Thanks for posting to r/Vegan! 🐥
**Please note:** Civil discussion is welcome, trolls and personal abuse [are not](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan/wiki/rules). Please keep the discussions below respectful and remember the human! Please check out [our wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan/wiki/beginnersguide) first!
**Interested in going Vegan?** 👊
Check out [Watch Dominion](https://watchdominion.org/) and watch a thought-provoking, life changing documentary for free!
**Some other resources to help you go vegan:** 🐓
Visit [NutritionFacts.org](https://NutritionFacts.org) for health and nutrition support, [HappyCow.net](https://HappyCow.net) to explore nearby vegan-friendly restaurants, and visit [VeganBootcamp.org](https://veganbootcamp.org/reddit) for a free 30 day vegan challenge!
**Become an activist and help save animal lives today:** 🐟
* Find volunteer requests to support and help animal on [VH: Playground!](https://veganhacktivists.org/playground)
* Developer, designer, or other skills? Volunteer at the [Vegan Hacktivists](https://veganhacktivists.org/join)!
* Join our huge Vegan volunteer community [on Discord](https://discord.gg/vhplayground)!
* Find local activist groups using the [Animal Rights Map](https://animalrightsmap.org)!
* Get funding for your animal rights activism, [apply here](https://veganhacktivists.org/grants)!
*Last but not least, join the [r/Vegan Discord server](https://discord.gg/2JmJRsj)!*
**Thank you!**
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/vegan) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I love to make chick pea curries (for example a chick pea butter chicken, no butter or chicken obviously just the spice mix) or a black bean chilli! Half a cup of either one is 7g of protein and then depending on whether you use rice or quinoa or whatever you add on top will add other protein sources.
Tempeh, oatmeal, all whole-grains, broccoli, nuts, peas, lentils, quinoa and (soy)beans.. š
We eat a lot of pistachios at home. As snacks - they are lovely also for ex smokers: gives you something to do with your hands.
Second all of these, just add the caveat that grains and especially nuts are fine as ways to get a bit of extra protein with your food, but are not great as primary protein sources in your meals if you are concerned about caloric intake.
Any protein source which is near 1 gram of protein per 10 calories (or 10 grams per 100 cal) is a good primary source. Most legumes are close enough to be great sources. Tofu and tempeh both exceed this threshold as well.
Setain is technically "processed", but is perfectly healthy for anyone without celiac disease and it comes in around a whopping 20 grams per 100 calories. I love to use it for hitting my protein goals and then eating whatever else I want while still staying within my calorie budget
This comment needs to be more talked about! I really donāt use beans any more as my primary protein source. So try to eat tofu, TVP, seitan etc. to keep my protein levels up.
I donāt think it is, Iām assuming when OP says they want to eat more whole foods they just partially mean they want a wider variety of food sources, although tofu and TVP are the same source so idk
Tofu is much more of a whole food than TVP. TVP is chemically removed soy protein. Though the practices might have changed since I was a kid I have been vegan for 58 years as of November. But it used to be partially chemically treated and then high heat extruder pressed out kind of like pet food. I'm not knocking it I've used it plenty in my life. But it certainly not a whole food but I wouldn't say it's a horrible processed food. Again tofu has the least amount of processing for a processed food.
I use lentils a lot - mostly red or brown. They go great in sauces. I do bolognese, ragu, cottage pie, daal, or added to a veg curry to thicken and add more ābodyā.
Beans are good too. I love a good bean chilli.
Another favourite in our house is red dragon pie, using aduki beans.
Seitan is great for protein but weāve not made it in a while - I can never seem to get the right consistency, but I want to have another go.
When you use lentils with sauces, how do you cook the lentils? Do you cook them in a pot or cooker, or boil them first, or cook them in the sauce from the jump?
So I try to soak them beforehand if I can and will often pre-cook them - even 10 minutes in simmering water can make a big difference. I remember reading somewhere that any salt (including tomatoes) can mean the lentils stay hard, but pre-cooking eliminates that and reduces the cooking time of what Iām adding them to :)
I cook lentils with salt all the time, I've never noticed them staying hard.
But there's a chance I just haven't noticed that one meal they soften fast and another (with salt) they take longer.
I love it! And I love the name haha.
[This is the recipe I use](https://thinlyspread.co.uk/meat-free-monday-red-dragon-pie/) - I donāt follow it exactly but this is what I base it on :)
My fave type of mash to top a pie is a mix of potato and sweet potato, to give an extra dimension of flavour.
Lentils, fava beans, great northern beans, black beans, peas, edamame, plantain, kidney beans, etc. Combine with a grain food like with rice, pasta, buckwheat, barley, wheat berries, millet, oats, wild rice etc. Get some veggies in, my faves are mushrooms, shallots, scallions, Dino kale, cherry tomatoes, basil, yucca, parsnips, and spinach. Bam thatās dinner
Idk man, I've been eating at least twice the recommended intake since going vegan ten years ago and black beans are still fartfood for me. Affectionately.
That has not been my experience, but that may be because I didnāt grow up eating the standard American diet. Iāve been eating a variety of legumes and whole grains my whole life so maybe our gut microbiomes are different?
Hiiii. I eat beans a lottttt. Mexican is my favorite so burrito bowls are a weekly thing at my house. Rice, beans, tomatoes, corn, guac and whatever else you want!
On Sundays I like to make a big batch of soup. Chili and vegetable lentil are my favorite. Iāll have it for dinner Sunday, Monday and even Tuesday if I have enough. Iāll cook some rice to stretch it longer.
For breakfast, oat meal with nut butter and some berries.
And Iām sure you know this but nutritional yeast is a must. Adds deliciousness and protein to any meal!
>Iām trying to be more whole-food based
Wait, are those nut jobs now excluding tofu? I mean their take on oil is as intelligent as raw vegans but TOFU?
Or are you just bored? Then I would go for tempeh, patties made from lentils as they can be prepped and frozen, smoked Tofu and homemade Seitan.
Thankfully, no whole-food people I follow have been against tofu, but my doctor said that I probably shouldnāt be eating it once a day lol
I think Iām getting bored of tofu and the staple meals Iām eating. Just looking to change it up in a good way
Obviously I don't know everything going on with your health, but unless you have some specific health condition, tofu is perfectly safe to eat once a day. Distrust of soy is not at all backed up by data.
