It’s Monday and this week is already looking to be a busy one. As I mentioned yesterday, I’ve been noticing more skin breakouts and am doing a little experimenting this week to try and figure out why. One possibility is my high nut intake may be causing it, another is the possibility that I’m not getting as much protein as I need. The symptoms to protein deficiency are lengthy and I can only identify with only a few on that list. But, it prompted me to research vegan protein sources and question if I’m getting enough for my lifestyle. While I eat a lot of nuts and seeds, perhaps I need even more and am choosing foods higher in protein and lower in fat for the next week or so, more seeds, beans and maybe trying Spirulina.
I started last night with another impressive salad for dinner.
Lots of sprouts, avocado and pumpkin seeds for protein and a little balsamic vinegar for dressing, hugely filling!
I also did something I have not done in awhile with dinner, fired up my juicer!
Carrot, apple and ginger juice and it was very gingery! The spice was great while still being very sweet. But I think it wired me a bit!
I met my mom at Whole Foods for lunch today and had a bean packed salad with black beans, black-eyed peas and white beans, no nuts. I didn’t get a pictures because I got carried away talking – sorry! But I did try a new Parma flavor at the salad bar – Chipotle Cayenne, and I actually liked it. But only for the spicy flavor that tasted very similar to the cheaper chipotle seasoning I have at home.
For dinner I got experimental with a new raw broccoli side.
Hemp Seed Broccoli Mash
- 3 cups rough chopped broccoli
- 1 cup hemp seeds
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
- 1/2 tsp. pink salt
- 1 clove of garlic
Place all ingredients into a food processor and chop to a paste-like texture. Warm in a dehydrator for 20 minutes at 115 degrees if desired and enjoy. Makes 2-3 servings.
It was great, the higher hemp seed ratio and added nutritional yeast gave it a creamy, satisfying flavor and it’s very filling.
Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) says
Ok so you know I have posted ad nauseum about protein and “getting enough”. Ihave a link on my right side bar margin to the popular posts and that’s one of them. I don’t need alot, quiz included in the post, but i also am nut-sensitive w/ too many breakouts and wonky digestion so i take it easy on raw nuts or any.
The juicer…I have that exact juicer but in stainless and i never use it..b/c i swear it takes me 10-15 mins to really clean it. What am i doing wrong?! The food just seems so embedded and i scrub and scrub and it multiplies :)
christine says
Hi Averie, that’s about how long it takes me to clean my juicer too and sadly, it’s one of the faster ones to clean! The instructor of the raw classes I go to has a few juicers, a Greenstar, similar Breville and a Champion and she prefers the Breville because the other 2 take 30+ minutes to clean – no thanks!
Haleigh says
I am trying to increase my protein intake a little bit too so I am curious to see how it goes for you. Awesome salad!! Hope you have a good day! xoxo
Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg says
Oooh, busting out the juicer is nice when the weather starts to turn warm! That sounds like a good combination!
Errign says
I wish I could just swing by a Whole Foods whenever I wanted – lucky! lol.
Juice looks yummy :)
Gena says
Definitely important to get your protein in! Lovely broccoli concoction!
kalli@fitandfortysomething says
yum this looks fabulous! busy week here too :(
Karin says
I hope you can figure out what’s causing it.
Your eats look wonderful. I would juice much more often if it wouldn’t take that long to clean the juicer.. It’s such a pain!
Katie says
That is my fave juice blend!!!!!!!!! Its the best!!! I love it!!!
Yay for WHole Foods with your mom!!
Have a great night love!!!
DebD says
Yes, definitely try Spirulina…….and Bee Pollen is also a good source of protein. and I’m not feeling the big energy drops I experienced the last time I tried a raw vegan diet 2 years ago. We look forward to hearing about how it goes! :-)
Heather says
Your protein broccoli looks amazing!
monika says
Hi thirty-something,
thank you for this website and the interesting recipes! I have printed out several of them last night and want to give them a try! I have gone about 85% raw and most of the time at least 3-4 cups of freshly-made juice as my breakfast lately with a Green Star Elite. I love the way it sucks the long leavy greens into it all by itsself and it cleans up in just 4 minutes! Before that I used several Champion Juicers over the last 25+ years. But now I am sold on this cooler operating Gr. St. Elite! The only one that I might consider still is the Super Angel Juicer since it operates similar with even less juice left in the pulp, all stainless and dishwasher safe (I need to look at the manual to see if the Gr. St. could also go into the dishwasher). In Germany I also have a Norwalk and the juice is the best. The Super Angel and the Gr. St. Elite I think come closest to the Norwalk (the Cadillac) while less time consuming. — Now I wonder why we need to add extra protein powder to broccoli (high in protein when Mother’s milk that grows a baby nicely just has between 2.5 – 8 % protein as described in AMERICAN VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK by Marilyn Diamond.
christine says
Very interesting on the Green Star, I will have to look into it! Interesting on protein and good point, but I usually need between 60-80 grams a day and like getting a lot of that in the morning with a plant based protein powder added to smoothies since I’m not sure what I’ll be craving throughout the day.