10 High Protein, Low Carb Snacks Recipes – ALL Plant Based!

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Often high protein diets (especially those designed for weight loss) require you to eat copious amounts of animal products with little fruits, vegetables or legumes for fibre and nutrients. The eating of way too much dairy and meat often results in bad skin, lactose intolerance, and chronic inflammation in general. Not good, especially when your reasons for cutting down on the carbs is to actually look and feel healthier!

This list of 10 high protein, low carb snacks recipes are all plant based, natural and bursting with nutrition. Best of all, they won’t make you pile on the pounds but will instead help to boost fat burning and weight loss. They do, of course, need to be eaten ‘instead of’ and not ‘as well as’ your usual snacks that are more than likely high in bad fats and refined sugar.

Why Are Plant Based Snacks Healthier?

protein balls

meal plans

The whole foods plant based diet is fast gaining popularity, due to it not only being more environmentally friendly, but also super healthy for the body, mind and soul.

However, if you do decide to commit to 100% plant based. then you will need to understand some important elements of this lifestyle in terms of correct food combining in order to put together nutritionally complete meals. If you do not take the time to do this, then your health may suffer and you will be left thinking, and probably spreading the word, that the plant based diet made you sick.

Even if you’re happy eating animal products, you can still cut down this inflammatory load by eating healthy plant based snacks. These will improve your health vastly as you will automatically be eating more phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. ALL of which have a myriad of health benefits, including:-

  • Anti aging
  • Much more energy
  • Better skin
  • Weight loss
  • Higher immunity
  • Lower risk of disease in general
  • Less brain fog
  • Better memory
  • Higher fitness levels
  • Less chronic inflammation

By adding more plant foods into your diet in general you could potentially benefit from all the above fantastic benefits. The more you add, the more benefits you get. It’s simple maths that never fails. Also, the more healthful plant based foods you add into your diet, the less room you have for the unhealthy junk foods, making it a win win situation.

1. PROTEIN SHAKE

Adding a protein shake to your day as one of your meals or snacks is a great way to help boost fat loss. Keep muscle mass high (muscle helps keep your body in fat burning mode), and lower your sugar cravings all in one go. A protein supplement is even more important if you are a vegan or plant based eater who does lots of exercise, as in this case your needs will be higher than the average person.

Be sure to use good quality plant based protein as it will more than likely be specially formulated to contain a complete amino aid profile, which is even more important if you don’t actually eat any animal products.

PROTEIN: Most protein supplements contain around 40-50% of pure protein per 100 grams.

To keep the shake low carb you need to make sure that your protein powder contains no added sugars, apart from low GI, ‘healthier’ sweeteners such as xylitol, stevia or erythritol. You can then blend it with sugar free almond milk and something (or a couple items) from the list below:-

  • 1/2 a ripe avocado.
  • Berries such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries.
  • Greens, such as spinach or kale.
  • Green superfood powders such as spirulina, barley grass, wheatgrass or moringa.
  • A teaspoon of coconut oil (if not using avocado).
  • A handful of low carb nuts such as Brazil, macadamia, pecans or walnuts (again, only if not using any other fats).
  • A tablespoon of nut butter.

If you decide to use fats, fruit and veg in your protein smoothie then this will make it more like a meal replacement that can be used in place of breakfast or lunch rather than just a snack. Check out these other fat burning smoothie recipes for more inspiration.

2. TRAIL MIX

You can easily make a homemade trail mix in minutes, then just store in an airtight container for months to pick at as and when. Just grab yourself whatever you fancy from the list below, shake in a mason jar and that’s it! Be sure that none of these ingredients contain hidden added sugars or they will NOT be low carb.

PROTEIN: Depending on the ingredients you choose, a trail mix will contain between 10-15 grams of protein per 100 grams.

Make sure all these ingredients are dried, not salted and refined sugar free:-

  • Coconut flakes
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Pecan nuts
  • Macadamia nuts
  • Walnuts
  • Brazil nuts
  • Almonds
  • Peanuts
  • Hazelnuts
  • Pine nuts
  • Dates
  • Raisins
  • Apricots
  • Prunes
  • Apple
  • Goji berries
  • Pinch of cinnamon, ginger, or any other spice you enjoy.

Although some of the above fruits may seem high in fruit sugar, we have decided to add them to this list as there are some dried fruits that have been proven to aid weight loss. So, if losing weight is your aim then feel free to add them.

3. GRANOLA AND YOGURT

mason jar with granola

You can use your above trail mix with a spoonful or two of coconut cream/coconut or soy yogurt, plus a handful of toasted buckwheat flakes or grouts and fresh berries, which will turn it into a more substantial snack or breakfast.

Just be sure to check labels to make sure your yogurt contains no added refined sugars if you want to keep this snack as low carb as possible.

PROTEIN: If served with soy yogurt this granola should come in at around 15 grams of protein per 100 gram portion.

4. VEGETABLES CRUDITES AND DIPS

Use either a tahini, hummus or guacamole dip and chop the following raw veggies. All these dips are full of healthy fats and nutrients which will fill you up and help stop carb cravings. Plus the fibre and vitamins in the raw veggies will be great for your gut flora, helping to detoxify your system to flush out toxins and ultimately get your skin glowing.

