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This is one of my favorite warm-weather recipes. The prep's a bit tedious, but you can cut up all the ingredients at once and store them in the fridge in tupperware for several days to make fresh rolls in 2 minutes whenever you feel like it. You will need: grilled or boiled pork tenderloin, thinly sliced, with each slice cut lengthwise once again cooked shrimp - shelled and cut in half lengthwise cucumber - cut into matchsticks carrots - cut into matchsticks fresh basil - just the leaves fresh mint - just the leaves cooked rice stick noodles rice paper peanut sauce - you should be able to find this at any Asian grocery store or in the International Foods aisle at Walmart or other big grocery stores. You can also make your own, it's fairly straightforward, just Google it. Get a decent-sized working space, arrange all the ingredients within reach, and fill up a big bowl with warm Water. Put a sheet of rice paper in warm water for about 1-2 minutes until it's completely wet and pliable. Be careful handling them, they can tear easily. Spread the sheet of rice paper on the table and arrange all the ingredients (minus the sauce, of course) lengthwise. Example here: chicken and shrimp, just chicken, grilled fish, or you can make vegetarian/vegan options and add avocado or grilled tofu. If you are going to make a bunch ahead of time and store them, it's best to wrap each individual roll in saran wrap - otherwise, the rolls will stick to each other and tear when you pull them apart.

i start mushies on Sunday i bought vegetarian chili, black bean soup, lentil soup, apple/apricot sauce, I have greek yogurt, ff pudding, s/f jello my nutritionist said eggs also she also said ground meats in sauces...so i am gonna buy some of my fave turkey meatballs and sauce eggface also has a baked ricotta I wanna try oh yeah cottage cheese

Wow my surgery date is the same as yours. Really scared of failing as I am a vegetarian and have limited food options once my surgery is done.

I am not a vegetarian - I am a happy omnivore - but love fresh veggies. I agree with the person above that says your stomach can't take it for some time. I tried steamed asparagas at 3 weeks post surgery - and it caused intense stomach pain all evening and half the night. Now, at 6 weeks out, I can have steamed asparagas, steamed yellow squash, raw tomatoes, and raw cucumbers. I have eaten some salad greens, but have to severely limit my quantities.I am doing a lot of the milk based Proteins (cottage cheese, yogurt, low fat cheese) and the prepared proteins (nectar brand is great, as is Isopure PLUS). The only meat I am eating is chicken and shrimp - ground beef isn't setting well yet. Good luck.

I am a lacto ovo vegetarian, and I would have to say it would be very difficult to go 100% raw or vegan... you would have to rely on nuts ..... thats about it! You need lots of protein... and high quality protein with correct aminos.... I am working in more raw... but not that much so far... Your stomach just cant take it for quite some time.... I find vegetarian is not that hard (except eating out) you can eat beans, soy, gluten... with dairy and eggs even easier... but go raw, and I think you might run into some problems.

I'll keep ya posted. Thx for the recommendation. I spoke with her this morning and felt good about the choice. My sister is going with me and is a vegetarian and Nina was very assuring that that would not be te slightest problem that she would be as well cared for as I would be. I'm gonna start a video blog next week and document everything. Thx again

I'm speaking as a by-choice 16 year vegetarian and I do not recommend going vegan cold-turkey (per se). You'll hate it and you won't stick to it. Instead of totally altering your diet just make a few minor modifications (recommended by the Mayo clinic): Eat more: oatmeal, high Fiber foods, fish, walnuts, almonds, and other nuts, olive oil, and any foods with added plant sterols (margarines, orange juice, yogurt drinks). Eat less: full fat dairy (switch to low fat or half low/no fat and half full fat), processed foods like Cookies, crakers, and cakes, fatty cuts of meat, and eggs. You can still eat what you normally do, just alter the quantity and type slightly.

