How do you get enough protein eating a plant based diet?

How I neglected to include this question in my last post borders on the ridiculous. I get the "Where do you get your protein?" question frequently as do my husband and children. For those of you who don't know me, it might surprise you to learn that I was previously terrified of most carbohydrates and lived a mainly South Beach-ish existence i.e. meat, cheese, eggs, and some fruits and veggies (likely not enough).  My intake of high fiber whole grains was also pretty sparse.  Because my workouts are more focused on strength training, I told myself that I needed extra protein. We've had decades of advertisements encouraging us to consume more animal protein e.g.  "got milk?", "The incredible edible egg" and "Beef. It's what's for dinner." to name a few. Who wouldn't think that these are the best sources of protein and that more is better?

When I started the plant based adventure and was watching every food documentary I could get my eyes on, I also began to question the hype of needing more protein. Beyond the messages mentioned above, protein is now added to everything possible (even vodka), as if most Americans are truly at risk of protein deficiency.  It's has been eye opening to learn that some ridiculously fit people eat a plant based diet, including MMA fighters, pro tennis players and Olympic weight lifters. I'm including a link to an article on plant-powered athletes if you want to check it out.   http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/plant-powered-athletes-you-need-to-know/.  It's hard to convince myself that my body requires protein sources like steak and eggs when folks are completing Iron Man triathlons fueled solely by plants.

Because we've been led to believe that a metric ton of protein is required for optimal health and performance, I decided to use myself as a guinea pig to assess my current daily protein consumption.  There are certainly a range of recommendations to choose from, but I'll use an average of .8gm of protein/kg of body weight.  This equates to about 50 grams/day for a 140 pound person or about 72 grams/day for a 200 pound person.  I calculated protein intake from an "average" day and the breakdown is below:

	Serving size (approx)	Protein (gm)
Breakfast
Oatmeal	1 cup	6
Sliced almonds	1/8 cup	3
Homemade smoothie (almond milk, spinach, 1/2 banana, flax meal, cinnamon, PB powder)	1.5 cups	7
Lunch
Quinoa	1/2 cup	6
Black beans	1/2 cup	7
Avocado	1/2	2
Salsa	Lots	0
Dinner
Black bean burger (Aldi)	1 patty	7
Whole wheat pita	1/2	3
Roasted potatoes	1 potato	4
Orange	1	1
Snacks
Baby cucumbers	Several	0
Hummus	3 Tbsp.	3
Larabar	1	5
Wine	1 glass	0
Total		54

Of course, this info varies from day to day (although oatmeal is pretty consistent). More or fewer servings of veggies, a larger serving of oatmeal but no morning smoothie, three servings of tortilla chips, etc. For the record, I am under 140 pounds, so I will take a leap and say I'm getting enough protein on a daily basis without much of a struggle.

In case this info on my simple spreadsheet surprises you, there are many plants that contain protein, including various types of beans, lentils, potatoes and even spinach!  If you're interested in dipping your toe in the water of plant based eating (even once or twice a week), fear not that you will be protein deprived.

This cracks me up!

The recipe I'm sharing is a little more "fun" than the kale salad from last week.  I hope this disclaimer isn't necessary, but chocolate chip cookies are meant to be enjoyed as a special treat rather than a staple of a vegan/plant based diet (Right- tell that to my daughters!)  This recipe is from Forks Over Knives- I like it because the texture is pretty good (although different from a standard choc chip cookie) and because it uses no oil of any kind. https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-chocolate-chip-cookies/#gs.kQVfRdE

See you next time!

Six months of meatless eating? How is that even possible?

For those of you who read this blog (Mom- this means you!), I apologize for the lengthy hiatus since my last post.  I could use the "I'm so busy with job and family" excuse, but what I really mean is that I'm binge watching too much Netflix.  Anyway, we are nearly at the six month mark of this plant based eating experiment, so I thought I'd address a few of the most common questions I get from friends and family.

Question One - "Isn't it difficult to go out to eat?"  Vague Answer - "Sometimes."  If you're flexible and creative, it's not horribly challenging to dine out. Let's use Mexican food as an example as it's a family favorite.  Although the cheese laden nachos are currently not an option for me, veggie fajitas and guacamole tacos with cilantro and onion are things I could eat every day.  Tortilla chips are my biggest weakness, however, so I do need to remind myself that these are NOT considered plants.

So hard to each just one!

I must admit, life with cheese-less pizza has been an adjustment.  I have tried vegan cheese, but it often contains a bunch of unnatural ingredients and, IMHO, just tastes weird.  Therefore, I've been opting for pizzas with a bunch of veggies with no cheese.  This practice does raise an eyebrow on occasion...would it be more accepted if I simply told people I'm lactose intolerant? What sort of weirdo CHOOSES to not eat cheese??

Sometimes it's easier to dine out as there may be only one vegetarian/vegan option on the menu. This means no more agonizing over "Do I pick the healthy salad or splurge on the burger?"- I simply select the option which is the most plant based. I'm getting better at finding restaurants where the whole family can find something they like, but it does take some investigating. I should add that I am not advocating a steady diet of vegan pizza and Mexican food, only sharing that it is possible to dine out occasionally and enjoy it. If your friends have an affinity for the Brazilian steakhouse, then you're pretty much out of luck.

Question Two - "Isn't it expensive to eat a plant based or vegan diet?" Answer with caveat - "Nope...unless you shop exclusively at Whole Foods."  Our breakfast frequently consists of oatmeal which probably works out to pennies per bowl, or I make a quick smoothie. Also, if you haven't noticed, meat is expensive. This holds especially true if you're going the "grass fed" or organic route. Instead of meat, we use some soy protein (for tacos any enchiladas) or use beans and lentils instead. Those options are significantly cheaper than meat. I also try to keep the pantry stocked with cans of beans and tomatoes, dried quinoa, etc. and watch for produce that is in season (or on sale). We also save money because we dine out less frequently.

I like visiting Whole Foods...but it IS pricey!

Question Three - "Do you feel deprived eating this way?" Answer - "Surprisingly no."  If I'm dying for a hamburger or feel like diving face first into a bowl of queso, then I will. For the record, this has not yet happened! I maintain a feeling of control since I don't feel like I can't eat a particular food or category of foods. I'm shooting for 95% meat, egg and dairy free, so I don't beat myself up if I have a strawberry dipped in chocolate that isn't vegan or if I steal the crust from my daughter's pizza and some remnants of melted cheese are still attached. For me, I feel this way of eating makes sense from several angles (health, environment, etc.) vs. some temporary fad diet (Lord knows I've tried plenty of those over the years!)

After nearly six months, I feel good, I have plenty of energy (without needing a caffeine IV) and I feel like I recover more quickly from a tough workout. Will I maintain this plant based lifestyle forever? Since the thought of that puts a little too much pressure on me, I will take it day by day.

I will continue to add a vegetarian/vegan recipe to the end of each post. Here's a link to an amazing salad. It's kale, but be not afraid. This is also from the Love Real Food cookbook which is a favorite!
http://alexandracooks.com/2017/07/02/kale-quinoa-salad-love-real-food/#cookbook-recipe-45636