8 High Protein Foods to Add to Your Daily Diet

Protein plays an important role in a well balanced diet, it is essential for the body. The key parts in our bodies would not hold together properly without it. Protein is also essential for metabolism, immune system function and regulatory hormones.

Here is a list of 8 High Protein Foods to add to your daily diet:

1. Hemp Hearts

Hemp seeds are a high, whole food protein source containing all nine essential amino acids.  They also include essential fats, Gamma Linoleic Acid (GLA), fiber, iron, zinc, carotene, B-Vitamins (1, 2, and 6), Vitamin D, Vitamin E, calcium, copper, potassium, chlorophyll, enzymes and more. Hemp seeds taste incredible! They have a creamy texture and a rich, earthy flavor.  Hemp seeds can be blended into shakes, nut milks, nut butters, smoothies, and ice cream for a creamy taste and consistency.  They can be sprinkled on top of food such as yogurt, salads, granola, etc. Hemp seeds can also be used in baking, sauces and spreads!

2. Pumpkin Seeds

Raw pumpkin seeds are truly a superfood! Among the many benefits, they are high in protein, zinc, iron, magnesium and omega-3s. By sourcing living seeds, we preserve their inherent nutrients and enzymes, providing your body with healthy fuel!

3. Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are exceptionally nutritious. They have high amounts of protein, fiber and many other essential minerals. They are also high in Omega-3, antioxidants, B-Vitamins, calcium, and boron. Chia seeds are a great food for runners.  Because they absorb ten times their weight in water as they expand, the water will then be released slowly and evenly into your system. This allows for maximum hydration, which is key when running long distances, during marathons or especially in high heat, where runners lose more and more fluids through their sweat.

4. Bee Pollen

Bee pollen is very good source of protein, 20-40%. It can rapidly pass directly into blood from stomach in about 2 hours after ingesting. Bee Pollen has been considered to be one of the most nutrient packed foods in the world, often called “nature’s perfect food”.  It is an alkaline food, loaded with minerals, antioxidants, micro-nutrients, trace elements and enzymes.  Consuming bee pollen is an incredible way to balance an over acidic system.  Bee pollen contains 18-22 amino acids including tryptophan, lysine and methionine.  Amino acids nourish the brain, protect the body against disease, and play a critical role in metabolizing nutrients. Bee pollen also has an expansive array of Vitamin B complexes, Vitamins A, C, and E.

5. Mesquite Powder

Mesquite powder is high in protein, low on the glycemic index, and rich in vitamins and minerals such as: iron, zinc, calcium, lysine, potassium, magnesium and dietary fiber. It digests slowly and does not cause spikes in blood sugar, making it a great choice for diabetics.

6. Spirulina

Spirulina contains over 60% complete protein (almost three times as much as that found in beef!), it has high concentrations of many other important vitamins and minerals, such as B complex vitamins, vitamin E, carotenoids, iodine, iron, manganese, zinc, essential fatty acids such as gamma linolenic acid (which is only otherwise found in mother’s milk), and more beta carotene than you can find in carrots! Spirulina is also one of the few plant sources of vitamin B12, which is essential for healthy nerves and tissues.

7. Cashew Nuts

Cashews are an incredible superfood providing the body with essential vitamins and minerals! Cashews are a great source of plant-based protein, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, and trace minerals. Cashews have a mild, creamy flavor and smooth texture. They can be enjoyed plain as a healthy snack, or used to make nut milk or cream, dairy-free sauces & dips, and are a wonderful addition to smoothies, salads, stir fries, and trail mixes.

8. Goji Berries

Goji berries are  packed full of natural protein, trace minerals, essential fatty-acids, amino acids, antioxidants, and over 20 different vitamins and minerals. For thousands of years, traditional Chinese Medicine has used this revered fruit to enhance the immune system and treat more than 100 different ailments. The delightful, ruby colored Goji Berries are an excellent, healthy, high energy snack. These dried goodies give a vibrant burst of nutrients and flavor to any meal or snack. You can add them to smoothies, tea, cereals, salads or desserts.

22 Delicious Meatless Main Dishes To Make For Thanksgiving

1. Stuffed Butternut Squash

With a simple and nourishing ingredient list, this dish manages to be packed with flavor (one of the many benefits of eating in-season). It also happens to be a very pretty dish that would make a deliciously satisfying addition to your Thanksgiving table. Recipe here.

2. Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potatoes

The concept is simple:

Baked sweet potatoes – cut in half to shorten cooking time
Seasoned, roasted chickpeas
Garlic-herb sauce
Parsley-tomato salad for garnish

The result is a 30-minute lunch or dinner that’s both satisfying, savory and sweet, and seriously healthy. Grab the recipe here and if you already have sweet potatoes on the menu? Make something similar with eggplant.

3. Grilled Chipotle Lime Cauliflower Steaks

These cauliflower "steaks" demonstrate that more than almost anything else we've grilled; their tongue-in-cheek name is a good indicator of how satisfying a centerpiece they make on any table. They're smoky and spicy, with a squirt of lime and flurry of cilantro. Get the spicy recipe here.

4. Potato and Green Garlic Crustless Quiche with Goat Cheese, Gruyère, and Chives

The quiche recipe is quite simple: cook up some vegetables, whip up a batter of eggs, milk, and flour, combine the two and add some cheese, bake, and voilà. Brunch. (Or lunch. Or dinner. Or all of the above.) Try the recipe yourself here.

5. Roasted Vegetable Galette

This savory galette is a wonderful lunch or snack for those who still wait for warm days. It's full of flavors and vitamins that we so much need during a long cold winter. Find the recipe here.

6. Roasted Fall Vegetable and Ricotta Pizza

Such an inventive way to get nutrients without feeling deprived! Also a great day-after-Thanksgiving treat. Snag the delicious, easy recipe here.

7. Acorn Squash with Walnuts & Cranberry

What says “fall” better than pumpkins and squash? They come in such a huge variety of colors, shapes and flavors these days! The addition of walnuts gives you an added boost of healthy oils, which are good for your cardiac health and help you lower cholesterol. Seriously, do you need more convincing? Try the recipe out here.

8. Roasted Cauliflower, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Quiche with Quinoa Crust

The cauliflower and mushroom combo works amazingly well in this quiche and now you can enjoy the favorite combo for breakfast lunch and dinner! Enjoy the recipe here.

9. Chili Polenta Pie

Do you need a "pot pie challenge"? Cause this is the recipe for you.

10. Vegan Mushroom, Chestnut & Cranberry Tart

This tart is perfect for holidays – make it the day before and heat through once dinner’s nearly ready. If you can’t get wild mushrooms, use more chestnut ones. Try it out this year!

11. Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Crispy Baked Tofu with Honey-Sesame Glaze

Tender, caramelized brussels sprouts with extra crispy tofu and brown rice, topped with an irresistible sweet-and-spicy glaze. This meal requires some prep work, but once you're ready, you can cook the rice, sprouts and tofu in about 30 minutes, while making the glaze in the meantime. For a simple side dish, roast 2+ pounds of sprouts and skip the rice and tofu. Find the recipe here.

12. “Ricotta” Stuffed Cabbage

This is the gluten free solution stuffed shells. You’ll notice this recipe also pasta-free but trust me – this “cheesy” cashew filling – tastes just as indulgent.

13. Roasted Eggplant with Cilantro-Almond Salsa

Serve this amazing eggplant with couscous, topped with a dollop of yogurt and a spoonful of salsa. Yummmmm! Try this recipe here.

14. Vegan Lentil & Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

Forget the traditional style shepherd's pie and instead opt for this recipe on stuffed with deliciously seasoned lentils and veggies, and topped with a gorgeous, vitamin-packed sweet potato mash. It’s every bit as delicious as the original, but low in fat and high in protein, fiber, and nutrients. This shepherd’s pie is the perfect simple, economical, hearty dinner that the whole family will love.

15. Butternut Squash Alfredo Baked Shells

This Butternut Squash Alfredo Stuffed Shells recipe is made with a lighter alfredo sauce, and is perfectly sweet, savory, and delicious!

16. Autumn Root Vegetable Gratin with Herbs and Cheese

This classic dish, other than its near universal appeal, is that it is deceptively simple to make relative to its beauty. Plus, you can probably make it with what you have in your fridge and pantry right now. Try it out now!

17. Mushroom, Spinach and Scallion Tart

This vibrant recipe includes spinach leaves intermingle with roasted mushrooms in a light-as-air (and easy-to-assemble) phyllo shell. The custard-like filling comes together quickly in a blender.

18. Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Crispy Goat Cheese

The portobellos are lightly grilled and topped with a chunky homemade tomato sauce, sautéed spinach and shallot mixture, soft goat cheese, and topped with a crispy breadcrumb topping. They're hearty enough to be served on their own, with a simple salad or grain (such as quinoa or pasta!), or as a side dish. Try serving this recipe at the table.

