Hotling Snack Bling. Stop Calling Up Snacks, Late Night.

Picture this. It’s “me” time, the house is quite and everyone has gone to sleep. Maybe you’re listening to some John Mayer (my personal relaxation fave), relaxing, finally. And then it hits, the late night snack craving. Now all you can think about it something crunchy, or salty, or oh-so-chocolaty and you’re no longer relaxing. Instead of reaching for something, anything, in the pantry, have a dinner made with high protein plant-based ingredients earlier in the evening to feel fuller, longer and curb the late night snack cravings. As originally posted on MyVega.com.

Satisfy Your Hunger

Feel fuller, longer. Sounds good, right? When you eat foods high in protein paired with healthy fats and good-for-you fiber, that’s what you’ll feel. Fuller, longer. In other words you’ll feel satiated; you’ll have a feeling of fullness, a feeling of being filled completely. To get you started, here are my top 15 plant-based proteins to have for dinner.

Top 15 Plant-based Proteins
• Nuts & Seeds – Peanuts, almonds and hemp seeds (to name a few)
• Lentils – Red, green and yellow, oh my!
• Beans & Legumes – Black beans, kidney beans and chickpeas
• Greens – Spinach, kale and broccoli (yes broccoli! Find out more in the recipes below)
• Grains – Brown rice, oats and quinoa (technically a seed or pseudograin but hey, we categorize how we want.)

Now that you’ve got your plant-based protein basic covered, let’s get cooking with these delicious, easy meals that will take your weeknight dinners to a whole new level.And if after reading this you’re hungry for more check out this handy plant-based protein infographic

Top 5 High Protein Dinners

1. Thai Noodle One Pot Pasta
One pot meals can’t be beat. Top this simple one pot wonder with one ounce of peanuts and add 7 gram of protein.

2. Cranberry & Maple Glazed Lentil Loaf
A twist on a classic dish, perfect for the upcoming holiday season, this loaf is made from protein-powerhouse lentils that have a whopping 18 gram of protein per cup.

3. Enchiladas
I don’t know about you but around my house Tuesdays are reserved for tacos. For a new take on Taco Tuesday try these enchiladas with black beans and add 15 grams of protein per cup.¡Olé!

4. Plant-Based Casserole
Casseroles are a sure-fire go-to comfort food for busy weeknights. Make your casserole plant-based with this recipe and add 2 cups of chopped veggies like broccoli to serve up an extra 5 grams of protein.

5. Kale “Cabbage” Rolls
Making cabbage rolls doesn’t have to take all day. Reinvent the cabbage roll in 90 minutes or less with this kale based recipe. Top with an extra tablespoon of hemp seeds and serve up over 10g of protein per serving from the kale, rice, nuts and seeds.

Has this got you curious about how much protein you need? Got you covered here.

You’re turn. Let me know your favorite high-protein meal to lose the late night cravings.