Why is there no protein-fortified beer?

May 19, 2009 3:19 PM

Looking for vegetarian high-protein food ideas. More restrictions inside, but in summary: everything that has lots of protein is gross!

I need to eat more protein. I work out a lot and based on the recommendations of gram per bodyweight (~100g per day for me according to a few sources), I am not meeting my requirements. I am noticing what I consider undue fatigue and would like to test whether upping my protein will fix it. (As much as I do work out; it isn't enough to be overtrained, so I don't believe that is my issue.)

Restrictions: No meat; no nuts; black beans gross me out & I can take others in moderation. I already eat eggs and dairy (but I don't drink milk because it also grosses me out). The idea of a shake would be okay except I don't have a blender, which seems to limit me to liquid milk as a mixer and as we've established: ick!

I would also like to keep the calories down as much as possible because I like using them on delicious "bad" things, like cake, but that is the most fungible requirement.

posted by dame to health & fitness (48 comments total)

-Light tofu
-Lentils
-Soy protein powder
-Egg whites mixed in to everything
-Texturized vegetable protein (it's amazing, you can thank me later)
-Yogurt
-Cottage cheese (2% is the best tasting for the calories)
-Light cream cheese

And buy a blender! They're $15 at Target. You can make the most amazing protein smoothies with frozen yogurt, light tofu, fruit, egg whites, and protein powder.
posted by emilyd22222 at 3:22 PM on May 19 [2 favorites has favorites]

Oh, and soy milk or almond milk as a mixer. Almond milk (unflavored, unsweetened) is 40 calories/cup and I use it in place of milk in everything.
posted by emilyd22222 at 3:24 PM on May 19

Maybe ick for you, but cottage cheese (at varying levels of fattiness) is huge on protein. It's good with fresh fruit.
posted by scribbler at 3:24 PM on May 19

And buy a blender! They're $15 at Target.

I have a $15 blender, and it is a total POS, not anywhere near strong enough to blend something I couldn't just blend by hand. I have thus learned my lesson that if you may need to shell out a little more to get a blender strong enough to work.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:24 PM on May 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

peanut butter? or does that count as a nut? what about other beans than black beans? pinto? white? chickpeas? hummus? yogurt? good old milkshakes with milk and ice cream and chocolate syrup can be mixed up by hand with a fork.
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 3:25 PM on May 19

I have a $15 blender, and it is a total POS, not anywhere near strong enough to blend something I couldn't just blend by hand. I have thus learned my lesson that if you may need to shell out a little more to get a blender strong enough to work.

My $15 blender has lasted years and does a great job. Read the reviews online before you buy and you'll be fine.
posted by emilyd22222 at 3:25 PM on May 19

Some people aren't a big fan of soy. If you're one of them, whey protein powder is another option (although that can be an issue if you've got milk allergies, not just ew-yuck-cow-juice problems).

Coconut milk is also tasty but pretty high on calories for its protein content. Can be used as a smoothie base though (Yes, you'll need a blender.)
posted by nat at 3:30 PM on May 19

Yogurt. But there are lots of vegetarian highly engineering protein supplement things out there: protein powder, those Clif Builder bars, etc. I'd suggest protein powder. It's vaguely gross, but you only need to have one glass of the stuff a day and you're set. It's moderately expensive, but compared to eating enough tofu for an equivalent amount of protein it's probably reasonably priced. Go to any health food store or a GNC or something. You'll see more protein supplements than you can flex a bicep at.
posted by GuyZero at 3:31 PM on May 19

A quick Google search turns up lots of suggestions. Apparently, high-protein vegetables include spinach, peas, and broccoli. Quinoa and tempeh are very useful (better than tofu, IMHO). The internet is replete with exciting quinoa recipes.

