This little legume not only packs a protein punch, but is also an all-around nutritional heavy-hitter, says Smith."Lentils are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and bio-nutrients."
"Amino acid profile should be considered when choosing plant proteins, so I love recommending pistachios, as they offer 6 grams of complete plant protein per serving," Jones says
Though technically a seed, quinoa is typically grouped with grains and is one of the best sources of protein in that category (apologies, white rice!).
Whether roasted for a munchable snack or blended into a creamy hummus spread, chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) are another legume that gets top scores from the experts.
Never thrown a bag of hemp seeds into your grocery cart? Now might be the time to start, says Jones, as they're a great source of protein.
Typically used as a meat substitute in its firm state or as an egg or dairy substitute in its silken form, tofu is made by coagulating soy milk and pressing the resulting curds into a block.
If you want all the benefits of soy but in a package that's a little easier to, say, throw into a gym bag for a post-workout snack, Jones recommends pre-cooked soy beans.
"You'll get about seven grams of protein from two tablespoons of peanut butter," Smith says, adding, "You do want to keep the portion sizes in check as peanut butter is one of the more calorie dense plant-based protein options."