I had a bad time with meats when I was on purees and when I was first on solids. They just weren't agreeing with me at all and making me throw up! I basically gave up and became vegetarian. I have wanted to do it for ages and the veggie burgers go down so much better and can boost my Protein. Although intentionally slip up and have some beef Jerky and really well stewed curried goat last week. Went down a lot better than I thought it would. I also tried a few bites of spicy rice and a tiny bit of hard dough bread too, but that's the first time I've gone near the super carbs really. I'm basically terrified of having a bad time on them so don't really have rice, Pasta, potatoes or bread in my diet yet. It's really hard to know what's going to work. I understand how you're feeling. One day something will be going down great and the next day it'll turn your stomach. Best of luck with the meat journey

I'm not against veganism or vegetarianism, but I'm quite suprised that your doctor would recommend something so drastic right away. Though I'm glad she didn't automatically slap meds on the problem right away, too! I agree with ElfiPoo; some research on your part could be of benefit, possibly some changes in your diet, but if you don't want to be a vegan, you don't have to be--that is not the only option to lower your cholesterol.

I am following a sort of South Beach diet style, low glycemic index rather than strictly low carb.Im a lactose intolerant lacto/ovo vegetarian, so low carb is pretty hard to follow.

Vegetarian taco salad (with any kind of lettuce) is one of the few foods I can eat without issue - while being slightly too full (band wise).

So I found peanut flour posted somewhere... perhaps eggface, and looked around for it on the net. I found a product that looked good, with nothing in it but ground partially defatted roasted peanuts, and bought some to experiment with. 1/4 cup 110 calories 4gms fat 4gms Fiber 8gms carbs 16 gms protein!!! I opened the bag, stuck my finger in, and tasted the powder. Peanutty yumness!,. Next I mixed it about 50/50 with Water and a little salt and stevia ( I started with a little less than 50% water and worked my way up to a nice creamy thick consistency) I smeared it on a cracker and.... YUMMY again I think in an asian dressing, with stevia, garlic, soy sauce and vinegar would be nice... in a smoothy with yogurt and banana as an asian dipping sauce.... I will post my experiments as I try them.... you do too if any of you try it! As a Vegetarian, I am always looking for alternate forms of Protein. I bought it on netritiion.com protein plus flour http://www6.netrition.com/protein_plus_peanut_flour.html

Tracey, I am not a vegetarian but I have seen several posts from folks who are so I know they are out there! My response should put your message back into the "new content" list and hopefully you will get some responses. I am sure VSG can be done with a vegetarian diet!

Hello all...I am in the process of preparing for my VSG surgery in a couple of months. I wanted to hear form any vegetarians out there as to how they deal with the heavy Protein aspect of the lifestyle change. As a lacto/ovo vegetarian, I remember having to consume 80-100 grams of Proteins a day during my pregnancies. I was drinking Protein drinks every single day until my delivery dates to keep it up. So how did you prepare for your surgery and what was your diet like after?? Thanks in advance.

I use chewable Centrum too. I can't do gummy because I am vegetarian but the Centrum are the best tasting and I have tried them all. I also take a smaller B complex and a sublingual B12. I can swollen Tylenol rapid release without any problems.

