Historically, these cute lil’ mini cabbages are served as a facet dish, however you are able to do loads of different issues with them too—slaw, salad, pasta, tacos, potstickers, quesadillas, and mac and cheese, to call just a few choices. Heck, even a grilled cheese sandwich (sure, actually!). And as an added bonus, they rank among the many meals most wealthy in folate, a vital B vitamin.
3. Inexperienced peas
Protein content material: round 4 grams per half-cup serving
Provided that Averett calls peas “one of many highest sources of vegetable protein that we will get,” it’s no marvel they rank excessive on this record. What’s extra, these tiny protein powerhouses (that are additionally technically legumes!) are “tremendous versatile,” Byrne says. Mash them up, stir them into soup or stew, toss them with spaghetti, layer them in casserole dishes like shepherd’s pie, serve them as a plain ol’ facet…the record of prospects goes on and on. In truth, odds are there’s a bag or two of the frozen stuff in your freezer proper now.
4. Artichokes
Protein content material: round 4 grams per medium-size artichoke
You’re most likely most conversant in artichoke hearts (the meaty inside of the plant), however you may as well eat the leaves and the within of the stem. You should buy complete artichokes contemporary, or the hearts alone frozen, canned, or jarred. Serve them complete or halved, use them as a topping or stuffing, or attempt them in soups, quiches, salads, sandwiches, quesadillas, casseroles, pasta dishes, and even hummus.
5. Potatoes
Protein content material: round 4 grams per medium-size potato (baked)
Whereas the potato is commonly lumped in with starchy meals like rice, bread, pasta, and cereal, it’s—shock!—really labeled as a vegetable. And on the subject of protein, the spud isn’t any dud. You’ll be able to prepare dinner and serve potatoes in quite a lot of methods (French fries, anybody?), however the UK’s Nationwide Well being Service recommends boiling, baking, mashing, or roasting. Go away the pores and skin on when doable to retain extra fiber, nutritional vitamins, and minerals, together with calcium, potassium, vitamin C, and a number of other B nutritional vitamins. When you want candy potatoes over the white type, be conscious that you just’ll most likely soak up rather less protein: One medium-size baked or boiled candy potato solely comprises round two to a few grams.
6. Spinach
Protein content material: round three to 4 grams per half-cup serving
Naturally, the muscle-bound cartoon character Popeye’s favourite meals packs a powerful protein punch. Spinach “is one [vegetable] that I’ll incorporate rather a lot, particularly because it’s simple to sneak into completely different meals if persons are open to it,” Averett says—dips, wraps, crepes, stews, scrambles, omelets, enchiladas, you identify it. (And, in fact, it’s a inexperienced smoothie staple.) Bonus: Spinach comprises essentially the most calcium of all of the leafy greens (at round 260 milligrams per cup, although your physique can solely take up a small quantity of it), and it’s no slouch within the magnesium division both.
7. Avocado
Protein content material: round three to 4 grams per medium-size uncooked avocado
