It’s the biggest myth about the vegan diet—that vegan protein simply doesn’t exist in the same volume as animal protein. But, nothing could be further from the truth.

What’s more, the myth about “complementary proteins” has been retracted by Francis Moore Lappé, who is believed to be the person who started the rumor in the book “Diet for a Small Planet.”

In other words, protein is protein. If you’re eating a well-rounded diet full of vegan protein sources, you shouldn’t be lacking or need any specific combinations for optimal health. And you don’t need to fill your diet with mock meats and other factory-made proteins, either. Pure, whole foods do the trick.

99 Sources of Vegan Protein

Need a little more convincing that the plant world is full of protein? Here are 99 sources of vegan protein (and protein count per serving size) that do a body good.

1. Black beans = 39 grams
2. Chickpeas = 39 grams
3. Kidney beans = 43 grams
4. Lima beans = 15 grams
5. Green beans  = 1.8 grams
6. Lupine beans = 65 grams
7. Pinto beans = 41 grams
8. Green lentils = 18 grams
9. Red lentils = 18 grams
10. Black lentils = 18 grams
11. Split peas = 48 grams
12. Mung beans = 49 grams
13. Fava beans = 10 grams
14. Cannellini beans = 6 grams
15. Soybeans = 68 grams
16. Great Northern beans = 19 grams
17. Gigante beans = 10 grams
18. Red beans = 39 grams
19. Black-eyed peas = 13 grams
20. Snap peas = 2 grams
21. Scarlet runner beans = 26 grams
22. Flageolet Beans = 7 grams
23. Cranberry beans = 45 grams
24. Pigeon peas (contain no pigeons!) = 44 grams
25. Almonds = 20 grams
26. Brazil nuts = 19 grams
27. Cashews = 5 grams
28. Macadamia nuts = 11 grams
29. Peanuts = 38 grams
30. Hazelnuts = 20 grams
31. Walnuts = 12 grams
32. Pecans = 9 grams
33. Pistachios = 25 grams
34. Chestnuts = 0.6 grams
35. Pine nuts = 18 grams
36. Coconut = 13 grams
37. Hemp seeds = 10 grams
38. Chia seeds = 4.7 grams
39. Flax seeds = 1.9 grams
40. Sunflower seeds = 29 grams
41. Pumpkin seeds = 12 grams
42. Sesame seeds 1.6 grams
43. Poppy seeds = 1.6 grams
44. Quinoa = 8 grams
45. Brown rice = 5 grams
46. Barley = 23 grams
47. Rye = 17 grams
48. Wheat = 26 grams
49. Spelt = 25 grams
50. Buckwheat = 23 grams
51. Millet = 22 grams
52. Teff = 10 grams
53. Amaranth = 9 grams
54. Farro = 7 grams
55. Oats = 26 grams
56. Miso paste = 3 grams
57. Soy sauce = 1.3 grams
58. Tempeh = 31 grams
59. Tofu = 10 grams
60. Avocado = 2.9 grams
61. Asparagus = 0.4 grams
62. Cauliflower = 11 grams
63. Broccoli = 4.2 grams
64. Brussels sprouts = 3 grams
65. Artichokes = 4.2 grams
66. Watercress = 0.8 grams
67. Corn = 16 grams
68. Sweet peas = 8 grams
69. Sprouts = 0.1 grams
70. Grape leaves = 0.8 grams
71. Sundried tomatoes = 6 grams
72. Spinach = 0.9 grams
73. Portobello mushrooms = 0.6 grams
74. White mushrooms = 0.6 grams
75. Shiitake mushrooms = 0.4 grams
76. Rapine = 3 grams
77. Chard = 0.6 grams
78. Kale = 2.9 grams
79. Collards = 5 grams
80. Parsley = 0.1 grams
81. Sauerkraut = 1.3 grams
82. Onions = 1.2 grams
83. Beets = 2.2 grams
84. Maca root = 4 grams
85. Chocolate (yes it does!) = 1.4 grams
86. Dried apricots = 4.4 grams
87. Prunes = 3.8 grams
88. Dates = 3.6 grams
89. Cherimoya = 3.7 grams
90. Jackfruit = 2.8 grams
91. Mulberries = 0.2 grams
92. Blackberries = 2 grams
93. Raisins = 1.3 grams
94. Figs= 1 gram
95. Passion fruit = 0.4 grams
96. Currants = 6 grams
97. Dulse = 2 grams
98. Spirulina = 4 grams
99. Nutritional yeast = 4.9 grams

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Related on EcoSalon

7 Must-Have Vegan Kitchen Pantry Staples
21 Things to Do with Cauliflower (aka the New Kale)
Vegan Gingerbread Cookies Recipe: All of the Flavor, None of the Guilt

Image: Mr. T in DC

The post These 99 Sources of Vegan Protein are Way More Versatile Than Meat appeared first on EcoSalon.