I've seen it before, I find it fascinating on so many levels. For example, the African woman's diet: FIRST MEAL OF THE DAY: Cornmeal porridge, 1.7 lb. with sour whole milk, 11.3 fl. oz. • SECOND MEAL: Cornmeal porridge, 1.8 lb. with sour whole milk, 11.3 fl. oz. • THROUGHOUT THE DAY: Sour whole milk, 26.3 fl. oz. Bird plums (not pictured as she ate what she had picked before the photo was taken), 3.5 oz. Water from nearby river, 12 fl. oz. Shows you how so many people, especially in the developing world, subsist on an entirely vegetarian diet....but also makes you wonder about her nutritional status. Yeah, she ate a lot of food and a reasonable amount of calories, probably a good amount of Fiber and Protein, but you bet her Vitamin and mineral intake is significantly less than that of most people in North America. Yet presumably, she's doing ok - she looks to be a normal weight and her muscle mass seems to be fine. The obese American man's diet is probably a good representation of the average North American diet - yeah, he's eating a fair amount of processed food, but there is a decent amount of fruits and vegetables in his meals; there are quite a few animal products, too. It's amazing that he doesn't eat much more than the African woman, as far as calories are concerned, although the article mentions that on other days, he may eat a lot more. The Chinese teenager - she eats quite little considering she must be very physically active! Note that she doesn't seem to eat dinner at all. She also doesn't consume very much protein, yet she's obviously in amazing physical shape. The young American woman from Mall of America - it's amazing how unhealthy her diet is! Just shows you how having easy access to cheap, low-quality food can egg you on to make unhealthy choices. All of these chains offer much healthier choices (e.g. grilled chicken sandwiches, juice), yet she selects the deep-fried, sugar-laden items. I can't help but wonder if a decade from now, she'll be 50+ lbs overweight. Then compare her to the next man - his activity level is obviously limited because of his disability, but he's able to maintain a healthy weight by making nutritious choices most of the time. The model....she eats very healthy, I think it's about as healthy as most of us can get without getting into orthorexia territory! But notice that she eats more than all of the preceding subjects, as far as the calories are concerned. The woman from Yemen. It's interesting to compare her to the Chinese acrobat, because they are both female and very petite, yet the Chinese girl eats way less and is most likely more physically active (although you bet that the homemaker in Yemen also probably does a fair amount of physical labor and walking throughout her day). The Yemeni woman eats 1000 calories a day more and maintains the same BMI range! It's also amazing how varied her diet is, especially when you think back to the African woman. Camel meat - I've got to try this! The farmer from Ecuador - just shows you how much energy you need to sustain a lot of physical labor. Makes me think back to the very rich and fattening meals my grandmother always cooks and offers when I come to visit her in the countryside. They still eat as if they have to spend ten hours a day tending to the fields and the animals.....except for hardly anyone does as much physical labor anymore! Not surprisingly, my grandmother is quite overweight. The US soldier - note how many calories he consumes, yet he's in great shape, presumably thanks to a combination of a fast metabolism and the physical demands of his work. But you wonder if he's going to proceed to eat just as much once he's done with his physically challenging training/work and balloon like so many former pro or even high school/college athletes do. You'd have to pay me to eat a lot of the stuff the Japanese man eats.....natto and umeboshi are two of the VERY few foods I detest with a passion. The Iranian man's diet highlighted another pattern you see in a lot of foreign diets - a lot of people like to start their day with some vegetables. This is rather rare here - the only vegetables most North Americans eat for bfast are potatoes and then sometimes some veggies in an omelet. And I want that giant plump fish so bad!

I'm right there with ya in Toast Town. I despise any and all Protein. I could easily be a vegetarian and for no other reason than I just prefer the delish carby side dishes. I am having a heck of a time getting my protein in. I cannot tolerate the Protein shakes AT ALL. And I, too, bought 3 tubs of the Injury powder. Everyone raved about the 'chicken soup' flavored one and I can't gag that crap down if someone had a gun to my head. I also bought the unflavored, which is not quite as bad but still intolerable for me. I had to wait till I could eat some real protein to get any in. I *think* I remember Tiff saying she could not get protein in till much later, too and well, we all see she turned out just fine. I've read many others here that couldn't get it in early on, and all their doctors said concentrate on liquids FIRST. Protein will become easier in time. No one is gonna waste away if they don't get all the protein in the first few weeks or month. Just do what you can, and like Tiff said, that protein is not gonna do you a BIT of good if you just upchuck it after you drink it. In fact, that will do worse damage to your staple line than not drinking it to begin with. Good luck, and when it's time, you can eat your Beans, cottage cheese, etc.