For a vegetarian who wants plenty of protein, "no nuts" just isn't a good idea unless you're truly unable to eat them (allergic). Walnuts or almonds can be added to all sorts of dishes for a subtle enhancement without affecting the flavor much.
posted by Jaltcoh at 3:31 PM on May 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Have you tried meat replacement products? I don't know if you have Quorn where you are but I'm sure I've heard lots of US mefites mention Morning Star products (they only seem to sell the bacon over here so I don't know if any of it is any good)
posted by missmagenta at 3:32 PM on May 19

Thanks so far, everyone. A few points of clarification: nut butter counts as nuts; other milks have the same problem as cow milk: they taste funny and are somewhere between thick enough to be good (milkshake!) and thin enough to be good (water! beer! vodka!).

Yogurt I am totally down with, as well as cheese, ice cream, any kind of milk product that is not liquid. Will have to investigate cottage cheese.
posted by dame at 3:33 PM on May 19

Tempeh may not look pretty, but it's very high in protein and can be done up very deliciously. Tempeh 'chicken salad' is so good!
Tofu is great, too, when made up right. Silken should only be used in smoothies or miso soup, it's too runny for regular stir-frying.
Chickpeas can be manipulated in lots of ways: hummus, falafel, salads, in soup... It's not a 'beany' taste like you might find off-putting.
Other options I like: hard boiled eggs, lentil curry with brown rice, yogurt (low-fat, not non-fat), cheese, and so forth.
posted by wowbobwow at 3:33 PM on May 19

Cottage cheese is your best option.

When dieting or moving to a healthier lifestyle it's important to start thinking about what your body needs, and less about the way things taste. Move away (but not completely!) from food being a luxury, a reward, or a pleasure to it working as a fuel. It's really helpful.
posted by fire&wings at 3:38 PM on May 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

If you're going vegetarian you HAVE to mix lots of beans and rice. Beans and rice together will make a whole protein, and that needs to be the staple of your diet, basically.
posted by banished at 3:39 PM on May 19

I eat greek [aka strained, you can make it yourself] yogurt with protein powder and flax seed mixed into it along with the fruit/flavoring of my choice. Usually it's a slightly sludgey concoction but it tastes pretty good, goes down easily and has a lot of protein and is pretty decent on calories. Other things I think are decent include lentil recipes (tasty soups are also palatable and high protein low cal) and if you can stomach eggs you can put an egg in pretty much anything. TVP ground up a little and put into chilis and such ups the protein without too noticable an ick factor. Getting a PoS blender and making shake things with silk tofu is another option, I would not suggest it for anything stronger than a banana however. Sometimes you can find old blenders that are strong enough to crush ice for not too much money. I also go for high protein breakfast cereal before workouts (Kashi has this twig stuff that is okay) with yogurt and protein powder dumped on it, you can get 20 g out of a bowl.
posted by jessamyn at 3:40 PM on May 19

I should add that quinoa is considered to be a "complete protein," if that matters. You can use it in much the same way you'd use rice, but it has a lot more protein than brown rice.
posted by Jaltcoh at 3:45 PM on May 19

I really like baked tofu, which has a firmer, drier texture than regular tofu. It's usually got some flavorings added to it that make it a little more palatable -- the brand I like comes in honey sesame and teriyaki. It sautes nicely and won't fall apart. Goes really well in salads, lettuce wraps, stir fries, sandwiches, etc..
posted by JohnFredra at 3:46 PM on May 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

I make these Oatmeal and Cottage Cheese Pancakes all the time and LOVE them. I HATE eggs and eggy things, but I can handle these (I think it's the yolks that are gross and these don't use yolks). I make 4 good size pancakes; sometimes I eat them all (344 cals, 34g protein), sometimes I eat two and freeze two.

I tried Designer Whey Chocolate Protein powder and didn't like it in anything. I gave it another chance but chose French Vanilla, and I really like it. I mix it into cooked steel cut oats or whole wheat farina. If I'm in a big hurry, I put 1/2 cup of instant plain oatmeal and half a scoop of the powder into a container and use the hot water dispenser at work to make an instant protein-added breakfast.

