I Am Protein
And Pro-Teen.
He’s dreamy. And in third grade.
Thanks for everyone’s supportive comments on the new road I’m heading down. Very few of you voted for a one liner about potty training and a vegan cookie recipe, though you’ll probably get that tomorrow anyway, so put on your plastic pants and preheat your oven. As for how this will play out blog-wise, I may return to the food diary format on some days and on others just have a recipe post. Some may be BFL friendly and some will be Gigi and Lulu friendly. I’ll definitely keep you up-to-date on my progress. Thanks to Pea Daddy’s mad photography skills on the beaches of Kona, I’ve got some great “Before” shots. The joker that he is was actually building a Shutterfly scrapbook and included the least flattering bikini shot I have ever seen to be memorialized for all of time. Not cool. Justin Beiber would never do that to his grandma me.
For today’s post, though, I thought I’d show you how I’ve managed to get my protein in the past few days and eat vegan BFL-approved meals. Yesterday was a weights day, so after a cup of coffee, I spent 45 minutes with my bench and dumbbells. The general consensus among sports nutrition experts is that after lifting hard, for maximum muscle repair and growth, you should consume protein replacement with some simple carbs within 30-45 minutes of your workout, so I did just that, having a protein shake around 9 a.m.
Meal #1:
- 1 c. unsweetened almond milk
- 1 full scoop vanilla Spirutein (pea/rice/soy blend protein powder)
- 4 large frozen strawberries
- 1/4 c. frozen pineapple
- 1/4 c. orange juice
- 2 handfuls of spinach
- ice
To tell you how tasty it was, there was a little leftover in the bottom of the blender, which Gigi happily sucked down like she was a Survivor contestant eating a hot dog.
When lunch rolled around, I utilized some organic tofu that I’d picked up at Trader Joe’s.
Few things in my life are ever “ready” (“…for bed,” “…to leave for school,” “…to say your sorry for pretending your hummus was face cream), so “ready to eat” is right up my alley. I chopped up a 1/4 of the package and put it on a responsibly sized salad.
Meal #2:
- spinach
- broccoli
- carrots
- 1 -2 oz. tofu
- 6 almonds
- 1/2 of an Ezekiel sprouted grain tortilla
- Nutritional yeast dressing (1 1/2 /T. nutritional yeast, 1 T. Bragg’s amino acids, squeeze of lemon juice, water)
I’d like to introduce you one of my vegan protein powerhouses:
Really, how much protein can yeast have?
Wha-bamm! Eight grams of protein in my salad dressing?! Plus, it has more vitamin B 12 than most multivitamins. I’ll give you that the taste takes a little getting used to (it’s kind of a sharp, nutty flavor), but I’m there.
I’ve immediately notice how satiated I am after a lunch that incorporates protein and whole grains. In fact, while I generally go back for a cup of tea, some carrots, some more broccoli, I am completely full and happy after this meal.
At least somebody was happy.
Sissy took the marker she wanted when we were making get well cards for my mom. She had rotator cuff surgery Thursday morning and she is now hanging out with my old friend Vike. I seem to remember writing some inspired posts, maybe a guest post is in order?
After our cards were done, we put some cookies in the oven and had a snack.
Meal #3:
- ~ 1 c. Kashi Go Lean
- 6 chopped almonds
- 2 T. raisins
Alas, BFL doesn’t encourage sampling Earth Balance and coconut laden vegan cookies, so those will have to wait for Free Day (which I will probably do, but in a very moderate way).
Meal #4
Dinner also took advantage of alternative protein sources and the fact that anyone will eat pizza for dinner no matter what.
- 1/2 an Ezekiel sprouted grain tortilla
- ~2 T. organic tomato basil marinara
- Mae’s pizza cheese (1 T. hummus stirred with 1 1/2 T. nutritional yeast, splash of lemon juice and water to thin)
- broccoli
- fresh basil
I ate it with a salad, dressed with lemon juice, sea salt and stevia, as well as a few chopped almonds. 
After dinner, the best dad in the world did a little reading with the local petting zoo. 
Once the animals were sedated for the night, Pea Daddy and I settled in for a little TV, including what is quickly becoming my new favorite show, Parks & Rec.
Dare I say it is funnier than The Office and 30 Rock? Yes, I dare. Of course, I needed a snack.
Meal #5
- 1/2 pkg. silken tofu (I froze this for about an hour or two)
- 1/2 scoop Jay Robb brown rice chocolate protein powder
- 2 T. cocoa powder
- stevia
- 1/2 c. almond milk
- 1/2 t. xanthan gum
- chopped almonds
While the silken tofu made this a little chalkier than my usual protein ice cream, it also boosted the protein content. I went to bed with a full stomach. Macro speaking, I ended up with ~109 grams of protein and a 42/26/32 macro nutrient breakdown, not textbook BFL by any means, but definitely a step in the right direction. As I progress, I plan to try to become less dependent on soy protein (I’m using what I have before I buy anything else) and I’d like my day to most likely include one more meal.
And more Justin Bieber.
