Confession: I’m terrible with this Meatless Monday thing. I usually end up posting my Meatless Monday posts on Tuesdays. Maybe I should rename it. Take Out the Meat Tuesdays? Ta-ta To Meat Tuesdays? Totally Meatless Tuesdays? What do you think?
Or maybe I should just post on Mondays…
Point is: I’m here with a delicious meatless recipe. I’ve been in the process of trying out a high-protein diet – which is no easy feat as a vegetarian. It’s not tough to get the daily recommended amount of protein from plant based substances, but if you’re trying to build muscle (which is my current goal) you need a boat-load of protein. I’m talking at least 1 gram per pound of body weight. Tricky tricky.
I aim for over 30 grams of protein at each meal and 15+ for each snack. Right now, I’m getting a good chunk of my protein at lunch and dinner from gluten and soy-based veggie proteins, like seitan and tofu. I’ll have to switch that up soon when it comes time to nix wheat and soy for my elimination diet trial run (learn more about that here), but in the meantime, I’ve been digging this Protein Power Salad!
This salad has a whopping 54 grams of protein! It also has healthy fats and carbs from the avocado and veggies and will keep your tummy full for hours.
Plus, it can easily be made vegan by swapping out the cheese (I used Kraft Mexiblend because it’s lactose-free) for vegan cheese – just choose a brand that is comparable in protein levels, like soy cheese.
Do you go meatless on more than just mondays? How do you get in vegetarian forms of protein?
- 2 cups dark, leafy greens (like spinach or kale)
- 1/4 cup hearts of palm
- small handful of grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 a medium avocado, diced
- 2/3 cup seitan
- 1/4 cup lactose-free cheese of choice (I like a blend of cheddar and mozzarella)
- 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- Combine all ingredients onto a plate.
- Feel your muscles growing by the bite.
I’m also a life long vegetarian and it is sometimes hard to find a way to up your protein. I use a ton of beans and hard boiled eggs. I also like veggie burgers if they are not too processed. Looking forward to sharing recipes with you!
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner recently posted…Moms do Run This Town
Have you tried Sunshine Burgers? They are delicious and not overly processed.
Haha a meatless meal is always welcome any day of the week 😉
Jojo @ RunFastEatLots recently posted…Weekend Eats- a Mother’s Day Meal
agreed!
I’m a vegetarian as well and protein can be a challenge at times. I’m interested in reading more about your high protein diet. I generally get my protein through lentils, beans, eggs and tofu. I haven’t tried seitan yet. My lunches this week are egg salad sandwiches with greek yogurt instead of mayo and that helps to increase the protein as well.
Chaitali recently posted…Tasty Tuesdays – chipotle oyster mushroom tacos
What a smart idea! I may have to try that 🙂 I’ll definitely be posting more about the high protein diet soon so stay tuned!
Wow that is a ton of protein! That’s awesome! I’ve never tried seitan but have heard a lot about it. I should do more meatless meals, so perhaps I’ll try to re-create this salad. I love making big salads for lunch – if you put enough in, it gets really filling!
Kammie @ Sensual Appeal recently posted…Finally, Here’s The Cure for Negative Body Image! (It’s not what you think!)
big salad are the best! The more healthy goodness, the better 🙂
Whoa! I was totally convinced that was MEAT!!
GiGi Eats recently posted…Exclusive Invite to the Party of the Summer
right? it looks like little steak strips in the picture! sneaky sneaky seitan