I also make some homemade high(ish)-protein pudding:

1 cup nonfat milk
3 TBS cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 TBS cornstarch
dash salt
1 scoop French Vanilla protein powder (again, I made this with the chocolate and it was gross)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix cocoa powder, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and protein powder in a saucepan, add milk and stir to mix. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring very frequently. As mixture starts to bubble, stir constantly and cook for two minutes. Remove from the burner and temper the egg. Add the tempered egg to the pudding very slowly and return the pudding to the burner and cook for one more minute. Add vanilla. Makes 4 servings (of slightly less than 1/2 cup each). About 120 cals, 9 g protein.

Oh, on preview someone mentioned quinoa. This is SO delicious! Since you hate black beans, I'm sure it would be just as good with pinto or kidney beans.
posted by peep at 3:47 PM on May 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Dry roasted edamame is delicious, and might be suitable for your criteria. One thing to note: don't shove your mouth full of them without a drink near-by. They're really dry (less oils?) than you might expect.
posted by filthy light thief at 3:49 PM on May 19

Also: are you adverse to forcing yourself to get used to things? I had friends who spent a summer eating things they previously didn't like until those offending items were no longer distasteful (the list included tomatoes, not pigs feet).

And most items can be masked and mixed to the point of not being noticed, so if there is some texture or appearance factor can go away.
posted by filthy light thief at 3:52 PM on May 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Also nthing Quinoa. Pro-tip: roast it in the pan a little -- either dry or with olive oil -- until golden and aroma-y. Then add the water. This really brings out the nutty flavor!
posted by JohnFredra at 3:56 PM on May 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

This site seems to have a pretty good handle on vegetarian protein. Spoiler: brown rice.
posted by Night_owl at 3:56 PM on May 19

I have a $15 blender, and it is a total POS, not anywhere near strong enough to blend something I couldn't just blend by hand. I have thus learned my lesson that if you may need to shell out a little more to get a blender strong enough to work.

Well I have a $15 immersion blender and I use it to crush hemp seeds in a little water. Then I strain it and have hemp milk, which I use in smoothies. It doesn't taste fantastic, but in smoothies I can't taste it really. It has lots of benefits supposedly.

Hemp has lots of protein. It is sold in powders, milks, and seeds.

Bee pollen is another potential source of protein, though it hasn't been studied much. I use this in smoothies often.

But these are mainly sources for people with dietary restrictions beyond vegetarianism. I do a morning smoothie that is hemp + bee pollen + spinach + berries + some sweet something like a half banana.

If you don't want a blender and want something to mix things in, there are tons of non-dairy milks out there.

You could also look at high-protein grains like spelt, amaranth, oats, quinoa, and buckwheat.

I think tempeh tastes amazing and would eat it often if I had a good source. You just need to learn to cook it from an Indonesian :)
posted by melissam at 4:01 PM on May 19

Another voice in support of quinoa. It makes a great breakfast porridge---cook it like oatmeal, but for a little bit longer.
posted by aparrish at 4:05 PM on May 19

All of the MorningStar meat analogs are awesome-tasting.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 4:09 PM on May 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Another post nthing quinoa. It's delicious. My family and I aren't vegetarians, but we eat it some nights just cause it tastes so good. I like to cook it with a touch of cinnamon and chop up some dried apricots as a topper. I also cook it with chili powder, cumin, and garlic for a sort of middle easternish dish.

Also nthing Morningstar Farms variety of products. We eat a couple of the soysage links every morning for breakfast. Sometimes I use the grillers (hamburgers) chopped up in a pita with feta, tomato, lettuce (or spinach), olives, and hummus. Or just like hamburgers.
posted by Quizicalcoatl at 4:32 PM on May 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Check the protein content of Greek-style yogurt next time you're at the store--you'll find that it has dramatically more protein than regular yogurt. It's good for smoothies, eating out of the container, or blending with a little fruit and freezing for homemade ice cream-ish treats.
posted by corey flood at 4:33 PM on May 19

Seconding Dry Roasted Edamame. That stuff works great.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 4:36 PM on May 19

I have a hot cocoa-type drink every morning made with Pro Complex chocolate protein powder. Caveat: There's a learning curve to making hot protein - if the water is over 150 degrees, the protein cooks. There are also tons of coffee flavored protein powders, if sweetened coffee floats your boat (sweet coffee sinks mine).

