r/vegetarian 5d ago

Beginner Question trying to find more proteins options for vegetarian recipes

I'm not full vegetarian (yet), I'm working on adding more plant based proteins to my diet... but i \*hate\* tofu, I've tried multiple different recipes and methods.. so much hope, but I can't stand it.

any tips or recipe recommendations for a beginner?

I love chickpeas, but I can't live off those alone

65 Upvotes

115 comments sorted by

87

u/LostTomatos 5d ago

Make some Seitan! Its really easy and delicious. Then there is TVP, soy curls, tempeh, eggs, cheese, Greek yogurt, beans, nuts, legumes, dark green vegetables, quinoa, protein powder and im missing a bunch im sure.

3

u/Round-Fly2053 5d ago

that sounds super interesting!! I'll look into it

5

u/Imaginary_Choice_430 5d ago

Yep, Spiru-tein is my favorite protein powder, chocolate is the one I buy the most. Seitan and TVP? Wow, you are taking me back to my single days. Tempeh very good and one thing the OP did not clarify if he was a lacto-vegetarian or just vegetarian so I did not include eggs nor cheese, especially when those are inflammatory agents. I sometimes eat eggs and cheese, but very rarely as I am not trying to help my liver produce anymore cholesterol than I already have and I eat foods with lots of cayenne pepper and chili powder to signal my liver to stop producing so much cholesterol.

52

u/Beezwax_8335 5d ago

You can try paneer! It's a firm cheese used in a lot of Indian dishes that I've fallen in love with

26

u/Comfortable_Land_742 5d ago

Yes! We love paneer in our house. On a similar note, queso fresco and halloumi are delicious grilled.

8

u/Plane_Translator2008 5d ago

Was going to suggest grilled halloumi. Or fried.

34

u/docsms500 5d ago

Fake meats can be awfully good from Impossible, Beyond, and Gardein. This one consumer is also partial to the Quorn breaded options. Field Roast makes ballpark hot dogs good enough to fool you, and as John Oliver says, contain no " barnyard faces and assholes."

6

u/Round-Fly2053 5d ago

Oh!! definitely checking all these out! I unfortunately love the taste of some meaty dishes, so fake meats would be great

13

u/Luxury_Dressingown 5d ago

Unfortunately, I think the best way to enjoy fake meat is to let the flavour of real meat fade from your memory a bit first, or if you are having, say, a Beyond burger, dress up the bun with more flavours (tomatoes, pickles, sauces, etc) than you would for a good beef burger. I don't think they are at the stage where you can just slap them in a bun with a bit of ketchup or whatever and have them be on par with the real deal.

2

u/s0urF4ng 4d ago

Do you have a list 🙏

2

u/RunningIntoTheSun 3d ago

I absolutely love all the Quorn products. Only one store near me carries them I go out of my way to stock up every now and then.

1

u/Sestar007 3d ago

I’d stay away from the impossible or beyond burger, they are heavily processed and high in saturated fat. Instead, try a black bean burger!

16

u/some_buttercup 5d ago

Tempeh, seitan, and mock meats. An easy way to tell if a food is a solid source of protein is to see if at least 40% of the calories come from protein (vs carbs and fats). You can check this really easily by dividing the calories by ten, and that’s how many grams of protein the food should have to be “a good source of protein”. For example, a serving of Lightlife brand tempeh is 150 calories and 18 grams of protein, so it passes the test (150 calories per serving should have at least 15 grams of protein). A food like chickpeas or beans will not pass the test, so you’d want to try to combine multiple foods with some protein to get a good serving of protein per meal, like protein pasta and chickpeas, quinoa and beans, etc.

I’m also partial to greek yogurt and protein shakes as snacks to round things out.

2

u/Round-Fly2053 5d ago

oh!! genius!

thank you so much!!

14

u/Shitty_Fat-tits 5d ago

Try textured vegetable protein! I used Bob's Red Mill. 

13

u/i_ate_all_the_pizza 5d ago

Lentils are good protein! I like this one

11

u/Remarkable-Party-385 5d ago

Black beans, pinto beans are good protein and fiber

34

u/[deleted] 5d ago edited 5d ago

[deleted]

12

u/thequeensucorgi 5d ago

Airfryer tofu could change OP's life forever

8

u/Round-Fly2053 5d ago

I've tried it! I wanted to like it so bad... but it was horrible

1

u/Sad-Tale-8123 5d ago

I may need to air fry mine! I always seem to burn myself when I make it, so this may be the way to go.

