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There is very often a consensus of opinion among omnivores and carnivores that vegetarian and particularly vegan cooking is boring and tasteless and that those who choose to live their lives in this fashion do so on a diet which amounts to little more than pureed lentils. I even recall the celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay voicing the opinion once on TV that vegetarians have no palate!

While I am not a vegetarian and never could be, my mother is and I am thus aware from throughout my childhood and beyond, how she still manages to enjoy a very varied and interesting diet. I have on many occasions partaken of the same vegetarian fayre which she was having and thoroughly enjoyed it.

The biggest potential pitfall in a vegetarian diet is that the lack of meat protein is not properly compensated for. It is absolutely vital that vegetarians and vegans especially ensure they do get sufficient quantities of the vitamins and minerals which their bodies need to survive and flourish. This is where some legwork is required. Research has to be done online, in books, by watching appropriate TV programmes, to find out which nutrients are required and how they may be obtained other than from meat or dairy products.

Below are a couple of recipes to try, one vegetarian and one vegan, containing a number of extremely nutritious items. Both are designed to serve two hungry people.

Broccoli and Egg Bake (Vegetarian)

1 head of broccoli (split in to florets)

6 large eggs

2 handfuls of grated hard cheese

1/2 tsp dried sage

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To a pan of boiling, lightly salted water, add the broccoli florets and cook for only three or four minutes. Drain them well. Beat the eggs in a bowl with the salt and freshly ground black pepper. Put the broccoli in to a casserole dish and pour over the egg mixture. Put the lid on the dish and bake in a moderate oven for forty to forty-five minutes.

Check the egg mixture is fully set by inserting a fork or skewer in to the centre of the dish. If so, spread the cheese and sage (mixed together) evenly over the top and place under a hot grill until the cheese has melted and begins to bubble. Serve immediately.

Bell Pepper Stir Fry (Vegan)

3 bell peppers of different colours (red, yellow and green suggested)

1 large onion

1 clove of garlic

1 tbsp chopped cilantro/coriander leaf

1 tbsp sunflower oil for stir frying

4 oz (125g) basmati rice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put the rice in to boiling salted water and cook per the package instructions.

Slice the bell peppers in half down through the centre, de-seed and chop lengthwise in to strips about half an inch wide. Peel the onion and quarter it down through the centre, separating the different layers. Finely chop the garlic.

When the rice is five minutes short of being ready, put a wok on to maximum heat until it is smoking hot. Add the sunflower oil and heat through. Add the garlic and the onions, followed by the peppers. Stir fry for one to two minutes, ensuring everything receives an even heat. Switch off the heat, add seasoning and the cilantro/coriander and mix thoroughly. Plate up the rice and spoon the vegetables on top.

Learn more about this author, Gordon Hamilton.
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