I started my mushy stage this week and have had no problems whatsoever. Not sure if your band has any restriction in there from surgery but mine does not. Some doctors put a small fill in during the procedure so everyone is different. Just make sure that even though your food is not going to have much texture, keep your bites small and chew, chew, chew and then chew some more lol. This will get you in the habit for the future. You can make chicken or turkey or egg salad also and long as you throw the meat into the blender or chopper first to get it very small and then add some lowfat mayo. Most all types of beans or legumes are good in the blender and then you can add some lowfat or fatfree cheese. Some people love the refried beans with cheese but i've never been a fan but I did use the vegetarian baked beans and they were good. Good luck.

I do not crave it... I eat it like medicine, and try to make it taste good and enjoy it. Without it you lose muscle mass, and do not heal well. virtually everyone says "Protein first". I think this is probably true. I eat more protein now then before surgery when I was eating 2500 calories a day. I am a vegetarian, and do not eat anything with a face.

I've lost about 56 total (6 pre op) in 5 months, I'm a slow loser. I also haven't exercised, which I keep saying I'm going to start. I average around 850 calories a day and usually around 65 or less carbs. I usually eat one egg and vegetarian sausage- deli turkey with cheese, 4 oz for lunch- 3 0r 4 oz of meat and a little veggis for dinner, I usually have to split my meals in two because I can't finish, so I am eating 6 or 7 very small meals a day. I try to fit in some fruit, and love hummus with magic pops. Sometimes I do treat myself to 3 or 4 hersey kisses, I just need it but more then that I feel sick, which is a good thing. Try not to get discouraged, I know I haven't been able to loss this much weight before or stick with a healthy eating program. So give yourself credit and remember as the months go on we will start to eat more but I don't think we will ever be able to eat the way we used too as long as we eat our Protein first. Good Luck, Janine

CheckYes: Unlike Acadia, I've never had to take extra Vitamins - well, I should say, I've never known I was supposed to take anything other than a multi but I just had blood work done so I am going to check with my doctor on the B12, Iron, vit D and calcium. (Thanks for that info, Acadia). -- You're welcome. Not everyone needs extra vitamins, but vegetarians often do. It's good that you're getting tested. Ask for the actual number and the normal range so you can tell where you sit, not just if you're high or low. You could be 1 point from hitting under normal and they'll still say you're within range. Since B12 can only be had naturally from animal products it's necessary to supplement. Though you may be fortunate to get enough from a Multivitamin, most vegetarians will become deficient and will notice that they're tired more often, will have lines or ridges on their nails, and will lose the moon on their nails. And once you are deficient you *cannot* get what you need from food. There simply isn't enough B12 in food to compensate. That said, as a vegetarian you can still get some from fortified Breakfast cereals, which have around 6 micrograms. If you are lacto/ovo: yogurt has about 1.4 micrograms per 1 c, 1 cup of milk has 0.9 micrograms, an egg has 0.6 micrograms, and cheese has about 0.3 micrograms per 1 oz. The iron, same thing, it's primarily from meat and most vegetarians don't eat enough Beans or dark green leafy veggies to get enough iron. The vitmain D isn't necessary if you get outside - without sunblock - for at least 30 minutes a day. Though these days most people wear sunblock so they don't get enough Vit D. It's good to get tested and supplement unless you're in the mid level. It's good you're getting tested, most people don't bother with Vitamin / mineral testing. I love a little hot baked tofu with a small amount of peanut satay sauce. That's one of my favorite meals. -- I love this too, it's a great snack. I haven't had it since being banded though. and no more Gelatin (gummy vitamins, Jello and some jello mousse puddings). -- There are vegetarian/vegan sources of gelatin and there are many products that are created to be similar to things like Jell-O but still vegetarian. When in doubt call the manufacturer and ask what their source is for the gelatin. Birinak Everyone is different, based on the food they eat and their activity locations (outside vs inside). It's great that you don't need supplements. Unfortunately not everyone will be so fortunate. Vitamin B12 can be very easily obtained from eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, and whey. -- If the vegetarian is lacto/ovo those are options, but a lot of vegetarians aren't. I'm severely lactose intolerant, so no milk or yogurt for me. Cheese is okay if it's a hard cheese (sharp cheddar) and less than 1 tbsp. Whey is okay for me if it has no lactose in it. Many people go vegetarian not only for environmental reasons (including animal welfare) but often because of food intolerance, so they will become deficient if they are not lacto/ovo or pesci. For me personally, if eggs are cooked into something (bread) I'll eat it but very rarely (2-3x a year) will I eat an actual egg dish (like quiche or souffle). Also - it's very important to know that once someone is deficient in B12, they cannot get enough from food and they do need supplementation either by pills or injections to get back on par. Vitamin D along with 15 minutes of sun exposure a day -- There's actually a pandemic right now for vitamin D deficiency. People are wearing too much sunscreen, which prevents the ability to create vitamin D from the sun. And because obese people are already at risk for deficiency, most of the US is deficient. And you're right, the only way to tell if you truly need Vitamin D (and other vitamins) is to get your blood tested every 6 months to a year.

