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So, I have always been a bigger guy, and I am 17 now. I've turned a lot of my childhood fat to muscle, by immense daily work-outs.

My personal ideals have always favored being a vegetarian, but the fact is I really need the high protein. I also love burgers...but I think if I dedicate myself enough, I can do w/o the burgers.

Still, do you think some one whom needs high proteins could do vegetarian?

I'm aware of beans and tofu, but can it stack up to the protein levels of meat?

Thank you!
Not a vegetarian, per se, but the diet doesn't require a few good sources of high protein, but a wide variety of vegetable proteins.
Aachren
Not a vegetarian, per se, but the diet doesn't require a few good sources of high protein, but a wide variety of vegetable proteins.


Thank you for the reply! smile
Do you have any info on tofu? Is it filling/ etc...?
FreshBe_
Aachren
Not a vegetarian, per se, but the diet doesn't require a few good sources of high protein, but a wide variety of vegetable proteins.


Thank you for the reply! smile
Do you have any info on tofu? Is it filling/ etc...?


Eh, I can't really do much with tofu. I can't get past the texture. Though, I have had it in a butternut squash and pear soup. My texture issue wasn't a problem because we blended the soup to a smooth consistency and had it over bread.
Aachren

Eh, I can't really do much with tofu. I can't get past the texture. Though, I have had it in a butternut squash and pear soup. My texture issue wasn't a problem because we blended the soup to a smooth consistency and had it over bread.


Haha, that's the very response I keep getting from everyone. I feel I could possibly get past the texture by cooking it or utilizing it in different ways like you mentioned.
So that deals with the consistency. I am guessing I'll just have to taste it myself and see how I can personally work with it to work my stomach xD

Thanks! biggrin

Fashionable Hunter

FreshBe_
Aachren
Not a vegetarian, per se, but the diet doesn't require a few good sources of high protein, but a wide variety of vegetable proteins.


Thank you for the reply! smile
Do you have any info on tofu? Is it filling/ etc...?


I love tofu! I know a lot of people don't though, but the main things about tofu are to

1. Get a texture you can get over. Tofu ranges basically from custard to older bread. If you use very soft tofu, you can puree it into creamy soups like the other poster mentioned, or have a protein-packed dessert that's basically just tofu simmered in sugar syrup, maybe some flavorings like cinnamon and vanilla bean if you want. It'll taste like flan, but with much less saturated fat from the lack of eggs. Drier textures can be dried out further and cooked with sauce to mimic meat (though personally, that preparation never does anything for me.) Textures in-between, I personally just eat with soy sauce and sesame oil on top, maybe some green onion.

2. Get acquainted with flavor powerhouses like miso and ginger, and for the sweet stuff, cardamom and cinnamon.

3. Look for Asian or Asian-inspired preparations. I think the most off-putting thing about tofu is really the lack of knowledge about its preparation. In the US, people are always trying to make tofu into something it's not, and although I did list it as a possibility earlier in this post, people really shouldn't try to do that.

It is quite filling since the protein content is high, though you're better off pairing it with a carb anyway, as advised when eating proteins in general.

Other ways to get lots of protein into the diet without meat: look for a yogurt-like substance called kefir. It's very protein-heavy and calorie-light and tastes mainly like a fizzy yogurt. It's made from fermented kefir grains and you can use it in place of yogurt in basically any recipe.
kakteed
FreshBe_
Aachren
Not a vegetarian, per se, but the diet doesn't require a few good sources of high protein, but a wide variety of vegetable proteins.


Thank you for the reply! smile
Do you have any info on tofu? Is it filling/ etc...?


I love tofu! I know a lot of people don't though, but the main things about tofu are to

1. Get a texture you can get over. Tofu ranges basically from custard to older bread. If you use very soft tofu, you can puree it into creamy soups like the other poster mentioned, or have a protein-packed dessert that's basically just tofu simmered in sugar syrup, maybe some flavorings like cinnamon and vanilla bean if you want. It'll taste like flan, but with much less saturated fat from the lack of eggs. Drier textures can be dried out further and cooked with sauce to mimic meat (though personally, that preparation never does anything for me.) Textures in-between, I personally just eat with soy sauce and sesame oil on top, maybe some green onion.

2. Get acquainted with flavor powerhouses like miso and ginger, and for the sweet stuff, cardamom and cinnamon.

3. Look for Asian or Asian-inspired preparations. I think the most off-putting thing about tofu is really the lack of knowledge about its preparation. In the US, people are always trying to make tofu into something it's not, and although I did list it as a possibility earlier in this post, people really shouldn't try to do that.

It is quite filling since the protein content is high, though you're better off pairing it with a carb anyway, as advised when eating proteins in general.

Other ways to get lots of protein into the diet without meat: look for a yogurt-like substance called kefir. It's very protein-heavy and calorie-light and tastes mainly like a fizzy yogurt. It's made from fermented kefir grains and you can use it in place of yogurt in basically any recipe.


