Where do you get your protein?

If you’ve been vegan for longer than ten seconds, you’ve encountered the pesky protein question. For some reason, most of us grow up thinking that protein only comes from meat. Of course, that couldn’t be further from the truth, as protein can be found in great abundance in the beans, grains, and yes, vegetables.

The High Protein Vegan Cookbook

In her new book The High Protein Vegan Cookbook, Ginny Kay McMeans not only explains a where vegans get their protein, she also explains how to build muscle, how to lose weight, and what the best foods to eat to achieve a strong, healthy body. Ginny dispels protein myths, and clarifies how much of it we actually need – which isn’t as much as most people think!  She gives the lowdown on tofu, tempeh, and seitan, too. She’s also included a handy chart with common foods and how much protein a serving size contains.

And of course, there are recipes. The High Protein Vegan Cookbook contains 125 mouthwatering recipes for high-protein meals. These dishes will take you from breakfast all the way through to dinner, with snacks, appetizers, salads, soups, and sandwiches included. You’ll find such scrumptious recipes as Black Bean Tempeh Nachos with Cashew Cheese, Southwest Scramble Breakfast Burrito, Portobello Mushroom Gyro, and Slow Cooker Seitan Bourguignon. These recipes are all made with whole-food ingredients that can easily be found in just about any grocery store. There isn’t a speck of protein powder in sight!

Ginny has also included a chapter dedicated to making seitan, and it’s much easier to do than you might think. In no time at all, you’ll be cooking up Slow Cooker Maple Breakfast links, Steamed Seitan Smoky Nuggets, and Pressure Cooker Thai Nuggets.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Amazing Lentil Energy Balls

 

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What?! Lentil balls as a sweet protein snack, you say? Yes, it’s possible. They’re sweetened just right—try them once and you’ll be craving them forever. No kidding!

Author: Ginny Kay McMeans

Yield: 9 servings

Ingredients

• ½ cup lentils
• ½ cup dairy-free chocolate chips
• 2 cups quick-cooking oats
• ¼ cup sunflower seed kernels
• ¼ cup raw shelled hempseed
• ¼ cup unsweeted shredded coconut
• ½ cup almond butter
• ½ cup maple syrup

Instructions

1. Rinse and drain the lentils. Place 1 cup water and
2. the lentils in a medium-large saucepan. Bring to
3. a boil over high heat. When the water comes to a
4. boil, turn down to medium high and cook for 20
5. to 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender. All the
6. water should be absorbed. Set aside to cool.
7. Add the chocolate chips, oats, sunflower seeds,
8. hempseed, and coconut in a large bowl. Mix in
9. the cooled lentils. Add almond butter and maple
10. syrup. Mix well. Form into thirty-six balls and
11. place in a glass container with a lid.
12. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Store in the
13. refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to
14. months.

Notes

Recipe from The High Protein Vegan Cookbook by Ginny Kay McMeans. Reprinted with permission.

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Other recipes from The High Protein Vegan Cookbook include:

• Three Layer Tacos with Kale Slaw
• Fried Tofu with Hoisin and Peanut Sauce Noodles
• Vegan Peanut Butter Bars
• Lemon Strawberry Protein Muffins
• Chickpea Salad Crostini

Review reprinted from Dianne’s Vegan Kitchen with permission.

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Lemony Maple Cranberry Muffins

 

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With the tangy taste of lemon and dried cranberries, enhanced with sweet maple syrup and a dash of wheat germ (for extra added nutrition), this lovely muffin is totally tasty!

Author: Laura Theodore

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 11/4 cups nondairy milk
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 medium lemons; zest the lemons first, before squeezing)
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• ⅓ cup toasted wheat germ
• 11/2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• ⅔ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup sweetened dried cranberries

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Liberally coat a 12-cup standard muffin tin with vegan margarine. Put the nondairy milk and the lemon juice into a small bowl or pitcher, and let
2. stand while preparing the batter.
3. To make the batter, put the flour, wheat germ, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl and stir with a dry whisk until combined. Add the lemon zest and stir with the whisk to combine. Add the brown sugar and briskly whisk to combine. (There will be little flecks of the brown sugar still visible in the flour mixture, but that is fine).
4. Add the maple syrup, water, olive oil and nondairy milk/lemon mixture, and stir with a large spoon to combine. Fold the cranberries into the batter.
5. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Put the muffin tin on a wire rack and loosen the sides of the muffins with a knife. Let the muffins cool for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the muffins and put them directly on the wire rack. Let cool 5 minutes and serve. Covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator, leftover muffins will keep for about 3 days.