Yeah, Spirutein! ‘Tis the shizz.
I had no idea nooch had so much protein–good to know for future ref!
Oh God, Justin Beiber, So much to say there I won’t.
Nutritional yeast is a little nutritional power house! I’m glad I get it from bulk because I go through it like crazy.
Aww, maybe you can make a high-protein earth balance laden cookie recipe?
Uh oh…you’ve had premature post-ulation. There’s a pill for that. Speaking of which, thanks for giving me the great idea for Vike and Ike’s – I’m gonna be a millionaire!
Actually, I think you were wise turning this into a cliff-hanger, two-parter!
I’ve gotta suck it up and just buy some nooch. I’ve never really had it…
I love that you are wasting no time getting on the protein track and that once you make up your mind to do something, you’re all over it…me too
I did a recent post on nooch, too, and loved putting up my huge can of nooch stats with all the protein, makes me feel so cheezy good to know that!
I’ve never seen the nutritional facts for nooch before– interesting! I actually really like the taste of it. I make a “cream” sauce with it + cottage cheese on my blog (but obviously not vegan). It’s really good!
Happy weekend, Mama Pea!
It is so great to see your protein ideas so I can steal some of them. Soy is out for me (allergy) but I really need to try this nutritional yeast stuff. I just need to get past the name of it!
i should totally try nutritional yeast…i had it once but it was too much/strong for me!
I had no idea nutritional yeast had so much protein! wow. I’m definitely going to try out your salad dressing
wow I loved loved loved this post. So useful. I think I may use that as a meal plan one day this week. I would love to see more of the nutrition info if you calculate it.
Kelly, I’m calculating calories on The Daily Plate for now, so I can post that information if it’s helpful.
FINALLY!! I was JUST looking into BFL but had trouble trying to figure out ideas for meatless meals while doing it… Can’t wait to read all about this!! : )
Hey, I’m right there with you with wanting to include more protein into a vegan diet. I, too, would like to put on mass. Do you know about Sun Warrior Rice Protein Powder? I shun soy (and dairy), so it’s awesome. I use the plain one and mix it into oatmeal. They make vanilla and chocolate (stevia-sweetened), but I haven’t tried those. http://sunwarrior.com – let me know what you think.
Sara, I need to get my hands on a sample of this (I emailed the manufacturer a few months ago, but never heard back). I’d like to try it before hocking my wedding set for a tub.
i want your meal #5 right now. and meal #2. and ill take meal #1 as a side……and the pizza. IT ALL LOOKS GOOD. And you know what I’m guna say………TOFU YAYOOOOOOOOOOOOO. I also need to get Jay Roberto back in my life ASAP.
Justin Beiber- One Less Lonely Girl. Amazing. watch the video. It will touch your heart. HE has a gold heart. so sweet. precious. pro teen! andddddddd SCENE.
im signing off before i say something embarrassing………uhhhh
I need to take a page out of your book, and give the ‘gums’ a try. You certainly make yummy looking stuff with them!
I need to give nooch another try. I will get some the next time I go to the store. Your eats look delicious. I have to agree with you that Parks and Recs and definitely getting there. The Office has become a bit more awkward that it is funny.
PS. I hope that’s the face that Lulu gives the first guy who says to her “Why don’t I just bring over a six pack, and we’ll watch a movie.”
I wish it’d been mine.
I love nutritional yeast and the fact that it is a little b-vitamin whore… I probably eat close to three servings a day, i bet! I never measure my protein intake, but it would be interesting to see one day i guess. Pea protein is by far one of my favorite sources, and Jay Robb brown rice is a staple after a strength training session or a stair workout. Heads up (you may already know this) — Mung Beans boast 10g per 1/4 serving of the sprouted version i have reviewed on my blog, and they are incredibly tasty added to salads, steamed veggies, veggie-pizzas! Amy’s just came out with a new low-sodium California burger as well, i don’t eat them too often, but thought it was a pretty cool gluten-free protein source for the BBQ and the Summer months! I love the fact that you have no motivation problem for injecting some protein back into your diet! I know you will get whatever results you are looking for, even if it means just feeling more comfortable with life
I have a bag of those mung beans in my pantry. I’ve got to rummage them out!
Question: As a fellow v*g I’m curious. Do you ever eat beans? Maybe you know something I don’t but they are full of protein. Or maybe you just don’t tell us about the beans, lol…..I know you did have hummus in the past. I also know you don’t post everything you eat. Just curious..What’s your take on beans and do you ever eat them? If so how often?
I DO eat beans sometimes, usually via hummus almost daily and chickpeas 1-2 times a week. I didn’t eat any beans (unless you count the hummus) this day, though I do envision having them at times on my new plan. The only issue I take with beans is that they are not a pure protein source and have a lot more carbohydrates than say tofu.
I had no idea that nutritional yeast had that much protein – that’s awesome! Oddly enough I enjoy the flavor, but when I bought mine from Whole Foods they only seemed to have it in the “bins” so I didn’t remember the nutritional info.