There are also protein drinks under the Nectar brand that are thin like water and come in a variety of fruity flavors like punch, lemonade, cherry and iced tea.

Your local Vitamin Shoppe will carry them, as well as bodybuilding.com.

Blenders are not required for either of these protein shake options.

If you try cottage cheese and hate it, don't give up yet - try another brand. I can only really enjoy Trader Joe's full fat cottage cheese - but I cut the fat out of my diet in other places and get a beautiful 14 grams of protein per half cup.
posted by elsietheeel at 4:42 PM on May 19

Seitan! Also these Chickpea Cutlets, which are quite quick to prepare.
posted by susanvance at 4:43 PM on May 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

I want to second the recommendation for Quorn. It works well in things like stirfry or most chicken recipes.
posted by belladonna at 5:13 PM on May 19

I think brown rice is disgusting, but I really like quinoa. I made it last night and served it with a simple puttanesca sauce. I'm also quite fond of lentils cooked with onions and cumin served over sauteed spinach.

I just bought some Rancho Gordo beans from the bulk section at the store: Vallarta and Vaquero. I tend to like beans best in pasta or cold with lots of fresh herbs as a sort of salad.
posted by oneirodynia at 5:14 PM on May 19

(Rancho Gordo also sells quinoa and amaranth, another high-protein grain.)
posted by oneirodynia at 5:18 PM on May 19

Let's get some numbers into this discussion:

Brown rice is 2.3% protein, by weight.
Peas are 5.4% protein.
Tofu is 8% protein.
Barley is 10% protein.
Cottage Cheese is 12% protein.
Eggs are 12.6% protein
Quinoa is 14% protein.
Cashews are 18% protein.
Cheddar cheese is 25% protein (according to the nutrition label on the package in my frig).
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 5:53 PM on May 19 [3 favorites has favorites]

Protein desserts:

In my opinion, Greek yogurt with blue agave syrup tastes better than any ice cream sundae.

Oh Yeah! and Supreme Protein bars give you 26-30 grams of protein and taste like candy.
posted by aquafortis at 5:56 PM on May 19

Seconding Quorn -- I typically eat 2 of their "Chick'n cutlets" as part of a very filling dinner. The box says 1 serving gives 11 g of protein, so that's 22 g of protein -- a lot. You could microwave them if you're in a rush, but here's how to make them taste great: (1) microwave slightly, just enough to soften them up so you can easily (2) slice them into strips, and then (3) fry them in olive oil. Add to pasta dishes, salads -- anything you could add real chicken to.
posted by Jaltcoh at 6:00 PM on May 19

Quinoa is most definitely a champ. These cottage cheese/almond meal savory muffins have a goodish amount of protein, and there are some suggestions for almond meal replacements in the comments. I often make a batch of some variation on them for a week's worth of breakfasts, and they're pretty excellent.

Also tempeh, tofu, Greek yogurt, homemade hummus (no blending needed, you can just mash it up), etc.
posted by quatsch at 6:05 PM on May 19

Here's a nice, easy, delicious thing to do with tofu:

Get as much moisture out as you can (between two paper towels is good) and then fry it over medium high heat in canola oil until it browns on both sides. It takes a while, tofu is like that.

It gets better, I promise.

Mix up a tablespoon of brown sugar and two tablespoons of soy sauce. Add this to your pan. It's going to go a little nuts in there (don't let it burn; take it off heat if you have to), so add a tablespoon or two of water and let the whole thing work for a few minutes.

Plate it, top with some chopped scallions, and serve with a dipping sauce of equal parts rice wine and soy sauce.

Also, as mentioned above quinoa is great. It's really easy to prepare, and great with anything but I like it with harissa and butter.