Hi, I've been "vegetarian" for two and a half years. I use quotes because someone once objected on this forum to me saying I was a "fish-eating vegetarian". I just hate the word pescetarian. Because I eat fish, I am not as limited as most vegetarians when it comes to Protein. I make sure I eat only fresh, wild caught fish and not farmed. My nutritionist said that eating 40 grams of protein a day was fine for me because I am eating high quality protein. However, when I am not eating fish, I select things like Smart Dogs (italian style is the best!) and Quorn products. Quorn products are generally soy and gluten free. They are made with mycoprotein instead of soy and are delicious. I don't generally like meat substitute so I eat lots of lentils and Beans. I also sometimes will eat 2 ounces of organic cheese instead of 4 ounces of fish. Unlike Acadia, I've never had to take extra Vitamins - well, I should say, I've never known I was supposed to take anything other than a multi but I just had blood work done so I am going to check with my doctor on the B12, Iron, vit D and calcium. (Thanks for that info, Acadia). I love tofu done thai style with curry and coconut. I also stir fry tofu a lot and eat the prebaked tofu. I bought a tofu press which really helps infuse whatever flavor I am cooking with into the tofu. You can get those at Amazon quite cheaply. I love a little hot baked tofu with a small amount of peanut satay sauce. That's one of my favorite meals. I don't supplement with Protein shakes. I had such a hard time finding a humane whey protein that I just settled on soy right after my surgery. Now, I don't need it at all and prefer not to drink my calories. I liked the Field Roast mentioned above but found it was way high in carbs and for me it didn't taste that great to spend most of my carb budget on. The texture was good but it just wasn't great. I tried all the variety of sausages and found them to be slightly oily. I became "vegetarian" for moral reasons. In California, in 2008, we had almost constant running of ads relating to Prop 2 which was related to treatment and cage space allowed egg producing chickens. One night, instead of switching the channel with the commercial came on. I watched it. That moment, I changed my diet and have never looked back. It took a bit of getting used to - like learning that rennet is an animal product and no more Gelatin (gummy vitamins, Jello and some jello mousse puddings). I find it was a very healthful decision for me. I wish you all the best on trying it out. I truly hope you love it. Best wishes,

