Good to Know About Plant Proteins

(it’s not just for vegans)

Photo by v2osk on Unsplash

Hi friends, and welcome! We are in Week 5 of the Good to Know series, where we talk about good things to know about food. There are lots of ways to save money in the kitchen including menu planning, effective grocery lists, and, believe it or not, keeping a well-stocked pantry. If you’ve missed any of these topics, just click on the links and you’ll be taken right to the post.

If you’d rather listen than read, the audio version is at the top of this article.

So why are we talking about plant proteins this week? Because they are lean, green, cost-effective machines. They are good alternatives to traditional protein sources like meat, poultry, and seafood. Plant-based proteins are easy to digest, easy to keep stocked, and easy on the budget. Plus, they taste good.

A couple of caveats:

• Our discussion does not include processed meat substitutes like Beyond Meat or Impossible Burgers. I know some people like them, but I’m not a fan.

• Just FYI, I am not vegan or vegetarian. My husband and I tried out the vegetarian life several years ago. We were successful for about a month before things went down in flames. It involved a drive-thru and a bucket of fried chicken. I don’t want to talk about it.

When I plan my weekly menu, I like to include a vegan or vegetarian meal. What is the difference between the two terms?

Vegan vs Vegetarian

Vegetarian is relatively easy to understand. No meat. Got it.

But vegan? It is a type of vegetarianism. While vegetarians don’t eat the flesh of animals, vegans take it a step further. They not only avoid animal meat, but they also don’t consume foods produced by animals like eggs, honey, and milk. Some vegans also avoid animal-based products such as beeswax, leather, and silk.

Photo by Ivana Milakovic on Unsplash

For vegans and vegetarians, vegetables are life. It is where they get their protein, an important nutrient. While “plant-based protein” is the current catchphrase, people have been eating this way for a very long time.

Everything Old is New Again

I recently watched Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones on Netflix. This documentary looks at five global communities where people routinely live 100 years or longer and maintain active lifestyles. The premise is that these areas share some common elements including family first, natural movement, and a plant-based diet. While some of these communities do eat meat, they get the majority of their protein from plants.

This is not surprising if we think about what our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents ate. Depending on where your roots lie, your ancestors may have eaten beans and quinoa, chickpeas and lentils, or tofu and rice. They were eating these things not because plant-based diets were popular but because that’s what was available. And it just so happens that these foods provided the nutrients they needed.

A special Korean meal at my cousin’s home in San Francisco.

My mom is from North Korea. She grew up eating tofu, rice, and kimchi. Meat was only eaten on special occasions like New Year’s Day and maybe birthdays. After she escaped to South Korea, it was much of the same. When she lived there, tofu and fish were the main protein sources for meals in her home. Today, my mom lives in New York and her breakfast is surprisingly unchanged: tofu, rice, and kimchi.

It is interesting and reassuring all at the same time that people in the centuries before us knew the right things to eat before Netflix came along to remind us. As an aside, does anyone remember waiting for those red envelopes to arrive in the mail? My husband used to say, “It would be great if we could just watch the movies instantly instead of waiting for these things in the mail.” Look at us now.

So, let’s investigate the best plant sources for protein and how to incorporate them.

Best Plant Proteins

The following is a breakdown by categories of common plant proteins and how much protein they provide. This certainly is not an exhaustive list, but it includes items easily found at major grocery chains.

