Maintaining a balanced diet throughout the week directly depends on the presence of nutrients capable of supporting important functions of the body, and proteins play a central role in this process. To achieve this, ingredients of plant origin offer versatile combinations for complete and tasty dishes. Recipes with vegetable protein also help to make your routine lighter and more balanced, bringing variety to your everyday lunch or dinner.

Next, check out 5 healthy recipes with vegetable protein!

Ingredients

• 300 g sliced ​​Paris mushroom
• 2 cups cooked and drained chickpeas
• 2 cups of tea spinach cut into pieces
• 2 tomatoes seeded and chopped
• 1 chopped onion
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 200 ml coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 500 ml legume broth
• Ground black pepper and salt to taste

Preparation mode

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat and sauté the onion until it starts to brown. Add the garlic and ginger, stirring until aroma is released. Then add the tomatoes, curry, paprika and turmeric. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until a thick sauce forms.

Add the mushroom and cook until it wilts and releases liquid. Add the chickpeas and mix well. Pour in the vegetable broth and cook over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes. Add the coconut milk and cook for another 5 minutes. Then add the spinach and mix until the leaves wilt slightly. Season with salt and black pepper. Serve while still hot.

2. Zucchini stuffed with quinoa and nuts

Ingredients

• 2 zucchinis cut in half lengthwise
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup of tea nuts bites
• 1 seedless and chopped tomato
• 1 chopped onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of oregano
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preparation mode

Remove part of the zucchini pulp with a spoon and set aside. Then, heat a frying pan with olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onion with the garlic. Add the chopped zucchini pulp and tomato. Cook until slightly dry. Add the quinoa, nuts, salt, black pepper and oregano. Mix well. Then, fill the zucchini with the mixture and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for approximately 30 minutes. Serve then.

Ingredients

• 200 g rice noodles
• 300 g firm tofu, cut into large cubes
• 150 g of snow peas
• Water for cooking
• 1 carrot cut into thin strips
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation mode

Remove the side strings from the sugar snap pea and cook it in a pan of boiling water over medium heat for about 2 minutes, just until it becomes soft and maintains its intense green color. Drain and reserve. Cook rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain and reserve.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and brown the tofu cubes on all sides until lightly browned. Add the garlic and ginger, stirring quickly to release the aroma. Add the carrot and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the sugar snap peas, mixing gently. Add the cooked rice noodles and mix all the ingredients well. Serve while still hot.

4. Black Bean Meatballs

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked and drained black beans
• 1/2 cup of tea oat in fine flakes
• 1 chopped onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped green chilli
• 2 cups of tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Olive oil, salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preparation mode

On a plate, mash the black beans with a fork until they form a rustic dough. Mix the oats, half the onion, garlic, green chilli, salt, black pepper and paprika. Then, shape small meatballs with your hands. Over medium heat, heat a frying pan with olive oil and brown the meatballs. In another pan, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the rest of the onion. Add the tomato sauce and season with salt and black pepper. Place the meatballs in the sauce and cook for about 10 minutes over low heat. Serve hot.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked and drained black-eyed peas
• 2 tablespoons of oat flour
• 1 carrot grated
• 1 zucchini cut into thin strips
• 1 tomato cut into small cubes
• 1 chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preparation mode

Blend the black-eyed peas in the processor with the oat flour, half the onion, turmeric, salt and black pepper until a creamy dough forms. Then, heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and prepare small pancakes, browning them on both sides. In another frying pan, heat the oil and sauté the remaining onion. Add the carrot, zucchini and tomato. Cook quickly so the vegetables remain slightly crunchy. Serve the pancakes with the vegetables on top.