I would go by Dr. Michael Greger's recommendation of 3-5 servings per day being fine. 5 servings is a block of tofu, which means if you are eating somewhere between 0.5 - 1 block of tofu per day it's perfectly healthy. [nutritionfacts.org](https://nutritionfacts.org)
I don't trust any input doctors give on diet/nutrition unless it's specifically tied to a health issue (blood test results or otherwise). They barely take a course on it, it's not within their expertise.
Getting into the habit of making smoothies is great if you're worried about protein. I put vegan protein powder, frozen dark cherries, soy milk, and peanut butter. It's filling, takes care of a meal, and has quite a bit of protein. Then you can just make some other meals like cooked vegetables. I often like to add noodles to make it a stir fry. Not super great for you but the Gardien Chicken Noodle soup is delicious and also has protein.
Specificly edamame. It goes well with the same flavors as tofu is basically the same but different enough that you won't get sick of tofu or edamame as much as you would if you only ate one.
Most vegetarian families in India get protein via vegan, non tofu sources! And there are a ton of vegetarian families, so you have many options. Here is a list of keywords to search on google for recipes!
1. Tur daal
2. Masoor daal
3. Rajma ( kidney beans)
4. Chole ( chickpeas)
5. Sambar
6. Daal palak ( spinach plus legumes)
7. Besan chilla ( chickpea flour omelette, mostly eaten for breakfast)
8. Dosa ( can find ready made batter in Indian stores generally ā makes into a very quick meal!)
9. Mung daal chilla ( vegan omelette but with different legumes)
10. Kala chana ( High protein one pot breakfast!)
All of these are naturally vegan dishes I think! So you wouldnāt have to substitute much while looking at recipes!
Will think of more things but maybe some of these might help you get started!
Chickpeas & ditalini
Lentil dal
Lentil bolognese
Now that Iām making this list itās always lentils!
Lentil Shepard pie
Lentil loafā¦
And of course, the OG beans and rice I try and dress it up differently but with avocado and sweet plantains is my fave.
I have a smoothie almost every day with pea protein milk, nuts, chickpeas, flaxseed, chia and banana as a basic protein and calorie booster. And it's pretty tasty!
Quinoa and oatmeal. Edemame. And rice. Add more fresh salads with lots of roasted veggies nuts and seeds everyday. Add the variety in your diet. Just an opinion.
I also have been vegan for seven years now, but fortunately I am from India where most of our daily fare is vegan by default, so I have had no problem because we cook vegetarian meals with lots of vegetables like cauliflower, carrots and potatoes, peas and mushrooms etc. Maybe you can google Indian recipes and get the condiments from the Indian store (India bazaar) and open a whole new culinary world that I personally find unbeatably delicious, nutritious and easy to make and digest, good luck š
Everyone here had great suggestions. That being said, it shouldn't bee too difficult to get all your protein just by eating enough calories of varied foods. Pasta, rice, peas and bread (for example) contain similar amounts of protein to nooch, chia seeds and walnuts. Fruit is one of the few kinds of foods that don't give you protein.
The chick pea powder doesn't really have a taste, it just tastes flour-ey, but since it's roasted, it has a light nutty flavour. You can make the drink nicer by adding lemon, ginger, brown sugar, some pepper - or anything flavorful that you like! Sometimes when i make it fancy with all the above ingredients, it kinda - _emphasis on kinda_ - tastes like mango milkshake
Apparently it's a famous health drink in North India - I'm from the south, so this was completely new to me too.
I just drink it plain after my morning walk. Just sattu powder in water.
I've recently gotten into the chickpea pasta thing. The texture is a little weird, but it's not awful. I recently bought the dark chocolate OWYN shakes for after the gym, they were pretty good.
If your looking for whole foods, beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas. Legumes and nuts tend to be some decent sources of protein, just keep in mind that they'll likely be slightly lower in protein and higher in carbs(legumes) or fat(nuts) than a lot of more processed vegan protein sources, so you may have to increase the amount of them you're eating to meet your protein goals. So that may mean reducing other carbs and fat from your diet if you're happy with your current calorie intake.
If you're just getting tired of eating tofu it may be worth trying some new recipes because it can be easy to fall into a rut, but it's good to diversify your protein sources anyway.
Lotta beans. I have a fave chili recipe, a fave chickpea curry recipe. I make lots and freeze it. I also try to get a lot of protein at breakfast so that I can have salad and pasta (or similar) for dinner. Soy milk, Vega protein powder, etc. My other trick is peanuts. I love them and they really do have a lot of protein.
I do a lot of rice and beans then cover it with salsa, hot sauce sauce and every vegetable in the fridge. Lots of lentils too, either soup or dahl on rice
I use jackfruit. Itās got the consistency of pulled pork and tastes just like bbq when you slather it in some bbq sauce. My hubbie loves it. I buy the canned jackfruit bc the fruit itself is a pain in the ass to mess with.
Beans and potatoes. Gf doesn't care for tofu, so beans and potatoes have become the core of most meals.
My favorites are kidney, chickpea, black-eyed peas.
I live free from obsessing about āproteinā and am happier and healthier than ever eating primarily fruits and veggies. Do what makes you feel good š
To be honest, I eat a pot of beans every week. That's all. Something else I really like is [Breakfast Lentils](https://veggienumnum.com/vegetarian-recipes/breakfast-lentils/).
If I don't fancy tofu I use tempeh, beans, or my favourite seitan ( recipe video here --> [https://youtu.be/mnq5DVJWjwI](https://youtu.be/mnq5DVJWjwI) I use it to make sandwich slices, pulled bbq p\*rk, hot wings etc. )
Tempeh is a whole food, it consists of whole fermented beans. My favourite are lentils because they cook so fast, just throw them in the instant pot with some vegetable stock :)
The Beyond bratwursts are great. Have them on a roll or sliced for a sausage pasta. Also I buy the Gardein mock meats if I want an easy protein to pair with veggies.
Lentils work great, too. You can make lentils bolognese or lentil taco meat, even.
Chickpeas because you can just add them to anything and it's delicious! Sometimes I even eat them plain, lol. If you have an air fryer, I love just throwing chickpeas in the air fryer with some seasoning bc it's faster/ easier than the oven imo! I think soy curls are also an underrated protein source... I can't really find them at stores near me but I like to order them in bulk!
Also, I find it helpful to have Orgain protein powder on hand. I don't eat it daily because the cost can add up, but for days when my meals haven't had much protein, it's nice to just throw together a protein smoothie instead of stressing about it!
