13 Sneaky Ways to Get More Protein

First of all, I love this photo.  It illustrates what we vegans deal with all the time with questions from meat eaters about protein.  Funny.

As a body builder, I am always trying to find ways to make sure I’m eating as much protein as possible.  After all, protein provides the body’s building blocks for muscles.  Every now and then I am really proud of myself for figuring out a new way to ingest more protein.  Here are some of my favorites lately.

(1) When baking a cake or cookies, I add protein powder (Spirutein has some really delicious flavors) and some soy milk.  It requires a little extra baking time, but it’s definitely worth it to get extra protein when having a yummy treat!

I have also recently read that when you consume fat and protein together, you burn more of the fat in the digestion process since it takes more energy for the body to digest protein. So there’s another reason (besides the beautiful muscle tone you gain) to add protein to your treats—it also burns off some of the fat.  How cool is that?!!!

(2) Another great dessert choice is pudding made from silken tofu blended with Spirutein protein powder (chocolate is my favorite, but strawberry is also amazing).

(3) Substitute soy flour for ordinary flour when baking. (Just be aware that it has a different flavor and you will need to also add some Spirutein to compensate for the flavor.  My advice is to taste the batter while making something and see what it needs.  Soy flour has a bitter after taste on it’s own, but when you add chocolate or lemon flavors, it tastes great.)

(4) I make my own (or buy) hummus from white beans instead of garbanzo beans (white beans are much higher in protein). (California Pizza Kitchen has a good one on their appetizer menu . I also have a recipe I make all the time that includes kalamata olives, garlic, lemon juice and fresh basil, all pureed together.) And I eat it with high protein bread instead of ordinary pita bread.  Which reminds me…

(5) I make sure my bread is high in protein (read your labels).

(6) I make sure my cereal is high in protein (Optimum Slim is my favorite).

(7) I make sure my pasta is high in protein (Kamut Spirals are my favorite).

(8) I drink a glass of soy milk with my meals (a pint glass = 14 grams of protein).

(9) I eat a handful of walnuts or peanuts between meals.  I also throw walnuts on my oatmeal, in my baked goods, and in my salad (walnuts are also high in Omega 3 fatty acids, which helps speed recovery after workouts).

(10) I throw some quinoa in my salad (it’s easy–it cooks really fast and it adds a delicious texture).

(11) I throw some spinach in almost anything I cook (remember cooked spinach has more protein per ounce than any meat).

(12) I keep my freezer stocked with delicious, easy high protein seitan products (buffalo wings, steak, chik’n, etc).

(13) I keep Cliff’s Builder’s Bars stocked in my cabinet and grab one on my way out the door to run errands.  They taste like a delicious candy bar and have 20 grams of protein per bar!

Note: These are not low-calorie options for dieters.  These are high-protein options for active women who are real body builders looking to add muscle tone to their bodies.