Vegan low-carbing: where WILL I get my protein from?!

[LaContessaDiPlump]

Semi-serious title there's a limit to how much tofu I can stomach, so what are the best alternatives? I'm struggling slightly with breakfasts in particular, as am trying to be low carb/sugar AND low calorie AND vegan. I like a challenge!

Thanks

Just me then?

TBH low carbing and veganism isn't really compatible

Nuts? Nut butters? Vegan protein powder?

Does low carb include low veg usually? (Sorry, am a bit clueless on this stuff.) If it does, I'd say it's impossible while vegan. But for protein, other than tofu - lentils, beans etc? Or do they count as carbs too? Argh it's confusing!

I know it's impossible to do real low-carb, but am happy to make the best of a bad job! My main protein sources will contain a lot of carbs but some will be lower than others IYSWIM - I am being lazy and wanted to see if any of you had done this already and had some tips

When losing weight whilst veggie and doing low carb I relied on cheese, but I found nuts were one of the things that stalled me. I did have some success with smoothies made with soya isolate protein, but stopped using it when I found out how industrialised the extraction process was. If you can stomach the taste/texture, what about rice or pea protein powders?

Vegan cream? Vegan cheese? Vegan yoghurt? Nuts. Vegan meat replacements e.g. quorn have vegan chunks now.

The 'cheeses' I've come across all seem to rely heavily on coconut oil rather than protein, which does fit the spec I suppose but I'm not that keen on coconut oil! I do like nuts though, and have got a packet of what a vegan friend calls 'Fuck' (Linda McCartney's fake duck ) since he raves about it and uses it all the time.

I will look at protein powders too.....

Do beans/lentils/legumes count as low carb?

if you're vegan you generally need to have a combination of grain and legume/nuts etc so low carb is hard if you want to get all your amino acids and not survive on tofu etc.

That said, in the mornings I usually have a smoothie with fruit, soya milk, protein powder, ground flaxseeds and some chia seeds and that's me good til lunch. But I suppose fruit would have too much carb/sugar?

I think low carb is the work of the devil.

Nuts are a good option, every salad I have is bulked with seeds and nuts especially pumpkin seeds.

However I think low carb on a vegan diet will be hard - you would probably need to look at four - six meals a day so you don't go hungry.

It's hard.

Previously I was vegan, but I'm not any more, just vegetarian (long story & I do feel better when vegan, but can't 'get there' again right now).

I did well on BIWI's (low carb) boot camp, she's a STAR 🌸, I had a medical dx and I don't know how I'd have got through it without her, I honestly don't.

Unfortunately, for a vegetarian who doesn't eat eggs & hates cooking too, it's really, really hard. I've been off the wagon for a couple of years now and I've only just been able to face Greek yogurt again recently and I still can't face almonds.

Waitrose stock Taifun's basil infused tofu (in the fridge section, near the dips, olives, quorn 'ham' etc) which I really like. It's very firm and you use it as it is, cold, much as you'd use ham for example.

But getting enough protein & fat is difficult (butter, butter, more butter) and much more difficult for a vegan.

I lost 3 stone. Sadly it's all found its way home again.

Nothing else works for me though.

If you eat enough calories, you will get enough protein; it's in everything. Unless you eat nothing but celery and fruit.

I was low carb for a year (since turning vegan). Now trying nutritarian, which isn't that much different, but allows occasional grains.

I think Deliciously Ella is a Paleo Vegan therefore low carb (though ignore all her deserts, syrups and dates!). Not entirely sure but might be worth checking out...

The Linda Mcartney fake duck is really good, as is the Veggie Deli one. DD often makes a salad then tops it with stir fired fake duck in some hoi sin sauce.

Well today was quite good; for lunch I had a quarter of a pack of 'Fuck' plus 80g of broad beans and a bit of red pepper (it tasted better than it reads). 24g of protein! Admittedly DH had made daal a few days ago and so I had a cup of that in the evening.

I'm doing well on the low calorie front, it's just the low carb/high protein that's a challenge!

rosie "I was low carb for a year (since turning vegan)"

so what was your average day's food like?

I'm atm vegetarian and lower carb. I eat a lot of lentils and beans. Obviously they are higher carb than a regular LCHF diet, but it's still an improvement on chips, cake and bread

I don't like bean and lentils. I only recently realised why after reading about a MNer child with sensory processing issues - it's the texture. I have a feeling I might have some sensory issues - can't cope with noise and light and goodness knows what - but I never thought of it in context of food before.

I used to be the same with beans and lentils but have forced myself to eat them for health reasons since going vegan from vegetarian. I started by baking chick peas in the oven til they went all crispy - works as a fajita filling. I then kept blending them into hummus. That got me used to the taste and I found I liked it. Then I did the same with other beans. Took a few months but now I quite like them.

Still hate baked beans and kidney beans though - the most prevalent offenders of my childhood!

Spirulina is an algae with a high content of proteins and B12, omega 3 and omega 6.
It is the most disgusting thing to eat and I now take it in gelules (18 per day)

I sneak spirilina powder into a green smoothie, with enough fruits and dates you can't taste it. Also chia and hemp seeds are good for high-protein-small-volume value.

Tempah

Thank you, JustforthisFred

Op, I was just wondering how you're getting on with this? I'm really struggling with my weight ATM and have always had luck with low carb, but relied on meat and eggs. Would love to know if there is a vegan friendly way to do it.