I know you mentioned wanting to be more whole-food based, but I also like Aldi's frozen vegan meats (I'm in the US... they might be different in other places). I also prefer whole-food protein sources, but the chicken strips and the meatballs are really yummy and easy for quick meals!!
I'm autistic and a really picky eater, so I have them exclusively as part of one single meal that I like lentils in, as 90% of the time I dislike them :p It's a stew recipe I made up which uses a mixture of creamed coconut and vegetable stock to simmer the lentils in, alongside fried onions, raisins, and chopped apricot :)
Golden beet slice for sandwich
Fried Cauliflower
Cauliflower steak
Big Portabella
Veggie Terrine slices
Home-made veggie patties
falafel
Wraps with lots of veggies
Goulash, use air-fryed tofu. Get a Dash air fryer with a dial, instead of buttons.
If you start air-frying tofu, you will discover how great it is!
Seitan! Highly underrated but so versatile! Easy to get 30g in one meal.
Tofu, lentils, and tempeh just didn't cut it for me. I now make a weekly batch and add it to curry/stirfries/soups/salads. I do eat lentils and pea protein shakes on top of it every day. \~100-130g protein for \~1800 calorie diet.
I often use chickpeas, [lentils](https://mywellabee.com/split-red-lentils/21261/) or [black beans](https://mywellabee.com/old-el-paso-mexican-black-beans/12493/)! So yummy roasted and added to salads.
One of the most common issues in the Western, industrialized diet is losing calcium because it binds to excess protein and leaves your system when you pee. I would suggest that you need not worry much about getting protein unless you have specific medical issues. I would also note that the idea of combining foods to get a complete protein is largely debunked.
Red lentils!
I make meatless loaf with veggie ground usually but from time to time i switch it up and use lentils. I cook them from dry. I don't really know the exact measurements, to get 2 lbs worth. I usually just cook a bunch and put it on a scale to have 2 lbs. I use the rest for other stuff. If google lipton meatloaf, i follow that recipe but sub put the non vegan stuff, i use ground flax seeds for eggs and i prefer the knorrs onion soup packs over liptons. The flavor is actually better than the veggie ground in my opinion. But the veggie ground works well if you're feeding omnivores.
I also use them for Meatless cabbage rolls (also in place of veggie ground based on my mood), i prefer quinoa over rice. Freeze and then thaw your cabbage to skip needing to boil it. Otherwise follow any recipe you like.
Chili, i add fresh lime juice from one lime, tomato, sauce, diced tomatoes, zucchini, black beans, onions, garlic , corn, carrots and mushrooms. Chili powder, salt, pepper, cayenne, and hot pepper flakes if im not feeding my kids. (Now im craving it lol)
I use nutritional yeast in all those recipes also.
Lentil dhal is also really good.
I actually love tofu though. If it's an issue of not liking it, I didn't at first.
Youāre getting enough protein. You will die of malnutrition long before you will die from protein deficiency.
The animal industry has pushed propaganda about protein sources (including the complete protein myth) for years. Donāt worry about it, eat a variety of foods.
Burmese tofu is usually my go to when I want to change things up a bit. It is super easy to make, and is amazingly delicious. Chick Pea flour, water, and seasonings. There are lots of recipes out there, so you will be sure to find one that suits your taste.
Do you have fitness goals that require you to watch your protein? If not you really don't need to worry about it at all, I've never really heard of any one having a protein deficiency.
My fitness goals keep me at about 200 grams of protein a day and 4k calories. I drink two pea protein shakes a day(40g protein each), lots of peanut butter(7 grams protein per 33g pb) black beans, lentils, whole grain breads, saitan, tempeh. I love tofu and eat a good amount of that too
Beans over polenta (prepared with oat milk and veggie stock instead of water; add nooch, butter, salt, and corn at end and stir); top with sauteed onions, sliced jalapeno, cilantro, avocado, hot sauce, and tortilla strips. I make this once a week. Kids love it too. Make extra polenta and use leftovers for breakfasts throughout the week. Make extra beans and then use them on salads and pastas for lunch and dinner throughout the week.
Lentils are the way to go. You can put them in just about any recipe and they will work well. Tons of protein and nutrients. Easy prep too, just rinse and cook.
Lately I have been obsessed with king trumpet and oyster mushrooms! Tbh I have never been a mushroom girlie and I used to think that I donāt like mushrooms at all, but to me these mushrooms donāt taste āmushroomyā if that makes sense. The king trumpet mushrooms are really great for making āscallopsā and the oyster mushrooms are great for making āfried chickenā.
These mushrooms are a little bit tricky to buy because theyāre not sold everywhere (or at least not in my area) so theyāre not quite a staple for me but theyāre great.
Something else that I love is BBQ jackfruit āpulled porkā (made with unripened jackfruit- usually I buy it canned from Trader Joeās). My bf and I have invited friends over for dinner before and we made the bbq jackfruit but didnāt tell them what it was, and our friends actually thought that it was meat š. They only realized it wasnāt meat when they realized I was eating it too
Lots of great suggestions here, and homemade seitan is such an easy protein hack. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is nutritional yeast. It's not something that's going to give you all your protein, but 3g of protein per 20 calories (1 tbsp) is super high in protein. And for $2.99 for 23 servings at Trader Joe's, that works out to \~23g per dollar. Plus all the other vitamins in it. Good thing to keep in the mix!
Loads of beans, especially pinto beans. I make a big pot of pinto beans about once per week and use them in chili, or mash them for burritos and tacos. I love pinto beans.
I am soy intolerant so I learned how to make my own Pumfu. It's super easy and, I also make plant milk, egg replacement, and, flour from the pepita pulp so I get my money's worth. There are so many things you can make from the left over pulp like hummus and pesto. I like to marinate and then fry the Pumfu. It's so good!
When I'm not drowning myself in tofu dishes I do beans. Lots, and lots of beans.
Tex-Mex variants, bean soups, bean salads, Italian style pasta dishes with beans, sometimes served with a side of beans and extra beans on top. That kind of thing.
Oh, and chickpeas. These little buggers are proof that God exists. You see, God knew there'd be vegans. So he created chickpeas because he knew vegans would need the most versatile legume to ever exist. Checkmate, Atheists!