This was such a great post! I loved seeing how you were able to incorporate that much protein into your day.
There’s nothing like a protein-packed day to keep the tummy full and satisfied – although Lulu doesn’t look too impressed.
…and there are still people who ask us veggies where we get the protein from. silly!
That’s one yummy looking pizza!!!!
Hey Mama Pea!
Love your blog. Love your outlook on life.
Having said that, I am a bit concerned about the lack of healthy fats in your meal plan. I see that over all, you have had 12 almonds and 1T of amino acids as your fat source from the whole day. Our bodies need healthy fats in order to feel satiated and also (as you know), healthy fats are ESSENTIAL for muscle repair.
What do you think about this?
Heather, thanks for all the nice comments first. While I LOVE almonds and could eat them by the handful, I am surprised at how quickly the fat grams add up during the day. For this day in question, I still wound up with 64 grams of fat for the day, which is right in line with the RDA for me (not that I care about that necessarily). I also actually had about 30 almonds between the salads, snack and dessert. Other sources of fat for the day were the almond milk, silken tofu, tofu on my salad and hummus. It adds up quickly, even when you aren’t eating spoonfuls of nut butter (which I am…like on my oatbran yesterday morning) or olive oil. I totally agree with your standpoint, though, and I appreciate you bringing this to my attention!
momma pea- been reading for awhile now, never commented. saw your post yesterday about the book and went out and bought it immediately!! so excited to start living this way… ( i some what do eat healthy but cheat more then i should, and def dont get in 6 mini meals a day) i would love to see what your eating day to day as much as possible to get new ideas for meat free meals!! love what you are doing and best of luck!!!
I’m so glad, Emily! I am having fun planning the meals and may just do another food post for my next one as well.
i just bought nutritional yeast the other day! it is pretty good! i kind of overlooked the protein part of it though.. and went straight for the B12 lol cool!!! i should be sprinkling it on everything i guess!
love the idea for pizza “cheese” im definitely getting some hummas tonight and trying that out!!
I can’t wait to read how this goes. I typically eat 3 larger meals and 2 snacks – and I’ve wanted to move into a 4 – 5 meal balanced meal plan. Are you planning a head for your meals or just going with what you have available? Post-marathon I’m a bit worried about eating too much without as much training.
Kristina, I wouldn’t be worried about eating too much (as far as frequently) without your training. Even though I’m not training for a marathon, I am doing high intensity workouts. I’d just focus on portion sizes, if I were you. My general plan for meals is to keep things on hand for breakfasts and lunches (smoothie ingredients, oatmeal, oatbran, protein powder, salad ingredients, wraps, veggies, tofu) and then to specifically plan dinners for the week for the whole family, and modify them as need be for my nutritional needs.
Is that third grader wearing lipstick?
Don’t think of volume; think of quality. I know it’s so discouraging to eat a lot and be hungry frequently, but we all face this issue and you’re healthier eating more!
Good in = good out
Katherine
whataboutsummer.wordpress.com
You’re definitely getting in your protein. Pizza looked delicious, as always.
I’ve only see 1 episode of Parks and Rec, but didn’t like it. Hmm, perhaps I shall give it another chance.
Hi, I just read all your entries on this blog, and I think you are one of the most talented humor writers out there. I was wondering where I can read your old blog?
Hi Laura! Thank you so much, I’m beyond flattered. Unfortunately, I only have access to my old blog archives and I’m not sure I could republish it if I wanted to, but I post almost every day here, so at least I’ll keep it coming for you!
Along with some days of the food diary type posts, would you be willing to share some of the deets of your workouts? I’d love to get some workout plans/ideas to get me motivated.
Absolutely! If you go to this link, it’s the BFL workout page and if you click on Weight Training and Cardio, it will detail for you the workouts. But I’d be happy to cover how I’m switching it up!
Hi there! I would love it if you did a post on all the reasons you became a vegan. Also, from your own personal research, how many soy products per day do you think kids can have? I would love for my fmaily to go vegetarian, but I get such conflicting information on this topic. Thanks for your help! Keep up with the great blog!!
I totally agree on Parks and Rec, it’s becoming my fav too!! I’m starting to like nutritional yeast, I mean those stats are pretty amazing.
Thank you! I was really clueless as to how to start eating more protein without just piling on the greek yogurt (which I go through phases of liking and being disgusted by?).
For meal #3 was the Kashi the protein and the raisins the carb? I know it has a lot of protein, just curious.
I may follow up with more questions, but I am totally loving this!
ohhhh mama pea…i love this vegan BFL thing. i can’t wait to see how it progresses. i can only hope justin will become a regular part of the fun
Jay Robb’s brown rice protein? I love it! It’s so tasty in green smoothies. I’ll admit I’ve never had it alone though. It looks delicious in the protein rocky road ice cream. (Well it looks like rocky road to me!)
Bieber fever is here to stay. Beiber?
I love The Office but keep hearing that Parks and Rec is better. Gonna have to check it out!
I love Parks and Rec!! Totally filled my Office void