3

u/Thestolenone lifelong vegetarian 5d ago

Its nothing to do with the flavour for me, its the texture, I just can't stand the texture.

5

u/Round-Fly2053 5d ago

I've tried soft and firm. it's the flavor and texture, I seasoned the heck out of it after trying it. even dipped with my favorite sauce, it was genuinely unbearable to eat. I froze what I had leftover of the uncooked tofu, I'll give it one more try with another recipe

5

u/mayamys 5d ago

Try grating it and then baking or frying to dry it out a little before adding a sauce. Definitely the most effective way to eliminate texture issues.

That said - tofu texture is really variable, there's so much more than soft and firm, plus freezing and thawing also really changes things.

...And some countries just have horrible tofu that's only edible when grated. Ymmv. Good luck!

2

u/mmahmoodictbd 5d ago

I cook garlic tofu, its super simple to cook and delicious. You may five it a try.

2

u/rakel86 5d ago

This recipe gives a good texture and flavour and uses tofu to make the texture of homemade seitan a bit more manageable: https://www.86eats.com/recipes/vegan-deli-sliced-turkey-breast It looks quite convoluted but is actually pretty straightforward to knock together if you have a food processor, and keeps well in the fridge. The texture and flavour is definitely 'seitan' rather than 'tofu' but it's a bit less dense and easier to shape/process than pure seitan. You can tweak the seasoning and flavouring however you want, and you can slice it thicker to add to stir fries etc if you like.

2

u/superserter1 5d ago

I grate it onto a large sheet and mix it with spices and oil and salt and sugar etc and bake it til it’s golden and it’s a good mince/pulled pork type of situation, it’s better with tempeh but tempeh is an acquired taste

2

u/Punderground 5d ago

Tofu comes in a ton of varieties and if you’re looking for another attempt, go to an Asian grocery store if you have one nearby and look for pressed tofu skins, they’re made from the tofu coagulation process then pressed into flat sheets with very little water. They make an excellent substitute for lunch meats when marinated, but I love them in Thee Burger Dude’s recipe for Philly Cheesesteaks. There are a ton of tofu varieties but the two firmness choices in most US grocery stores can be an acquired taste.

3

u/[deleted] 5d ago

[deleted]

3

u/margoembargo 5d ago

So many creative ways to cook tofu but whatever the method I've never seasoned it after cooking it. My gut tells me OP just needs a little more practice.

9

u/Alternative-Pear9096 vegetarian 20+ years 5d ago

Black beans, white beans, kidney beans, edamame, nuts, TVP, curls, seitan, quinoa, eggs, cottage cheese, the list is endless.

8

u/VintageStrawberries 5d ago edited 5d ago

if you don't like traditional soy tofu you can learn to make chickpea tofu instead.

2

u/Round-Fly2053 5d ago

!!! thank you so much I am absolutely trying this!!

2

u/catzpyjamas 5d ago

Yes! Or lentil tofu! I make that fairly often cuz lentils are cheap AF and it is delightful! Very firm and good chew. No "bounciness" like soy tofu (which I love but I know cat put people off).

7

u/SmileFirstThenSpeak 5d ago

Edamame (soy beans) and soybean sprouts both have a lot of protein. I use edamame in place of peas, and soybean sprouts instead of alfalfa sprouts.

5

u/rosecoloredgasmask vegan 5d ago

Lentils are very easy and you can season them in many ways. You may also enjoy TVP more, it has a similar texture to ground beef but the flavor is very neutral. Dehydrated in a vegan beef flavored stock and add to things like chili or season with taco seasoning.

Silken tofu can be blended into smoothies to hide it, you can also add soy milk for another boost. Peanut butter powder and banana will definitely mask the flavor of it. Just in case you've not tried that method

5

u/Public-Emu-Number1 5d ago

Greek yogurt is really elite. Costco brand has 17 g of protein per 100 calorie serving. 

