Really struggling to get protein, help please?

[user1465023742]

Really desperate for some help about my food. I'm having a problem getting enough protein. Protein is the only thing that fills me up properly but I have a very limited budget as I'm on disability benefits and I just can't afford to eat meat or fish every day. I can't eat cheese because I have migraines. Quorn is out because I'm allergic to mushrooms, I can't have eggs because I'm allergic to the white so things like omlettes and scrambled eggs are out. That leaves lentils, which I do like, but the only way I know how to make them is in things like bolognese which i can't have because I'm allergic to tomatoes.

I'm really really struggling and surviving on carbs, which are just making me fatter and fatter and I'm constantly hungry because carbs leave me starving after 2 hours. What can I do?

I've tried the overnight oats thing before. I used to make it with oats, cinnamon, yoghurt, a splash of milk and some seeds of some description (i forget which). It's really nice, but again, it just doesn't keep me full. And for an omlette I'd have to use so many yolks to make it enough food that a) it would be too expensive and b) it would be too fattening.

I find chopping meat rather than serving a whole thigh say, goes further. Whole grain pasta and brown rice is filling for longer. Tbh it sounds as if you might have an issue with portion size.

How about tinned fish? Tinned mackerel in oil is pretty cheap and could have it on a baked sweet potato or with salad?

Just had a look on the tesco website and mackerel comes in brine too if you didn't want the oil - 66p for a tin. Would that be too fishy (ifkwim!) for breakfast?

Sorry having troube keeping up.

What diet/restrictions are you choosing or having to live with?

Hi Blanche - Sorry I thought I'd put them in the first post.There are so many that I tend to forget.

I can't have:

Eggs
Cheese
Tomatoes
Nuts
Avocados
Mushrooms or anythning mushroom based like quorn
Bananas

The only healthy things i knew how to cook were things with tomato bases and whatnot but since that restriction I cant have them any more and I'm totally stumped.

BIWI thanks for that. When it says "season well "- what does that actually mean? I know it means salt and pepper but I've never known how much to put in, and I'm scared to add salt because I have high blood pressure so everything is so bland. What herbs would I use with lentils? I just dont know.

I dont have any issue with portion size thanks LIZS, I have an issue with the percentage of protein/carbs needed to fill me up but thanks for making me feel like a fat cow. My portion sizes are fine. I just can't affod enough protein to fill me up

I do have hummus on toast for breakfast sometimes. Cereal without added nuts and seeds doesn't satisfy my appetite either.

I've never tried it Why but it might be worth a look thank you. is that the one with lots of bones in it though? I know smoked mackerel is a problem because of migraine triggers again (i can't have those nice ones in the vaccum pack because they've got sulfites in them and it triggers me) but maybe the tinned is different. Smoked food in general is an issue

'Season well' just means to add enough salt and pepper to your own taste.

You should also be considering making your meals high fat as well as protein-based, as that will fill you up. (Just make sure you keep your carbs low, though)

I think it's the tinned salmon with bones in (those grim round ones? Urgh!) I've never found tinned mackerel to be bony, hopefully it won't be a migraine trigger as they are really filling. They do tinned sardines too but I've never tried them, might be worth a try if it turns out to be mackerel itself which is a trigger.

Black beans are high in protein and this recipe is delicious - aubergine tahini

There are often deals on tinned tuna which I like on a baked sweet potato with Spring onions. Would that be ok?

Ooh that reminds me refried beans might be a good breakfast option - let me hunt out a recipe

High fat would be really bad if i'm trying to lose weight though. I know it'll fill me up but then i wont lose weight. I need to do both. the only way ive found of doing that is having enough protein to fill me up so that i dont need as many carbs hence my problem

I'll look at the tinned mackerel, i think the sardines are in a tomato sauce though.

Beans and lentils are your friend

Black beans are easy to digest and can be Cooked in the liquid they come in

-Black bean quesadillas are good. Can make for breakfast, lunch or dinner

• mixed bean casserole

• chickpea curry with lentil dhal

• houmous or other bean dips with raw veg

Most casseroles/ curry/ dhal/ soups you can make and freeze extra, or just make enough for a few meals and keep in fridge and eat the same thing for dinner a couple of days

Fish is also cheap if you buy certain fish. For example cod can be expensive, but pollack tastes virtually the Same and is half the price.

Meats get the cheaper cuts like stewing meats and cook for hours to make tender. Make a batch and freeze into portions

Bbc good food has good recipe ideas

Sardines come in water, oil or tomato sauce. 40p in Waitrose

Adapted from the bbc website - Heat the some sunflower oil in a large frying pan and cook one chopped onion and one clove of chopped garlic for 2 mins. Add a teaspoon of groun cumin and cook for 1 min more. Tip in one drained can of pinto or kidney beans, 2 tsp of paprika and a splash of water. Using a potato masher, break the beans down as they warm through to make a rough purée. Season generously with salt and pepper. If you like chilli you could add some.

Not sure about the protein content, but liver is cheap.

Ah ha! Not too restrictive then! Eggs, cheese and tomatoes are the main problems...

If you like curry then look for North Indian recipes... they don't have as much tomato and are high in protein and use beans and lentils a lot. So you would get the hang of spicing etc.

www.pulsecanada.com/food-health/recipes/

I was looking for recipes for us and this one seems to have stuck... and a couple of Rose Elliots books - she's veggie, we mix and match her recipes with meat.

Couscous

Do you mean quinoa? Couscous is just wheat.

Make curry with coconut milk instead of tomatoes.

Much more filling.

Aldi do big bags of frozen fish which are cheap. Cuts of meat like pork belly are cheaper and very filling. If you like liver, that's a really cheap source of protein - nice fried with bacon and onions.

High fat, medium protein and low carb will not make you fat! It will actually help you to lose weight.

I made veg chili with received beans last night. You could do that and leave out the tomatoes.

Google 'www.rachaelray.com/recipes/veg-head-three-bean-chili'

Are you expecting to be full until lunchtime and then until dinner? Might you be better planning in healthy snack mid morning/afternoon? Crudités and hummus? Fruit? What time are you eating in the evening? I was advised to avoid carbs late on as too short a time to burn it off before bed.