Protein for Vegetarians

Protein intake for vegetarians is the most discussed topic. Most people tend to think that vegetarians and vegans lack protein in their regular diet. Most people also fail to realize that there are several options that vegetarians can fall back on. Here are a few things that I would recommend if you are looking for vegetarian protein options. Several of these are common in Indian foods and those are on the top of my list as thats what I mostly consume. If you need recipe suggestions feel free to leave me a comment.

I have broken these down into different categories, such as: Grains, Nuts, Beans, Soy, Lentils, Dairy, Vegetables, Etc. I have also included some of the Indian names for the lentils.

Vegetables: Broccoli, Avocado, Spinach, etc.
Grains: Quinoa, Brown Rice, Barley, Couscous, Oats etc.
Nuts: Peanuts, Pistachios, Cashews, Almonds, Walnuts, Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, etc.
Beans: Garbanzo (Chickpeas), Pinto, Black, Kidney, Hummus, etc.
Soy: Soy Milk, Soy Yogurt (recommend Silk), Tofu, Edamame, Tempeh, Soy Butter, etc.
Dairy: Cottage Cheese, Greek Yogurt (recommend Chobani), Milk, Ricotta Cheese, Cream Cheese, etc.
Lentils: Black Lentils (Beluga, Urad Daal: black or white), Black Chickpeas (Kala Channa, Bengal Gram), Brown Lentils (Masoor: brown or red), Yellow Lentils (Channa Daal), Split Peas (Moong Daal or Val Daal), Pigeon Peas (Toor Daal), French Green Lentils, etc.
Additional Sources: Protein Bars (Luna or Zone), Protein Supplements such as Hemp Powder.

Please Note:

• If you do consume eggs, I don't recommend egg substitute as its very processed. 
• Upon further research I also found that sprouted lentils tend to lose nutritional value. I personally don't like the taste of sprouted lentils so I avoid it. 
• Be careful when using canned beans. They have a ridiculous amount of sodium that they use in the preserving process. Rinse them throughly before using. I recommend using soaked beans but I can totally understand if you are pressed for time. 
• Being vegetarian is a lifestyle choice ... and I promise its a yummy journey! 

Green Monster Smoothie

Green Monster Smoothie

(Servings 1)

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
• 1 Tbsp Nutella
• 1 Ripe Banana, sliced
• 1/2 cup Fat Free Vanilla Chobani Greek Yogurt
• 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds
• 2 cups Baby Spinach

Directions: 

1. Add all ingredients in a blender in the order listed above.
2. Blend till smooth. 

Tips:

• You can add an additional tbsp of flax seeds. Please note that they do have a strong taste. 
• During the summer months I slice the Banana and freeze it. PS: Slice before you freeze, just trust me on this one!
• You can substitute the Nutella with Peanut Butter. I am allergic to peanuts so Nutella seemed like a great alternative and who doesn't love chocolate?!!
• Plain fatfree milk and yogurt maybe used, I just prefer Greek yogurt's consistency. 
• If you would like to bulk this smoothie up let the Chia Seeds soak in the Almond milk for about an hour (or longer). They grown a tad in size. 
• I get the Chia seeds and Almond milk from Whole Foods. 

ENJOY!