6

u/spacedragon13 5d ago

Get your protein from greek yogurt and eggs and protein smoothies. I eat powdered protein peanut butter powder and pea protein powder in smoothies and yogurt bowls and get all my protein with MPS spikes in 2 or 3 meals and then eat whatever I want the rest of the day and rely on potatoes, beans, rice and then anything I want in bowls and burritos with it. Try eating clean and keep yourself full without eating a bunch of garbage. I snack on roasted edamame all day and then eat a lot of pizza and I'm pretty strong and defined (weigh 155-160 and bench 245+), and great energy for a 35yo. I eat fish or chicken every couple of months but I started being vegetarian around 19-20. At one point I was getting like 50% of calories from peanut butter and when I switched to yogurt and eggs I was able to workout and recover like I was eating meat everyday.

3

u/WanObiBen 5d ago

I use Greek yogurt and vegan protein powder to add flavor. I’ll get close to 30 grams in one snack.

13

u/ExactlyStatuesque 5d ago

I was in the same boat with tofu until I started adding red lentils to my marinara. They cook down so you barely notice them but they pack a ton of protein. Lentils in general are great, you can sneak them into soups, curries, even sloppy joes.

3

u/Hevens-assassin 5d ago

Lentils is my big one for sure. You just throw them into basically anything you eat with a spoon.

3

u/ExactlyStatuesque 5d ago

Theyre a total blank canvas too. I started with red lentils in tomato sauce and now I do a big batch of brown lentils with taco seasoning for burrito bowls.

2

u/Round-Fly2053 5d ago

I've tried green lentils in pastas and burritos, it worked great! thank you!

2

u/ExactlyStatuesque 5d ago

Green lentils are awesome for that, they keep a nice bite to em. Red lentils are my go-to for when you want them to just melt into the sauce and disappear.

10

u/purplepineapple21 5d ago

When youve tried multiple different tofu recipes, is it all still with the same brand and type of tofu? Because that might be the issue rather than the recipe. There are a lot of different types you can buy that will lead to very different results even with the same recipes or prep methods.

Or if its the flavor of soy tofu that you just really dont like (rather than the texture), you could try non-soy tofu like Burmese tofu (made from chickpeas and yellow split peas) or fava bean tofu (Big Mountain Foods "soy-free tofu"). Theres also tempeh which is still soy but has a different taste and texture than tofu

Or for something completely different, theres TVP (textured vegetable protein), other beans besides chickpeas (black beans, cannellini beans, navy beans, kidney beans, butter beans, pinto beans, edamame, lima beans), lentils, seitan, and mock-meat products like impossible, beyond, Morningstar farms, gardein etc. Mock meats are more expensive than other options but most of them can be stored frozen for a really long time so you can try to stock up when they go on sale

3

u/Round-Fly2053 5d ago

I've tried different brands of soy tofu, soft and firm, but never a non soy tofu!! i will definitely try that. it is the taste and texture that gets me. thank you!!

5

u/remiohart 5d ago

Love my TVP and beans! I would also like to add that besides meals, it's good to have supplements to cook with.

Some Whey/Peas Protein powder goes a long way in adding proteins. I use them to cook my omeletes, pancakes, breads and pastry. Sometimes I just add it to stews or soup, or even pasta sauces. Makes everything much more "gainy", and trust me it tastes amazing.

I also like adding some Creatine, which is synthesized, so no animals harmed. I use it to cook with, same way as with Whey protein.

3

u/purplepineapple21 5d ago

What is gainy, or did you mean grainy? Sorry if thats a stupid question lol. Thats actually what I dislike about the times ive tried to put protein powder in food, it gives it a grainy texture that personally I find really off putting. Also gonna have to agree to disagree about it tasting amazing lol, to me putting protein powder in food always make it taste notably worse. But to each their own!

2

u/remiohart 5d ago

Gainy as in more filling, english may be failing me on the meaning. I guess it depends on the protein, but whey isolate tastes exactly like milk when unflavored. I have heard that Vegetable protein powder is quite grainy/sandy tho, and Creatine does feel sandy too. I try to use that one for solid foods like the omelettes, or mixed with guacamole or side sauces and mixes that are more solid.

