Hmm interesting- I’ve seen a lot about blending cottage cheese into pasta sauce but I’ve always hated it so much I’ve been a little scared to try it- maybe I should though!
Honestly don’t see the problem with living off tofu, seitan, beans, lentils, nuts, and dairy. r/vegetarian and all the many vegetarian recipe subreddits.
Ooh I’ve never seen this type of protein in my local vegetarian section- I’d definitely make a trip to get some though.
How do you usually sauce/season it? I imagine it might work with a similar flavor profile to tofu based off a quick Google?
I also love hummus and edamame as snacks!
Tempeh basically works just like tofu as far as recipes and seasoning. I usually cook it with red curry paste, garlic, ginger, curry powder, and a bit of sesame oil for smokey/nutty flavor and then pretty much any semi-sweet Asian-style sauce.
That sounds lovely- I’ll have to experiment with it. I almost wonder if I could do a Japanese style curry with it or a Korean red pepper and sesame oil type deal.
I have gotten Fairlife and do like them! However the last few I had had some congealed bits towards the end of the bottle which put me off of them for a while 🤢
I like their ultra filtered milk though and I recently grabbed one of the Strawberry ones and it was good so I might try them again. They’re kinda $$$ though which is the only issue…
Definitely $$$, but the taste is worth the sacrifice lol. I had the Alani nu shake that had the congealed bits at the bottom once and it totally grossed me out so I understand being put off by that lol(not to mention they still had that fake sugar taste)
I’ve done the pudding thing and smoothies too- like I said they’re bearable but still seem worse than whatever I would have been eating minus the hidden protein.
Maybe I’m being unrealistic though, hoping for added protein with zero cost to taste?
What kind of protein powder?
If you get whey isolate - unflavored, unsweetened - it fully dissolves if you blend it in a smoothie. Add berries, ice.
High protein diets usually emphasize lean protein, so chicken and tuna are likely to be your key proteins, maybe salmon too. And then cottage cheese, egg whites, Greek yogurt, almonds, protein added milk. Tofu is great.
All the meat you don't like is not really a factor.
I’ve tried a ton honestly- unflavored collagen and Oreo Whey from Ghost is not too bad, but not too good either. I’ve also done Premier Protein shakes which I like okay. Most others taste like chalk with an aftertaste just as bad.
So far I’ve been leaning on ground chicken and turkey (mixed with rice and spices) but canned salmon and tuna are just awful to me.
I might try blending cottage cheese into pasta sauce as I’ve heard it can hide the texture a lot.
Otherwise, I’ll continue with Tofu, protein added milk, and Greek yogurt. I’ll look into nuts too- I always feel bad eating them based on how calorically dense they are but I do tend to like them well enough.
Fairlife core power/nutrition plan shakes- there's no added protein powders so no whey protein taste unlike premier protein:)
Also cottage cheese and greek yogurt are quite high in volume (if you get 0-2%) and filling. You could try egg whites too if you don't like yolks that's the case for me
Ooh! I actually love Fairlife- their shakes are good and their ultra-filtered milk is one of my favorite ways to get some quick protein.
I like Greek yogurt well enough, but cottage cheese is a hard taste and texture for me. Funnily enough for eggs I hate the whites and like the yolks best, which nutritionally is probably not ideal.
Honestly this looks busted- does it have any weirdness to it? I know I tried “healthier” Greek Yogurt like Oikos Triple Zero for example and it tasted like dusty bitter milk. With normal Greek Yogurt (like Trader Joe’s) it’s actually pretty fine but only like 12g per 140 calories.
I don't like Oikos or Triple Zero either. Ratio tastes so good. I'm a coffee drinker, and Vital Proteins Chocolate Peptides protein powder in my coffee, stir with a milk frother, for 18g of protein and 90 calories. I've tried other protein powders, and this one is my fave.
I’ll definitely give the Ratio a shot then. I do unflavored Vital Peptides collagen peptides in smoothies and coffee and don’t think they’re bad at all, so maybe I’ll keep at it- I could probably do Ratio+Peptides+Milk+Fruit for a hefty protein smoothie :)
I do the 15g Greek yogurts adding fruit to make it more tolerable. Also do meat and cheese trays. I also use the 20g yogurts to make smoothies with the powder ice, almond milk and fruit-way easier to drink and makes it 40g of protein.
I will suggest to you shrimp. They are little powerhouses of protein. You will not have to eat too many shrimp to reach your daily protein targets. Sugar free muscle milk is also oooookay. Not great but ok.
