Any Vegan Or Vegaterians

[Nic]

Hi, my son, a non celiac as far as we know (still waiting on biopsy results) has some trouble with food. He has poor muscle tone which made his mouth muscles very weak and he pretty much got used to eating soft foods like pasta. The doctor said I have to increase his protein intake and he really will not eat meat. He doesn't like eggs much and can't handle the texture of peanut butter. Where else can I get protein into his diet? I thought of things like pediasure but that would be adding calories to his already existing diet. I need something to add to the meals to give him some of his calories from protein instead of just carbs.

Nicole

[BRUMI1968]

Does he like nuts? (And is he not allergic?) Also, you can use different grains for food which have higher protein, such as quinoa and amaranth. Amaranth makes a pretty good hot cereal if you cook it, then sweeten it a bit or serve with almond milk or something.

Does he do dairy? That is protein. If not, nut milks have good protein.

spirulina is a good source of protein, but I'm trying to think how you'd squeeze that in - it would have to be in a smoothy or something, and it's pretty expensive stuff. Good for you though, most likely.

Beans have really good protein - black beans especially. Does he like beans or refried beans?

[RiceGuy]

As was mentioned, amaranth, quinoa, and other grains like t'eff are rich in protein. Kasha (roasted buckwheat) isn't bad on the protein content, though not as good as these others, but it is very soft and easy to digest. Lentils are quite good too, and red lentils cook into a nice puree - great for stews!

A number of veggies are actually pretty good protein sources as well:

Edamame

Leeks

Spinach

Green Peas

...many more...

One cup of peas has more protein than an egg. If you put peas in a blender and whip them up, you'll have pea soup. Generally speaking, dark green veggies tend to be very nutrient rich, protein being just one thing they are good for.

[fedora]

When I was pregnant with my twins I would age a soy protein powder to my milk substitute drinks and smoothies. I don't know which ones are gluten free , but I know there are ones that are.

[dandelionmom]

We're mostly vegetarian (I am but the kids have a little meat, sometimes). We do lots of beans, cheese, lentils, and eggs. I don't know about the supplement drinks, sorry!

Here's some of our softer, protein-rich favorites:

Progresso Lentil Soup

corn tortillas with lettuce, cheese, salsa, and refried beans

brown rice with pinto or black beans and "mexican" style spices topped with cheese, sour cream, and salsa ("taco rice")

black bean chili

egg salad

omelets

quesadillas with corn tortillas, cheese, and refried beans

baked beans (Bush's Vegetarian)

hummus with cucumbers (or other favorite dipping veggie)

Hope that helps!

[taweavmo3]

Can he have soy? We don't do alot of soy, but every now and then I'll make smoothies and add silken tofu. It has the consistancy of thick yogurt, and I just add some strawberries, pineapple, banana and honey. The kids love it. If you don't want to do soy, you could also make a smoothie using hemp protein powder. The only problem with the hemp powder is that it turns the smoothie an icky green color, and the kids will not touch it, lol. But I'm sure there are other protein powders that you could add instead. Good luck to you!