PROTEIN: Depending on your choice of ingredients, 100 grams of this snack will come in at around 5-10 grams of protein.

  • Carrots
  • Courgette
  • Bell peppers
  • Tomatoes
  • Broccoli florets
  • Cauliflower florets
  • Cucumber
  • Green beans

5. ROASTED KALE CHIPS

Kale is packed full of nutrition and fibre and actually really tasty when crisped up in a very low oven, or even better a dehydrator.

PROTEIN: 4.3 grams per 100 grams.

  • Turn on your oven to the lowest possible setting.
  • Wash and thoroughly dry your kale.
  • Rub a small blob of coconut oil into your hands and rub together to melt, then massage into your kale as you set it out onto oven trays in a single layer.
  • Add herbs and spices of your choice (a sprinkling of simple mixed herbs can be good), but they also taste just delicious without any seasoning.
  • Bake on a very low heat until dried out and crispy (you will have to keep checking on them).
  • Best eaten immediately as they don’t store too well. If you do need to store them then use an airtight container and freshen up for a couple of minutes again in a low oven if need be.

6. CELERY AND PEANUT BUTTER

Simple, but pretty delicious. Use sugar-free peanut butter and spread a tablespoon onto a couple of sticks of celery. Peanut butter is very filling and full of healthy fats that will keep you satiated until your next meal. You can use any nut butter for this, but the highest protein ones are peanut and almond.

PROTEIN: 1 tablespoon (16g) of peanut butter is roughly 4 grams of protein. 100 grams of peanut butter is 25 grams of protein

meal plans

7. TOASTED TAMARI PUMPKIN SEEDS

PROTEIN: A 50 gram serving of pumpkin seeds comes in at 10 grams of protein.

These are truly addictive and can be made within minutes. You can use soy sauce instead of tamari, but we personally prefer the flavour of tamari as it’s gluten and sugar free whereas most soy sauce isn’t, so do check labels.

  • Heat up a frying pan or skillet to a medium temperature (no oils required).
  • Add a couple of handfuls of organic shelled pumpkin seeds and a good splash of tamari then keep on the move with a wooden spoon for literally only a couple of minutes. They will start to go sticky and clump together a bit, but this is a good thing and makes them even tastier.
  • Eat either hot or cold.

8. GINGER AND TAMARI FRIED TOFU PIECES

Tofu is made of soy beans. They are really high protein, but are also low fat and low carb making it a great snack or added as a protein source to main meals instead of meat or dairy. You can often buy tofu pieces already cooked with spices, but we like to make my own as it’s tastier and you can decide which flavours you would like to use.

These are also easily transportable when put in an air tight container to take to work (try to keep them refrigerated though).

Typically, I would go for a classic tamari and ginger, but you could also use smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder or just plain.

PROTEIN: Tofu is crammed full of a lot of protein for a very low amount of calories. 100 grams contains 10 grams of protein at ONLY 76 calories, making it very unique in this respect.

  • Chop your block of tofu into bite sized chunks.
  • Add a little coconut, sesame or olive oil to a medium hot pan along with a dash of tamari sauce.
  • Add tofu pieces along with a sprinkling of ginger powder, then add a little more tamari to taste.
  • Cook until golden and crisp on all sides. This shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes, but do keep turning one by one and not just shake the pan or you won’t get all sides cooked evenly. Take your time to cook all sides if possible for best results.

9. ROASTED CHICKPEAS

Simple, tasty, and oh so versatile. Chickpeas (or garbanzo beans as they’re sometimes called) can be dry roasted in a medium oven with a shake of salt, pepper, cumin or any spice that tickles your fancy. And the great thing about them is you can cook them to the level of crunch that you desire.

If you would like them really crunchy then just leave them in for longer, but be careful not to break your teeth as they can go rock hard when over done and no snack should put you in the dentist’s chair!

PROTEIN: Chickpeas contain around 12 grams of protein per 100 grams of cooked product, plus high amounts of fiber to keep you full, thus making them a fantastic fat burning, low GI snack.

10. PROTEIN BALLS OR BARS

Make your own quick and easy protein balls to see you through the week ahead. They are versatile and transportable and you can experiment with flavours and textures. The simple and basic protein ball recipe contains a mix of sugar free nut butter, dates, oats, vanilla bean essence, and cacao or desiccated coconut for dusting.

These balls are also ideal snacks for pre and post workout fuel due to their unique slow release sugars from the dates.

PROTEIN: If you mix your balls with peanut butter, then the protein content will come in at around 15 grams per 100 grams.

  • Blend 100 grams of pitted medjool dates with 100 grams of nut butter, vanilla essence, 50 grams of rolled oats, and enough melted coconut oil to make a dough texture.
  • Roll into bite-size balls between the palm of your hands, then roll again into a plate of either cacao powder or desiccated coconut. This makes them easy to handle when you eat them without getting your fingers all sticky.
  • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

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17 thoughts on “10 High Protein, Low Carb Snacks Recipes – ALL Plant Based!”

