I make casseroles a lot with the mix of carbs, protein and veggies I like. They freeze wonderfully. And one dish meals are usually easier to cook and always easier to clean up after.

Also if you want to do vegan for any reason, wheat gluten and beans let you get pretty much and protein to carb ratio you are looking for as long as you are not intending to go carb free or ultra-low carb. Depends on if you like wheat gluten of course. If you do want to do low carb and vegan, tofu and wheat gluent combine work well for that - not carb free but pretty damn low carb.

My go-to fast meal is a corn tortilla with cheese and mushrooms

I could almost go vegetarian if mushrooms were a protein.

An example of a casserole, 1.2 pound boneless skinned chicken breast, 3 cans low sodium black beans(rinsed) with mixed Southern greens from trader joes, one mild hot pepper, onions, celery tomatos, garlic, salt, pepper, 1 quarter cup lime juice, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, parsley, cilantro if you like, 2 table spoons mild salsa. Slow cooked until done. Very good. If you want it spicer use hotter pepper and hotter salsa. Add a couple of table spoons masa or corn flour during the last hour. Makes about eight servings. Very tasty, reasonable calories, more calories from protein than from carbs. And tons of fiber.

Mushrooms have lots of protein...

eta: Ok, a reasonable amount, at least.

Mushrooms have lots of protein...

They do?! That's awesome, because I love mushroom pizza and mushroom stroganoff.

On Atkins, I ate a fair amount of pepperoni and deli ham for "hand food," which is how I think about stuff that doesn't really have to be prepared (but can be!).

They do?! That's awesome, because I love mushroom pizza and mushroom stroganoff.

They have less than meat, I think they're about 2-3% protein. They generally have more than plants. (Side note: fungi are evolutionarily closer to animals than to plants.)

Side note: fungi are evolutionarily closer to animals than to plants

OK, that's just weird.

I'm glad I like mushrooms, though.

For quick food when I'm doing low-carb, it's deli meat, cheese, already-cooked bacon (keeps well), eggs, and nuts.

(Side note: fungi are evolutionarily closer to animals than to plants.)

I guess it's good that I'm not a vegetarian then?