19. Vegetarian Wellington with Seitan, Roasted Mushroom & Kale

Make this vegetarian wellington recipe for Thanksgiving and the turkeys of America will love you! And so will your guests. This welling is a puff pastry wrapping, stuffed with orange and fennel seed braised seitan, thyme roasted mushrooms and kale. All served with the best vegetarian gravy ever! 

20. Butternut Squash-Kale Tart

Embrace the flavor of a sweet butternut squash with open arms and into a delicious tart mixed with kale and grated Gruyere. Try this recipe out this Thanksgiving.

21. Provolone and Mushroom Gratin

Cheesy potatoes get a whole new look with the addition of Provolone cheese, Portobello mushrooms and fresh thyme. Find the recipe here.

22. Roasted Sweet Potato & Black Lentil Salad

This roasted sweet potato and black lentil salad recipe is something easy to nosh throughout a meal or even while cooking! It's great served at room temperature and it’s vegan, simple and with the addition of scallions for sharpness and celery for crunch it makes a dish everyone will love.

[via BuzzFeed]

6 Amazing Vegan Brunch Recipes

Quinoa Porridge

Serves: 1

Ingredients:
   1 cup unsweetened almond milk
   1/3 cup quinoa flakes
   1 tablespoon vanilla extract
   1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
   1/4 teaspoon ginger
   1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
   3 to 4 dried prunes, chopped (or other dried fruit)
   1 tablespoon maple syrup
   1 tablespoon raw sliced almonds

Directions:
Bring almond milk to a boil in a pot over high heat. Add quinoa flakes, return to a boil, and cook for 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Add vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and prunes and cook another 30 seconds, continuing to stir. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add maple syrup, mix well, and sprinkle with almonds.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Maple Tofu Whip

Serves: 2 to 4

Ingredients:
Maple Tofu Whip:
   1 (12.3-ounce) package non-GMO firm tofu
   1/4 cup maple syrup
Pancakes:
   1 cup spelt flour
   1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
   2 teaspoons baking soda
   1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
   1/3 cup organic pumpkin purée (canned is fine)
   1 tablespoon maple syrup
   1 tablespoon vanilla
   1 cup almond milk

Directions:
1. Drain tofu by placing it between two plates and setting a heavy pot cover on top of the top plate. Let sit for an hour, then blend tofu and maple syrup in a blender for about 30 seconds, until completely smooth.
2. Blend all pancake ingredients in a blender. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and ladle in batter by the quarter cup. Cook until bubbles appear, then flip using a spatula, even out (or thin out) pancakes with the spatula, and cook for two to three more minutes.
3. Top warm pancakes with tofu whip.

Sweet Potato Tempeh Hash

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
   2 sweet potatoes, cubed
   2 tablespoons chopped onion
   1 clove garlic, minced
   1 tablespoon olive oil
   1/2 cup julienned red bell pepper
   6 ounces tempeh, cubed
   1 cup vegetable broth
   1 teaspoon paprika
   1 tablespoon soy sauce
   Salt and pepper, to taste
   2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place sweet potato in a lightly oiled or nonstick pan and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
2. In a wok over medium-high heat, sauté onion and garlic in oil for 2 to 3 minutes. Add pepper, tempeh, and a bit of broth and stir frequently for 2 minutes. (Keep broth handy and always have 1/2 to 1 centimeter of broth at the bottom of the wok.) Add sweet potatoes and paprika, and slowly add remaining broth until it has all been absorbed by the tempeh and potatoes. Then add soy sauce, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix well and serve.

Carrot Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese

Serves: 6 to 12

Ingredients:
Muffins:
   2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
   6 tablespoons water
   1 cup sugar
   1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
   1 cup flour
   1 teaspoon baking soda
   1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
   1/2 teaspoon ginger
   1/4 teaspoon salt
   2 cups shredded carrots
   1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional
   1/2 cup raisins, optional
Maple Cream Cheese:
   1 (8-ounce) package vegan cream cheese, cold
   1/4 cup vegan margarine, cold
   1/4 cup maple syrup
   1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a cupcake tin with wrappers or oil the tin well.
2. Mix flaxseed and water well, then beat with sugar and applesauce in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt and beat. When well blended, stir in carrots and, if desired, pecans and raisins.
3. Spoon batter into cupcake tin and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove muffins from the tin and let cool on rack completely.
4. Beat cream cheese and margarine in a large bowl until smooth. Add maple syrup and vanilla and beat again until smooth. If spread isn’t sweet enough for your liking, add up to 1/2 cup sweetener of choice and beat until smooth. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
5. Serve muffins with cream cheese spread on the side.