Notes

Recipe and photo byLaura Theodore, from Jazzy Vegetarian's Deliciously Vegan. Published by Scribe Publishing, ©2018, reprinted by permission.

3.5.3226

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Rigoni di Asiago

My first Rigoni di Asiago review was for their new dairy-free chocolate spread and since then, I’ve also gotten the chance to try their Dolcedi.  Now I’m lucky enough to try out their Fiordifrutta organic fruit spreads.

It will probably come as no shock that I like Rigoni di Asiago because each time I have tried their products I have been blown away.  Not just because they taste good but because they use the simplest of ingredients and techniques to create delicious products.

When I was asked if I wanted to give their Fiordifrutta organic fruit spreads a try, I jumped at the chance.  Why?  Because for the longest time I had been craving a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Yup.  I just wanted a good old PB & J.  The reason I hadn’t had one for the longest time was because the jelly/jam I found at the store just wasn’t all that great.  It was either full of less than stellar ingredients, didn’t taste that good or had loads of sugar.  My mother-in-law makes her own jam that is phenomenal, but because I only see her a few times a year, my stash gets low quick.

Enter Fiordifrutta.

I got to try their Fig, Strawberries & Wild Strawberries, and Apricot spreads, but there are plenty of other options.  They are fantastic!  The only ingredients in these spreads are fruit, pectin, and apple juice.  That’s it!  They aren’t overly sweet, and they are PERFECT on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich!  I also used them in my baked oatmeal bars and I couldn’t resist trying out my PB & J bites with the Strawberries & Wild Strawberries spread.  Both were simply amazing.

You can find Fiordifrutta Organic Spreads online at places like Amazon, Vitacost, WalMart, Jet, or Thrive Market.  You can also use their store locator to see if any stores near you carry it.

PB & J Bites

 

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Ingredients

• ½ cup creamy peanut butter OR almond butter
• ½ cup coconut butter, NOT coconut oil
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2-3 tbsp maple syrup
• ¼ cup Rigoni di Asiago Fiordifrutta spread, your favorite flavor
• 1 silicone mold or ice cube tray or mini muffin tin

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, combine the peanut butter, coconut butter, coconut oil, and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. Heat everything over medium heat and taste and adjust the level of sweetness as needed.
2. If you’re using a mini muffin tin line it with paper cups. You don’t have to do that if you’re using a mold or ice cube tray. Take the peanut butter off the stove and let it cool for a minute. Then pour a small amount, no more than half a teaspoon, in the bottom of your molds or tins. Swirl it around so it coats the entire bottom. Place the tin or mold in the freezer for 5 minutes.
3. Remove from the freezer and add another half teaspoon of peanut butter to the bottom and freeze for another five minutes.
4. Remove again and add about 1 tsp of the Fiordifrutta to the mold or tin. Then top the spread with the rest of the peanut butter. Let the bites harden in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
5. Pop the bites out of the mold and eat right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. Let the bites sit out for a few minutes before eating.

3.5.3226

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Four-Ingredient Apricot Bars

 

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These tasty bars are easy to make, while being easy on the wallet. The sweetness comes from the apricot preserves, and rolled oats provide the crunch. Mashed bananas stand in beautifully for the egg, and the vanilla extract really jazzes it up!

Author: Laura Theodore

Yield: 12 bars

Ingredients

• 2 medium ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 11/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon rolled oats
• ¾ cup thick apricot preserves (see note)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8-inch square rimmed baking pan with vegan margarine. Line the pan with unbleached parchment paper, leaving an overhang of 2-inch “wings” on two opposite sides of the pan.
2. To make the dough, put the bananas and the vanilla extract into a large bowl and mash into a chunky purée, using a potato masher or large fork. Add the oats and stir with a large spoon to thoroughly combine.
3. Press half of the dough mixture into the prepared pan in an even layer. Spread the apricot preserves over the dough in an even layer. Top with the remaining dough, patting it down gently into an even layer. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are golden.
4. Put the pan on a wire rack and let cool 15 minutes. Cut the “cake” into 12 bars, using a serrated knife and wiping the knife clean often. Using the paper “wings,” carefully lift the bars out of the pan and set them on the wire rack. Let the bars cool for 10 to 20 minutes before serving.
5. Wrapped tightly and refrigerated, leftover bars will keep up to 2 days.

