Going Meatless for Dinner: 3 Delicious Protein Alternatives You Need in Your Rotation

You’ve all probably heard the slogan “Meatless Mondays” being tossed around, and with meatless Fridays during Lent, I thought now is the perfect time to talk about some protein alternative. Couple that with the fact that grocery store prices are increasing, and meat eats up a big chunk of the budget…..  But back to “Meatless Mondays”.  It was introduced during WW1 as a way to reduce consumption.  Then it was reintroduced in 2003 as a health initiative.  Monday was chosen since most people like to “restart” on Mondays.  As a dietitian, I often encourage my clients to incorporate more plant-based meals into their routine for the reasons above- money and health. Why go meatless?  There are numerous benefits to a more plant based diet.  And by plant based, I don’t mean vegan or vegetarian, just more plants!  Eat meat less frequently or small portions and you’ll save energy and add more plants to fill in the gaps- it’s a win/win!

So what exactly are the benefits of protein alternatives?

• Health
  • Reduces saturated fat intake, which can help lower cholesterol levels.
  • Supports digestion with fiber-rich foods, which also help with blood sugar control.
  • Research shows a more plant based diet reduced body weight.
  • Plus the variety of vitamins and minerals provided by plants help support your immune system, nervous system, and hormones.
• Saves Money
  • plant based proteins are typically cheaper than animal based proteins.
• Saves Resources
  • Helps the planet by lower emissions and water use.

If you’re wondering how to get enough protein without meat, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered! Here are three nutritious and delicious alternatives to meat and how to use them to make a meal.

1. Lentils

Why they’re great: Lentils are packed with protein, fiber, and iron. They’re also budget-friendly and cook quickly compared to other legumes.  

Protein:  1 cup of cooked lentils has 18 grams of protein.

Tips for cooking:  They’re pretty easy. Add 1 cup of lentils to a pot of water (about 3 cups of water is good, and make sure the pot is a decent size- the lentils double or triple in size, bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer.  Simmer for 17-20 minutes (if they’re whole, 5-7 minutes if they’re split lentils) until they’re tender, but not mushy.  Drain any excess water.  Alternatively, you can microwave for 5-10 minutes.  

Even easier is canned lentils.  Yup, you can find them already cooked.

How to use them in a meal:  Now that you have cooked lentils, you can use them anyway you want.  Sautee them with onions, tomatoes, black beans, and taco seasoning to make taco or burrito filling.  Add to pasta sauce to make a “meat” sauce.  Throw them on a salad or as a layer in a grain bowl.  Use them in stuffed peppers.

Recipe:  Lentil Sloppy Joes

2. Beans

Why They’re Great: Beans are high in protein and fiber, making them excellent for digestion and satiety.  They are also packed with folate for healthy cells, including red blood cells.

Protein:  1 cup of cooked beans (garbanzo beans, black beans, kidney beans) is about 15 grams of protein 

Tips for cooking:  If you’d like to cook them at home to save money (or control the salt/seasoning) the recommendation is to soak them overnight.  Then with fresh water covering them 2-3 inches, bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer.  Simmer for 45 minutes – 2 hours depending on the bean.  Soaking overnight won’t save you tons of time, but 15-30 minutes isn’t bad.

Typically people buy them canned, which is a great time saver.  Look for no salt added if possible.

How to use them in a meal:  Now that you have soft beans, use them anyway you want!  3 bean chili, or a black bean and sweet potato chili is very comforting in the winter.  In the summer they are my go to salad topper.  Add them to pasta- my favorite is white beans with pasta and broccoli.

Recipe:  Black Bean Burger (45 minute prep time).  Here’s a faster Black Bean Burger recipe (22 minutes).

3. Tofu

Why It’s Great: Tofu is a complete protein, meaning it contains all essential amino acids. It also absorbs flavors well, making it super versatile. 

Protein: 5 ounces will get you 15 grams of protein.

Tips for cooking: Tofu is pretty bland.  And the texture is eh, so you need to put a little effort into it, but that effort is worth it!  To make it have a good bite, like a crunchy outside and a soft inside you need to press it and then “fry” it.  To press it, you can just wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and put something really heavy on top, we use our super heavy dutch oven.  Let it sit there while you prep- like 30 minutes.  That’s the cheap/old school way.  The slightly better way (in terms of speed and actual water removed- since the more water you get out, the better the texture) is a tofu press.  This one is great (it is an affiliate link, you don’t need to buy this one, just showing you options:).  Once you press out all the liquid, you have 2 options to infuse flavor, marinate it after pressing and before cooking.  Or cook it and then add a sauce.  Cooking, you want to cut the tofu into strips or cubes and pan fry with a small bit of oil.  Another option that I like (since it’s more hands off) is tossing with some corn starch and then popping in the air fryer at 400℉ for 10 minutes.  Tofu can be eaten right out of the package, this is just to give it a little more excitement, aka flavor and texture.

How to use them in a meal: Think of it like chicken.  Use it in a stir fry.  Instead of orange chicken, make orange tofu.  You can actually skip everything I mentioned above and grate it into crumbles and use it like ground meat in…well…anything.  Since tofu is so plain to start, it works well in a lot of different foods!

Recipe: Instead of Marry Me Chicken, here is Marry Me Tofu.  Or how about General Tso’s Tofu Stir Fry!

So enjoy!  And be sure to follow along on Instagram and Facebook while I show some of these protein alternatives in action!

Stay Happy, Stay Healthy

This blog was written by Chris Henigan MS, RD, LDN, co-founder of Simple Start Nutrition.  For more blog posts and nutrition information follow @simplestartnutrition on Instagram and Facebook.  Also feel free to contact us, by visiting our website (simplestartnutrition.com) to schedule an appointment to discuss your nutrition related needs.