  1. Stefano Chiarelli

    Hey, first I like to thank you for such a good post! I also have a vegetarian/vegan blog.
    However, I was not recommending at all a low carb diet, because they are very tied to animal products, but you had proved me wrong!

    Thanks,
    Stefano.

    1. Hey Stefano, that’s great you have a vegan blog! There is much confusion over a low carb or keto diet. It seems to most to be pretty much impossible on a vegan diet especially, but really not true.

      I think most people just don’t fully understand their plant based macronutrients and they jump into a plant based or vegan diet without researching properly first. They will then naturally fill up on way too many carbs such as pasta, rice and grains and actually gain weight, but I hope this post has shown that there are lots of plant proteins that are also low carb.

  2. Hi,

    I’m definitely desperate to shed off some belly fat. If there are any cons of working from home, it is that you gain weight easily before you know it. I’m trying to cut down on carbs as I heard that’s what causing all the fat in the body.

    I like the protein balls. It looks appetizing as nuts and seeds don’t really turn on my appetite. It seems complicated though. Anyway, I hope to try it out to keep me from grabbing snacks while I’m working.

    1. Hi Kenny, yes the wrong kind of carbs will definitely contribute to excess body fat. I’m taking more about refined carbohydrates opposed to the healthier low GI complex carbs that come in the form of pulses and wholegrains – these are definitely good!

      I hope you find the time to make the protein balls as they are well worth the effort. Good luck!

  3. Great tips for healthy snacks, I will have to try a couple of these. I do have a habit of going for the biscuit tin as it is so handy. I have made the roasted chickpeas with paprika and enjoyed them. My wife liked the sound of the peanut butter and celery.

    I have been eating healthily for a while now and have lost a fair bit of weight, but still can’t walk past that biscuit tin without being tempted. I think I will make up a couple of those trail mixes in mason jars and keep it where the biscuit tin is now.

    Thanks for the info.
    Frank

    1. Now that sounds like a good idea Frank! Hide that pesky biscuit tin and put healthier snacks on show; out of sight out of mind huh? And you could always make yourself your own healthier cookies.There is even a quick cookie you can make with mushed up ripe banana and rolled oats with a dash of cinnamon.

      Just mix together to form a thick batter, then spread out in cookie shapes on a baking tin and cook in a medium oven until golden. Voila, easy peasy. And believe me, there are thousands of similar healthy cookie and biscuit recipes all over the internet if that is your weakness. Ha ha

  4. Tammy kuppinger

    Great Article! This is very timely for me as I am trying to eat healthier. I do ok with meals but snacks, especially snacks on the go, are hard. I didn’t know that meat was consider inflammatory, I thought it was just carbs and dairy. I’m glad you included recipes with your meal suggestions. It’s frustrating that so many store bought trail mixes and bars are not healthy and loaded with sugar. I’ll have to make a big batch of your trail mix and have it ready to go. Thanks for the info and happy eating!

    1. Hi Tammy,
      Yes, I find snacks on the go hard which is why I decided to create this post.

      As for inflammatory foods, yes sugar and carbs are the main culprits, but processed and other certain meats are also very bad in this respect. You also need to think about all the nasty things that end up in the meat chain from animals that feed on grain (inflammation), and the growth hormones and antibiotics they are injected with. All of this ends up in your body too.

      If however, you but organic/ grass-fed and free-range meats then you won’t get all these problems. So it’s worth considering eating less meat, buying only the best when you do eat it, and eating lots more plant foods instead if you want high levels of health.

      I hope you enjoy the trail mix!

  5. Awesome post! I work at a fitness studio and high protein diets are pushed all the time. We have a lot of clients looking for plant based protein sources so I will definitely direct them to your site for more information!

    1. Hi Katie, that would be brilliant if you could! I have lots of information on my website about the plant based diet for fitness, plant macronutrient, and food combining. Most people who exercise don’t realise how important this is when on a plant based diet. In fact, you really need to concentrate on obtaining enough protein if you don’t want to lose muscle mass, which is what happened to me when I first went vegan.

      Also, you may be interested to know that I will be getting up soon some plant based meal plans specifically for those in training, which would be perfect for your clients.

  6. Hi Stefanie, great article. I love your idea of protein balls. I definitely need to try this one. You also indecated tofu as a one of the high protein snack. I agree, but there are many negative opinions about the impact of tofu on men’s health. What is your opinion about that?

    1. Hi Kamil, yes you’re right, you do hear lots of negative things about tofu being estrogenic and causing hormonal issues in men, particularly in the form of growing excess breast tissue and lowering testosterone.

      However, I recently watched a medical TV program here in the UK in which a guy had his testosterone and other hormone levels checked then embarked on a full month of eating tofu and other soy based products for almost every meal, and when he had his hormones checked again at the end of his soy fuelled month literally nothing had changed!

      So, this was only one guy I know, but I think the whole soy thing has been a bit blown out of proportion. Don’t forget soybean products are eaten regularly all over Asia and they are way healthier than our
      culture.

      I think to be in the safe side you should always buy good quality organic soy and eat in moderation. The kind if soy they isolate and put into protein powders and most junk foods is going to be the kind that is unhealthy in high doses.

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