International Vegetarian Day 2022 is on October 1, do you have inspiration on how to celebrate this holiday? Making some delicious vegetarian food is meaningful on this day. If you cultivate some greenhouse plants in your garden, such as greenhouse vegetables, you can use them to cook delicious vegetarian meals and get nutrients.
Some greenhouse vegetables can be used as a good source of protein, learn about them and get more fall vegetarian ideas.
Why do you need plant protein?
To stay healthy, we need a daily protein supplement. From a nutritional standpoint, meat and dairy products are the main dietary sources of protein. A medium-sized chicken contains about 36 grams of protein, and the body gets essential amino acids from these foods to maintain good health. As a vegetarian, meat is not an appropriate food choice. So how to get protein becomes a hot topic.
Thankfully, many plants contain protein. Although most are described as "incomplete proteins," various plant sources of amino acids can be paired in the diet to ensure that we are getting the essential nutrients.
Benefits of Plant Protein
Excessive calories and saturated fats are not good for health and may even be a source of disease, whereas plant protein is even better. Plant proteins are typically lower in calories and saturated fat than animal proteins, and contain more fiber and vitamins than meat.
The risk of cancer and some diseases may be reduced if you follow a scientifically based vegetarian recipe.
Why choose greenhouse plants?
Grow according to preference
Backyard owners have more freedom than vegetarians who can only go to farmers' markets and supermarkets. As a backyard owner, you can cultivate your favorite vegetables and fruits according to your preferences. Getting vegetables and fruits from other sources may worry you about pesticide residues, but if you cultivate plants, you will have no worries in this regard.
By choosing backyard gardening, you will always have the freshest vegetables available. You can pick the freshest vegetables from your backyard greenhouse before you cook them, an experience that feels healthy and natural.
Higher Yield
Greenhouse gardening can shorten the growing time of plants and bring more harvest for gardeners. As a greenhouse owner, if you master the science of growing and use the right facilities as an aid (such as heaters, humidifiers, etc.), you will get higher yields at harvest time. Moreover, you can grow plants in your greenhouse all year round.
The five best greenhouse plants add to vegan food
1. Brussels sprouts
Brussels sprouts resemble mini cabbages and are often used for roasting, steaming, making salads, and are a great main dish or side dish. You can add Brussels sprouts to vegetable salads, pasta, pies, and soups for a delicious dish.
Brussels sprouts are high in protein, with 5.64 grams of protein per cup of Brussels sprouts. In addition, Brussels sprouts are low in calories, but high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
The following are the three main nutrients found in 78g of cooked Brussels sprouts.
Protein: 2g
Carbohydrate: 5.5g
Fiber: 2g
In addition to the above nutrients, Brussels sprouts also contain small amounts of vitamin B6, potassium, iron, thiamin, magnesium, and phosphorus.
- About greenhouse growing
Brussels sprouts are ideal for year-round greenhouse growth, especially during winter. Pests, watering, and soil are key topics in growing Brussels sprouts in the greenhouse. If you wish to grow Brussels sprouts in large quantities in your backyard, it is recommended that you choose a greenhouse shed similar to a 10x20 greenhouse.
- Recommended Recipes
Brussels Sprouts with Baked Bacon Apples
Brussels Sprouts Sweet Potato Hash
2. Quinoa
Quinoa is one of the best plants for protein supplementation and is loved by many dieters and vegetarians, with 8.14 grams of protein per cup of quinoa. In addition to protein, quinoa is also rich in fiber, antioxidants, and minerals. Quinoa is often used to prepare various types of fitness meals as well as vegetarian dishes such as salads, soups, veggie burgers, rice balls, stir-fries, etc.
Quinoa is easy to cook and can be prepared in just 15 minutes.
- About greenhouse farming
Quinoa has a germination period of four to five days and a harvest period of 90 to 120 days. Quinoa requires fertile soil, full sunlight and a cool climate (25°F-95°F) to grow. Quinoa is suitable for planting in the fall and winter and can withstand light frosts.
Try not to plant quinoa in the summer; high temperatures can hinder seed development. Quinoa grown outdoors can suffer from weeds and disease, and moving quinoa into a greenhouse can reduce or avoid some of these problems.
- Recommended Recipes
Baked quinoa with beets and cheese mix
Blueberry Avocado Tossed Quinoa Salad
3. Yellow sweet corn
Sweet corn tastes good and is very popular with both adults and children. Corn is rich in fiber, vitamins (vitamin B12), minerals, and antioxidants. Sweet corn can be used to cook all kinds of delicacies such as salads, thick soups, pizza, pasta, etc.
- Sweet corn growing in greenhouses
Most corn grows 4-9 feet tall, so the roof of the greenhouse space you plan to use for growing corn should be at least 9 feet high. A mini-greenhouse is not sufficient for growing corn in your greenhouse; you need a large greenhouse to ensure that the greenhouse roof does not impede the growth of the corn.
You need to provide adequate moisture and sufficient light for the crop during the growing cycle of the sweet corn. If you are growing sweet corn in a pop up greenhouse in the fall and winter, you will need to use grow lights as a light aid.
Sweet corn loves sandy loam soils and you will need to add some sand to the soil so that it is light and dry. Soil that is rich in trace elements and lots of nutrients makes sweet corn thrive, so you will need to add plenty of organic matter, such as compost, to the sweet corn growing area on a regular basis.
- Recommended Recipes
Corn and cheese pizza
Sweet Corn Gumbo
Corn salad
4. Potatoes
No one is a stranger to potatoes. Potatoes look very ordinary, but that's just an illusion you may have. In fact, potatoes are rich in protein, vitamin C and B6. Each medium-sized potato contains 4.55 grams of protein, try russet or red potatoes for even more protein.
- Potatoes growing in greenhouses
Potato is an easy plant to grow, you can grow them on the balcony of your apartment or in a greenhouse in your backyard. Growing potatoes requires a fair amount of water, so water your plants regularly, but not too often - too much water is not good for potato growth. Potatoes grow well in slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.5. Please measure the pH of your soil frequently and consider whether to use fertilizer. One of the most obvious benefits of growing potatoes in a greenhouse is that you don't have to worry about pests damaging your plants. Aphids are small pests that can carry viral diseases, and they extract fluids from the leaves and stems of potatoes, which can cause serious damage.
- Recommended recipes
Potato gumbo
Mashed potatoes
Potato salad
French fries
5. Asparagus
Asparagus belongs to the lily family and is a vegetable enjoyed by many vegetarians. Asparagus comes in a variety of colors, including green, white and purple. Asparagus is low in calories and rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Just half a cup of cooked asparagus contains:
Protein: 2.2 grams
Fat: 0.2 grams
Fiber: 1.8 grams
Asparagus is an excellent source of vitamin K and is also rich in folic acid. Many food lovers enjoy cooking asparagus in the spring, and you can make a variety of dishes with it.
- Asparagus growing in greenhouses
Asparagus grows well in cooler climates. The best season to plant asparagus is early spring, when you are clear of weeds, and you can start your asparagus cultivation. It is important for asparagus to grow in a well-drained area; a wet bottom will affect the growth of asparagus.
If your home has raised beds, this is a perfect place to grow asparagus. Move the raised garden bed into the greenhouse to provide ideal growing conditions for asparagus. The soil or compost used to grow asparagus should ideally be 2 to 4 inches thick.
- Recommended recipes
Stir-fried shrimp with asparagus
Grilled Asparagus with Cheese and Garlic
Asparagus Soup