I've been vegetarian since 1995 and have been able to be quiet successful with it in three countries. Two of which had virtually no 'premade' vegetarian products. Definitely watch what you're eating - track it in something like LiveStrong where you information stays private (free sites get permission to use your information as they see fit). If you eat a lot of carbs just make them Protein strong, like oatmeal, Beans, protein enriched Pasta. Eating carbs isn't a problem, it's which ones you're eating. ie. don't eat french fries regularly, chips, etc. MY FAVOURITE RECIPE My favorite recipe is Tofu wraps (I originally had these at the Los Angeles Athletic Club then created my own receipe). The full recipe (with photos) are here: http://curvyfitness.com/wrap/wrap.htm Yes, I fry the tofu, but as I say in the entry, "Once everything was done cooking, a mere teaspoon and a half of oil was missing, so three full blocks of tofu absorbed only a tiny bit of oil." You have to have the oil at the right temperature. And once you make all of this tofu (doing many packages at once is ideal) it freezes beautifully and you just put it in the fridge to thaw then add it to anything you make. The texture is fantastic, the flavor (Mrs. Dash or something similar - a powdered spice) is great, and it can even be microwaved and eaten just like that. SOY Soy testing has only been done in animals. Human testing has never been done. So though mice show reproductive issues when given 25 grams of soy per day, humans have not yet shown the same results. However, based on the animal testing that has been done scientists believe there may be reproductive issues over the long term if a human is fed large amounts of soy since birth. The benefits (lower cholesterol, lower risk of cancer) outweigh the potential negative aspects. I personally wouldn't be concerned with the amount of soy you're eating, especially since you'll be eating much less than an average person due to the size of your pouch. recipes Some of my favorites are: Veggie Tacos: taco shells, light sour cream or greek yogurt, Boca crumbles with taco seasoning, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, taco sauce. (makes enough for 3-4 meals, great the next day) Veggie Shepherd's Pie: Boca crumbles with light mushroom soup and small sweet peas is the base, the topping is mashed potatoes with corn niblets and some garlic, a little bit of Kraft parm cheese on top. Freezes well. Roasted Veggie Fajitas: take any veggies you like, slice them in strips, put them on a few sheets of parchment on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt (sea salt) and olive oil, bake around 250 for about 45 minutes, get some thin tortillas, add veggies, light sour cream or greek yogurt. Usually the veggies have enough flavor to avoid any additional seasoning. Freezes well. Veggie Chili: a can of garbanzo beans, can of red kidney beans, can of white kidney beans, can of veggie 'pork and beans' type beans, 1/4 c ketchup, small can tomato paste, chili powder, garlic powder, onion, boca crumbles if you like 'beef texture', corn, peas, shredded carrots, broccoli buds (just the tops so it's little bits of green), and I'm probably missing a few things. A lot of the pre-made veggie meals are great too. Stick with Indian and you'll get a lot of protein, flavor, and a nice balance of amino acids. Mexican is great, red beans and rice give you a complete protein. Oatmeal. If you include eggs you can very easily add them to most any meal that makes sense. IMPORTANT NOTES You will need to take B12 for the rest of your life (sublingual taste good). You may need Iron supplements (1 long release every 3-4 days). You will likely need Vitamin D (5,000 IU/day). You will need Calcium citrate daily (citracals petites). You will NOT need Vitamin C or E. So do not take extra of those.