Also, you like eggs and cheese! You can make omelets and frittatas, if you're wiling to spend a few minutes in the kitchen -- specifically a trouchia (probably spelling that wrong): saute an onion and some chard or kale when you have time and put them in the refrigerator. When you're ready, start the broiler. Whip up a couple of eggs, pinch of nutmeg, little bit of parmesan cheese, like less than half an ounce, salt and pepper. Cook the eggs on the stovetop as you normally would an omelet in a small skillet over medium heat. When it's half done scatter the greens and onion on top and cover with an ounce of cheese (you can do this whole deal for four or five hundred calories or so -- the ounce of cheese on top is totally worth it) and throw the whole thing under the broiler for two minutes. Flip over onto a plate. Works with pale ale, porter (depending on the cheese), red or white wine.

But what kind of food do you like? That might be easier--there are hundreds of ways to get protein but if you primarily like Italian food it might change things.

Also, just to throw this out there: maybe you're iron deficient, not protein deficient? It's worth considering that there might be other causes of your tiredness.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 6:28 PM on May 19 [2 favorites has favorites]

Argh! I knew I was going to get the proportions wrong; it's counter-intuitive. One part soy sauce to two parts brown sugar, not the other way around.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 6:29 PM on May 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Mushrooms.
posted by pompomtom at 6:55 PM on May 19

You don't need a blender for most protein powders. I have no problems mixing up a scoop of powder in a glass of water with a spoon.
posted by pmann at 7:05 PM on May 19

Former vegetarian/former healthfood store worker chiming in:
All nut/soy/rice/hemp milks are not alike, even amongst the same brand. Try as many as you can afford. Try thickening this with a protein powder, for a decent shake. I used to use a shaker cup, which really made a difference.

Quorn, Yves, and Lightlife make my favorite fake meat products. I really like the Qourn patties made into a Chicken Parmesan type sandwhich. Not exactly healthy, but with a whole grain bun and a homemade tomato sauce, it's not horrible for you either.

Broiled tofu is easy and tasty: just press some Chinese tofu (the kind in the big buckets at the Asian market) by putting it between two plates for a couple hours. Slice it up around 3/4-1 inch thick. Slather the slices with BBQ sauce or hoison sauce. Broil your slathered slices until it's bubbly and crispy on both sides and throw it on a crusty bread with your favorite sammich fixin's.
posted by piedmont at 9:30 PM on May 19

You might a previously asked questioned by me helpful.
posted by jfricke at 7:12 AM on May 20

I second the seitan suggestion. It's not too hard to make it yourself from vital wheat gluten and you can cook it into a lot of meat-like dishes (pretend sausages, meatballs, barbeque chicken) or put it in a tasty stir-fry. If you marinate it before cooking it takes on the flavors very well.
posted by mai at 10:20 AM on May 20

I second susanvance's suggestions of sietan (homemade, which is quite affordable) and chickpea cutlets. Both use wheat gluten flour.

More so, I recommend cooking with nutritional yeast. It has complete protein and tastes great. Two recipes I'd suggest for nutritional yeast are scrambled tofu and fake cheese sauce (with macaroni).
posted by organisciak at 10:34 AM on May 20

Thanks everyone. I marked a few best, but all the answers were really helpful. Except quinoa, which also fits into the barf category. Apparently I hate everything made of protein except Greek yogurt: had some this morning and that shit was tight. Next step: adding protein powder.
posted by dame at 11:48 AM on May 20

They don't make protein-fortified beer because it would be ugly, and no one would buy it. Long chains of congealed proteins are a major cause of cloudyness in beer and are often deliberately removed. When been gets too cold, and it is cloudy, then warms up and clears, that is the proteins congealing at the lower temperature and then being reabsorbed at the higher one. Protein fortified beer would be thick, it would be cloudy, and it would look very unappetizing. The flavor would also be affected.
posted by paisley henosis at 8:12 AM on May 21

This is a high-calorie solution, BUT: Odwalla now has a line of protein "MONSTER" drinks with about 30g of protein per pint bottle (don't confuse this with their "Super Protein" line, which is about 18g). That's a lot, and it's tasty, so it's a pretty good deal for me.
posted by grobstein at 1:32 PM on August 25