Should I start eating meat again because of a lack of protein?

You hear the question of lack of protein as a vegan a lot. What is the truth about it? To be honest: I don’t know! For those who haven’t read my Instagram post: No I won’t go back to a diet including meat and fish. I never missed meat or fish or any dairy at all 😉 What I know is that I am a healthy vegan girl with no symptoms coming from a lack of protein or anything else. My iron is totally fine, actually higher than before! I am more energized and I am happy and active. Skipping meat and dairy products might seem scary because we learn to eat balanced. It is not (and it never was and never will be) my intention to convert someone to a lifestyle. I just like to share my experience and how I feel. Best case I inspire someone or some of your questions get answered.

As a vegan you may want to add some natural plant based protein to your daily diet. I do it naturally but when you are new to this kind of diet you might need some knowledge about plantbased protein. I found this really helpful table on the internet which shows the top 12 protein sources and I want to show you recipes and options to include some of the 12 top protein sources daily!

Picture source: Greatist

 

Chia Seeds
I start with my favourite: Chia seeds! You can literally drizzle Chia seeds over everything! However, I prefer to put them in smoothies or in my oatmeal, so they can develop this gelatinous consitency in combination with water or any other liquidity. Although summer is almost over I am still addicted to this Peach and Oat smoothie. You can easily sneak in the Chia seeds and believe me you’ll love this smoothie! Sunshine and summer in your bowl!

Quinoa
Ahhh Quinoa is such an allrounder. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, warm, cold, cooked, popped….
My favorite recipe is stolen from Stefanie. It is a vegan quinoa bowl with a lot of veggies and avocado! So easy to make and definitely your way to go when you are looking for a light and protein-rich lunch or dinner!

Buckwheat
ah when I hear buckwheat I think about my fluffy vegan protein crepes! They are made with buckwheat flour. Buckwheat flour is an easy way to include all the good things of buckwheat in recipes. The possibilities are endless. Cookies, crepes, pancakes! Also I heard about buckwheat burgers…Never made them but I really want too!

Hempseed
Hemp Seeds are a gift of nature. They are a complete protein and have the most concentrated balance of proteins, essential fats, vitamins and enzymes. Most often I use hempseed nuts in my morning oats. I also tried a hemp protein, which did not really appeal to me because the taste was horrible.
I like to combine it with sweet things and therefore I really advise you to check out the recipe for these CHOCOLATE CHAMOMILE + LAVENDER + BEE POLLEN & ALMOND BUTTER + CAYENNE + HEMP SEED TRUFFLES found on Elizabeths blog.

Spirulina
I know that many people hate it because of the smell, but when you are getitng a really high quality product, the smell is quite bearable and Spirulina is another excellent source of protein not to be neglected. I try to use it for Chia puddings because it gives them a nice color 🙂 There is a recipe for the pudding in my ebook.

Soy
Some love it some hate it. I think it is all a matter of preparation. I am not a strong soy eater but I love to use silken tofu for my desserts or soy milk whenever I fancy a hot chocolate or granola. I would love to experiment more with soy and when looking at the next picture I think I will! Recipe from honeyandfigskitchen

Peanut butter
Really? Do I need to say more….Recipe here