B12, which is important for avoiding anemia and does not occur naturally in plants. If you eat a fully vegan or plant based diet, you may need to add a supplement (specifically vitamin B12) to make sure you receive all the nutrients required. Consult your doctor for more.
Plant based protein recipes
Now that you’ve learned about the best plant based protein: want to see it in practice? All of our plant based recipes are designed to feature enough protein to keep you full throughout the day. Most of these recipes are also considered whole food plant based recipes (WFPB), recipes that feature minimally processed foods like vegetables and whole grains. Here are recipes that show that plant based protein in action!
Meal plans
Looking to incorporate recipes like these into your everyday life? Sometimes it can be overwhelming to think about where to start. Here are a few meal plans that can show you what it looks like on a daily basis: Recipes with LegumesBest Damn Lentil Soup or Instant Pot Lentil SoupVegan Chickpea CurryQuick Coconut Lentil CurryInstant Pot Tacos with Smoky LentilsEasy Chickpea Salad SandwichMoroccan Stew with ChickpeasBBQ Bean Tacos with Pineapple SalsaQuinoa Vegan Chili, 3-Bean Healthy Chili Recipe or Instant Pot ChiliCrispy Roasted Chickpeas15 Best Lentil Recipes10 Top Vegan Lentil Recipes Recipes with Whole GrainsLoaded Quinoa TacosInstant Pot Wild Rice Soup RecipeTropical Mango Quinoa BowlsMexican QuinoaCozy Farro & Brussels Sprouts SoupMediterranean BowlHow to Cook Brown Rice…The Fast WayVegetarian Red Beans and Rice Recipes with Nuts & SeedsRaw Falafel Buddha BowlsSweet Potatoes with Thai Peanut Butter SauceVegan Sweet Potato Soup with HarissaMexican Sweet Potatoes with Creamy Cilantro SauceVegan Corn Chowder (thickened with Cashew Cream)DIY Instant OatmealStuffed Acorn Squash with PecansSuperfood Pecan Energy BarsCinnamon Pecan Muesli Recipe Recipes with Soy ProteinBest Teriyaki Stir Fry with TempehEasy Marinated Tofu, Pan Fried Tofu or Grilled TofuSpring Roll Noodle BowlBBQ Soy Curls (with Vegan BBQ Sauce)Tofu Scramble with Black BeansTofu Tacos with Chipotle SauceThai Salad with Peanut Sauce Dressing
28 Day Plant Based Diet Meal Plan 28 Day Vegan Meal Plan