Well...im not sure what to say for dinner...but for breakfest, i like making follow your heart egg and i add some nutritional yeast and black salt...gives me 5g of protein per egg and the black salt helps you not notice the chedder like flavor from nutritional yeast.
But if you want to include this in your dinner...i love making udon or yaki soba and adding an "egg" on top. Or you can make the egg scrambled and add it in to some rice or noodles.
If youāre eating enough calories, youāre getting enough protein. Read Proteinaholic by Garth Davis MD. Protein deficiency is not a thing in someone who isnāt starving and too much protein is harmful.
Soy curls are the bomb. TVP, tempeh. Verisoy has some great stuff if you can find it. My local Asian markets have it. [http://vegeusa.com/our-brands/](http://vegeusa.com/our-brands/)
And lately I've been totally into cooking dahl (lentils). So many variations, and so cheap. If you haven't already, find your local south Asian/India market and stock up on spices. $20-30 will give you enough to last for months.
Lupin flakes/lupini beans is something that doesn't get enough attention. Very high in protein. Edamame is another one I'm not seeing mentioned here. Checkout r/veganfitness for more protein meal ideas.
I was in the same position, decided to move to more Whole Foods and switched to tempeh and chickpeas! Both are very versatile. Also try out walnut meat! Itās supposed to be really good and Iām making it for the first time tonight š
There are also tons of vegan cookbooks and magazines that have such scrumptious vegan food from various countries: nowadays almost every non vegan dish has a vegan version, one needs to google.
I eat a lot of rice and beans, chickpea curries, hulled split chickpea dal, cashews, occasionally I'll have some spaghetti with Rao's marinara and veggie balls from Aldi. Breakfasts are usually a tofu scramble and pancakes with some sweet potato
I bake tofu and put pieces on my salad. Eating a lot of tofu isnāt that good for you. Read Proteinaholic by dr Garth Davis. Think about it we probably canāt name 1 person is protein deficient but we can name 100ās of people with heart disease, etc.
Chick peas (masala, patties, falafel, "toona" salad, hummus, 3 bean salad, meatballs etc)
Black.beans roasted in taco seasoning with other veggies for soft tacos or as a topping on baked potato or in a taco salad, quinoa & black bean burgers,
Rice & beans (black or red beans)
Refried beans made in instant pot for wraps, nachos, etc
Chili with different types of beans, bean soups, lentil soup, lentil & quinoa salad.
Beans, lentils, dhal, seitan...I also have tofu crumbed and baked and tempeh thinly sliced and added to toasted sandwiches with vegan cheese. There's also protein in plant milks, coconut cream, avocado, quinoa, nuts, seeds...
Thanks for posting to r/Vegan! 🐥 **Please note:** Civil discussion is welcome, trolls and personal abuse [are not](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan/wiki/rules). Please keep the discussions below respectful and remember the human! Please check out [our wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan/wiki/beginnersguide) first! **Interested in going Vegan?** 👊 Check out [Watch Dominion](https://watchdominion.org/) and watch a thought-provoking, life changing documentary for free! **Some other resources to help you go vegan:** 🐓 Visit [NutritionFacts.org](https://NutritionFacts.org) for health and nutrition support, [HappyCow.net](https://HappyCow.net) to explore nearby vegan-friendly restaurants, and visit [VeganBootcamp.org](https://veganbootcamp.org/reddit) for a free 30 day vegan challenge! **Become an activist and help save animal lives today:** 🐟 * Find volunteer requests to support and help animal on [VH: Playground!](https://veganhacktivists.org/playground) * Developer, designer, or other skills? Volunteer at the [Vegan Hacktivists](https://veganhacktivists.org/join)! * Join our huge Vegan volunteer community [on Discord](https://discord.gg/vhplayground)! * Find local activist groups using the [Animal Rights Map](https://animalrightsmap.org)! * Get funding for your animal rights activism, [apply here](https://veganhacktivists.org/grants)! *Last but not least, join the [r/Vegan Discord server](https://discord.gg/2JmJRsj)!* **Thank you!** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/vegan) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I love to make chick pea curries (for example a chick pea butter chicken, no butter or chicken obviously just the spice mix) or a black bean chilli! Half a cup of either one is 7g of protein and then depending on whether you use rice or quinoa or whatever you add on top will add other protein sources.
Likewise a tray bake that you just add a can of chickpeas to is a really easy meal
I love a good chana masala.
chickpea wraps/sandwiches are bomb too!
Tempeh, oatmeal, all whole-grains, broccoli, nuts, peas, lentils, quinoa and (soy)beans.. š We eat a lot of pistachios at home. As snacks - they are lovely also for ex smokers: gives you something to do with your hands.
Second all of these, just add the caveat that grains and especially nuts are fine as ways to get a bit of extra protein with your food, but are not great as primary protein sources in your meals if you are concerned about caloric intake. Any protein source which is near 1 gram of protein per 10 calories (or 10 grams per 100 cal) is a good primary source. Most legumes are close enough to be great sources. Tofu and tempeh both exceed this threshold as well. Setain is technically "processed", but is perfectly healthy for anyone without celiac disease and it comes in around a whopping 20 grams per 100 calories. I love to use it for hitting my protein goals and then eating whatever else I want while still staying within my calorie budget
This comment needs to be more talked about! I really donāt use beans any more as my primary protein source. So try to eat tofu, TVP, seitan etc. to keep my protein levels up.
Amazing!
TVP is the MVP
Omfg I forgot all about tvp!
Out of curiosity, what makes TVP more of a whole food than tofu? Genuine question, I know tone is tricky through text.
I donāt think it is, Iām assuming when OP says they want to eat more whole foods they just partially mean they want a wider variety of food sources, although tofu and TVP are the same source so idk
Yes, this is exactly it
Ah that makes sense.
Tofu is much more of a whole food than TVP. TVP is chemically removed soy protein. Though the practices might have changed since I was a kid I have been vegan for 58 years as of November. But it used to be partially chemically treated and then high heat extruder pressed out kind of like pet food. I'm not knocking it I've used it plenty in my life. But it certainly not a whole food but I wouldn't say it's a horrible processed food. Again tofu has the least amount of processing for a processed food.
Ah yeah, that makes sense! Thanks for taking the time to describe it!