Hmm this is very helpful. I never thought of it like protein packed desserts, although that makes a lot of sense! smile

I am definitely going to have to try all these ideas. I am from the us, and I realize what you said, but really, I don't plan to substitute it for meat...I really don;t think that would work. It would just sadden me that it isn't a crispy piece of bacon or a cheeseburger. Instead I have to think of the cause, and think mmmm tofu. And honestly, I'm not super picky at all, and I actually don't mind old bread. And as you mentioned tofu can = old bread, I should be pretty good with that.

I have had kefir before. I enjoy it as a milk substitutes as well. I can tolerate that!

Thank you so much! This is kind of making me excited to try out some tofu recipes!

Fashionable Hunter

FreshBe_
kakteed
FreshBe_
Aachren
Not a vegetarian, per se, but the diet doesn't require a few good sources of high protein, but a wide variety of vegetable proteins.


Thank you for the reply! smile
Do you have any info on tofu? Is it filling/ etc...?


I love tofu! I know a lot of people don't though, but the main things about tofu are to

1. Get a texture you can get over. Tofu ranges basically from custard to older bread. If you use very soft tofu, you can puree it into creamy soups like the other poster mentioned, or have a protein-packed dessert that's basically just tofu simmered in sugar syrup, maybe some flavorings like cinnamon and vanilla bean if you want. It'll taste like flan, but with much less saturated fat from the lack of eggs. Drier textures can be dried out further and cooked with sauce to mimic meat (though personally, that preparation never does anything for me.) Textures in-between, I personally just eat with soy sauce and sesame oil on top, maybe some green onion.

2. Get acquainted with flavor powerhouses like miso and ginger, and for the sweet stuff, cardamom and cinnamon.

3. Look for Asian or Asian-inspired preparations. I think the most off-putting thing about tofu is really the lack of knowledge about its preparation. In the US, people are always trying to make tofu into something it's not, and although I did list it as a possibility earlier in this post, people really shouldn't try to do that.

It is quite filling since the protein content is high, though you're better off pairing it with a carb anyway, as advised when eating proteins in general.

Other ways to get lots of protein into the diet without meat: look for a yogurt-like substance called kefir. It's very protein-heavy and calorie-light and tastes mainly like a fizzy yogurt. It's made from fermented kefir grains and you can use it in place of yogurt in basically any recipe.


Hmm this is very helpful. I never thought of it like protein packed desserts, although that makes a lot of sense! smile

I am definitely going to have to try all these ideas. I am from the us, and I realize what you said, but really, I don't plan to substitute it for meat...I really don;t think that would work. It would just sadden me that it isn't a crispy piece of bacon or a cheeseburger. Instead I have to think of the cause, and think mmmm tofu. And honestly, I'm not super picky at all, and I actually don't mind old bread. And as you mentioned tofu can = old bread, I should be pretty good with that.

I have had kefir before. I enjoy it as a milk substitutes as well. I can tolerate that!

Thank you so much! This is kind of making me excited to try out some tofu recipes!


Yay! I'm so glad I could help whee

Right? Lol, that's what I think of meat substitutes in general :/ I like a veggie burger for its veggie burger-ness, but comparing it an actually beef patty it'll always fall short. Same with bacon; the substitutes are nice in their own right, but none of them are bacon gonk
kakteed

Yay! I'm so glad I could help whee

Right? Lol, that's what I think of meat substitutes in general :/ I like a veggie burger for its veggie burger-ness, but comparing it an actually beef patty it'll always fall short. Same with bacon; the substitutes are nice in their own right, but none of them are bacon gonk


Lol...I couldn't agree more, unfortunately xD
And sadly I don't think anythig will ever compare to bacon...not even good elegant foods that aren't even trying to substitute for it.
Butt, I feel a fresh apple might get my mind off of it at the beginning of my vegetarian journeys and then I'll be able to push through! biggrin
Hopefully! :I
... biggrin
Yes!

Fashionable Hunter

FreshBe_
kakteed

Yay! I'm so glad I could help whee

Right? Lol, that's what I think of meat substitutes in general :/ I like a veggie burger for its veggie burger-ness, but comparing it an actually beef patty it'll always fall short. Same with bacon; the substitutes are nice in their own right, but none of them are bacon gonk


Lol...I couldn't agree more, unfortunately xD
And sadly I don't think anythig will ever compare to bacon...not even good elegant foods that aren't even trying to substitute for it.
Butt, I feel a fresh apple might get my mind off of it at the beginning of my vegetarian journeys and then I'll be able to push through! biggrin
Hopefully! :I
... biggrin
Yes!


xd All the luck to you, dude!

Playful Guildswoman

FreshBe_
Aachren
Not a vegetarian, per se, but the diet doesn't require a few good sources of high protein, but a wide variety of vegetable proteins.


Thank you for the reply! smile
Do you have any info on tofu? Is it filling/ etc...?

Tofu comes from soybeans and is a high-quality protein. Fresh, it can be made into salads (similar to tuna or chicken salad) if crumbled or it can be sliced. You can slice it (firm types), soak it in Tamari (a delicate, low-salt form of soy sauce) or 'fish sauce' ( o fish in it, it was designed to use WITH fish) or your choice. I tend to substitute Tamari for Worcestershire ;sauce in recipes.

If you want to reduce salt, dried dill (herb) and rice vinegar replace flavor as well as anything.