Hey, so this prompted me to think about which recipes you may like, but as I thought about it, I realized that I really don't make anything altogether special. It's pretty easy just to substitute tofu or veggie ground beef for most foods that you're already making, from Pasta to stuffed vegetables to stir-fries. So, for example, about once a month I make vegetarian tacos. I use a mexican-flavoured veggie ground beef (but you can use plain veggie beef too, and add in taco seasoning). The brand name of the meat is Yves. I'm not sure if it is available where you live (I live in Toronto). Without using too much oil, I first sautee some onion, then add diced tomatoes, then the veggie meat. I add a few spoons of salsa into the mix. It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to cook the meat from frozen on medium heat, since it comes pre-cooked. Because I can't eat too much at this point, I break one taco shell in half (down its length) and place the ingredients on each half. There really isn't anything I can tell you that you don't already know yourself, if you've ever made meat-tacos. I use low-fat sour cream, salsa, lettuce, diced onions, black Beans, and grated cheese, along with the cooked meat. I also sometimes make chinese stir-fries. Again, if you made meat-stir fries, the process is similar, except for the fact that you won't be cooking the "meat" portion first or for as long. I buy frozen chinese-style veggies to make cooking faster (they turn out pretty well and, because they were flash-frozen, they retain more Vitamins then fresh veggies). I add in marinated tofu in the last five minutes of cooking. I sometimes make lentil Soup. It's pretty easy to make since lentils don't necessarily require soaking before hand. I just boil lentils (they double in size, so be careful how much you add) on medium-high, then, once they're almost done (soft), I add in some garlic and onion. I use vegetable bouillon, a little bit of cinnamon powder, and hot pepper flakes to add flavour. In the last 15 minutes of boiling, I add quinoa (which is high in protein) to give the soup some starch. In the last five minutes, I add in frozen vegetables. The soup can be pureed, depending on preference. If I haven't eaten tofu too much that week, I sometimes add in cubes of tofu (usually firm) at the same time as the frozen veggies. For extra flavour, sautee raw veggies as a base for the soup and add in after the lentils are almost ready, instead of frozen veggies. As for using tofu, I guess a few tips are: For better health, consider buying organic tofu and avoid vacuum-packed tofu. The tofu packaged in Water is supposed to be healthier, lower in carbs, and less processed, but it doesn't keep as long as vacuum-packed tofu. When you buy tofu, try to get one that is not near the best-before date. You can leave it in the fridge, in its unopened package, until that date. Once it is opened, the tofu will keep for about three days (although some people keep it for up to a week). The instructions are usually to rinse the tofu, place it in a sealed container with new water (completely covering the tofu), and to change the water every day. Don't eat tofu raw; if you want to put it salads, boil it for about five minutes first. If you want the tofu to have a definite flavour, like in foods where the tofu stands out, you must marinate it for at least an hour (or over night in the fridge). In order to get the tofu to absorb as much marinade as possible, you can do two things. First, you can freeze and then thaw the tofu before marinating. When it's been frozen, the tofu will look yellow and look like a sponge. Frozen tofu has a very different texture (more meaty) and it soaks up marinades very well. If you do not like tofu with that texture, you can also press the moisture out of the tofu in order to get it to absorb more marinade. Some people place tofu in a towel (paper towel or cloth) and place a plate or pot over it to press out the water before marinating. If I'm making a food that has a sauce or is a stew/soup, I don't bother marinating the tofu. I just cut it up in pieces and throw it in while cooking. Sometimes, I lightly fry non-marinated tofu (until the outside is a little crisp and yellow) to give it a better texture before adding it into foods. Finally, when buying tofu, pay attention to the firmness as listed on the package. Usually, if using tofu as a replacement for meat, you should buy firm or (even better) extra-firm tofu. If using the tofu in a soup or blending it (like in a Protein shake), you can use soft or medium-firm tofu (extra-firm tofu still works in Soups too). If you ever have tofu that you need to be more firm, you can use the techniques mentioned above (pressing or freezing). Beans make a great alternative to soy, and there are some beans that are lower in carbs than others. When I was on a low-carb diet, my doctor recommended eating beans, since I was a vegetarian, and I lost weight rather quickly while maintaining my protein intake. Another alternative to soy is quinoa, which, as mentioned above, is high in protein. Quinoa cooks in about fifteen minutes and can be used instead of rice. By the way, if you live in America (I looked at your profile earlier, but I can't remember just now), there's supposed to be a really awesome brand of veggie meats called Field Roast. It's not yet been brought to Canada, except for British Columbia, but I've read one Canadian vegetarian say that she even asked her friend to smuggle some Field Roast packs across the border--it's supposed to be that good. Field roast sausages are what people usually rave about, but I've also heard good things about their vegetarian holiday turkey. Anyway, I'd thought you might want to check the brand out.