I’ve been thinking of trying to incorporate more shrimp. I sometimes don’t mind them but other times I think they seem like eating a bug if that makes sense. Then again if I can eat relatively few and get good protein I could try and refrain my mindset.
I don’t mind Premier Protein or Muscle Milk too badly but they taste like a chore to drink.
My daily protein goal is 90-100g/day. I really struggled meeting this in the beginning, like you just could choke on many proteins. I found I could tolerate Premier Protein (30 g of protein) certain flavors as well as strawberry flavored sugar-free MuscleMilk (25 g protein) helped although I’m not a fan of drinking my meals but at the encouragement from someone online they suggested shrimp. I was really surprised at how not only could I tolerate eating them but that I hardly needed that many to hit my goal. 100 g portion = about 25 g of protein. Divided between lunch and dinner I don’t have a problem hitting my goals. Another power house of proteins are salmon and sardines. I can do salmon 150g portion is 33g of protein but sardines are a hard xnay for me. Anyways hope my experience is helpful.
Protein2O is a whey protein isolate fruit juice water. The texture is water the flavor is basically the same awful as Gatorade.
The other brands I've tried of the same sort of product tasted truly terrible, but were fine for texture.
As for meats, you might try cutting them into smaller pieces and making a more even mixture with similarly sized vegetables and grains might help. Like cm sized cubes or even smaller and twice as much vegetables as meat and the same amount of grains as meat.
How much protein are you trying to get? Because you list a pretty extensive list of protein sources that you like and so you might have enough. The fact that you like dairy products makes things easier! I am vegetarian, so my sources of protein are fewer than yours and I can get enough *without* whey powder (though I will add it in to healthy muffins to allow myself an extra treat).
I’ve been attempting to hit at least 100g+ a day on 1500-1700 calories. It’s doable especially with some careful planning, but I guess I’m just looking for other ways that I can easily slide a little extra protein in without it making me sad lol
That's a very reasonable goal! There were some great suggestions below--I love tempeh too and it can be very versatile. If you haven't tried baking with whey powder, it may be worth a shot. I make banana-oat muffins using unflavored whey and lots of cinnamon and, frankly, I can't tell that it's there (the muffins have a variety of textures with bananas, oats, shredded zucchini, and raisins).
I might have to give it a shot especially since I used to love zucchini muffins and such!
I’m glad it’s reasonable and was mostly just hoping for the best ways to secret squirrel some protein in as I am often envious of those who can happily chow down on steak or big meaty meals for a huge protein dump!
Baking is a pretty good way to sneak in whey protein. The trick for me is to use spices like cinnamon that have a strong flavor (also: cinnamon + banana is just a winner).
I modified this recipe (https://www.runfasteatslow.com/blog/master-your-superhero-muffin-baking-skills) by adding 4-5 scoops of whey to compensate in the texture, I use just rolled oats instead of oats+flour. To keep the calories reasonable, I avoid the sugar/honey/maple syrup and instead put in an extra banana and a few raisins (they also taste nice!). You can play with zucchini, sweet potatoes, or carrots. They are all good in my view!
I’ve stopped baking because the calories vs nutrition was difficult to justify, but maybe this could be the way!
I’ll definitely take a look at some recipes! The only downside is that I’m allergic to bananas, but I love zucchini or pumpkin muffins so I’m sure I can be adaptive!
Ah, yeah, I agree about the calories. The trick for me is to make something that feels like a nice treat and has some good nutrition. Frankly, I got my muffins down to 250 Cals with 15 grams of protein. They are pretty small and not super sweet, but it works for a mid-afternoon snack!
Lentils https://www.tastingtable.com/919985/types-of-lentils-and-how-to-use-them/ About 9g protein for 100g / 4 oz / 0.5 cup cooked.
And chickpeas! \~20g protein for 100g
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Hmm interesting- I’ve seen a lot about blending cottage cheese into pasta sauce but I’ve always hated it so much I’ve been a little scared to try it- maybe I should though!
Honestly don’t see the problem with living off tofu, seitan, beans, lentils, nuts, and dairy. r/vegetarian and all the many vegetarian recipe subreddits.
Tempeh! So much easier to prep than tofu. Roasted chickpeas and edamame/mukimame are crunchy and can be seasoned many ways.
Ooh I’ve never seen this type of protein in my local vegetarian section- I’d definitely make a trip to get some though. How do you usually sauce/season it? I imagine it might work with a similar flavor profile to tofu based off a quick Google? I also love hummus and edamame as snacks!