Cake for breakfast? Of course.

It’s a shame that so many cake recipes call for eggs, cream, and loads of sugar, when the same texture – fluffy, moist, flaky, and rich – can be matched sans the heavy ingredients and dangerous boost in blood sugar levels. Sure, there’s room for those kinds of desserts too, but if you’re anything like me and need dessert everyday – that is, require for basal human function –  then it helps to have an arsenal of silhouette-forgiving, vegan dessert recipes on hand.

This vanilla cake recipe is a simple, foundational recipe that can be altered according to your tastes. Like chocolate? Add cocoa powder. Like more texture? Add dried fruit and nuts. Like things bigger? Buy more pans for layering. But what I’ve written here is a mild, flaky cake that is a lot like a soft, light, and slightly sweet bread to be complemented with tea, coffee or almond milk.

I added a personal touch to the cake by baking it over pineapple slices, which add moisture and make for a great presentation. I chose pineapple for its taste, but the diamond-under-the-rough fruit is also packed with immune-boosting vitamin C, promotes healthy gums and teeth, sharpens vision, improves digestion, and alleviates arthritis symptoms.

Pineapple also contains the enzyme bromelain, which helps to break down protein. This knowledge comes in handy after you’ve eaten a hefty meal – chewing on a bit of pineapple can help to make room for dessert, because foregoing dessert is seldom an option. And lucky for you, this recipe cuts to the chase and adorns the top of a vanilla cake with brown-sugar glazed pineapple slices, so you make more room for dessert whilst eating dessert. Pure logic, my friends.

Note: If you want a caramelized effect, use a metal spring-form pan and the brown sugar is a must, since it helps to caramelize the pineapples. I personally like my pineapples to tenderize without becoming too sweet, since I treat this dish more as a “S’pose-I’ll –just-have-this-here-cake-for-breakfast-since-it’s-so-clean-and-healthy” item than a dessert item. For this reason, I use a glass pan and sometimes forego the brown sugar. When I do want the cake for dessert, I warm it up and drizzle with honey for that extra sweetness.

Pineapple Bread Cake

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons vegan butter + 1/2 tablespoon for coating baking dish
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup almond milk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat the bottom and sides of baking dish with 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Sprinkle brown sugar on top, evenly across the area of the dish. Skin a pineapple and cut along its width as thin as possible, making 4-6 discs. Place pineapple on the bottom of the baking dish.

In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Using your hands, cut the vegan butter (I like to use Earth Balance) into the dry mixture, using your fingers to create a meal-like texture.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients, except for the almond milk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until pasty. Add the almond milk a little at a time until the mixture reaches a thick, but easily spreadable texture.

Carefully spread batter over the pineapple slices in the glass baking dish.

Bake in the oven for approximately 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

After you remove the cake from the oven, loosen the edges with a knife and let cool down. When cool enough to handle with your bare hands, use a cutting board to help flip the dish over so that the pineapples are exposed.

The result is a light but comforting bread-like cake that has just the right touch of pineapple to keep things interesting. Cut a piece and serve warm with almond milk for dipping or enjoy aside a morning coffee.

Enjoy!

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

The post Recipe: Vegan Pineapple Vanilla Bread Cake appeared first on EcoSalon.

A colorful salad you make in a bowl, not in the sink.

Some call this the kitchen sink salad; I call it the perfect salad. It is fail proof and fails to bore, even if you have it everyday! Packed with nutrition and flavor and with enough substance to keep you full for hours, this recipe is a great way to get the most from produce rounding its last leg in the fridge.

You could virtually use anything on hand, as long as you satisfy each of the four elements – vegetable, green, grain/legume, and fat. I added grated beets, carrots and zucchini as the vegetable, chopped kale as the green, cooked lentils as the legume, and avocado and an olive oil vinaigrette as the fat. Regardless of the nature of the components you choose, the result is the same: a colorful salad with a bite!

I tend to use lentils in my version of the kitchen sink salad for a reason. They’re not only made up of energy boosting carbs, but also are full of protein, which is especially important when salads are a daily diet mainstay.

Lentils are an excellent source of soluble and insoluble fiber and effective in helping to prevent digestive and cardiovascular disorders. They also contribute to lowering cholesterol and maintaining blood sugar levels. Low on the glycemic index, lentils release their sugars slowly, keeping you fuller and more balanced for longer.

Kitchen Sink Salad

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

• 1 cup green lentils
• 6 kale leaves
• 1/2 cup grated carrots
• 1/2 cup grated zucchini
• 1/4 cup grated beet
• 1/4 cup chopped avocado
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

In a medium-sized pot, add 2 cups of water to 1 cup of green lentils. Cover with a lid. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes or until the lentils have absorbed all the water. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Stem and chop the kale leaves, grate the carrots, zucchini and beet, and slice the avocado.

