Vegetarians and Vegans...This One's For You!

I know, I know....I am always praising meat. I love meat, and I honestly don't think I could be nearly as active as I am without it. Every body is different, and some people can stay healthy and feel energized without meat. Personally I was a vegetarian for a long time and always felt like complete shit. I was fatigued and just felt an overall lack of energy. I felt better once I added chicken, fish, and turkey back into my diet, but I really didn't feel 100 pct better until I started eating red meat again. Perhaps this is due to my propensity to become anemic quickly without the help of red meat...who knows. All I know is that I need to eat red meat to feel my best. Again, not everyone does though!

During my time as a vegetarian I discovered lots of delicious forms of vegetable protein that I still incorporate into my diet. Quinoa is an excellent choice because it is the only complete vegetarian protein source--meaning it contains all the essential amino acids. It also contains a ton of other wonderful vitamins and minerals. 1/4 c. (uncooked) quinoa is about 170 calories. Edamame beans are another delicious snack. These soybeans are packed with protein and super easy to prepare. You can buy them frozen, boil for a few minutes, then sprinkle a dash of salt and enjoy. 1/2 c. shelled edamame (a little over 1 c. in pods) is about 120 calories. Edamame is also packed with fiber! Tofu is another decent protein source, but Tempeh kick's tofu's ass in terms of, well, everything. Tempeh is a fermented soy product originally from Indonesia. I have to admit, tempeh looks really strange, but the taste is a lot better than tofu which is totally bland. Tempeh kind of tastes a little nutty, a little mushroomy. It's really delicious and much more filling due to it's firmer texture. Tempeh's fermentation process and its retention of the whole bean give it a higher content of protein, fiber, and vitamins. Another option is Seitan, which is basically wheat gluten. Obviously, this is not gluten free so I don't eat this anymore but I used to enjoy it when I was younger, before gluten started to really bother my system. Seitan is very versatile and probably most resembles meat. It also contains a whopping 26 grams of protein per 4-ounce serving! Additionally for vegans there are beans, nuts, and nut butters. Vegetarians can also incorporate eggs, cottage cheese, and yogurt--especially greek yogurt which typically has twice the protein of regular yogurt!