Busting the Protein Myth + Meaty Taco Mixes

Protein is an important nutrient for everyone, whether you’re an athlete or a self-proclaimed couch spud! Unfortunately, there are lots of misconceptions swirling around the internet related to protein on a plant-based diet, leading people to adopt negative opinions about vegans and make them wary of making their own diets more vegetable-forward. I’m hoping to dispel some of these protein myths with my own example as an athlete, my recipes, and some bonafide facts about protein!

Please use the content below as a resource for anyone seeking to eat more plant-based proteins. Included are tips for making proteins and grains more digestible. And STAY TUNED at the end for a versatile recipe for a protein-packed staple that I love using as a base for tacos, burritos, stir-fry’s, and more!

Making your proteins & grains more digestible

Digestibility is a hot topic these days! Both the health-conscious as well as the casual nutrition-enthusiast seem fascinated by gut health and foods that facilitate smooth digestion. Some who are transitioning to a plant-based diet are turned off by the large amount of foods generally consumed in a vegan lifestyle that have a bad reputation in the digestion arena: “Beans, tofu, tempeh, nuts & seeds? Won’t these make me bloated if I eat a lot of them?” Fortunately, there are simple tips and tricks anyone can use to increase the digestibility and harness the full nutrient capacity of these healthy foods.

Soaking

Soaking your dry beans and grains before cooking can drastically improve their digestibility and nutrient availability. The soaking process predigests parts of these foods, making them easier on the stomach. Furthermore, soaking neutralizes phytic acid, a natural component of grains/beans/nuts/seeds that decreases mineral absorption and inhibits digestive enzymes (phytic acid is commonly called an “anti-nutrient” for these reasons). Simply cover your uncooked grains and beans with water and let sit overnight. Add a splash of an acidic medium, such as lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, to facilitate the breakdown of phytic acid. An added bonus of soaking? Cooking times will generally be shorter once soaked.

Forgot to soak your beans overnight? The benefits of soaking can also be achieved in a shorter amount of time: Bring your legume + 4 times their volume in water to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and let soak for a few hours, before cooking fully.

You can also soak nuts and seeds, but just be aware that they’ll absorb some water and get a little bit soggy (which is great if you’re planning to blend them into, say, a nut-based “cheese” or sauce, but not so great if you’re planning to mix them into trail mix. Dehydrate soaked nuts/seeds in a dehydrator or oven on low temp for several hours to restore their normal, un-soggy texture). 

Sprouting

Although simple, sprouting is a slightly more involved process compared with soaking. However, it is often considered superior to soaking because sprouting increases the availability of B and C vitamins, in addition to neutralizing phytic acid and increasing the digestibility of beans, grains, nuts, and seeds. In a nutshell (pun intended), sprouting induces the germination process, producing tiny sprouts that can be harvested and eaten along with the grain, bean, nut, or seed. This is achieved by a process of repeated soaking and rinsing. Detailed instructions for sprouting are abundant and are just a Google search away!

You may be thinking, “But I don’t have the time or patience to spend 5 days sprouting all of my food!” Luckily, lots of products come with pre-sprouted ingredients, such as flours, bread, and tortillas (check out King Arthur Flour, To Your Health, and Ezekiel 4:9 brands, to name a few).

Fermentation

A controlled food fermentation process typically involves soaking the food (e.g. vegetables like cabbage for sauerkraut, carrots, peppers, and radishes for kimchi, legumes like soybeans for tempeh, etc.) in a bacteria-rich brine to convert their carbohydrates (e.g. sugar) into acids or alcohols. The presence of probiotics (bacteria that improve gut health, aiding digestion when consumed) in fermented foods make these items ideal for improving digestion. Buy fermented foods and have fun creatively incorporating them into your daily meals. 

Legume Cooking Tips

Perhaps the king of digestive-related complaints – legumes, such as beans and lentils – are rich in phytic acid and are consequently difficult to digest. Use one of the above techniques and employ a neat trick to make legumes more digestible. When cooking your legumes, simply add a few strips of a sea vegetable called kombu to the boiling liquid, and voila – the result will be a much more digestible dish. The kombu can be removed after cooking, though some consider the umami flavor of kombu to be pleasant and opt to leave it in to enhance their dish. You can also throw a couple tablespoons of fennel seeds or a handful of brown rice into your cooking liquid to achieve similar results.

If using canned beans, opt for a brand that soaks its product beforehand. As one option, Eden Organic cooks its beans using kombu for increased digestibility and sells varieties with no added salt.

