Alternatives to that protein stuff

“Why does Sea World have a seafood restaurant? I’m halfway through my fishburger and I realize, Oh my God. I could be eating a slow learner.” --Lynda Montgomery

As a vegetarian, the main obstacle to overcome is having enough protein in your diet. I learned what some of these delightful alternatives are from my many vegetarian supporters (holler!) and random books that people have been giving me. Here is an abridged list for your viewing pleasure:

Beans

Eggs

Nuts (almonds, peanuts, etc.)

Soy

Yogurt

Tofu

Legumes (chickpeas, lentils, etc.)

Cereals and grains

Now, as I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a huge fan of beans. I have texture issues with them. This poses a problem in the life of a vegetarian. So I’ve been experimenting in hardcore ways with other kinds of protein.

Yogurt-- I eat yogurt every single day. Not only is this a great source of protein, but it is also great for my digestion’s overall happiness.

 Eggs-- I used to eat grilled chicken salads a fair amount, but now I put hard-boiled egg pieces on my salad instead. It’s delicious and extremely economical. I have also been eating omelets like it’s my job, experimenting with various vegetable combinations. So far the favorite is by far the broccoli, onion, tomato variety.

Soy-- Before entering the world of vegetarianism, I had only ever tried soy milk. All other soy products were foreign to me. The soy protein crumbles that I put in my spaghetti squash sauce were simply amazing. I also put it in some chili. I could have sworn I was eating ground beef. You can find them in your grocer’s freezer next to the veggie burgers and other fake meat products. I’ve also tried some fake grilled chicken, which had a strange texture and I still can’t decide if I liked or not.

Tofu-- I am woman enough to admit that making tofu scared me. It’s one of those unknown territories that I wasn’t sure I wanted to venture into. I am also generally fearful of bringing new textures into my life. But I recently sucked it up and bought some. I simply refuse to let inanimate objects have control over my psyche. The following recipe was my first attempt. It definitely can’t touch the majestic levels of the spaghetti squash, but I was pleasantly surprised that I liked it.

I also went a step further and tried… Tofurky. That’s right. I took it out of the package and just stared it down for a few minutes. I then made a sandwich with it and took a bite before I could think about it. I surprisingly really liked it. It shockingly tasted like a turkey sandwich. No one was more surprised about this similarity than me.

*Teriyaki Tofu with Pineapple*

1 (12 ounce) package firm tofu

1 cup pineapple chunks

2 cups teriyaki sauce

Cut tofu into bite sized pieces and place it in a deep baking dish; add drained pineapple. Pour in teriyaki sauce. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. I served over rice, but that is optional.