Hi all! I have been banded for 2 years but due to several surgeries and medical complications have not been able to be filled or really lose weight . So now I **finally** got my fill and am feeling pretty good with a good amount of restriction.

However, I am a vegetarian and am having problems finding ways to get enough Protein in without heavy loading on the cheese. I love cheese, which is what I always relied on for protein and is a huge reason that I needed the band in the first place! I have been eating yogurt and baked Beans for protein but wanted some other ideas. :help:

I hate the Protein shakes and they make me start to gag so please don't tell me that those are my only option! Thanks!

I'm a "VegAquarium" (fish eater) and am addicted to most all of the MorningStar Farms vegetarian/meat-free alternatives as well as ALL of the GardenBurger veggie items. If it weren't for these and tuna, I would never meet my daily quota of 60 grams of Protein.

Best of luck,

-Shannon

I'm not a veggie, but I usually eat that way. Here are some things I use for Protein and genreal good eating.

Tofu, in all the millions of ways it can be eaten. Lentils/beans (chickpeas are SOOO versatile). Dairy products (assuming you aren't vegan) - cottage cheese has an excellent rounding of nutritional values, and can substitute for a lot of other dairies with less protein. You don't like protein shakes - perhaps Protein Bars. I've started making my own with tofu & Peanut Butter as a flavor base... yummy. FF refriend Beans also have a good protein breakdown for their values. There is protein Water on the market now.

I was not sure about the Morningstar Farms stuff. I really love the Boca brand in all of it's forms but wasn't sure about what to eat it on. Do you just eat the patty with condiments on top? I remember having this problem when I tried low-carb.

I do eat eggs and dairy, although they are not my favorites and eggs tend to get stuck for me even before I was filled so I have been too chicken to try them since.

I didn't think about the Protein waters or bars -- I'll have to try some. And Peanut Butter, that I haven't had since I was probably in middle school!

Thanks!

I've been a lacto-vegetarian for 53 years and I have to rely on Protein drinks although I don't like them either. I make a big pot of vegetarian chili or lentil Soup and am content to eat it every day.

I am an aesthetic vegetarian so I have no interest in vegetarian foods that are textured or seasoned to resemble meat. Getting Protein is a real chore for me. I shoot for 50-55 grams daily.

Kay's Naturals makes protein chips which I really like as a snack. One ounce has 10 grams of protein. I love the chil nacho cheese. They are a little difficult to find and kind of pricey. I was paying $3.29 but got a great deal at Amazon grocery, 12 for about 26.00.

I am not a veg, but primarily eat like one and always have. I depend a lot on eggs (which you said get stuck for you).

I am like you and have always found it challenging when eating high protein/low carb bc I don't eat meat. And like you I usually depend on cheese.

Also, if you get the right kind of Protein shake, it tastes like a milkshake and is sooo yummy. I know there are a lot of bad Protein shakes out there, but I have found a good one.

I drink a protein shake by EAS "Iron Tek" in chocolate flavor. 8 oz milk and 4 ice cubes in my magic bullet and it is like a chocolate milkshake...yummmmmmy. With milk it has about 31 grams of protein and 11 carbs (9 from the milk) and about 200 calories.

I am not a vegetarian, but you could try nuts, greek yogurt, eggs, cottage cheese, Beans, soy products, tofu,etc.

Sorry I can't be of more help. I don't like veggies enough to ever be a vegetarian.

I was not sure about the Morningstar Farms stuff. I really love the Boca brand in all of it's forms but wasn't sure about what to eat it on. Do you just eat the patty with condiments on top? I remember having this problem when I tried low-carb.

I do eat eggs and dairy, although they are not my favorites and eggs tend to get stuck for me even before I was filled so I have been too chicken to try them since.

I didn't think about the Protein waters or bars -- I'll have to try some. And Peanut Butter, that I haven't had since I was probably in middle school!

Thanks!

Hey Magi,

Yep, I eat most all of the MorningStar Farms products and put condiments on some of them, and eat the others plain. One of my absolute favorite things are the BBQ riblets by Gardenburger. Even my carne-consuming co-workers can't tell the difference between them and the real deal.

Here are my faves:

(1) MorningStar Farms veggie sausage patties (NOT LINKS)

(2) Gardenburger BBQ Riblets (TOTALLY YUMMY!!)

(3) Gardenburger Mama Mia Meatballs (add a little bit of marinara sauce and YUMMY!)

(4) Boca Burgers All-American Grillers

I usually drink EAS Carb Control shakes each day for breakfast. They are the only ones I really like that aren't gooey or pasty. They are in a silver wrapper in a pack of 4 and all of the flavors are great (strawberry, chocolate fudge, french vanilla). Each shake has 17 grams of soy (non GMO) protein and only 110 calories.