Notes

CHEF’S NOTE: If the preserves you are using are “watery,” drain the excess liquid from the preserves before measuring and using in this recipe. Do this by placing the preserves in a fine-screened sieve set over a bowl. Let drain for 15 minutes. Proceed with recipe as directed.


Recipe by Laura Theodore, from Jazzy Vegetarian's Deliciously Vegan. Published by Scribe Publishing, ©2018, reprinted by permission.

3.5.3226

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Rouxbe Plant-Based Pro

I taught myself to cook out of necessity when I went vegetarian in the early 90s, because my mom’s idea of vegetarian food was a bag of frozen cubed carrots, corn, and peas that had been heated in the microwave. I bought a couple of cookbooks, subscribed to Vegetarian Times, and hit the kitchen. Over the years, I’ve taken a few cooking classes here and there, but it wasn’t until a couple of years that I formally trained as a plant-based chef in the Rouxbe Plant-Based Professional Course, which was developed by Chad Sarno. I learned tons in the class, and I developed a lot of confidence in the kitchen.

The Wicked Healthy Cookbook

If you don’t have time to take the Rouxbe course, you can learn to cook with Chad, his brother Derek, and David Joachim with their new book The Wicked Healthy Cookbook.

The Wicked Healthy Cookbookcrushes any stereotypes that vegan food is bland or tastes like dirt, and it elevates to the level of gourmet cuisine. This book will teach you how to cook healthy food that’s full of flavor and will have even hard-core omnivores coming back for seconds.

The recipes in The Wicked Healthy Cookbookvary from easy-to-make dishes like this Broccoli with Fermented Black Bean Sauce to more elaborate fare, such as Banana Blossom with Coconut and Chile or Niçoise Salad with Plant-Based Eggs and Olive Dirt. If you’re new to vegan cooking, don’t worry about anything being too difficult to make, because Chad and Derek are good teachers, and they include easy-to-follow instructions.

The book is packed with tips for cooking Wicked Healthy meals, and it includes lots of information for new chefs, including what type of equipment to have on hand as well as lists of ingredients to stock your kitchen with. Seasoned vegans will love the new, innovative recipes.

With this book, you’ll learn how to make your own pizza dough and your own tortillas. You’ll also get to experiment with ingredients that may be new to you, such as banana blossoms and lobster mushrooms. You’ll also learn how to create party-friendly spreads, such as a mac & cheese bar, a loaded baked potato bar, and a taco bar.

Chapters in The Wicked Healthy Cookbook include:

• Time to Get Wicked Healthy
• What to Keep on Hand
• The Conscious Cook’s Mind-Set
• Healthy Food Doesn’t Have to Taste Like Shit
• First Bites
• Handhelds
• Bowls
• Straight-Up Vegetables
• Comfort Food
• Nature’s Candy
• Wicked Healthy Juices and Cocktails
• Sauces and Basics

The Wicked Healthy Cookbook is a must-have for your cookbook collection!

King Satay with Spicy Peanut-Ginger Sauce

 

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Meaty king oyster mushrooms make this dish a win-win for meat eaters and plant eaters. The mushrooms have long, thick stems that you slice into thick strips, skewer, then roast to make satay. Yes! A creamy, gingery peanut sauce brings it all together.

Author: Chad Sarno, Derek Sarno, and David Joachim

Yield: Serves 4 As A Starter Course, Or 8 As A Pickup Appetizer

Ingredients

Mushrooms

• 1 pound king oyster mushrooms
• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon agave syrup
• 1 tablespoon sriracha or chile paste
• 1 teaspoon hot chile oil

Spicy Peanut-Ginger Sauce

• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• ⅓ cup low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
• ⅓ cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 Thai chile, chopped; or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ to 1 cup water

