Meatless Mondays – 17 Vegetarian Foods with 10g of Protein or more!

There are many documentaries and reports out there suggesting that going meatless just once a week can bring some amazing benefits to your health and the health of our planet’s resources.

So whether you’re a vegetarian or not, you and the environment could stand to benefit from “Meatless Mondays”.

For specific information about health & environmental benefits, check out the
Meatless Mondays website or veg out on the couch & have a watch of the documentaries Cowspiracy or Forks Over Knives on Netflix.

When I tried being vegetarian I remember how hard it was to get my protein in. I wasn’t tracking at the time so I can only guess at how far off the mark I was, but I know I wasn’t getting enough because I remember feeling constantly fatigued and I had that skinny limbs bloated belly thing going on. Even now that I eat meat, it’s still a daily struggle ensuring I meet my protein needs and don’t over-indulge on carbohydrates or fats. For all you plant-based eaters out there I know that the
struggle is real!

So my meatless macro friends, I’ve created a handy little list of some vegetarian foods that will get you a decent serving of protein, without putting a huge dent in your daily carbohydrate & fat budget. You’re welcome! 🙂

1. Amy’s breakfast scramble wrap

A great way to start your day with a whopping 21g of protein! Amy’s breakfast scramble wrap contains tofu, vegetables and cheese. Mmmm YUMMY! This wrap has Roz’s seal of approval for a ridiculously quick & easy start to the day.

2. Ezekiel sprouted bread

Another fave and staple in our freezer is Food For Life’s Ezekiel bread. Roz’s go-to is the flax sprouted bread. The carbs and fat are delightfully low, leaving you plenty of macro room to spread a generous serving of peanut butter &
jelly between two slices.

3. Fage Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is a thick and creamy source of protein. It’s one of the few proteins (other than powders) that I truly enjoy because it’s like eating dessert! It’s delicious on it’s own so a great filler if you need something that’s predominantly protein. It’s super easy to make into a meal or snack though. I usually load mine up with blueberries, apple & peanut butter! The Fage Crossovers are an awesome ready-made dessert option.

4. Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes

I can’t rave enough about Kodiak Cakes! I love them all! Naturally the crunch peanut butter is my go to if I’m looking to get a great start on my protein & a handle on my peanut butter addiction. Jay is partial to the
Protein Packed Dark Chocolate (Protein – 14g | Carbohydrates – 28g | Fat – 4g ) which has slightly less fat in it but the Protein Packed Buttermilk (Protein – 14g | Carbohydrates – 30g | Fat – 2g) are freaking awesome too! Buy them all, try them all! You won’t be disappointed! Side-note, they use whey protein isolate and dry milk powder for their sources of protein so make sure that fits with your dietary requirements.

5. Know Foods

I KNOW what you’re thinking. Muffins are a good source of protein?! Well they are I you’re making them with
KNOW Better bread muffin mix! I’m so glad I stumbled across this super health conscious brand. All their products are natural, non-GMO & grain & gluten free which is great for any of you out there trying to reduce inflammation in your bodies or if you’re Celiac. Their products do contain egg whites so make sure you check the labels if that’s something you don’t eat as a Vegetarian.

6. Nugo food bars

NuGo have got Celiacs and Vegans covered with their certified gluten free and vegan nutrition bars. Of course I went straight for their slim Crunchy Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate high protein bar when I decided to give them a go – is there any better combo in this life than PB & chocolate?! It’s not quite a Reese’s peanut butter cup but for a vegan protein bar they’ve got their flavor on point! Made with rice & soy protein these bars are also free from sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners.

7. Pea Protein

Do you like chocolate milkshake? No? Umm, well then you probably won’t like Vega One’s vegan chocolate protein powder. But if you do, then you’re going to LOVE it! 20g of protein per serving, 13g of carbohydrates & 5g of fat make this nutritional shake pretty macro-friendly. If you’re more of a plain ol’ vanilla kinda person then you’re not alone! Try
Orgain’s Organic Sweet Vanilla Bean Pea Protein from Thrive Market. It has a similar macronutrient breakdown and for an added bonus you get 33% off retail price! #winning

8. Garden of Life Plant Protein Powder

Packed full of nutritious goodness with 4g of BCAAs (essential building blocks for muscle growth) and 22g of protein per serving. Garden of Life protein powders are super friendly on your gut as they are entirely plant based, gluten free and contain probiotics & enzymes to assist with digestion.