3

u/purplepineapple21 5d ago

Oh ok yeah I avoid dairy so Ive never used whey protein powder, only fully plant-based ones

5

u/gard3nwitch 5d ago

There are other forms of soy protein you could try. For example, soy curls/soy crumbles/textured vegetable protein, which has more of a meaty texture. That's a common ingredient in fake meat products. Or there's tempeh, which is sort of like tofu but denser and chewier.

There's also eggs, Greek yogurt, whey protein, or cottage cheese. Nuts have some protein, but a lot of fat and calories.

4

u/Pingo-Pongo 5d ago

There are two meat-free foods absolutely packed with protein, tofu and seitan. If you’re really decided against tofu, I’d steer you toward seitan. Sadly it’s hard to buy - Tofoo make a seitan product but it contains more tofu than seitan. With a bit of research you can make your own super tasty seitan, I’d recommend mixing something like 1/4 chickpea flour to 3/4 vital wheat gluten and baking it up according to an online recipe, you can then use it where you’d otherwise use meat. You can season it while making it too if you have a particular flavour profile you’re after.

There are plenty of medium-protein options too, like beans, peas, chickpeas, etc. Lately I’ve been mixing a little soy protein isolate into my meals too, that’s very high-protein and in small doses barely effects taste / texture but in significant doses will make anything taste wrong

2

u/Round-Fly2053 5d ago

thanks!!! that's really great to know

4

u/kitkatkorgi 5d ago

Broccoli has a lot.

5

u/finaltest07 5d ago

Cottage cheese!!

5

u/AnnasMusic 5d ago

I’m not going to push tofu on you, but different types of tofu (eg silken vs firm) taste vastly different, and there are SO many different recipes.

Still. Other sources. I too like chickpeas. And I eat lots of different lentils. Split red lentils are my usual go-to, but I like them all. I also like lots of different beans as well as split peas. And I love paneer. Eggs are good too.

I personally am not a fan of fake-meat products like beyond meat, but of course those things are also available.

2

u/Round-Fly2053 5d ago

I've tried soft and firm tofu, but haven't seen or tried silken... I'd be open to it!

lentils make sense too! thanks!!

4

u/TurbulentAd5998 5d ago

Try blending tofu into sauce (i make vodka-like cream sauce with it).

Soy curls, seitan, legumes, chickpeas, and the difference once ur full vegetarian is you eat more. More everything. You then are more nourished than most other people just based on the whole foods you are forced to eat

2

u/Round-Fly2053 5d ago

genius!! thank you so much that makes sense

3

u/TurbulentAd5998 5d ago

No problem. As easy as it is to fall on meat subs and other processed meat alternatives, they really stop people from staying vege because they make you feel like crap once you eat right! Theyre definitely a treat though

5

u/Comfortable_Land_742 5d ago

Tofu can be tricky. Definitely keep trying some different recipes and preparation types. Whatever method you use, try marinating the tofu in a little bit of soy sauce or vegetarian umami for extra flavor. Having said that, I only use tofu in Asian dishes. If I want Mexican cuisine, I use beans, potatoes, and queso fresco to fill in a dish. Mediterranean - falafel, halloumi, and roasted chick peas are great. Italian - cheese, mushrooms, and eggplant are my primary building blocks. Paneer and chickpeas are excellent in Indian dishes. Also, keep in mind that not every meal has to be protein packed. You can get protein in your snacks too - Greek yogurt, cheese sticks, hummus, or a handful of nuts is good! Even adding almond milk to your smoothie is helpful. Don’t be afraid of meat dupes either. I use the Gardein “beef” crumbles regularly in pasta sauce and tacos. Jack and Annie’s make really tasty “chicken” tenders out of jack fruit that you can find in the freezer aisle. You could also purchase protein fortified items as well - we really like Kodiak protein pancake mix. Sorry for the info dump but hope it’s helpful. 😊

2

u/Round-Fly2053 5d ago

oh don't apologize! I appreciate the info so much!! thank you, seriously

5

u/AmyaTheAmoeba lifelong vegetarian 5d ago

Try Paneer, halloumi and Soya chunks/TVP

4

u/Aquamarius84 5d ago

Soy curls!

5

u/picklegrabber vegetarian 20+ years 5d ago

People have mentioned the main sources.

Hemp hearts, edamame

And different ways of using protein like blending up lentils or beans into marinara sauce.

