While there are tons of plant-based foods that are great sources of protein, here are some of my favourite ways to add them into meals.
1. Add hemp to your diet.
Add 3 tbsp of hemp seeds to your smoothies (10g of protein). This will provide you with your daily omega-3 fatty acid requirements too.
2. Make a protein-rich breakfast.
Oats are full of fibre and protein. If you fancy a change, buckwheat has almost double the protein content and makes an amazing and nutty flavoured porridge.
3. Learn to love lentils.
Add 1/2 cup of red lentils to your pasta sauce or curry. A win on all fronts: fibre, protein and texture. Try my Red Lentil Ragu for a plant-based alternative to Spaghetti Bolognese.
4. Go nuts.
Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of unsweetened almond butter or peanut butter to your smoothie or porridge. They are good sources of both protein and healthy fats so very satisfying. Almonds or peanuts have the higher protein content among nuts. Pair the unsalted variety with raisins for a great snack on the go .
5. Snack on legumes.
Snack on roasted chickpeas or a bowl of edamame beans – you can defrost the frozen variety and add some lemon and chilli flakes.
6. Tofu and tempeh are the best.
Tempeh, made from fermented soya beans, is even higher in protein than tofu. I love marinating and adding both of them to dishes.
7. Peas please.
Green peas are a wonderful and much maligned veggie. Add them into tofu scramble or stews for a protein boost.
8. Beans in everything.
Add cannellini beans to pasta sauce, kidney beans to veggie chilli or chickpeas in a hearty salad. Check out my simple Greek Bean Stew recipe for the perfect weekday meal.
9. Choose whole grains.
When it comes to grains, amaranth, teff and quinoa are protein-rich and very versatile.
10. Sprinkle nutritional yeast.
Non-vegans are probably scratching their heads about this one. When fortified, this cheesy condiment is an excellent source of minerals, B vitamins and of course, protein. My approach = sprinkle it on everything.
