Hi, I'm pretty much a vegetarian. I only eat boneless skinless chicken breast, very little if any, and shrimp and crab meat. I'm scheduled to have the surgery on June 17th and am a bit concerned that I won't be able to get the required amount of Protein. Does anyone have any good ideas for sources of protein?

thanks a bunch !

Same as always. Beans and Tofu. The tofu also really helps durring your mushy phase of the post op diet. And don't forget the protein drinks. They really help a lot.

If you like Mexican, refried beans are something you can have in the mushy stage. I pulverized some chunky salsa to make it smaller and mixed it with the refried beans. I would heat a small portion in the microwave and then put Kraft Free FF cheese on top to melt. Yum!

Hello,

I do not eat any meat, only fish and shellfish, I do eat eggs that are organic and free range only, I have drank soy milk for the past 15 years - I am planning on eating carefully as well in regards to Protein, but I will work around it. Refried Beans (vegetarian for me) are a great idea. I also use a Protein powder that is unflavored and flavored to mix in for my Soups, yogurts, and such - Gold Standard is the name.

Good luck :eek:

doesn't rice have a lot of protein?

doesn't rice have a lot of Protein?

rice is considered a carb

Rice does have protein--eaten with Beans you get all the amino acids of a so-called "complete protein". It also has a fair amount of carbohydrate, but carbs are essential nutrition as well. A serving of rice and beans is a pretty good source of Protein.

To the OP, it's not hard at all to get protein within your current diet. Especially if you eat seafood, it's easy to just increase the seafood you eat each week. But also eggs (if you can tolerate them, some can't), tofu (I eat a lot of vegetarian patties, esp. the Quorn products and other "chicken" like patties that have high protein for relatively few calories), legumes, and some dairy products. I don't eat regular yogurt but Greek yogurt (fage) has a lot of protein in it because it's strained and condensed (and even the fat free is great). And if you eat chicken too, you shouldn't have any trouble with getting enough protein.

I consider myself a "fishatarian"--I've been a vegetarian for about 20 years, and started eating fish again about 4 years ago. I have had no trouble getting enough protein in every day. Good luck!

rice is considered a carb

um, ok so it's a carb, (duh)

But if you look at the nutrition info...it does have Protein.

My friend who is a vegetarian told me that. At first I was shocked, but when I looked for myself, I saw that she was right.:confused_smile:

Try some quinoa. It's pretty much a perfect food!

Quinoa was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, being secondary only to the potato, and followed in third place by maize. In contemporary times this crop has come to be highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its Protein content is very high (12%–18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete food. It is a good source of dietary Fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and Iron. Quinoa is gluten free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered as a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration manned spaceflights.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference">[5]</sup>

Quinoa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lentils are also a great source of protein.

Try some quinoa. It's pretty much a perfect food!

Quinoa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wow, I'm definitely gonna run out and buy that today!

How does it taste? :rolleyes2:

Wow, I'm definitely gonna run out and buy that today!

How does it taste? :rolleyes2:

It tastes good! Kind of a couscous consistency going on. Here are a few recipes, but you could google a lot more.

Quinoa Recipes: Healthy vegetarain recipes using nutrient-rich quinoa.

Legs

Edited May 22, 200818 yr by legster

It tastes good! Kind of a couscous consistency going on. Here are a few recipes, but you could google a lot more.

Quinoa Recipes: Healthy vegetarain recipes using nutrient-rich quinoa.

Legs

thanks so much! Do you know if they carry it in a regular supermarket like walbaums, or do you have to go somewhere like trader joe's or wild by nature?:confused2:

Quinoa...is wonderful. I have some great recipes using Quinoe if you want me to post them. Also, you might have the same problem with Quinoa that you would with rice...it getting stuck. If you don't have a problem with rice then you should have a problem with Quinoa. Let me know if you want the recipes.

Quinoa with Butternut Squash Gratin

• 1 20 oz. package peeled and diced butternut squash or a 1-1/2 lb. butternut squash peeled and diced
  
• 1 cup organic quinoa
  
• 2 cups Water
  
• 1 tsp. salt
  
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
  
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 2 Tbsp. shallots
  
• 1/2 cup egg substitute, such as Egg Beaters
  
• 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
  
• 1 slice Italian bread
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 2-quart baking or gratin dish with nonstick cooking spray.

If using pre-cut butternut squash, pierce the package a few times with a fork and microwave on high for 3-5 minutes until squash is soft and tender. If using a whole squash, peel and cube it, then put in a ziploc plastic bag and seal. Then pierce a few times with a fork and microwave as directed above.

Wash the quinoa in a fine sieve thoroughly (about 5 minutes) until water runs clear. This is very important, as quinoa has a bitter protective coating that can linger even after processing.

Transfer squash and quinoa to a large (2 or 3-quart) pot. Add water and salt to pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and the quinoa blooms into little spirals. Remove from heat and let rest.

Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat in a small frying pan. Add shallots and cook 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook a minute or two longer, being careful not to let garlic burn. Pour over quinoa and squash mixture, mixing thoroughly. Add egg substitute, 3/4 cup of the cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer to prepared baking or gratin dish. Pulse bread in a food processor or blender a few times until fine bread crumbs are formed. Sprinkle remaining cheese and bread crumbs over gratin. Drizzle remaining 1 Tbsp. of olive oil on top and bake for 35-45 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Serves 8.

Per serving: 224 calories, 10 g fat, 14 mg cholesterol, 394 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 3 g Fiber, 10 g Protein, 153% Vitamin A, 26% Vitamin C, 20% Calcium, 17% Iron

Quinoa Risotto

• 1 cup quinoa
  
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  
• 1 cup chopped onion
  
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 cup vegetable broth
  
• 1 cup skim milk
  
• 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
  
• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  

Rinse and drain quinoa three times, using a fine mesh strainer to remove the bitter outer coating.

Heat olive oil in a heavy saucepan or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until soft, stirring constantly. Add garlic and quinoa and continue stirring a minute or two. Stir in broth and milk.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until quinoa is tender, stirring occasionally, approximately 10-12 minutes.

Add mushrooms and cook another 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat. Add cheese and let stand a few minutes, so risotto can thicken.

Serves 6.

Per serving: 284 calories, 12 g fat, 21 mg cholesterol, 27 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 18 g Protein, 4% Vitamin A, 6% Vitamin C, 43% calcium, 18% Iron