Legumes

• Beans (black, kidney, pinto, white), 1 cup cooked, 15 grams

• Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), 1 cup cooked, 14 grams

• Green peas, 1 cup cooked, 8 grams

• Lentils (black, brown, green, red), 1 cup cooked, 18 grams

Photo of tricolor quinoa by Pierre Bamin on Unsplash

Cereals and Grains

• Amaranth, 1 cup cooked, 13 grams

• Brown Rice, 1 cup cooked, 5 grams

• Oats, 1 cup cooked, 5 grams

• Quinoa, 1 cup cooked, 12 grams

• Spelt, 1 cup cooked, 12 grams

Nuts and Seeds

• Almonds, ½ cup, 14 grams

• Cashews, ½ cup, 10 grams

• Chia Seeds, 3 Tbsp, 9 grams

• Flax Seeds, 3 Tbsp, 6 grams

• Peanuts, ½ cup, 17 grams

• Pine Nuts, ½ cup, 9 grams

• Pistachios, ½ cup, 13 grams

• Pumpkin Seeds, 3 Tbsp, 9 grams

• Sunflower Seeds, ½ cup, 12 grams

• Walnuts, ½ cup, 8 grams

Photo of walnuts by Tom Hermans on Unsplash

Soy

• Edamame, 1 cup, 17 grams

• Tempeh, 1 cup, 34 grams

• Tofu, 1 cup, 24 grams

I find that plant-based meals benefit from a hit of acid, which depending on your past or current lifestyle, may mean something different from what I’m talking about. A hit of acid here means lemon juice, vinegar, or something fermented. The acidic component lightens, brightens, and brings some freshness to what can be a claggy, dense dish.

We will take a closer look at lemon, other citrus, and in-season veggies in next week’s article, so be sure to come back for that.

Now that we have a list of plant proteins, let’s put them to use.

Recipes

French Green Lentil Soup

Sometimes known as Le Puy (pronounced luh pwee) lentils, French green lentils are greenish black (or blackish green, lol). I find them in the bulk bin section at my local WinCo. They have slightly more protein and are smaller than regular green lentils, which you can always use instead.

It's accidentally vegan if you use veg broth.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 2 cups chopped white or yellow onion

• 1 cup chopped carrots

• 1 cup chopped celery

• 4 oz (about ½ pkg) mushrooms

• 1 Tbsp minced garlic

• 1 or 2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced

• 1 ½ cups French green lentils

• 8 cups broth (veg, chicken, or beef)

• 1 bay leaf

• 5 or 6 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

• 1 handful of fresh spinach leaves, coarsely chopped

• Optional garnish: fresh dill, squeeze of lemon juice

Directions

1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil, along with the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and garlic. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 or 6 minutes.

2. Tip in the potatoes, lentils, and broth. Throw in the bay leaf and thyme as well as the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer until the lentils and potatoes are tender, 35-ish minutes. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Stir in the spinach leaves. Taste and correct for salt. Garnish with fresh dill and lemon juice.

Carrot Red Lentil Hummus

I know, I know, hummus is supposed to be made with chickpeas. Well, this is a version that uses red lentils instead. Rename it if you want. It makes a great appetizer, snack, or sandwich spread. Add more garlic, lemon juice, spices, tahini, or water for the taste and consistency that suits you. If you are looking for a more traditional hummus made with chickpeas, there is a delicious one linked here. My husband really liked this carrot lentil hummus. He said, “Don’t tell me what’s in it, I don’t want to know. Just letting you know that I like it.” Hahaha!

It's delicious whatever you decide to name it.

Ingredients

• 4 cups carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• ½ cup red lentils

• ⅔ cup tahini

• ½ cup olive oil

• ¼ cup lemon juice

• ½ cup fresh cilantro

• 2 cloves garlic (about 2 tsp minced)

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• Garnishes: ¼ cup toasted walnut pieces, chopped cilantro

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F/204C. Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet or line with parchment. Toss the carrots with 1 tablespoon oil and dump on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 30 minutes until tender. Pieces should be easily pierced with a fork.

2. While the carrots roast, bring 2-ish cups of water to boil in a saucepan. Add the rinsed lentils, reduce the heat to a medium simmer, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain excess water using a fine mesh strainer.

3. Dump the roasted carrots, cooked lentils, and all the remaining ingredients (except garnishes) into a blender or food processor. Blitz for a minute or two until everything is smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add a little water if you want a looser consistency.

4. Scrape the hummus into a bowl or onto a serving platter. Garnish with toasted walnuts, cilantro, and a drizzle of olive oil. Store any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to one week.

Sheet Pan Bibimbap

Korean Bibimbap is basically an old-school protein bowl. It’s got rice, veggies, and some type of protein, in this case, tofu. Plus, a very tasty sauce! Here, almost everything gets cooked on a sheet pan. It’s very untraditional and my mom might not approve, but it’s an easy way to prepare an Asian-inspired plant protein meal. The recipe link is here: Sheet Pan Bibimbap.

Don't forget the kimchi!

Tell Me

What plant proteins are your favorites? I’d love to know how you prepare them!

Next week, it’s all about seasonal fruits and veggies which are cheaper and tastier when eaten in season. There may or may not be a lemon dessert involved so be sure to come back next Friday and invite a friend.