Two major suggestions -
1 - get a food combination chart from your local health food store (used to be available as a poster) as a reminder of what combinations create complete proteins - you will need the list as an essential. all i could memorize was beans/cheese/corn (unsure if was 2 of those or all 3) and beans/rice.

2 - look for a book by actor-turned macrobiotic vegan Dirk Benedict. Confessions of ;a ;Kamikaze ;Cowboy doesn't sound familiar, but he wrote ;a; book about getting really sick physically and going to macrobiotics to change it. He actually blew it royally, making it a lot harder than it's supposed to be, but the book is interesting. Macrobiotics is a graduated system that simply means; balancing your eating - of course, the general idea is to improve your diet. But he ;may offer some answers to questions you have.
If you are looking for non-meat related items you could try things like milk, yogurt, eggs, legumes, and fish. Your body needs different kinds of protien found in different kinds of food, so don't limit yourself to one or two things. Variety will help you stay interested and focused on this new diet plan. Good luck.

Playful Guildswoman

FreshBe_


P.S. A great source is Rodale Press for magazines and books,, or their website. They have decades of experience with organics, vegetarian and healthful living. They are very much aware of the wide variety of dietary choices.

If you want to reduce animal products, ricemilk is vegan - just remember it is pre-sweetened.

Also, consider using fruit as a sweetener - when I was reducing meat, I found myself leaning on sweetened products, bread and cheese. Try to keep raw fruits and vegetables on hand. Good luck!

You can also make your own mushroomburgers. My neighbor slices Porttobellos and sautes them (very light frying) with onions and green peppers,also sliced, then serves them on toasted bread. Occasionally she adds turkey patties, but she tries to keep meat at a minimum.

Fashionable Hunter

jellykans
kakteed
FreshBe_
kakteed

Yay! I'm so glad I could help whee

Right? Lol, that's what I think of meat substitutes in general :/ I like a veggie burger for its veggie burger-ness, but comparing it an actually beef patty it'll always fall short. Same with bacon; the substitutes are nice in their own right, but none of them are bacon gonk


Lol...I couldn't agree more, unfortunately xD
And sadly I don't think anythig will ever compare to bacon...not even good elegant foods that aren't even trying to substitute for it.
Butt, I feel a fresh apple might get my mind off of it at the beginning of my vegetarian journeys and then I'll be able to push through! biggrin
Hopefully! :I
... biggrin
Yes!


xd All the luck to you, dude!


Bacon was hard - and sausage fat for gravy with biscuits (pork gives me migraines). Dill pickles (very high salt). Chocolate, of course, but pork and pickles were harder. Otherwise always did eat a relatively healthy diet. And have always said I'd make a great vegetarian if I could just have meat. A co-worker once went into meltdown at an office barbecue when I asked for 2 hamburgers instead of veggie burgers. He was vegan, and I'd told him I wasn't, but it had been 2 years since I'd had meat. (Why ;do people assume you fit into their views despite what you say?)


Tbh, I'm not vegetarian nor am I striving to be. If someone told me I had to give up duck or pork or eggs I would cry for at least 2 days straight, if not forever gonk I'm actually kind of losing my taste for "normal" bacon since I haven't had it in so long and I prefer Canto-style pork belly these days.

Lol, I've never had gravy with biscuits that weren't made by Popeye's since I live pretty north on the east coast. I love pickled things and it's so bad because pickled things are high in salt as a rule. I like salty things too much; I tend to eat little bits of miso straight, or dip my finger in soy sauce.

Haha, what do you mean meltdown?? I had a friend who wanted to try being a vegetarian for a while and she got really mad at me one time for eating a chicken sandwich in front of her like, 6 months in. I don't think I've ever given anyone the impression that I was a vegetarian or a vegan though. All of my salads have chicken in them, for instance xd

Playful Guildswoman

Aachren
FreshBe_
Aachren
Not a vegetarian, per se, but the diet doesn't require a few good sources of high protein, but a wide variety of vegetable proteins.


Thank you for the reply! smile
Do you have any info on tofu? Is it filling/ etc...?


Eh, I can't really do much with tofu. I can't get past the texture. Though, I have had it in a butternut squash and pear soup. My texture issue wasn't a problem because we blended the soup to a smooth consistency and had it over bread.


Yupp. Definitely invest in a blender. And tofu is basically flavorless, it takes on the flavor of whatever it's cooked with, vegetable or condiment.

Ask some of your friends who cook about herbs - it's a good conversation-opener when you really need to know. I suggest dried dill, herbes de provence (sweet side/mild and flavorful), tarragon (sharp - nice with oil, rice vinegar and/or Tamari over chicken pieces, baked) as starters. Tip - most any vinaigrette salad dressing (generally those you can see through) is good to pour over food for baking. Oops - chicken isn't veg., but you will want meat once in a while as you are switching over.

Hmm....wonder if tofu could be creamed with vegetables and baked as a casserole?

Yams or sweet potatoes, baked in their skins with nothing else, can be very satisfying when you get food cravings.

A roommate used to make popcorn and sprinkle shredded parmesan and dried dill over itl That was his diet secret.

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