Instructions

1. For The Mushrooms: Slice off the mushroom caps and save for another use (see Pro Tip). Trim the bases so the stems are clean. (In the next steps, you’ll be pressing the mushroom stems to make them thinner, flatter, and more pliable for skewering.)
2. Heat a large heavy pan (such as cast iron) over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, swirl 3 tablespoons of the oil in the pan to coat the bottom, then add the mushrooms. After a minute or so, use a second heavy pan or a couple of foil-wrapped bricks to weight down and press/sear the mushrooms. Cook for 2 minutes, then pour the water around the mushrooms. (The steam will help soften the mushrooms and flatten the round shape into a squarer shape, which is easier to skewer.) Continue pressing for 2 to 3 minutes, then flip the mushrooms over. When the ’shrooms are tender and pliable, 2 to 3 minutes longer, remove them to a work surface. Let cool for 15 minutes or so.
3. Meanwhile, mix together the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the tamari, agave, sriracha, and hot chile oil to make your marinade.
4. When the mushrooms are cool, slice them lengthwise into strips about ¼ inch thick. Arrange the strips in a single layer on a baking sheet and brush them all over with the marinade, using it all. Let marinate at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Or, if you have time, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The longer you marinate, the more flavor you’ll get.
5. Soak a handful of wooden skewers in water to cover for 30 minutes. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Thread each strip of mushroom on a skewer, making as many ribbon folds as possible without breaking the mushroom. Place the skewers on a baking sheet and bake in the hot oven until lightly browned, 20 to 30 minutes.
6. For The Sauce: Combine all the ingredients in a blender and buzz it all up until smooth. For a thicker sauce, use less water; use more to make it thinner.
7. Drizzle a little sauce over the skewers before serving with the remainder on the side for dipping.
8. Options
9. Switch it up and use almond butter or cashew butter in the sauce instead of peanut butter.
10. Garnish with fresh cilantro, chopped chiles, and lemon or lime wedges for squeezing.

Notes

Pro Tip
Use the leftover mushroom caps to make mushroom stock or just sauté them, toss with tamari, and add to your favorite noodle bowl.

Excerpted from the book THE WICKED HEALTHY COOKBOOK by Chad Sarno, Derek Sarno, and David Joachim. Copyright © 2018 by Chad Sarno and Derek Sarno. Reprinted with permission of Grand Central Life & Style. All rights reserved.

3.5.3226

Book review reprinted with permission from Dianne’s Vegan Kitchen

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This curried hummus is going to rock your socks! It’s got all of my favorite things going on: spicy ginger and curry flavors with rich, creamy coconut milk to balance it out. It’s perfect for when you’re feeling worn out and snacky – just dump the ingredients into the blender, puree, and eat. I love dipping chips, crackers, and veggies into my Magical Curried Hummus!

Magical Curried Hummus

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

Magical Curried Hummus is rich, decadent, and so, so flavorful. And it only takes 10 little minutes to make it in your blender!

Author: Becky Striepe

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 15 ounce can chickpeas drained
• ¼ cup roasted red pepper
• ½ cup sliced carrot You don't have to mince, but your blender will have an easier time if you at least precut them a little bit.
• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon red curry powder
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil optional, for drizzling

Instructions

1. In your blender or food processor, combine everything but the sesame oil. Puree until smooth.
2. Transfer to your serving bowl, drizzle with sesame oil, and devour!

3.5.3226

A version of this post originally appeared on Glue & Glitter. Reprinted here with permission.

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I had just gotten hired at a raw and vegan cafe. I had been vegan for five years and had a fairly good understanding of vegan cooking, but I knew very little about raw cuisine. Despite my unfamiliarity, I jumped headfirst into learning everything I could. My mentor not only taught me how to make foods like gourmet raw pizza, raw hummus, and raw pies, but he also introduced me to the simpler things like how to open a Thai young coconut (I swear, it’s not that hard!) and how to make amazing dressings out of just a few fruit and vegetable ingredients. One of the best lessons I learned at that cafe was that raw foods can be as complex as you’d like, but the simple preparations could be every bit as delicious as the more nuanced ones.

On one of my first days there, I was unpacking the morning delivery from our sister cafe, and I began stocking the case with a stack of plastic clamshell containers, each holding 6 chocolatey orbs rolled in coconut flakes. “Raw Chocolate Bliss Balls” was scribbled on the label. The chef insisted I try one. It tasted like a cross between a fudgy, dense brownie and the creamy rich ganache inside a truffle. All I could think was, “Wow, this really is bliss!”

Soon I learned how to make them, and I was intrigued by the simplicity of the ingredients. It’s virtually impossible to mess up. The base of a bliss ball is dried fruit + nuts or seeds. Dates are the preferred fruit of choice, but I’ve made them with other dried fruits like raisins or mulberries. With nuts or seeds, choose one (or more) with a taste that best complements your desired outcome. Cashews and sunflower seeds will be more neutral than nuts like pecans, walnuts, or pistachios.

