As a plant-based eater, I enjoy coming across new recipes to cook and new ingredients to try. Thankfully, after maintaining this lifestyle for a little over a year, I find it easier to learn how to not only recreate plant-based meals but, to also continue to get protein and vitamins through real food.
However, it wasn’t always like this.
When I made my first attempt at starting a plant-based/vegan diet after being vegetarian for a few months, I was completely lost. To be fair, I didn’t put much forth in an effort to do any research and decided to just do it. I was so concerned with what I couldn’t eat that I didn’t focus on what I actually could eat.
As a result, I was hungry all the time, moody and eventually returned back to a vegetarian diet - but not for long. The second time around, I did my research and have found what works and doesn’t work for me and so far so good. When it comes to getting in my protein after my gym workouts, I’ve noticed I’m depending less on vegan protein powders and bars and more on actual food.
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The good news is it that it’s actually pretty easy throughout the day to get a good amount of protein into my system by opting for these easy real-food sources. And don’t worry, there are somevegetarian options on the list, too.
Hemp hearts. Blend these into a smoothie or add them to a salad. Just by consuming three tablespoons, you get 10 grams of protein.
Almond milk. Got milk? If you didn’t have any before, hopefully, you have some now. It only takes one cup of almond milk to get about 7-9 grams of protein into your body. Drink it alone or mix it in with some cereal for a vegan breakfast.
Lentils. I like to think lentils are pretty much the sun and stars of vegan food. There’s really no limit to how lentils can be used to recreate popular dishes. You can make therein dishes such as burgers, “meat” loaf, spaghetti pasta, casseroles and more. Eating one cup of cooked lentils provides you with 18 grams of protein!
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Beans. One cup of either black or kidney beans will give you 14 grams of protein. They’re called the magical fruit for a reason.
Quinoa. This versatile dish packs about9 grams of protein per cup. Mix it in with your beans for a protein-packed dish.
Green Vegetables. Who knew greens pack quite a bit of protein? Two cups of kale have five grams of protein. One cup of cooked spinach has seven grams of protein. For the same serving, peas provide nine grams of protein.
Roasted Chickpeas. Enjoy these on their own or add them to a salad. They’re available to purchase at health food stores or you can bake them on your own by tossing them with a little olive oil and your favorite spices and bake at 400 degrees F until crispy.
If you've been wondering where vegans get their protein? Now you know!