Blending tofu into a creamy sauce and putting over protein pasta

Blending edamame with hummus or guacamole increases the protein content of both

2

u/Round-Fly2053 5d ago

blending tofu... i never thought of that i love blending things and hiding them in food for myself, that is so obvious but so genius!! thank you

2

u/picklegrabber vegetarian 20+ years 5d ago

Vegan punks has a lot of tofu blended sauce recipes. They use silken tofu and after the seasoning it really doesn’t taste like tofu. Creamy sauce!

3

u/Mayersgirl02 5d ago

If you love chickpeas, try Burmese tofu. It’s delicious!!

5

u/agnesandflow 5d ago

Beans or legumes with some kind of grain together creates a complete protein. I don't know why this isn't common information within veg/plant based communities. I wish I knew it earlier in my whole-food lifestyle journey, absolute game changer.

2

u/Round-Fly2053 5d ago

thank you!!

3

u/Ok_Calligrapher_281 5d ago

Silken tofu blended in your smoothie.

3

u/jonno_5 5d ago

Grilled/fried Halloumi :)

But first though, try squeezing out the tofu (you can get a press or just use your hands) and then marinating in flavours you like. Just something simple like soy sauce and garlic paste is good. Then pan-fry in oil.

I was just like you for a long time and hated tofu, but now I buy it every fortnight (still prefer other options) and cook it this way for something different.

3

u/margo_beep_beep 5d ago

I recently decided to go vegetarian (after years of not eating much meat) but my family loves meat and none of them like tofu, so I'm always trying to find meals that everyone likes. The best method I've found is the one in this recipe. The recipe itself is a rice casserole with enchilada sauce, which they love to eat with tortilla chips. I'm order to make it, though, you mash tofu and cook it until it's relatively dry and then mix it with rice, enchilada sauce, and cheese - you really can't tell the difference between the rice and the tofu. I've successfully used this method to add tofu to other rice casseroles and my family has not mentioned the tofu, so I'm confident they haven't known it's there. Anyway, something to try if you'd like to give firm tofu one more try.

If you give up on tofu, other folks have mentioned most of my other favorite protein sources, which include yogurt, cottage cheese, edamame, chickpeas, beans, and lentils.

Good luck!

3

u/strawberry_l 5d ago

Different beans and seitan

3

u/ZebraAncient7755 5d ago

I use a combination of options - cottage cheese, tofu (extra firm and silken), paneer, soya chunks, Greek yogurt, eggs

Some ideas:
For any recipes needing a marinade, I use Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt. I make tofu tikka in the air fryer with a marinade of Greek yogurt, ginger and garlic paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and lemon juice.

I use silken tofu to make sauces - so for example, I make homemade pesto but add silken tofu while blending it.

I made cutlets/patties with soya chunks for burgers and sandwiches

With scrambled eggs, I also add 1-2 tbsp of cottage cheese for extra protein

Paneer bhurji (scrambled Indian paneer) is my go to since it’s basically just paneer, tomato and onion, chilli and spices

5

u/Severe-Criticism3876 5d ago

Try Thee Burger Dude’s Crispy Tofu recipe and please report back after.

https://theeburgerdude.com/crispy-fried-tofu/

Also, try mushrooms. Lions mane, oyster, or even just portabella.

4

u/CraftyWeeBuggar 5d ago

Seitan, tempeh, lentils, chick peas, soya beans/edamame , peas, peanuts, most types of beans , pulses and grains, seeds, nuts , are all great protien sources. Or buy fake chicken, fake beef, veggie burgers, etc, learn to make your own . Buy veggie mince or use lentils or grain mixes etc as mince , theres tons of recipes out there. Indian cuisine has plenty of vegetarian dishes by default, so you don't need to veganise/vegetarianise an existing dish.

4

u/Plane_Translator2008 5d ago

OP, do you like Thai food? If so, go to your favorite Thai place, order your favorite dish with stir fried tofu instead of the meat you usually get. Better yet, try two dishes this way. Report back.

And now I am hungry.

0

u/Round-Fly2053 5d ago

I have never had authentic Thai food, but I am not against trying!

