[avi_]

Hi Guys!
I just joined Ideal Protein this week, I'm on my third day and was wondering if you guys have any good tofu dinner recipes? Or any good vegetarian recipes involving IP foods!
Thanks!

[EmmaD]

I wish the IP forum had stickies... luckily I have saved all the threads for the last few years about being vegetarian on IP. These are a good place to start, lots of good ideas:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/idea...tein-help.html

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/idea...getarians.html

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/idea...l-options.html

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/idea...ans-guide.html

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/vege...tein-diet.html

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/idea...l-protein.html

[EmmaD]

And a bonus I found by searching (trick: don't use the internal search feature, it stinks - go to Google or other search engine, type "3fatchicks" and "Ideal Protein" and whatever other term you are looking for)

Best tofu recipes? (phase 1)

The main ways I eat tofu are:
stirfried with broccoli, with Walden Farms Sesame Ginger sauce, occasionally I will make cauli-rice but usually I eat as-is
bake it (after marinating in a mixture of soy sauce/garlic/few drops of chili oil)
grill it (just coated with salt and pepper and a little oil to prevent sticking), serve on a bed of sauteed cabbage

[EmmaD]

And lastly, here is the list I compiled by going through at least four of the vegetarian threads, in no particular order (I may have posted this in one of the threads already, if so, then here it is again )

Veggie protein/soy/wheat-based - these are largely soy-based (except seitan and Quorn and some vegan protein powders) :

• Tofu (I find the brands vary a lot in amount of calories/protein/fat/carbs so shop around)
  
• Hemp tofu (not sure what that is…)
• Tempeh
• Seitan
• Quorn products
  
• Gardein products - without the sauce
• Veggie burgers (Boca especially; as low in carbs as possible)
• Vegan protein powders - soy or brown rice/pea/hemp/etc
• Tofurkey products: bologna, sausages, Oven Roasted Deli Slices
• Veggie hotdogs
• Morningstar Farms crumbles, sausage links/patties, bacon
• Texturized Vegeatable Protein (TVP, sold dry)

Egg/Milk based:

• Egg Whites
• Whole eggs
• Whey protein powder
• Greek yogurt (This would be considered Off Plan for regular IP but I have seen it mentioned several times for a vegetarian substitute. I haven't eaten this since I started IP)
  

For packet meals:

• Some of the IP/alternative packets don't seem like they would be vegetarian, but are (chicken soup, chili, spaghetti bolognese, etc.) and vice-versa. See this post http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/4314683-post10.html
• I have found lots of product from Nashua that are vegetarian, but if you are serious about avoiding collagen and gelatin, you have to read the labels of EVERYTHING – I have found it in drinks and cookies and hot chocolate when I wasn’t expecting it. My favorites are oatmeal, pancakes, spaghetti bolognese, chili, various protein chips and ONE kind of cookie that doesn't include gelatin.

Note: this list is not exhaustive. I have noticed new products that fit the guidelines, like "Beyond Meat" products. I just check the nutritional info each time I see something new.

The IP guidelines suggest 30-40g of protein for dinner so I aim to get in that range, but it is often hard to do with veggie products without the carbs going too high. Some advise not having a restricted product on days you will have a higher-carb protein dinner. I also sometimes try to get more protein in the rest of the day if I am not going to hit *40 grams* at dinner (add an egg or egg white, have a higher protein ready to drink shake, etc).

It is a bit tricky to be vegetarian AND low carb but it can be done. Personally I find I have to track everything - I aim for ~90 g protein per day and 30-40 g range for net carbs and I don't worry about fat (I'm not eating anything high fat currently) Good luck to you!!!