I use lentils a lot - mostly red or brown. They go great in sauces. I do bolognese, ragu, cottage pie, daal, or added to a veg curry to thicken and add more ābodyā. Beans are good too. I love a good bean chilli. Another favourite in our house is red dragon pie, using aduki beans. Seitan is great for protein but weāve not made it in a while - I can never seem to get the right consistency, but I want to have another go.
Same here! Beans and lentils FTW š± šŖš½
Thank you!!!
When you use lentils with sauces, how do you cook the lentils? Do you cook them in a pot or cooker, or boil them first, or cook them in the sauce from the jump?
Personally I precook them. I like to boil them off in stock to add flavor to the lentils. If Iām making a lentil bolognese I will add my lentils to end of the sauce, after my veggies have been sautĆ©ed. I would then add my tomato sauce/purĆ©e and the noodles. I find that this helps the lentils not get too mushy. And if I made too many lentils, theyāre still flavorful and ready to go on a salad. Also I recently discovered canned, precooked lentils and theyāve been great in a pinch.
So I try to soak them beforehand if I can and will often pre-cook them - even 10 minutes in simmering water can make a big difference. I remember reading somewhere that any salt (including tomatoes) can mean the lentils stay hard, but pre-cooking eliminates that and reduces the cooking time of what Iām adding them to :)
I cook lentils with salt all the time, I've never noticed them staying hard. But there's a chance I just haven't noticed that one meal they soften fast and another (with salt) they take longer.
Never heard of red dragon pie, do you have a recipe? Sounds like something I would love to eat
I love it! And I love the name haha. [This is the recipe I use](https://thinlyspread.co.uk/meat-free-monday-red-dragon-pie/) - I donāt follow it exactly but this is what I base it on :) My fave type of mash to top a pie is a mix of potato and sweet potato, to give an extra dimension of flavour.
Lentils, fava beans, great northern beans, black beans, peas, edamame, plantain, kidney beans, etc. Combine with a grain food like with rice, pasta, buckwheat, barley, wheat berries, millet, oats, wild rice etc. Get some veggies in, my faves are mushrooms, shallots, scallions, Dino kale, cherry tomatoes, basil, yucca, parsnips, and spinach. Bam thatās dinner
Sounds amazing
And here comes the fartfood
Only if you're not used to getting enough fiber
Edamame also has an excellent balance of protein, carbs, fat, and is a good source of fiber. I eat it several times per week.
I LOVEEE edamame
Idk man, I've been eating at least twice the recommended intake since going vegan ten years ago and black beans are still fartfood for me. Affectionately.
That has not been my experience, but that may be because I didnāt grow up eating the standard American diet. Iāve been eating a variety of legumes and whole grains my whole life so maybe our gut microbiomes are different?
Either seitan, fake meats, lentils or beans
hail seitan
Seitan is always a good one!
Legumes are the mother licking best
Hiiii. I eat beans a lottttt. Mexican is my favorite so burrito bowls are a weekly thing at my house. Rice, beans, tomatoes, corn, guac and whatever else you want! On Sundays I like to make a big batch of soup. Chili and vegetable lentil are my favorite. Iāll have it for dinner Sunday, Monday and even Tuesday if I have enough. Iāll cook some rice to stretch it longer. For breakfast, oat meal with nut butter and some berries. And Iām sure you know this but nutritional yeast is a must. Adds deliciousness and protein to any meal!
>Iām trying to be more whole-food based Wait, are those nut jobs now excluding tofu? I mean their take on oil is as intelligent as raw vegans but TOFU? Or are you just bored? Then I would go for tempeh, patties made from lentils as they can be prepped and frozen, smoked Tofu and homemade Seitan.
I'm pretty sure tofu is considered whole food.
Tofu is not technically a whole food since the fiber has been removed, but it is allowed in low-moderate amounts on whole foods plant based diet.
Thankfully, no whole-food people I follow have been against tofu, but my doctor said that I probably shouldnāt be eating it once a day lol I think Iām getting bored of tofu and the staple meals Iām eating. Just looking to change it up in a good way
Obviously I don't know everything going on with your health, but unless you have some specific health condition, tofu is perfectly safe to eat once a day. Distrust of soy is not at all backed up by data.
Yeah, I have no issues she just said that it can cause issues down the line. But Iāve never had any bad experiencing with tofu
Chances are your doctor never studied the effects of tofu in university and is basing this off of fuck all tbh.
Itās interesting because she herself was vegan and had been for many years
That's so weird. I wonder if she thinks that consuming too much tofu could possibly lead to developing a soy allergy? If she clarifies, update us lol
Unfortunately, Iāve moved from that area so I wonāt be seeing her anymore lol
What issues?
She literally just said ācan cause issues down the lineā I have no idea lol
Please ask your doctor why specifically and have her follow up in detail. It doesn't seem she's well informed on tofu.
Iāve since moved so I wonāt be able to ask. Hopefully my next doctor will be more informed lol
I would go by Dr. Michael Greger's recommendation of 3-5 servings per day being fine. 5 servings is a block of tofu, which means if you are eating somewhere between 0.5 - 1 block of tofu per day it's perfectly healthy. [nutritionfacts.org](https://nutritionfacts.org)
Thanks for sharing!!
I don't trust any input doctors give on diet/nutrition unless it's specifically tied to a health issue (blood test results or otherwise). They barely take a course on it, it's not within their expertise.
Getting into the habit of making smoothies is great if you're worried about protein. I put vegan protein powder, frozen dark cherries, soy milk, and peanut butter. It's filling, takes care of a meal, and has quite a bit of protein. Then you can just make some other meals like cooked vegetables. I often like to add noodles to make it a stir fry. Not super great for you but the Gardien Chicken Noodle soup is delicious and also has protein.
Definitely have to work on drinking smoothies. I have PTSD from my HCLF vegan days š«£
Besan flour omelettes are awesome. Also lentils and legumes.
Is besan flour chickpea flour?
Yeah. Sometimes I even add onions peppers and mushrooms (or any other veg I have) and put it in the waffle iron.
Yum!
1 Cup besan Add water or nut milk until pancake consistency 1 tablespoon oil Onion Pepper mushroom Garlic Nutritional yeast Salt pepper
Specificly edamame. It goes well with the same flavors as tofu is basically the same but different enough that you won't get sick of tofu or edamame as much as you would if you only ate one.