Tofu Scramble

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
   1 (12.3 ounce) package non-GMO firm tofu
   1 clove garlic, minced
   1/3 cup chopped onions
   1 cup chopped broccoli
   1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
   2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
   1 teaspoon paprika
   1 teaspoon ground saffron
   1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
   Salt and pepper, to taste
   1 cup shredded kale (stems removed)

Directions:
1. Drain tofu by placing it between two plates and placing a heavy pot cover on top of the top plate. Let sit for at least an hour.
2. In a nonstick pan over medium heat, lightly brown garlic and onion, stirring frequently. Crumble tofu into pan and add remaining ingredients except kale. Stir frequently, until tofu reaches desired color, about 3 minutes. (If mixture becomes too dry at any point, add water 1 tablespoon at a time.) Reduce heat to low, add kale, and stir for 1 more minute. Serve with vegan toast and tempeh bacon, if desired.

Banana French Toast with Chocolate Macadamia Nut Butter

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
Chocolate Macadamia Nut Butter:
   6 tablespoons vegan dark chocolate chips
   4 tablespoons macadamia nut butter (or other nut butter)
   1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
   1 tablespoon vanilla extract
French Toast:
   1 banana
   1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
   1 tablespoon maple syrup
   1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
   1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   4 slices vegan bread
   1 tablespoon vegan margarine
   Fresh fruit, optional
   Chopped nuts, optional

Directions:
1. Place all nut butter ingredients in the top of a double boiler and stir until melted and mixed well. (If you don’t have a double boiler, place a stainless-steel bowl on top of a pot of boiling water so that the bowl rests in the water but doesn’t touch the bottom of the pot, and melt the ingredients in the bowl.) Let mixture cool in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
2. Blend banana, almond milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla in a blender and pour mixture into a shallow plate. Soak bread in mixture for 1 minute, flip, and soak another minute. Add margarine to a skillet over medium heat and rotate pan so bottom is lightly coated. Add bread and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. To serve, top two slices of bread with a dollop of chocolate nut butter and fruit and nuts, if you like.

10 Incredible Vegan Recipes You Can Whip Up In 10 Minutes or Less

In today’s modern age of fast-pace everything, we tend to lose sight of what really matters — like quality, nutritious food, for instance. We aim for the convenient and least nutritious over the more healthier, wholesome (but longer to prepare) foods. Let’s take oatmeal for example: there’s the instant versus the slow-cooked oatmeal. The former is laden with sugar, salt, and other unnatural additives, while the latter is a bit longer to prepare, but contains little to no sodium or sugar (unless you decide to add them, of course) and has a myriad of benefits for you in the long run.

Translate that insight into other areas of a supermarket, such as the freezer aisle, and you’ve got yourself a unhealthy crisis. And, since we’ve learned that big food industries aren’t looking out for our best interests, it’s about time we say bye-bye to these processed food giants and make our own foods at home. Here are some easy tips to minimize your consumption of processed foods.

But, it will require time — lots of time that I don’t have, you might say. Nope! That’s only if you want to, of course, but home-cooking does not have to take hours away from your day. It’s all about planning. Know what you want to buy the week or weekend beforehand; designate a day of each week to plan what you want to have for the next. Your next step should be to go to market and bring a shopping list for ingredients you might not have for your upcoming recipes. It should be easy from here. Here are 5 secrets for making quick and healthy vegan meals at home. Just choose a recipe and get cracking! Here are 10 recipes made under 10 minutes or less to get your creative juices flowing:

1. Raw Vegan Veggie Stuffed Collard Wraps

 

2. Rich Vegan Soba Soup

 3. Vegan Chik’n Salad with Cranberries and Pistachios

 4. Raw Creamy Mushroom Soup with Avocado and Miso

5. Strawberry Mousse — Healthy, Vegan, and Guilt-Free

6. Healthy Vegan Cocoa Puff and Kamut Crispies 

7. Raw Peppermint Slice with Chocolate Ganache

8. Crunchy Raw Vegan Protein Bars

 

9. Raw Cocoa Bonbons

 

10. Raw Banana Ice Cream Sundae

[via One Green Planet]

Four High-Protein Vegetarian Alternatives to Soy

Vegetarian Protein Foods Not Named Tofu or Tempeh

“Four Alternatives” list: four high-protein, non-soy, vegetarian foods.  A lot of people seem to think soy is the only decent source of protein out there for vegetarians.