Once you have the base, the fun part comes in. Add in any spices or other flavors that you’d like. Some of my favorites – not together! – are cacao powder, pie spice, maca, peanut butter, lucuma, vanilla, rose water and protein powder. You can also choose something to roll the bliss balls in such as coconut flakes, cacao nibs, hemp seeds, freeze-dried fruit, or crushed almonds to make them more eye-catching.

I love stashing a few batches of bliss balls in my freezer to grab on the go or to swiftly satiate a dessert craving. I also make them for events, parties, and gatherings, and they are always a hit. These are the perfect bite for people who love to indulge in sweets but also want to feel good afterward, and they’re filling and nutritious enough that you’ll only need 1 or 2 to feel satisfied!

Berry-Studded Chocolate Bliss Balls

makes 15-20 bliss balls

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 15 medjool dates (approx. 1 ½ cups), pitted
• 1 ½ tablespoons cocoa or cacao powder
• 1-2 tablespoons coconut nectar or liquid sweetener of choice
• ¼ tsp vanilla powder, opt.
• pinch of salt
• 1 bag of freeze-dried berries of choice

Preparation

In a food processor, pulse the cashews until they form a coarse meal.

Add in the dates and process to incorporate with the cashews.

Add in the rest of the ingredients, and process until the mixture sticks together when you press it between your fingers. If it needs more moisture, add more liquid sweetener.

Roll tablespoon-sized amounts of the dough into balls and set them on a plate.

Crush the berries either with your hands or in a spice grinder. Put the berries into a small bowl and roll the bliss balls in the bowl one at a time to coat them. Roll lightly in your hands once more to help the berries adhere to the bliss ball.

Serve immediately, or store in a sealed container in the fridge or freezer for the perfect bite-sized treat!

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So, I was happy to indulge when I visited friends.  And, before I discovered boys and clothes, I spent my allowance on junk.  There was a corner store that had a great selection of candy and I did my part to add to their bottom line.  My preference was chocolate.

As an adult, I admit that I still have a sweet tooth.  Chocolate continues to be my first choice, although my tastes are much more refined.  My son doesn’t like chocolate much, but he loves anything that is sticky and fruity.  I do my best to ensure that his occasional gummy-ish treats are as healthy as can be. That’s why I like Perky Fruit Bodies.

Perky Fruit Bodies are 100% natural, gluten-free, raw and organic superfood roll ups.  While they may look like other fruit roll ups, they are quite different.  Key points of difference are: no food coloring, no preservatives, no corn syrup and the fruit is never cooked or from concentrate.

This innovative, fun and delicious pocket-friendly snack, made of only pure, whole organic fruit and superfoods such as raw cacao and raw coconut, is an ideal snack for kids, parents, athletes and outdoor enthusiasts of all ages.

Founded by raw food educator Gil Cohen and his teenage sons RJ and Tal, Perky Fruit Bodies roll ups include naturally occurring fiber, protein, enzymes and micronutrients.  They are vegan, Paleo-friendly and low-glycemic, which helps to provide sustainable energy for the mind and body.

The roll ups come in three flavors:  strawberry banana, coconut banana, and cacao banana coconut.  The ingredients list is super short and sweet for each.  For example, cacao banana coconut (my husband’s favorite) is really only made of cacao, banana and coconut!

• 100% Arriba Organic Raw  Cacao Powder
• Organic Tree Ripened Red Banana Powder
• Organic Macaroon Cut Shredded Coconut

That is it!

They actually look like homemade roll ups.  The coconut banana roll up (my favorite) was a bit imperfect, but once you took a bite, you felt like you couldn’t tell this was much different from a “regular” fruit roll up.  The flavors of all three are terrific, although my nine-year-old son said the strawberry banana had a much stronger banana flavor.

While fresh fruit is ideal, fruit roll ups have a certain magic about them.  You can pop them in your purse or in your child’s lunch box, or you can take one with you for your long-run fuel.  They take a while to eat and, aside from the stock-to-your-teeth thing, they taste good.  Perky Fruit Bodies go a few steps beyond great taste and convenience.   As the company’s mission statement says:

WE WANT YOU TO LIVE YOUR HAPPIEST, HEALTHIEST, MOST ENERGETIC AND ADVENTUROUS LIFE. WE COMMIT TO CREATING PRISTINE, PREMIUM AND ORGANIC SUPERFOOD SNACKS; FUEL FOR YOU TO DISCOVER YOUR GREATEST GOOD.

Just another great example of good vegan products made by good people.

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