I would welcome tips. I have an eating disorder that’s kicking my ass right now so that’ll take priority, but the more I know the more I can try to move in that direction as I’m able
And I’m maybe having issues with hystamine intollerance which causes a lot of problems with protein sources anyway, so more protein options is a big plus. Most of what I know is just like beans and chickpeas, nuts, and mushrooms which I sometimes have a hard time with.
I don’t know much about anything like tofu or soy protein. I have a friend that makes seitan (think I spelled that right)
I don’t personally have experience with ED, it’s good to see the mindset that that’ll take priority! Your health is the most important. I do have appetite and texture issues though (autism), so I have some restrictions.
Basically what I do is make sure pretty much every meal has some protein source, some carbs, and some vegetables.
Breakfast is usually oats with peanut butter or toast with peanut butter. Can throw some apple or banana on either, or whatever you like. Oats can be overnight, microwaved/heated, or just with soy milk, like cereal.
Dinner and lunch are pretty much the same types of food for me. I’ll make sure there’s some vegetables, usually from frozen as they’re cheap and a good mix and they wont go bad. Protein comes from legumes, textured soy protein, tofu.
Legumes: there’s many types and they’re quite versatile. Red lentils can be cooked to a mush as a base for a creamy soup/stew or a curry, like dal. Green lentils don’t cook to a mush, but get quite soft, I like them in soups or stews. Brown lentils cook kinda firm and make a good base for a salad with some fresh veggies, olive oil and vinegar/lemon juice. I also like to throw cooked brown or green lentils in a food processor to become the meat in a Bolognese ragu or in a chili. My partner hates the texture of lentils, but likes them like that. All sorts of beans can be part of a salad or of a soup, stew or sauce, like a bean chili or pasta fagioli. Chickpeas can be mushed to hummus for a sauce, dressing or spread, oven roasted to put in salads, or just thrown in salads or stews, especially curries, as is. You can also mash chickpeas, mix with breadcrumbs and spices and then fried to make falafel. You can make bean fritters from all sorts of beans that way too.
Textured soy protein: you buy a bag of it, it’s dried crumbles that come in different sizes. You soak them in hot water (mix in some stock powder or soy sauce for more flavour), then cook with them as if they were meat. The mince version can be thrown in pretty much anything, the bigger pieces can be fried, thrown into things like goulash or chunky sauces.
Tofu: can be eaten raw, though many don’t like it that way. Cut into cubes or crumble into pieces and fry it up with vegetables to make curries, sauces. Or fry it up separately to have it in one corner of your plate alongside other stuff. It’s also nice breaded in panko, breadcrumbs, or corn starch. If you marinate it before frying, it’ll be more flavourful. You can also crumble into up really small to make tofu scramble.
My carbs tend to be pasta, rice or potatoes. My vegetables are either frozen or canned, or whatever is on sale. Nutrient-wise, it’s best to vary your vegetables, but I struggle with that.
I’m not personally experienced with seitan as I hate having doughs on my hands and the pre-made stuff is expensive.
Hope this wasn’t too rambly and can be a small inspiration:)
Edit: oh, and if I struggled to eat enough in a day, I just have a protein shake. Soy based vanilla protein powder mixed with soy milk. It’s expensive per package, but for me it’s worth it to keep it around. It’s not THAT expensive per portion.
I would welcome tips. I have an eating disorder that’s kicking my ass right now so that’ll take priority, but the more I know the more I can try to move in that direction as I’m able
And I’m maybe having issues with hystamine intollerance which causes a lot of problems with protein sources anyway, so more protein options is a big plus. Most of what I know is just like beans and chickpeas, nuts, and mushrooms which I sometimes have a hard time with.
I don’t know much about anything like tofu or soy protein. I have a friend that makes seitan (think I spelled that right)
I don’t personally have experience with ED, it’s good to see the mindset that that’ll take priority! Your health is the most important. I do have appetite and texture issues though (autism), so I have some restrictions.
Basically what I do is make sure pretty much every meal has some protein source, some carbs, and some vegetables.
Breakfast is usually oats with peanut butter or toast with peanut butter. Can throw some apple or banana on either, or whatever you like. Oats can be overnight, microwaved/heated, or just with soy milk, like cereal.
Dinner and lunch are pretty much the same types of food for me. I’ll make sure there’s some vegetables, usually from frozen as they’re cheap and a good mix and they wont go bad. Protein comes from legumes, textured soy protein, tofu.
Legumes: there’s many types and they’re quite versatile. Red lentils can be cooked to a mush as a base for a creamy soup/stew or a curry, like dal. Green lentils don’t cook to a mush, but get quite soft, I like them in soups or stews. Brown lentils cook kinda firm and make a good base for a salad with some fresh veggies, olive oil and vinegar/lemon juice. I also like to throw cooked brown or green lentils in a food processor to become the meat in a Bolognese ragu or in a chili. My partner hates the texture of lentils, but likes them like that. All sorts of beans can be part of a salad or of a soup, stew or sauce, like a bean chili or pasta fagioli. Chickpeas can be mushed to hummus for a sauce, dressing or spread, oven roasted to put in salads, or just thrown in salads or stews, especially curries, as is. You can also mash chickpeas, mix with breadcrumbs and spices and then fried to make falafel. You can make bean fritters from all sorts of beans that way too.
Textured soy protein: you buy a bag of it, it’s dried crumbles that come in different sizes. You soak them in hot water (mix in some stock powder or soy sauce for more flavour), then cook with them as if they were meat. The mince version can be thrown in pretty much anything, the bigger pieces can be fried, thrown into things like goulash or chunky sauces.
Tofu: can be eaten raw, though many don’t like it that way. Cut into cubes or crumble into pieces and fry it up with vegetables to make curries, sauces. Or fry it up separately to have it in one corner of your plate alongside other stuff. It’s also nice breaded in panko, breadcrumbs, or corn starch. If you marinate it before frying, it’ll be more flavourful. You can also crumble into up really small to make tofu scramble.
My carbs tend to be pasta, rice or potatoes. My vegetables are either frozen or canned, or whatever is on sale. Nutrient-wise, it’s best to vary your vegetables, but I struggle with that.
I’m not personally experienced with seitan as I hate having doughs on my hands and the pre-made stuff is expensive.
Hope this wasn’t too rambly and can be a small inspiration:)
Edit: oh, and if I struggled to eat enough in a day, I just have a protein shake. Soy based vanilla protein powder mixed with soy milk. It’s expensive per package, but for me it’s worth it to keep it around. It’s not THAT expensive per portion.