You will run into people who say otherwise, especially on Bluelight, but they probably ended up in the Healthy Living forum by way of the Steroid Discussion forum, and their perspective is skewed by years of body building.
the stereotypical vegitarian is a skinny twerp. clearly then, a fair number of them overlook their protein requirements.
i never intended to eat like a vegitarian but lately that's how i roll. i've felt a lot more energetic in general since i've cut pork out of my diet entirely, but i still find meat, especially chicken mmm, to be the most effective fuel. at the end of the week though, i only eat about a half kilo's worth of meat chopped up in the salads i have every few days.
one of the most effective things in a lean diet, i find, is yogurt. i don't have to think twice about getting my morning dose of fruits and nuts, and can even mix in a bit of probiotic.
breakfast usually goes:
-yogurt
-berries
-nuts
-toast
-apple
-green tea
for dinner i like to roast up salmon fillet. since i live by the ocean now, it's always fresh and always cheap so that's a definite boon. it's also terribly EASY. just sprinkle some basil on top, throw it in the oven for ten minutes, and with a round of lemon on top it's ready to eat. fucking delicious! high in EFAs, low in bad fats, high in protein, and the EPA certifies fresh salmon contains the lowest concentration of mercury amongst saltwater fish.
other lazy nights i just cop a can of chickpeas and add to pasta for the protein. unless i were supplementing, i couldn't get more protein from meats than what i easily acquire from healthier foods and for cheaper too.
either way i typically live off $10 or less a day, and get enough protein to increase muscle mass without eating much meat or pounding protein shakes.