Plant Based Starches / Carbs + High-Protein Plant-Based Recipes

In my past post, I shared my experience adding in more plant, root & legume based starchy carbs in place of most grains. You can see that post here and why it can be hugely beneficial for many. Below, you will see so many of those sources of nutrient-rich foods that might just jog your memory a bit and help you to start to add in more of plants, root veggies and legumes into your diet. Try it out and see what you think! 

🥔 High-Starch Plant-Based Foods (Higher Carb)
These are great energy sources and suitable replacements for grains.

🍠 Whole (Unpackaged or Minimally Processed)
    •    Sweet potatoes
    •    White potatoes (with skin)
    •    Yams
    •    Beets
    •    Parsnips
    •    Turnips
    •    Rutabaga
    •    Taro
    •    Cassava (yuca)
    •    Plantains (ripe or green)
    •    Butternut squash
    •    Acorn squash
    •    Kabocha squash
    •    Pumpkin (fresh or canned, no sugar)
    •    Corn (fresh or frozen)
    •    Green peas
    •    Chestnuts​
   •     Quinoa 

🛒 Packaged (Clean/Minimally Processed)
    •    Siete cassava tortillas
    •    Frozen mashed sweet potatoes or butternut squash
    •    Spiralized veggie noodles (e.g., sweet potato, squash)
    •    Trader Joe’s root veggie fries or medleys
    •    Love Beets cooked beets
    •    Veggiecraft sweet potato pasta
    •    Cassava flour or sweet potato flour
    •    Yucca or cassava chips (lightly processed)
    •    Barnana mashed plantain pouches
    •    Caulipower sweet potato crust

🥦 Low-Starch Plant-Based Veggies (Lower Carb, High Fiber)
These are more fibrous than starchy but still provide some carbohydrates and are excellent for gut health, satiety, and nutrients.

🌱 Whole/Fresh or Frozen
    •    Broccoli
    •    Cauliflower
    •    Brussels sprouts
    •    Sugar snap peas
    •    Green beans
    •    Cabbage
    •    Zucchini
    •    Asparagus
    •    Bell peppers
    •    Kale
    •    Spinach

🛒 Packaged Options
    •    Steamable bags of mixed cruciferous veggies
    •    Trader Joe’s cruciferous crunch blend (shredded Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage)
    •    Riced cauliflower or riced broccoli (fresh or frozen)
    •    Stir-fry veggie blends with snap peas and broccoli
    •    Green Giant or 365 Veggie medley packs


🌿 Seed or Root Based Food Options like Quinoa 

These are technically seeds or root-based foods, not true grains:
✅ 1. Amaranth
    •    Technically a seed, like quinoa (a “pseudocereal”)
    •    Similar nutty flavor and fluffy texture when cooked
    •    Higher in protein and micronutrients like magnesium and iron
    •    Note: Often grouped with grains, but it’s gluten-free and not a true grass

✅ 2. Buckwheat
    •    Also a pseudocereal, not a grain or wheat
    •    High in fiber, protein, and antioxidants like rutin
    •    Can be used whole (kasha), as flour, or sprouted
    •    Great in porridge or salads

✅ 3. Chia Seeds
    •    Can be soaked to form a gel-like texture similar to porridge or pudding
    •    Rich in omega-3s, fiber, and protein
    •    Not a grain, fully seed-based

✅ 4. Hemp Seeds
    •    High in protein, omega-3s, and minerals
    •    Can be used as a grain-like sprinkle on salads or mixed into “grain bowls”
    •    Not starchy but nutritionally dense

✅ 5. Flax Seeds
    •    Can be ground or soaked to make porridge-like meals
    •    High in fiber (especially soluble) and healthy fats
    •    Helps support digestion and hormone balance

✅ 6. Cauliflower Rice
    •    Made from finely grated or pulsed cauliflower
    •    Low-carb, grain-free, and a neutral base for savory dishes
    •    Good substitute for quinoa in bowls or stir-fry

✅ 7. Shirataki Rice or Konjac Rice
    •    Made from konjac root (glucomannan fiber)
    •    Very low in carbs and calories, grain-free
    •    Chewy texture mimics rice or quinoa in certain dishes

✅ 8. Cassava (Whole or Pearled)
    •    Root vegetable that can be made into grain-like pearls or flour
    •    Often used in AIP or Paleo baking, or in side dishes
    •    Higher in carbs but grain-free

✅ 9. Tiger Nuts
    •    Despite the name, they’re actually small tubers, not nuts
    •    Can be soaked and chopped like grains, or used in flour form
    •    Naturally sweet, high in resistant starch (prebiotic)

✅ 10. Sprouted Pumpkin or Sunflower Seeds
    •    Can be added to bowls for crunch and protein
    •    While not used as a full base like quinoa, they provide similar nutrients

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Recipes! 

Here are two high-protein, plant-based recipes that are 100% grain-free, gluten-free, and packed with nutrients from whole foods!

🥗 1. Quinoa-Free Chickpea & Veggie Power Bowl
🌟 Protein: ~22–25g per serving
(Serves 2)
🥣 Ingredients:
    •    1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 20g protein total)
    •    1 cup cauliflower rice, steamed
    •    1 cup steamed broccoli
    •    ½ cup roasted sweet potato, cubed
    •    2 Tbsp hemp seeds (6g protein)
    •    1 avocado, sliced
    •    2 cups mixed greens or spinach
    •    Optional: red onion, shredded carrots
🥄 Lemon-Tahini Dressing:
    •    2 Tbsp tahini
    •    Juice of 1 lemon
    •    1 clove garlic, minced
    •    1 Tbsp water (to thin)
    •    Pinch of salt & pepper

🧑‍🍳 Instructions:
    1.    Roast or steam all veggies to desired doneness.
    2.    Toss chickpeas with a little olive oil, salt, and cumin, then sauté or roast until slightly crisp.
    3.    Layer greens, cauliflower rice, sweet potato, broccoli, chickpeas, avocado, and hemp seeds in a bowl.
    4.    Drizzle with tahini dressing and serve.

🍛 2. Lentil & Walnut “Meat” Lettuce Wraps
🌟 Protein: ~24g per serving
(Serves 2)
🥣 Ingredients:
    •    1 cup cooked green or brown lentils (18g protein)
    •    ½ cup raw walnuts, finely chopped (6g protein)
    •    2 Tbsp sunflower seeds
    •    ½ cup shredded carrots
    •    ¼ cup onion, finely chopped
    •    1 Tbsp coconut aminos or tamari
    •    1 tsp smoked paprika
    •    ½ tsp garlic powder
    •    1 Tbsp olive oil
    •    Butter lettuce or romaine leaves (for wraps)
🧑‍🍳 Instructions:
    1.    In a skillet, heat olive oil. Sauté onions and carrots until soft.
    2.    Add lentils, walnuts, seeds, and seasonings. Cook on medium heat until warm and slightly crisp, about 5–7 minutes.
    3.    Spoon into washed lettuce leaves.
    4.    Top with optional toppings: diced tomato, avocado, hot sauce, or dairy-free yogurt.

​You can always add a meat source if you'd like! Can you see how filling and nutrient-rich these will be? So yum! 

~With Love & Strength, Missy