Add the vegetables, kale and avocado to the cooled lentils in a medium sized bowl.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the olive oil, lemon, and salt and pepper. Fold the dressing into the salad and give the entire mixture a good toss so that all the ingredients are spread evenly.

Serve and enjoy!

Bon Appetit!

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

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A healthier alternative to your weekly hamburger patty.

Somewhere in between burgers and falafel you get quinoa cakes. The benefits? These ones are gluten-free, vegan and packed with protein, but you’d never guess it. Serve instead of a veggie burger, or throw on top of a salad and drizzle with tahini.

Whatever you do, you should probably make a double batch.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 cup finely chopped kale
• 1/2 cup Cannellini or Great Northern beans
• 1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts
• 3 cloves of pressed garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons buckwheat flour
• Oil for frying

Directions

• Combine 1 cup water, a dash of salt and quinoa in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook until water has boiled off, about 15 minutes.
• In a food processor, combine kale, beans, hazelnuts, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix until a pureed consistency and pour into a separate bowl.
• Add in cooked quinoa and buckwheat flour and mix together until well-blended.
• Place bowl in refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes. Note: you don’t have to do this, but when the mixture is colder it is easier to form into patties. If you want to fry them up directly, make them a little smaller.
• Form mixture into patties and fry for 2-4 minutes on each side, until they are crisp.

Yields about 6 medium sized cakes depending on the size you make them.

Every month on Sunday Recipe, we bring you a new theme of recipes, perfect for whipping up on a Sunday. For March it’s all about revamping classics into healthier versions. Enjoy!

The post Sunday Recipe: Kale and Hazelnut Quinoa Cakes appeared first on EcoSalon.

The topic of soy can create a big debate among healthy folks, and the viewpoints can be extreme. Who knew a humble green bean could be so controversial? Some tout soy products as a panacea for health and wellness, while others swear that soy is a sure ticket to infertility and “man boobs”. What are the facts?

Aren’t Asian cultures particularly healthy because of consumption of soy?

Asians don’t actually eat as much soy as we think – only about 10-36 grams per day. In contrast, a cup of tofu or soy milk contains over 200 grams of soy. Besides, the most common soy foods in Asia are fermented products such as tempeh, miso and shoyu (soy sauce), while most Westerners eat unfermented, highly processed versions of soy. Unfermented soy contains enzyme inhibitors that block protein digestion (among other things we’ll get to below).

Isn’t soy healthy because it’s a natural plant product?

Most soy foods are highly processed and bear very little resemblance to the natural soybean (think soy hotdogs or TVP – textured vegetable protein). Just because something is touted as a “health” food, doesn’t really make it healthy. Whole foods are always the best way to get your food nutrition – the more processed a food is, the less natural and ultimately less healthy it is.

What’s so wrong with soy hotdogs and TVP anyway? Aren’t they good, protein-rich, meat substitutes?

Soy is more filler than food. For many years, the protein left over from the extraction of soy oil was sold to farms as animal feed. After some time, the food industry figured out how to make this highly processed soy protein palatable to the human tongue and began to aggressively market it in foods like soy dogs, soy meat substitutes and the like. Sure, there’s protein, but it also takes quite a bit of sugar, salt or MSG to make soy protein actually taste good. The healthiest foods are whole foods, not processed ones.

How will a diet heavy in soy impact my health?

Unfermented soy can inhibit protein absorption, cause flatulence and increase the chance of developing kidney stones. The processing of soy may remove some of these problems. Soy also inhibits growth. Even within the animal feed industry, the amount of soy protein that can be fed to animals has to be limited or the animals themselves will suffer problems with growth and fertility.

What’s up with genetically modified soy?

Most soy grown in the world is genetically modified (GM) – with 87% of American soy being GM. And what’s the big deal about that? Not a lot of research has been done on the effects of GM foods, but one particular study on rats showed that unborn babies and young infants were particularly harmed by the effects of genetically modified soy.

But aren’t a lot of infants fed soy-based formulas?

Soy infant formula, a common alternative to cow’s milk for lactose-intolerant babies, contains endocrine disruptors and phytoestrogens, plant hormones which have been shown to cause premature puberty in young girls and delayed puberty in adolescent boys. It’s a bit like giving a baby birth control pills. Soy infant formula also contributes to soy allergies. (Breast milk is undoubtedly the best food for babies, and if that’s not an option, goat’s milk is the next best thing to try.)

Speaking of allergies…

Soy is among the 8 most common food allergens, with reactions being particularly common among children.

Would this have anything to do with pesticides?