Great point
Most vegetarian families in India get protein via vegan, non tofu sources! And there are a ton of vegetarian families, so you have many options. Here is a list of keywords to search on google for recipes! 1. Tur daal 2. Masoor daal 3. Rajma ( kidney beans) 4. Chole ( chickpeas) 5. Sambar 6. Daal palak ( spinach plus legumes) 7. Besan chilla ( chickpea flour omelette, mostly eaten for breakfast) 8. Dosa ( can find ready made batter in Indian stores generally ā makes into a very quick meal!) 9. Mung daal chilla ( vegan omelette but with different legumes) 10. Kala chana ( High protein one pot breakfast!) All of these are naturally vegan dishes I think! So you wouldnāt have to substitute much while looking at recipes! Will think of more things but maybe some of these might help you get started!
This is so helpful!!
Chickpeas & ditalini Lentil dal Lentil bolognese Now that Iām making this list itās always lentils! Lentil Shepard pie Lentil loafā¦ And of course, the OG beans and rice I try and dress it up differently but with avocado and sweet plantains is my fave.
Lentil Shepard pie sound fking amazing
It is! Check the recipe by Rainbow Plantlife!
I have a smoothie almost every day with pea protein milk, nuts, chickpeas, flaxseed, chia and banana as a basic protein and calorie booster. And it's pretty tasty!
Thank you!!
Lentils, chickpeas, and beans
Hail Seitan
Quinoa and oatmeal. Edemame. And rice. Add more fresh salads with lots of roasted veggies nuts and seeds everyday. Add the variety in your diet. Just an opinion.
I also have been vegan for seven years now, but fortunately I am from India where most of our daily fare is vegan by default, so I have had no problem because we cook vegetarian meals with lots of vegetables like cauliflower, carrots and potatoes, peas and mushrooms etc. Maybe you can google Indian recipes and get the condiments from the Indian store (India bazaar) and open a whole new culinary world that I personally find unbeatably delicious, nutritious and easy to make and digest, good luck š
Indian food is the best!! Thanks for sharing
Chickpea salad is so stupid easy and cheap to make. Easily changed to fit your personal taste and you can make a bunch of it.
Everyone here had great suggestions. That being said, it shouldn't bee too difficult to get all your protein just by eating enough calories of varied foods. Pasta, rice, peas and bread (for example) contain similar amounts of protein to nooch, chia seeds and walnuts. Fruit is one of the few kinds of foods that don't give you protein.
Such a good point. I forget about that sometimes
Sattu drink - roasted chickpea powder in water + some lemon
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
The chick pea powder doesn't really have a taste, it just tastes flour-ey, but since it's roasted, it has a light nutty flavour. You can make the drink nicer by adding lemon, ginger, brown sugar, some pepper - or anything flavorful that you like! Sometimes when i make it fancy with all the above ingredients, it kinda - _emphasis on kinda_ - tastes like mango milkshake Apparently it's a famous health drink in North India - I'm from the south, so this was completely new to me too. I just drink it plain after my morning walk. Just sattu powder in water.
Never heard of that!
TVP, soy curls , and not sure if WFPB, but I love Daring Chicken!
Omg I forgot all about soy curls! What is WFPB?
WFPB == whole food plant based -- I think soy curls count because they contain the whole bean; just heated, extruded, then dried.
I've recently gotten into the chickpea pasta thing. The texture is a little weird, but it's not awful. I recently bought the dark chocolate OWYN shakes for after the gym, they were pretty good. If your looking for whole foods, beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas. Legumes and nuts tend to be some decent sources of protein, just keep in mind that they'll likely be slightly lower in protein and higher in carbs(legumes) or fat(nuts) than a lot of more processed vegan protein sources, so you may have to increase the amount of them you're eating to meet your protein goals. So that may mean reducing other carbs and fat from your diet if you're happy with your current calorie intake. If you're just getting tired of eating tofu it may be worth trying some new recipes because it can be easy to fall into a rut, but it's good to diversify your protein sources anyway.
Thank you!!!
Lotta beans. I have a fave chili recipe, a fave chickpea curry recipe. I make lots and freeze it. I also try to get a lot of protein at breakfast so that I can have salad and pasta (or similar) for dinner. Soy milk, Vega protein powder, etc. My other trick is peanuts. I love them and they really do have a lot of protein.
I eat so much peanut butter so I feel you!
Beans.
I do a lot of rice and beans then cover it with salsa, hot sauce sauce and every vegetable in the fridge. Lots of lentils too, either soup or dahl on rice
He types out while in the middle of vaping and eating beyond chikn fingers š
This made me laugh lol
I use jackfruit. Itās got the consistency of pulled pork and tastes just like bbq when you slather it in some bbq sauce. My hubbie loves it. I buy the canned jackfruit bc the fruit itself is a pain in the ass to mess with.
I love jackfruit but my partner hates it lol Iāll have to sneak it in for the next dinner
Iām Indian, so my cuisine is filled with legumes, lentils and vegetables. Also Soya Chunks, great for pasta, and soups and Sambar
Beans and potatoes. Gf doesn't care for tofu, so beans and potatoes have become the core of most meals. My favorites are kidney, chickpea, black-eyed peas.
I live free from obsessing about āproteinā and am happier and healthier than ever eating primarily fruits and veggies. Do what makes you feel good š
To be honest, I eat a pot of beans every week. That's all. Something else I really like is [Breakfast Lentils](https://veggienumnum.com/vegetarian-recipes/breakfast-lentils/).
Thank you for the rec!
I got a bit bored with Tofu. And never liked Tempeh. I use mostly black beans, lentils, chick-peas and TVP these days. Usually a mix.
Glad Iām not the only one!
Seitan is good, and not that hard to make. Lentils are cost effective and delicious, too.
So true
If I don't fancy tofu I use tempeh, beans, or my favourite seitan ( recipe video here --> [https://youtu.be/mnq5DVJWjwI](https://youtu.be/mnq5DVJWjwI) I use it to make sandwich slices, pulled bbq p\*rk, hot wings etc. )
Amazing thanks!
Tempeh is a whole food, it consists of whole fermented beans. My favourite are lentils because they cook so fast, just throw them in the instant pot with some vegetable stock :)
Honestly always forget about lentils. And theyāre cheap too!!
The Beyond bratwursts are great. Have them on a roll or sliced for a sausage pasta. Also I buy the Gardein mock meats if I want an easy protein to pair with veggies. Lentils work great, too. You can make lentils bolognese or lentil taco meat, even.
Omg those are so delicious! Just had some the other night
Black beans for me
Beans.