A Final Note on Protein

Don’t be afraid if you learn that one of your favorite protein sources isn’t a “complete” protein. Protein is a composition of smaller building blocks called amino acids. A complete protein contains adequate amounts of all 9 essential amino acids that the body cannot produce on its own. Many sources of plant-based protein are incomplete, like nuts, legumes, gluten, rice, and potatoes (whole soy products like tofu, tempeh, edamame, and miso are complete proteins, along with quinoa and buckwheat). However, the human body does a remarkable job of storing amino acids and forming complete proteins using the amino acids from incomplete protein sources. This guarantees that a well-rounded vegan diet – incorporating a variety of protein-rich foods with their constituent amino acids – will meet one’s protein needs. Some people prefer to ensure that they’re getting all 9 essential amino acids by pairing complimentary foods. For instance, while beans or rice on their own are incomplete proteins, when eaten together, they contain the 9 essential amino acids. The same goes for peanut butter and whole grain bread, hummus and pita, and wheat gluten (e.g. seitan) cooked in soy sauce. But don’t fret if you don’t wish to pay this much attention to your protein intake; just enjoy the bounty of the plant-based foods that are widely available, and you are likely to meet all of your protein needs. My rule of thumb is “eat the rainbow!” (Meaning, if my meal is looking monochromatic, I’ll throw in a few other bright-colored foods to ensure I’m getting my nutrients from a variety of sources.)

Now, enjoy this versatile recipe for a protein-packed staple that I love using as a base for tacos, burritos, stir-fry’s, and more!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Black Bean Quinoa Taco “Meat” with Aquafaba Crema

Often confused as a grain, quinoa is actually a seed. Like chia seeds, it’s also a complete protein, and the combination of quinoa, beans, and vegetables in this dish makes it a highly nutritious, hearty, and delicious stuffing for tacos, burritos, and roasted vegetables.

Plus an oh-so-creamy & tangy sauce made from aquafaba that makes for a delicious drizzle.

Recipe adapted from Thug Kitchen

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Burritos, Ethnic, Fillings, Meaty, Mexican, Stir-Fry, Stuffed Veggies, Tacos

Ingredients

Black Bean Quinoa Taco Filling

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ medium yellow onion chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper diced
• 1 jalapeño (optional) seeded and minced
• 1 1 medium carrot (optional) chopped
• 3-6 3-6 mushrooms (optional) chopped
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2 C cooked quinoa
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• ½ Tbsp chipotle powder
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp smoked paprika
• 1 ½ C cooked black beans equal to one 15-oz can, preferably soaked beforehand*, blitzed in a food processor for 5 seconds or mashed with a potato masher
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 2 Tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce

Aquafaba Crema (optional)

• Liquid from 1 can of chickpeas around ½ cup
• 1 tsp mustard powder or regular/spicy mustard
• ½-1 C oil amount depending on desired consistency – the more oil, the thicker the crema; I used walnut oil, but a neutral oil would work well
• 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp garlic powder

Variation

• Substitute the juice of 1 whole lime for the lemon and add 1 tsp ground cumin

Instructions

• Warm the oil in a large skillet or wok.
• Chop, dice, and mince all vegetables. For speedy preparation, place roughly chopped vegetables into a food processor and blitz until chunky.
• Add all vegetables, except for the garlic, into the warmed skillet or wok. Sauté for about 5 minutes over medium heat, until onion is translucent and (optional) carrots have softened.
• Add garlic and spices, stir until everything is coated, and sauté for another minute or so, until your kitchen begins to smell amazing.
• Drain and rinse black beans if using canned, then mash.
• Fold in the mashed black beans, cooked quinoa, lime juice, and Braggs, and cook until beans are just warm. Remove from heat.
• Serve hot or cold. This mixture can be eaten on its own, but is excellent as a stuffing for roasted vegetables (e.g. sweet peppers, portobella mushrooms), tacos, and burritos.

Aquafaba Crema

• In a high-powered blender or food processor, blend the chickpea liquid ("aquafaba") with the mustard powder until frothy.
• Slowly drizzle in the oil over medium-high speed. You're creating an emulsion and the liquid should steadily get thicker and whiter as more oil is added. Be careful not to pour too fast, which will break the emulsion. Add oil until the crema reaches your desired consistency (I stop before it attains the thickness of mayonnaise).
• Add your flavorings and blend on low speed to incorporate. Taste and adjust flavors, adding more nutritional yeast for cheesy/nuttiness, lemon juice for tang/acidity, maple syrup for sweetness, garlic powder for garlic, and salt to bring out the overall flavor.