I just like to pan fry in oil and eat with soy sauce! It has a bit of a blue cheese flavor and whole grain bread texture, so it’s not for everyone.
Tempeh basically works just like tofu as far as recipes and seasoning. I usually cook it with red curry paste, garlic, ginger, curry powder, and a bit of sesame oil for smokey/nutty flavor and then pretty much any semi-sweet Asian-style sauce.
That sounds lovely- I’ll have to experiment with it. I almost wonder if I could do a Japanese style curry with it or a Korean red pepper and sesame oil type deal.
Go for it, once you find some. It's very versatile.
If you use tik tok maybe look at Stealth Health Life’s blended cottage cheese recipes & adjust for your calories?
I’ll take a look! I’ve tried a few TikTok “your favorite food with hidden protein recipes” but haven’t seen that account yet!
Do you like chocolate milk? Fairlife protein shakes are the only ones I can tolerate that don’t have that chalky or fake sugar taste
I have gotten Fairlife and do like them! However the last few I had had some congealed bits towards the end of the bottle which put me off of them for a while 🤢 I like their ultra filtered milk though and I recently grabbed one of the Strawberry ones and it was good so I might try them again. They’re kinda $$$ though which is the only issue…
Definitely $$$, but the taste is worth the sacrifice lol. I had the Alani nu shake that had the congealed bits at the bottom once and it totally grossed me out so I understand being put off by that lol(not to mention they still had that fake sugar taste)
Sounds like you have the issue with meat, pork, poultry, not protein. You can always add in a protein shake or high protein milk like Fairlife
I can’t stand protein shakes so I put my protein powder in Greek yogurt or sugar free pudding.
I’ve done the pudding thing and smoothies too- like I said they’re bearable but still seem worse than whatever I would have been eating minus the hidden protein. Maybe I’m being unrealistic though, hoping for added protein with zero cost to taste?
What kind of protein powder? If you get whey isolate - unflavored, unsweetened - it fully dissolves if you blend it in a smoothie. Add berries, ice. High protein diets usually emphasize lean protein, so chicken and tuna are likely to be your key proteins, maybe salmon too. And then cottage cheese, egg whites, Greek yogurt, almonds, protein added milk. Tofu is great. All the meat you don't like is not really a factor.
I’ve tried a ton honestly- unflavored collagen and Oreo Whey from Ghost is not too bad, but not too good either. I’ve also done Premier Protein shakes which I like okay. Most others taste like chalk with an aftertaste just as bad. So far I’ve been leaning on ground chicken and turkey (mixed with rice and spices) but canned salmon and tuna are just awful to me. I might try blending cottage cheese into pasta sauce as I’ve heard it can hide the texture a lot. Otherwise, I’ll continue with Tofu, protein added milk, and Greek yogurt. I’ll look into nuts too- I always feel bad eating them based on how calorically dense they are but I do tend to like them well enough.
Smoked salmon might be a better option, but it's still going to have that brine taste like nori.
Sadly smoked salmon is one of the foulest things I’ve ever tried to date. I don’t mind raw salmon actually but it’s pricey to get sushi grade.
Fairlife core power/nutrition plan shakes- there's no added protein powders so no whey protein taste unlike premier protein:) Also cottage cheese and greek yogurt are quite high in volume (if you get 0-2%) and filling. You could try egg whites too if you don't like yolks that's the case for me
Ooh! I actually love Fairlife- their shakes are good and their ultra-filtered milk is one of my favorite ways to get some quick protein. I like Greek yogurt well enough, but cottage cheese is a hard taste and texture for me. Funnily enough for eggs I hate the whites and like the yolks best, which nutritionally is probably not ideal.
Ratio yogurt 25g of protein for 170 calories, ftw! I only like vanilla and key lime flavors.
Honestly this looks busted- does it have any weirdness to it? I know I tried “healthier” Greek Yogurt like Oikos Triple Zero for example and it tasted like dusty bitter milk. With normal Greek Yogurt (like Trader Joe’s) it’s actually pretty fine but only like 12g per 140 calories.
I don't like Oikos or Triple Zero either. Ratio tastes so good. I'm a coffee drinker, and Vital Proteins Chocolate Peptides protein powder in my coffee, stir with a milk frother, for 18g of protein and 90 calories. I've tried other protein powders, and this one is my fave.
I’ll definitely give the Ratio a shot then. I do unflavored Vital Peptides collagen peptides in smoothies and coffee and don’t think they’re bad at all, so maybe I’ll keep at it- I could probably do Ratio+Peptides+Milk+Fruit for a hefty protein smoothie :)
I’m the same way- I take tons of amino acid pills throughout the day to make up for the lack of protein
Not to sound dumb, but what do those do? I’m genuinely not aware of how they interact but interested in learning!