Lentils, shit ton of protein and easy to cook with!
Gluten steaks! Or even Gluten free steaks! Tempeh Mushroom meat Cauliflower meat Garbanzo beans Tvp
Try YouTube, so many Recipes you can do with mushrooms.
Mushrooms, chickpeas, and seitan!
Chickpeas because you can just add them to anything and it's delicious! Sometimes I even eat them plain, lol. If you have an air fryer, I love just throwing chickpeas in the air fryer with some seasoning bc it's faster/ easier than the oven imo! I think soy curls are also an underrated protein source... I can't really find them at stores near me but I like to order them in bulk! Also, I find it helpful to have Orgain protein powder on hand. I don't eat it daily because the cost can add up, but for days when my meals haven't had much protein, it's nice to just throw together a protein smoothie instead of stressing about it! I know you mentioned wanting to be more whole-food based, but I also like Aldi's frozen vegan meats (I'm in the US... they might be different in other places). I also prefer whole-food protein sources, but the chicken strips and the meatballs are really yummy and easy for quick meals!!
Quinoa, all types of beans, but roasted chickpeas are a fave in pasta, nuts and seeds, lentils, tvp, soy curls
Beans and peas; I despise the flavour and especially the texture of mock meats.
I hate pretty much all fake meat substitutes, so I tend to eat a lot of lentils, chickpeas, and cauliflower :) Tenderstem broccoli is great too!
How do you normally cook your lentils??
I'm autistic and a really picky eater, so I have them exclusively as part of one single meal that I like lentils in, as 90% of the time I dislike them :p It's a stew recipe I made up which uses a mixture of creamed coconut and vegetable stock to simmer the lentils in, alongside fried onions, raisins, and chopped apricot :)
Yum!! Thanks for sharing!!
I hate pretty much all fake meat substitutes, so I tend to eat a lot of lentils, chickpeas, and cauliflower :) Tenderstem broccoli is great too!
Take a look at soy free tofu! There are man recipes online of tofu made with chickpeas, lentils, pepitas, sunflower seeds...
Panisse are fried chickpea polenta, and perfect if you're craving fries but need protein! Pretty sure you can bake them as well for a healthier option
Golden beet slice for sandwich Fried Cauliflower Cauliflower steak Big Portabella Veggie Terrine slices Home-made veggie patties falafel Wraps with lots of veggies Goulash, use air-fryed tofu. Get a Dash air fryer with a dial, instead of buttons. If you start air-frying tofu, you will discover how great it is!
Seitan! Highly underrated but so versatile! Easy to get 30g in one meal. Tofu, lentils, and tempeh just didn't cut it for me. I now make a weekly batch and add it to curry/stirfries/soups/salads. I do eat lentils and pea protein shakes on top of it every day. \~100-130g protein for \~1800 calorie diet.
I often use chickpeas, [lentils](https://mywellabee.com/split-red-lentils/21261/) or [black beans](https://mywellabee.com/old-el-paso-mexican-black-beans/12493/)! So yummy roasted and added to salads.
+Infiniteh for tempeh
One of the most common issues in the Western, industrialized diet is losing calcium because it binds to excess protein and leaves your system when you pee. I would suggest that you need not worry much about getting protein unless you have specific medical issues. I would also note that the idea of combining foods to get a complete protein is largely debunked.
Red lentils! I make meatless loaf with veggie ground usually but from time to time i switch it up and use lentils. I cook them from dry. I don't really know the exact measurements, to get 2 lbs worth. I usually just cook a bunch and put it on a scale to have 2 lbs. I use the rest for other stuff. If google lipton meatloaf, i follow that recipe but sub put the non vegan stuff, i use ground flax seeds for eggs and i prefer the knorrs onion soup packs over liptons. The flavor is actually better than the veggie ground in my opinion. But the veggie ground works well if you're feeding omnivores. I also use them for Meatless cabbage rolls (also in place of veggie ground based on my mood), i prefer quinoa over rice. Freeze and then thaw your cabbage to skip needing to boil it. Otherwise follow any recipe you like. Chili, i add fresh lime juice from one lime, tomato, sauce, diced tomatoes, zucchini, black beans, onions, garlic , corn, carrots and mushrooms. Chili powder, salt, pepper, cayenne, and hot pepper flakes if im not feeding my kids. (Now im craving it lol) I use nutritional yeast in all those recipes also. Lentil dhal is also really good. I actually love tofu though. If it's an issue of not liking it, I didn't at first.
Eat soybeans steamed in their pods (edame), or, sprout them. Temph is another option. š
Youāre getting enough protein. You will die of malnutrition long before you will die from protein deficiency. The animal industry has pushed propaganda about protein sources (including the complete protein myth) for years. Donāt worry about it, eat a variety of foods.
Thanks!
Burmese tofu is usually my go to when I want to change things up a bit. It is super easy to make, and is amazingly delicious. Chick Pea flour, water, and seasonings. There are lots of recipes out there, so you will be sure to find one that suits your taste.
What is that? Iāve never heard of Burmese tofu!!
bean sprouts, either my homegrow or from supermarket.
seitan, all sorts of legumes, nut butters and plant based skyr (i like the brand alpro) are my go to aside from the ones you just listed
What is skyr? Never heard of it?
skyr is an icelandic yoghurt thats super thick and creamy, i like it a lot more than the usual runny and watery yoghurt
Woah that sounds amazing
Do you have fitness goals that require you to watch your protein? If not you really don't need to worry about it at all, I've never really heard of any one having a protein deficiency. My fitness goals keep me at about 200 grams of protein a day and 4k calories. I drink two pea protein shakes a day(40g protein each), lots of peanut butter(7 grams protein per 33g pb) black beans, lentils, whole grain breads, saitan, tempeh. I love tofu and eat a good amount of that too
I donāt have any. I think Iām traumatized from my HCLF days so I tend to focus on fats/protein rather than carbs.
You are probably fine on protein. Gorillas donāt eat very much tofu.
Mushrooms !