That remains uncertain. However, unless you buy strictly organic, you can bet your soy products are heavily contaminated with pesticides. As a matter of fact, soy is the most contaminated crop we grow in the United States. And don’t forget, non-organic soy is almost certainly genetically modified as well.

How has the demand for soy affected the Amazon rainforest?

The huge global demand for soy (for use in processed foods, animal feed and biofuels) is eating up the rainforest, because farmers have been financially motivated to clear more rainforest land in order to plant this export crop. More deforestation, more global warming.

But still, aren’t soy farms providing jobs?

Actually, for many, soy farming is less like employment and more like slavery. Although slavery was officially outlawed in Brazil over 130 years ago, debt bondage for over 25,000 people continues on Brazilian soy plantations. This is not the kind of farming industry I want to support.

Bottom line: soy is not the magical health food that many tout it to be. Let’s be clear, however, that fermented soy products don’t carry the same negative consequences as unfermented, highly processed soy foods. So if you’re shopping for miso or tempeh, make sure to choose brands that are organic and not genetically modified. And if you’ve been depending on tofu (an unfermented food) for vegetarian protein, try out some of these other vegetarian proteins instead.

Image: Umeboshi Panda

The post Debunking the Most Popular Soy Myths appeared first on EcoSalon.

Soy: It’s everywhere. It’s eaten in copious amounts by bodybuilders, as a meat substitute by vegans and vegetarians, and unwittingly in a wide variety of processed foods by most people.

We’ve been told that soy is good for us and the fact of lower incidences of cancer and heart disease in Asian populations is cited as proof. The truth is there is no historical precedent for the amount of soy we consume in modern processed foods. Though soy did originate in Asia, it is used sparingly in Asian cuisines and more often in its traditional forms, like miso, tofu, natto, and tempeh.

According to the United Soybean Board’s own website, soy protein (processed soy) serves as a functional ingredient in the following foods and for the following applications:

Baked Goods – used to hold moisture, extend shelf life, improve texture and mouthfeel, and improve manufacturing, handling, and machine ability.

Breakfast Cereals – used to boost protein value and quantity.

Pasta – to boost nutritive value, especially in school lunches.

Beverages and Toppings – to whiten coffee creamers, emulsify, provide texture, and add protein content.

Meat, Poultry and Fish Products – to enhance moisture holding, texture, cohesion, yield, shelf life, and nutrition.

Dairy-Type Products (scary in itself) – soy protein lowers cost, improves nutrition and reduces allergenic response.

Here’s a quote from the Soybean Board website: “Processed and whole meat products can be improved by adding soy protein, which provides the product flexibility and cost stability consumers demand.”

Now, from the list of uses above and this quote, it looks to me like soy protein is a mighty functional food for the food processing industry. How did so many consumers become convinced that soy protein is a functional food for them?

Nearly 60 percent of the foods sold in supermarkets and natural food stores contain soy. Much of this is disguised in cookies, crackers, burgers and other meat products. It’s also a main ingredient in protein bars, meat substitutes, and any number of other foods.

Why is the food industry putting soy in everything?

If we look at how soy protein is made, it might give you some idea.

After soy vegetable oil is made, there is a lot of soybean meal left over. This defatted soybean meal is mixed with an alkaline solution to remove the fiber, and then washed in an acid solution to separate out the protein. The protein curds are then dipped into another alkaline solution and spray-dried at extremely high temperatures. Then it is spun into protein fibers using textile industry technology.

The food industry has figured out a way to utilize a highly processed industrial byproduct by putting it in food to extend shelf life, yield, and nutritional content. And then they’ve funded a lot of studies and spent a lot of advertising dollars to convince us that this substance is good for us.

You’ve seen some of the conflicting research (summarized below). You’ll have to decide for yourself which studies you believe and what dietary decisions are right for you.

Personally, I’m sticking to real food as close to its natural state as possible and avoiding processed foods of all types. And when I eat soy, it will be in small quantities in its traditional forms. Check back on Friday for a recipe using tempeh, a fermented soy product that originated in Indonesia.

Here is a brief summary of the claims made on either side of the bean pod along with some links to help you do your own research. The truth usually lies somewhere in between.

The “Soy is good!” camp: Soy contains isoflavones that prevent cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis and more. Soy’s phytochemicals protect against heart disease. Men who drink two servings of soymilk every day are 70% less likely to develop prostate cancer. Soy is a low fat form of protein. Soy lowers bad cholesterol. Soy prevents breast cancer. Soy builds strong bones.

The “Soy is bad!” camp: Soy doesn’t lower cholesterol as much as we first thought. The estrogens in soy can lead to breast cancer. Soy can decrease sperm count and libido. Soy can prevent ovulation. Soy can cause thyroid problems, constipation and other digestive problems. Soy is a common food allergy.

Further reading:

Mothering

Soybean Board

Woman to Woman

Steady Health

Images: Obesityhelp

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