It seems at least once at month someone I talk to about my vegetarian (mostly vegan) diet asks me “How do you get enough protein?” After giving up soy, a great source of protein, I asked myself the same question. From my research I can confidently say “I get more than enough” with the following foods:

1. Nutritional yeast
2. Hemp seeds
3. Kale
4. Almonds
5. Walnuts (if I take Activated Charcoal to eliminate my allergic reaction that I just recently found out I get when eating these nuts)
6. Brazil nuts
7. Macadamia nuts
8. Sunflower seeds
9. Pumpkin seeds
10. Beans
11. Peas (I also just recently realized that I am probably allergic to peas so I take Activated Charcoal after eating peas, too.)

If you are considering cutting back on or eliminating meat (including fish) from your diet, then don’t let the fear not getting enough protein stop you. You can use the above foods in a variety of ways, including the less traditional ways in dishes like lasagna, stir frys, and protein drinks and the more traditional ways like for snacks and in salads. Check out my Friday Feature blog post “Staples in My ‘Raw Food Kitchen’” and search online for ways to incorporate these and other protein-rich vegetarian friendly foods into your menu plan.