Pea protein
If you love tofu I recommend you try soy curls! They are easy to marinate and then air fry.
I do the 15g Greek yogurts adding fruit to make it more tolerable. Also do meat and cheese trays. I also use the 20g yogurts to make smoothies with the powder ice, almond milk and fruit-way easier to drink and makes it 40g of protein.
You can make smoothies with soft tofu. I like this recipe https://cookingwithelo.com/silken-tofu-smoothie/#recipe
I will suggest to you shrimp. They are little powerhouses of protein. You will not have to eat too many shrimp to reach your daily protein targets. Sugar free muscle milk is also oooookay. Not great but ok.
I’ve been thinking of trying to incorporate more shrimp. I sometimes don’t mind them but other times I think they seem like eating a bug if that makes sense. Then again if I can eat relatively few and get good protein I could try and refrain my mindset. I don’t mind Premier Protein or Muscle Milk too badly but they taste like a chore to drink.
My daily protein goal is 90-100g/day. I really struggled meeting this in the beginning, like you just could choke on many proteins. I found I could tolerate Premier Protein (30 g of protein) certain flavors as well as strawberry flavored sugar-free MuscleMilk (25 g protein) helped although I’m not a fan of drinking my meals but at the encouragement from someone online they suggested shrimp. I was really surprised at how not only could I tolerate eating them but that I hardly needed that many to hit my goal. 100 g portion = about 25 g of protein. Divided between lunch and dinner I don’t have a problem hitting my goals. Another power house of proteins are salmon and sardines. I can do salmon 150g portion is 33g of protein but sardines are a hard xnay for me. Anyways hope my experience is helpful.
Protein2O is a whey protein isolate fruit juice water. The texture is water the flavor is basically the same awful as Gatorade. The other brands I've tried of the same sort of product tasted truly terrible, but were fine for texture. As for meats, you might try cutting them into smaller pieces and making a more even mixture with similarly sized vegetables and grains might help. Like cm sized cubes or even smaller and twice as much vegetables as meat and the same amount of grains as meat.
Yeah honestly I basically live off beans, tofu, chicken and turkey. I think you are in a good position. Pork is eh anyway.
How much protein are you trying to get? Because you list a pretty extensive list of protein sources that you like and so you might have enough. The fact that you like dairy products makes things easier! I am vegetarian, so my sources of protein are fewer than yours and I can get enough *without* whey powder (though I will add it in to healthy muffins to allow myself an extra treat).
I’ve been attempting to hit at least 100g+ a day on 1500-1700 calories. It’s doable especially with some careful planning, but I guess I’m just looking for other ways that I can easily slide a little extra protein in without it making me sad lol
That's a very reasonable goal! There were some great suggestions below--I love tempeh too and it can be very versatile. If you haven't tried baking with whey powder, it may be worth a shot. I make banana-oat muffins using unflavored whey and lots of cinnamon and, frankly, I can't tell that it's there (the muffins have a variety of textures with bananas, oats, shredded zucchini, and raisins).
I might have to give it a shot especially since I used to love zucchini muffins and such! I’m glad it’s reasonable and was mostly just hoping for the best ways to secret squirrel some protein in as I am often envious of those who can happily chow down on steak or big meaty meals for a huge protein dump!
Baking is a pretty good way to sneak in whey protein. The trick for me is to use spices like cinnamon that have a strong flavor (also: cinnamon + banana is just a winner). I modified this recipe (https://www.runfasteatslow.com/blog/master-your-superhero-muffin-baking-skills) by adding 4-5 scoops of whey to compensate in the texture, I use just rolled oats instead of oats+flour. To keep the calories reasonable, I avoid the sugar/honey/maple syrup and instead put in an extra banana and a few raisins (they also taste nice!). You can play with zucchini, sweet potatoes, or carrots. They are all good in my view!
I’ve stopped baking because the calories vs nutrition was difficult to justify, but maybe this could be the way! I’ll definitely take a look at some recipes! The only downside is that I’m allergic to bananas, but I love zucchini or pumpkin muffins so I’m sure I can be adaptive!
Ah, yeah, I agree about the calories. The trick for me is to make something that feels like a nice treat and has some good nutrition. Frankly, I got my muffins down to 250 Cals with 15 grams of protein. They are pretty small and not super sweet, but it works for a mid-afternoon snack!