I use a lot of those soy things, apparently they are called "textured vegan protein" or something, done right they are almost like slices of chicken. Apart from those, theres a local company that makes "nyhtökaura" which is a mix of fava bean, pea and oat protein. Theres also "vegejauhis" (minced vege, kind of like minced meat) which is made of a mix of mushroom, wheat and other stuffs.
Legumes, soy, and quinoa are my main protein sources (specifically tofu, lentils, and black/pinto beans).
All of these items are really versatile and can be a main component in a wide variety of dishes. Some of my favorites include dal, sofritas tacos, and chili.
That being said, I've been vegan for over 15 yrs, most of that whole food, plant based. My labs are always fantastic. For protein I consume tofu, beans and legumes, nuts on a daily as well as seitan. We also eat whole grains and tons of fruit and veggies.
Most important for anyone, vegan or not, is to supplement vitamin D, B12, and a reasonably decent multivitamin. There are vegan versions available for all of these.
Peanut butter. I like ones that are made from just peanuts, or peanuts and salt. You gotta stir them initially, but they taste so much better than Jif or Skippy, and you can put them in the fridge to keep homogenized.
Tempeh is wonderful when prepared correctly. I have been to so many restaurants that have no idea how. One of my favorite ways to serve tempeh is to slow barbecue it in a homemade bbq sauce and make a sandwich.
I'll do the same bbq with tofu. I'll bake it until it gets a little chewy and it's perfect.
I make my own seitan as well. Once you realize how easy and cheap it is to make your won you'll never buy the overpriced preprepared stuff again.
Not completely vegan, more pollotarian (occasional chicken, turkey, no fish or other types of meats)... Been supplementing my diet with Huel Black, specifically for training in lieu of milk based protein drinks. Its major source is Pea for protein.
Love all the other regular vegan dishes with soy, tempeh and seitan. Just wish some brands and restaurants would stop trying to make it resemble meat tastes and just go their own way with it. It's plenty delicious on its own.
Why vegan? Cause meat is honestly not that healthy, I've just lost the ability to see the appeal for red meat and it all contributes significantly to ecological issues. Agriculture just to feed the meat we slaughter is anywhere from one tenth to one fifth of emissions. I realise that individually I won't be making much difference, however...
This might not be so helpful for lifelong vegetarians/vegans. However, if you've got a good Chinese grocery around, the canned and frozen sections will have an astonishing range of textured and flavored meat-substitute protein-rich tofu and seitan products at very low cost. You can pull them out and use them in most recipes that call for meat ingredients, without much modification.
There are also other Chinese grocery ingredients that have meat-like textures or add umami (e.g. dried lily buds, mushrooms), but they don't necessarily supply substantial amino acid content. New vegans need to beware of some processed products like jackfruit as meat substitutes, because they contain little protein.
I use a lot of those soy things, apparently they are called "textured vegan protein" or something, done right they are almost like slices of chicken. Apart from those, theres a local company that makes "nyhtökaura" which is a mix of fava bean, pea and oat protein. Theres also "vegejauhis" (minced vege, kind of like minced meat) which is made of a mix of mushroom, wheat and other stuffs.
Legumes, soy, and quinoa are my main protein sources (specifically tofu, lentils, and black/pinto beans).
All of these items are really versatile and can be a main component in a wide variety of dishes. Some of my favorites include dal, sofritas tacos, and chili.
I am personally not Vegan, but I know a few people who are. They recommend Seitan as a good source of protein.
It's basically wheat gluten, and bakes into bread well.
The complete protein thing has been debunked. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/incomplete-protein#food-sources
That being said, I've been vegan for over 15 yrs, most of that whole food, plant based. My labs are always fantastic. For protein I consume tofu, beans and legumes, nuts on a daily as well as seitan. We also eat whole grains and tons of fruit and veggies.
Most important for anyone, vegan or not, is to supplement vitamin D, B12, and a reasonably decent multivitamin. There are vegan versions available for all of these.
Feel free to ask any questions.
Peanut butter. I like ones that are made from just peanuts, or peanuts and salt. You gotta stir them initially, but they taste so much better than Jif or Skippy, and you can put them in the fridge to keep homogenized.
Soybeans. A pressure cooker makes preparing them a breeze, and they taste better than any downstream processed food.
Beans, lentils, soy products (yoghurt, tofu, tvp, etc), lots of vegetables and the occasional setien.
19 years vegan.
Black beans, tempeh, tofu and seitan.
Tempeh is wonderful when prepared correctly. I have been to so many restaurants that have no idea how. One of my favorite ways to serve tempeh is to slow barbecue it in a homemade bbq sauce and make a sandwich.
I'll do the same bbq with tofu. I'll bake it until it gets a little chewy and it's perfect.
I make my own seitan as well. Once you realize how easy and cheap it is to make your won you'll never buy the overpriced preprepared stuff again.
Beans, chickpeas, tofu and seitan. Edamame when I can get them.
I use the "lazy dave breadmaker" method for seitan, because who wants to knead?
Not completely vegan, more pollotarian (occasional chicken, turkey, no fish or other types of meats)... Been supplementing my diet with Huel Black, specifically for training in lieu of milk based protein drinks. Its major source is Pea for protein.
Love all the other regular vegan dishes with soy, tempeh and seitan. Just wish some brands and restaurants would stop trying to make it resemble meat tastes and just go their own way with it. It's plenty delicious on its own.
Why vegan? Cause meat is honestly not that healthy, I've just lost the ability to see the appeal for red meat and it all contributes significantly to ecological issues. Agriculture just to feed the meat we slaughter is anywhere from one tenth to one fifth of emissions. I realise that individually I won't be making much difference, however...
This might not be so helpful for lifelong vegetarians/vegans. However, if you've got a good Chinese grocery around, the canned and frozen sections will have an astonishing range of textured and flavored meat-substitute protein-rich tofu and seitan products at very low cost. You can pull them out and use them in most recipes that call for meat ingredients, without much modification.
There are also other Chinese grocery ingredients that have meat-like textures or add umami (e.g. dried lily buds, mushrooms), but they don't necessarily supply substantial amino acid content. New vegans need to beware of some processed products like jackfruit as meat substitutes, because they contain little protein.