Seitan

For a long time, I thought seitan was another soy product.  Turns out, it’s made mostly from wheat.  And it has a texture very similar to meat, earning it the nickname “wheat-meat.”  A four-ounce portion of seitan has between 20 and 30 grams of protein, making it the most densely-packed vegetarian protein source I know of.  That it could pass for meat in a vegetarian dish is pure bonus, even if it’s not quite a whole food. You can find seitan at most health food stores, but if you are feeling adventurous, you can make it at home.

Beans

Nothing new here; beans are a staple of almost every vegetarian athlete’s diet.  My favorites are lentils, chickpeas and black beans, but almost every starchy bean contains 12 to 15 grams of protein per cooked cup.  Soybeans, interestingly, contain the most of all (29 g per cup); perhaps that’s why soy plays such a big role in many vegetarian diets.  Lentils, at 18 grams per cup, come in a distant second.

Quinoa

Some call it a super-grain; technically it’s a pseudo-grain.  Quinoa is actually a seed, and it comes in at 11 grams of protein per cooked cup.  It has the benefit of being gluten-free, too.  Quinoa contains a bitter coating that helps it to avoid being eaten by birds, so rinse your quinoa well before you cook it.  (Cooking only takes 12-15 minutes in hot water.)  Quinoa makes a good substitute for rice as part of a high-protein vegetarian meal.

Broccoli

Chances are, you’ve never thought of broccoli (or any green vegetable) as a high-protein food.  But per calorie, vegetables like broccoli and spinach are very high in protein.  The “problem” is that they take up a lot of room in your stomach, so it’s hard to eat enough of them to make them a significant source of protein.  Still, at 5 grams of protein per cup, broccoli deserves a place on list, if only because it’s interesting.

[via No Meat Athlete]

Becoming a Vegetarian: 7 Foods Your Body Needs If You Stop Eating Meat

By now, we all know that eating rib eye and pork chops isn’t good for our bodies or the environment. It’s an individual choice to go completely vegetarian, but many Americans are cutting back: From 2007 to 2012, American meat consumption plummeted by 12 percent. It’s recommended that protein make up 10 to 35 percent of our daily caloric intake. Essential amino acids, commonly consumed through meat and eggs, are necessary for digestion, growth, and body tissue repair. Having enough vitamin B12 proves even more difficult for herbivores: Important for energy conversion, the vitamin is mainly found in red meat and fish.

So how do we satisfy these nutritional needs without eating meat?

Hummus

Packed with flavor, this Middle Eastern dip kicks plain old chickpeas up a notch. Not only is it a low-cholesterol protein source; hummus has tons of fiber too. Most grocery stores carry a few ready-made varieties, but with some basic ingredients—tahini, olive oil, lemon, and garlic—it’s also easy to whip up in the kitchen.

Tempeh

Think of it as fermented, healthier tofu. Although tempeh is not as popular as its soy-based protein sister, in Indonesia it dates back to the 19th century. Having three times the amount of protein of tofu, it also contains vitamin B12, an essential nutrient for metabolism usually found in animal products.

Greek Yogurt

Thanks to the recent craze, Greek yogurt no longer carries the sad “food diet” rep. (Really, how healthy can all that added sugar be?) It has a creamier consistency, twice the protein, and half the carbs of regular yogurt. Opt for the plain type, of course, and add your favorite fruits for a tasty snack.

Edamame

Served as an appetizer in Japanese restaurants, edamame are a great source of protein. Don’t let the unfamiliar name fool you: Edamame are basically soybeans harvested just before ripening. They’re cheap, are easy to prepare (boil in water, and add a sprinkle of salt), and can be found in most freezer aisles. Feeling adventurous? Mix these baby soybeans in a stir-fry or a bowl of udon. 

Hemp Seeds

Chewy and nutty, hemp seeds are a perfect addition to yogurt and oatmeal. Unlike flaxseeds and chia seeds, they contain all of the essential amino acids—ideal for vegetarians and vegans.

Seaweed

Omega-3 fatty acids have many benefits, such as lowering risk for heart disease and cancer, and most people get their fix mainly through fish. But how do fish have so much of the good stuff, anyway? By eating seaweed. Many coastal communities have long relied on and consume it on a regular basis. And with seaweed’s growing popularity in the United States, many supermarkets already stock their aisles with the nutritious vegetable.

Quinoa

Sure, we’re all a little tired of hearing about the magical seed that is quinoa. That doesn’t make it any less wonderful. Cooked right, quinoa makes a great, fluffy substitute for carby grains like rice and oats. It’s packed with manganese, zinc, and iron, minerals more commonly consumed through shellfish. Also, it’s fun to say: kee-no-wah.

[via takepart]