9. So Delicious Almond Milk with 5 x protein

Protein from almonds. GENIUS! If you struggle with that overwhelming sense of fullness from eating protein, just 2 cups of this will give you 10g! Add this to your protein powder for a thick & satisfying post-workout shake or blend with some fruit and you’ve got yourself a quick & easy protein-packed breakfast.

10. Gardein’s Meatless Meatballs

11. Kashi Go Lean

Who said cereal was bad for you? Just about EVERYONE! But we know better. There is no good and bad food. There are better quality foods though and if you’re looking for a cereal that provides you with a decent serving of protein and a fairly balanced meal, then look no further than
Kashi! Of course if it’s 9pm at night and you need your carbs then make sure you have some CTC on hand 😉

12. Tempeh

I remember when I first heard of Tempeh it was at
Bread & Chocolate, a vegan cafe where they were serving up strips of tempeh bacon. I wasn’t convinced about forgoing the real deal bacon, so went for an island bowl that came with crouton style cubes of tempeh marinated in Jamaican spices. WOW! I was blown away by how legitimately tasty and filling it was. Now I don’t have that cafe on my doorstep, I try to recreate my own take on this veggie bowl. In my cooking experimentation I’ve found that Lightlife Three Grains tempeh has the best texture and is a lot less likely to fall apart like other brands do. You can find Lightlife in the produce or dairy aisles at Publix, Target and Whole Foods.

13. Tofu

There’s all sorts of Tofu out there. My personal preference is the Extra Firm variety – I don’t like it when it breaks up and gets all crumbly. I’ve found that Westsoy is the best brand on the market when it comes to taste and texture. I particularly like their
Organic Extra Firm Tofu which you can buy at Whole Foods, Publix and Walmart! I recently tried their Chicken Style Seitan and it actually tasted just like chicken! Who’d have thought?

14. Vans Power grains waffles

I don’t know about you but I could eat waffles for breakfast, lunch or dinner! –
brinner is the best! Why not throw some Westsoy Chicken Style Seitan on top and recreate your own vegetarian version of Chicken & Waffles!?

15. Beyond Meat Beast Burger Patty

One patty may set you back 16g of fat but the carbohydrates are surprisingly low in this vegetarian patty! Made from pea protein isolate, this plant based patty is packed full of natural spices and seasoning giving it a deliciously authentic meat quality to its flavor. The
Beyond Meat Beast Burger has earned some high praise from meatless macros fans since hitting the shelves, so check them out!

16. Lifeway Kefir

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What is Kefir? Good question! I actually had to look this one up because I wasn’t 100% sure. Kefir is similar to greek yogurt in that it is a fermented milk product containing beneficial bacteria that helps clean our gut and aid digestion. The bacteria in Kefir is different to that in yogurt and it also contains yeast. Although this isn’t a vegan product the cool thing about Lifeway Kefir is that it’s 99% lactose free, which means those with a lactose intolerance can consume it safely.

17. Quorn – Chicken Burgers

A pescatarian friend recently reminded me about the range of Quorn products. I had entirely forgotten about this brand even though when I was going through my own vegetarian stage they had been a regular staple in my kitchen! The brand even carries a vegan line which includes these delicious spicy “chicken” burgers. Although they’re almost 1 to 1 on the carb to protein ratio, you could easily substitute the hamburger bun with a couple portobello mushrooms to keep your carbs to a minimum. Give it a go!

Whether you’re Vegetarian or simply interested in trying out a plant-based diet, check out our easy to follow
Meatless Macros Meal Plan. Aside from giving you a variety of ideas to enrich your diet and keep you satisfied, we make sure you’re hitting your daily macronutrient needs so you have one less thing to worry about! As a Vegetarian, you’ll find getting your protein in couldn’t be any easier. Enjoy!