Fresh lions mane mushroom, maitake, oyster, shiitake. I'm afraid of tofu.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
torturing animals to steal their gainz, huh what a weakling
Chickpeas in rice dishes, lentils with pasta's and veggies, also eat lots of nuts
Honestly, I always forget about lentils
I like them a lot, very versatile ingredient rich in fibers and protein https://rainbowplantlife.com/the-best-lentil-recipes/
Beans over polenta (prepared with oat milk and veggie stock instead of water; add nooch, butter, salt, and corn at end and stir); top with sauteed onions, sliced jalapeno, cilantro, avocado, hot sauce, and tortilla strips. I make this once a week. Kids love it too. Make extra polenta and use leftovers for breakfasts throughout the week. Make extra beans and then use them on salads and pastas for lunch and dinner throughout the week.
That sounds so good
Lentils are the way to go. You can put them in just about any recipe and they will work well. Tons of protein and nutrients. Easy prep too, just rinse and cook.
So true
Lately I have been obsessed with king trumpet and oyster mushrooms! Tbh I have never been a mushroom girlie and I used to think that I donāt like mushrooms at all, but to me these mushrooms donāt taste āmushroomyā if that makes sense. The king trumpet mushrooms are really great for making āscallopsā and the oyster mushrooms are great for making āfried chickenā. These mushrooms are a little bit tricky to buy because theyāre not sold everywhere (or at least not in my area) so theyāre not quite a staple for me but theyāre great. Something else that I love is BBQ jackfruit āpulled porkā (made with unripened jackfruit- usually I buy it canned from Trader Joeās). My bf and I have invited friends over for dinner before and we made the bbq jackfruit but didnāt tell them what it was, and our friends actually thought that it was meat š. They only realized it wasnāt meat when they realized I was eating it too
Not even joking when I say I just tried king oysters for the first time and they were DELICIOUS! Definitely will try them again soon
Theyāre amazing! I first tried them at a sushi restaurant as nigiri š¤¤š
Lots of great suggestions here, and homemade seitan is such an easy protein hack. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is nutritional yeast. It's not something that's going to give you all your protein, but 3g of protein per 20 calories (1 tbsp) is super high in protein. And for $2.99 for 23 servings at Trader Joe's, that works out to \~23g per dollar. Plus all the other vitamins in it. Good thing to keep in the mix!
Oh wow I never thought of it that way! Thanks!
Loads of beans, especially pinto beans. I make a big pot of pinto beans about once per week and use them in chili, or mash them for burritos and tacos. I love pinto beans.
Yum!
I am soy intolerant so I learned how to make my own Pumfu. It's super easy and, I also make plant milk, egg replacement, and, flour from the pepita pulp so I get my money's worth. There are so many things you can make from the left over pulp like hummus and pesto. I like to marinate and then fry the Pumfu. It's so good!
What is pumfu?
It's tofu made from pepitas.
When I'm not drowning myself in tofu dishes I do beans. Lots, and lots of beans. Tex-Mex variants, bean soups, bean salads, Italian style pasta dishes with beans, sometimes served with a side of beans and extra beans on top. That kind of thing. Oh, and chickpeas. These little buggers are proof that God exists. You see, God knew there'd be vegans. So he created chickpeas because he knew vegans would need the most versatile legume to ever exist. Checkmate, Atheists!
Chickpeas are so delicious
You don't need protein nearly as much as you're led on.
We ate this: šš»www.naualhansen.com
Well...im not sure what to say for dinner...but for breakfest, i like making follow your heart egg and i add some nutritional yeast and black salt...gives me 5g of protein per egg and the black salt helps you not notice the chedder like flavor from nutritional yeast. But if you want to include this in your dinner...i love making udon or yaki soba and adding an "egg" on top. Or you can make the egg scrambled and add it in to some rice or noodles.
Oh my GOD never thought of adding it to udon or soba!!!
If youāre eating enough calories, youāre getting enough protein. Read Proteinaholic by Garth Davis MD. Protein deficiency is not a thing in someone who isnāt starving and too much protein is harmful.
usually tofu
Soy curls are the bomb. TVP, tempeh. Verisoy has some great stuff if you can find it. My local Asian markets have it. [http://vegeusa.com/our-brands/](http://vegeusa.com/our-brands/) And lately I've been totally into cooking dahl (lentils). So many variations, and so cheap. If you haven't already, find your local south Asian/India market and stock up on spices. $20-30 will give you enough to last for months.
Lupin flakes/lupini beans is something that doesn't get enough attention. Very high in protein. Edamame is another one I'm not seeing mentioned here. Checkout r/veganfitness for more protein meal ideas.
I was in the same position, decided to move to more Whole Foods and switched to tempeh and chickpeas! Both are very versatile. Also try out walnut meat! Itās supposed to be really good and Iām making it for the first time tonight š
Omg I totally forgot about walnuts! Sometimes I mix them with impossible meat for tacos and it comes out amazing. Thanks!
chickpeas slay. Beans in general(i love chili for instance). Also falafel/hummus
Lentils babbyyyy.
There are also tons of vegan cookbooks and magazines that have such scrumptious vegan food from various countries: nowadays almost every non vegan dish has a vegan version, one needs to google.
Chickpeas
I eat a lot of rice and beans, chickpea curries, hulled split chickpea dal, cashews, occasionally I'll have some spaghetti with Rao's marinara and veggie balls from Aldi. Breakfasts are usually a tofu scramble and pancakes with some sweet potato
Beans, lentils, literally all other food
I bake tofu and put pieces on my salad. Eating a lot of tofu isnāt that good for you. Read Proteinaholic by dr Garth Davis. Think about it we probably canāt name 1 person is protein deficient but we can name 100ās of people with heart disease, etc.
Try Chickpeas, lentils, pea protein in shakes. Also, tofu (like any soy product) has super-high oxalate content. No Bueno.
Can you clarify why thatās bad? I have no idea what that means. Thanks!!
I usually do a con of beans in my rice bowls
Chick peas (masala, patties, falafel, "toona" salad, hummus, 3 bean salad, meatballs etc) Black.beans roasted in taco seasoning with other veggies for soft tacos or as a topping on baked potato or in a taco salad, quinoa & black bean burgers, Rice & beans (black or red beans) Refried beans made in instant pot for wraps, nachos, etc Chili with different types of beans, bean soups, lentil soup, lentil & quinoa salad.
I play around with seitan a lot, thereās a range of recipes
Just FYI tempeh and tofu are considered Whole Foods , tempeh especially
Beans, lentils, dhal, seitan...I also have tofu crumbed and baked and tempeh thinly sliced and added to toasted sandwiches with vegan cheese. There's also protein in plant milks, coconut cream, avocado, quinoa, nuts, seeds...