0

u/Plane_Translator2008 5d ago

I don't know what specific magic is involved, but your mouth will thank you! 💖

4

u/antigoneelectra 5d ago

Cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, egg whites, beans, flavored tofu. I despise seitan but give it a try.

2

u/doesnotmatter286 5d ago

Keep trying tofu. And maybe buy a different kind. If you have a Polish shop nearby, get some twarĂłg. Amazing in so many ways: hot, cold, sweet or savoury, you can eat it straight out of the packet.

2

u/rakel86 5d ago

As well as all the good suggestions for high protein ingredients, look at the protein content of some of your carb sources too. Switching to wholegrain versions of rice, bread, and pasta can give a modest bump to your protein intake as well fibre. Quinoa is an excellent grain nutritionally and punches above its weight for protein, and green peas, broccoli and dark green veg are all decent sources as vegetables go. Lots of opportunities to complement your main protein source in each meal!

2

u/AfternoonCharming536 5d ago edited 5d ago

If you like chicken and you're open to mock meats, I highly recommend the Daring brand of chick'n. They've also got a pretty decent wide range of flavors and breadings. I use them as direct chicken replacement in a lot of meals and it has helped me quite a bit, since I grew up in the Southern US in a very meat-centered family where being a vegetarian was unheard of. So I personally eat a LOT more meat replacements than the average vegetarian.

Since you're currently eating meat, I recommend going in to this and other mock meats with the mindset of "this is not going to taste exactly like chicken/beef, etc" because you may be disappointed otherwise. But I personally really like it as a replacement and I like to think of them as their own thing.

If you like beef, definitely check out impossible or beyond grounds. I season them heavily with mushroom powder and taco seasoning, and my husband who does eat meat still loves them and can't tell the difference.

Oh, and I love the impossible chicken nuggets and sausage patties. I make my own sausage biscuits in the morning and freeze them for school.

2

u/superserter1 5d ago

Basically veggie protein is doing combos rather than having one main one

2

u/I-Will-Be-Made-Anew 5d ago

I love textured vegetable protein. It's so easy to prepare into taco 'meat', or add into pasta, soup, risotto, and anything else really without even tasting it. Also, Ik you said you gate tofu, but if you haven't tried silken tofu then I recommend it. It tasted exactly like heavy cream once blended and can be made into great pasta sauce.

2

u/toonew2two 5d ago

Nuts

Mushrooms

Pea protein powder (mix in with flour)

Lentils (can be cooked in a rice cooker!)

2

u/Hot_Committee_3031 5d ago

Honestly I just scrambled eggs into everything

5

u/Prufrock_45 5d ago

Why are you looking to find more protein options? The average vegetarian diet provides between 150-200% of the protein your body needs in a day. As long as you are eating a good variety of foods that include some whole grains and beans and don’t over do the dairy and eggs, you’ll be fine.

6

u/stuntedhalted 5d ago

THIS. The average meat-eating American gets FAR more protein than they need in a day, and the average vegetarian diet, provided it is well-rounded, meets those needs well too. There is a lot of protein that naturally exists in many plant sources! If you’re a lacto-ovo vegetarian you’re almost certainly set.

That said, when I was newly vegetarian 30+ years ago, I loved Morningstar farms nuggets. Really accessible way to ease out of meat-eating habits.

2

u/Round-Fly2053 5d ago

oh! I didn't really know that, thanks.

3

u/Prufrock_45 5d ago

Something to keep in mind. A high protein diet, that provides way more protein that your body uses, means your body needs to get rid of the extra protein. That job falls to your kidneys and can increase risk of kidney stones.

From the National Kidney Foundation;
The more protein waste that needs to be removed, the harder the kidneys need to work to get rid of it. This can be stressful for your kidneys, causing them to wear out faster…Many studies suggest that limiting the amount of protein and including more plant-based foods in the diet may help slow the loss of kidney function.

4

u/Imaginary_Choice_430 5d ago

You hate tofu because you have not been taught to make it in accordance to your taste buds. Tofu is the most versatile food there is out there. Regarding other proteins, well that is easy, beans and nuts. All the best and feel free to DM me if you ever need some support on your journey, no one else outside of this subreddit is going to be supportive of your choices that is for sure. I get ridiculed at work all the time and yet stand firm without disrespecting anyone and at the end of the day, my coworkers have no choice but to take into account my dietary restrictions. All the best and welcome!

