Nut Butters

Morning snack: whole wheat pumpkin pancakes, Cortland apples and a bit of syrup

Lunch: whole grain bowtie pasta with homemade sauce which included peas and spinach, ground beef vegetarian crumble and topped with Parmesan cheese, almonds and pumpkin almond butter oat bar (shaped like a cookie)

Afternoon snack: Cortland apples, Triscuits and almond butter

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As a vegetarian I'm constantly asked how I get my protein and I say two things...  

First, people don't need as much protein as they think they do.  A person who is consuming 2000 calories a day needs about a serving and a half of protein daily (a serving is 3 ounces or about the size of a deck of cards).  When you go to a restaurant they offer 16 ounce steaks.  And people order and eat it!!  That's enough for over 3 days of protein!!  The only people that need high protein intake are people who are trying to build a significant amount of muscle or professional athletes who cause a lot of wear on their muscles.  So if you're not a body builder or professional athlete, it's more than likely you'll get enough protein my eating a well balanced meal.  

Second, I explain to people that there are plant based proteins that provide sufficient amounts of protein.  For example, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds and vegetables all provide protein.  Not to mention there are meat replacement products such as soy protein and a variety of soy products.  Nut butters (peanut butter, almond butter and sunbutter) all generally provide 7g of protein per 2 tablespoons, depending on the brand, of course.  And, nut butters are great for on the go!

As a side note...

I constantly hear people saying that they need to decrease their carbohydrates and increase their protein so that they can lose weight.  Please don't.  Your brain is fueled by carbohydrates which is why you get a headache when you skip meals or reduce your carbohydrates.