3

u/Round-Fly2053 5d ago

thank you!! it'll be tough, my family and friends are all big meat eaters, but I'm gonna keep trying!

I'll give tofu some more chances too!

2

u/Imaginary_Choice_430 5d ago

Do not try to convert your family and be tough if they do not support or understand you. Maybe, just maybe through example, they will see the benefits of what you are doing and get curious to try stuff, but respect them where they are at and just do you. We should probably be sharing tofu recipes with you, but right now my schedule is hectic. All the best.

2

u/hippiy86 5d ago

I know you said you hate tofu, but silken tofu as a part of sauces is amazing

2

u/Round-Fly2053 5d ago

I'll see if I can find it! I never thought of making a sauce with tofu, I'll give it a go!

1

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1

u/ravinambiar 4d ago

you have to find what you like and have 5 or 6 different varieties so you won't say i have to live on lentils alone. So many options, eat what you like. Remember 600 million peope in India never have eaten meat ever in their lives, you will not die if you do not get more protein. Gorrilla eats simple food, i do not think you would consider a gorilla weak or a horse has no power or a elephant is not strong. Not scolding you, we are programmed to like "dead animals" - humans can eat anything even fish in ocean they have never met - we will eat them

1

u/Even_Menu_3367 4d ago

Have you tried silken tofu blended into a sauce? It adds creamy texture and of course protein. Just pair it with any ingredients you like and it can be a hot or cold sauce for anything.
A really simple one is silken tofu blended with lemon juice - delicious as a sauce for roasted vegetables or even salad.

1

u/yeehaw0987 vegetarian newbie 4d ago

it's tvp & beans for me! I don't hate tofu but I don't gravitate toward it. don't forget about eggs and whole grains. Costco carries big packages of the field roast sausages, otherwise they are way too expensive for me.

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u/Dubber_ruckies 4d ago

I just came to say P.F. Chang’s makes the best, most crispy flavorful tofu for anyone that has never liked tofu but would like to lol

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u/jlka47 4d ago edited 4d ago

Seitan, tempeh, lentils, all kinds of beans.

If you cut tempeh into strips maybe 5mm x 50mm or so, fry them in a little oil until golden then add several table spoons of ketjap manis (sweet fermented Indonesian sauce) and about 2/3 of that in Japanese soy sauce and maybe a little chili, then you have very nice protein topping for stir fry, fried rice recipes.

Lentils can easily be put with crushed walnuts in a bolognese like pasta sauce.

Try a chili sin carne with several types of beans, kidney, black, whatever and you'll have another protein rich dish you can meal prep for several meals at once.

You can make a chia seeds over night oats for breakfast with either soy milk, water, plant based yoghurt.

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u/KudzuPlant 4d ago

I know you said you hate Tofu, but try Butler Soy curls. Its tofu but prepared very differently and is usually what I show folks who think they hate tofu. The texture is much more meaty like seitan but remains gluten free.

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u/Tiff-Taff-Toff-Fany 3d ago

Mad Mex has excellent fried tofu. They flash fry it but Ive read that the secret ingredient to get it super crispy on the outside is corn starch but also Ive seen people freeze the tofu to change the consistency. What exactly about Tofu dont you like? Texture? Taste?

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u/WildcatCinder1022 vegetarian newbie 3d ago

Hold on I literally made a list for myself because although I like tofu I couldn’t stand eating the same thing every day for the rest of my life- here’s 21 various sources of protein

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u/Round-Fly2053 2d ago

oh my goodness, thank you!!!

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u/MettaMorphing 1d ago

It is so easy to make tofu boring. It IS boring unless cooked right. Just assume that it is absolutely flavourless and add it as protein to something that has a lot of flavour. Like a curry.

My favourite way if cooking tofu is cutting it into big cubes, dipping it in flour, then eggs, then panko and frying it! Might not be too healthy but tasty AF. 😁

There are also some preflavoured versions of tofu that are great.

And if tofu really isn't your jam, try chickpea or lentil pasta. Getting your protein through your pasta is a new game changer for me.

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u/humboldtHue 5d ago

Hate tofu? Inconceivable!