National Vegetarian Week (20th-26th May) is an annual awareness week aiming to show people how tasty and nutritious a vegetarian diet can be. To celebrate a week of delicious vegetable eating we have put together a selection of recipe ideas perfect for a veggie feast.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

You will need:

3 tbsp sherry vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

1-2 tsp grated horseradish, to taste

A pinch of caster sugar

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

2 tins chickpeas, drained & rinsed

3 large or 4 medium Pink Lady apples,

cored and chopped

140g rocket (2 bags)

A small bunch of mint leaves chopped

200g feta cheese, crumbled

What to do:

In a large bowl, whisk together the sherry vinegar with the olive oil, horseradish and caster sugar. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Stir through the chickpeas and chopped apple, making sure everything is well coated in dressing. At this point the salad will keep for 24 hours in the fridge.

Once you are ready to serve, lightly toss through the rocket and the mint and pile into a serving dish.

Finally, crumble the feta on top and serve.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

You’ll need:

2 tsp nut oil

6 shallots, peeled, trimmed and finely sliced

1 tsp black mustard seeds

1-2 red chillies, deseeded and sliced, depending how hot you like it.

1 medium mango, peeled, stoned and chopped into small chunks

1 Pink Lady apple, peeled, cored and chopped into small chunks

1 lime

2 tbsp golden caster sugar

Small bunch mint, chopped

What to do:

Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the shallots gently for 3-4 minutes. Add the mustard seeds and chillies and cook for a further minute until they become fragrant.

Add the mango, Pink Lady apple, the zest of ½ the lime and the juice of the whole lime, the sugar and a pinch of salt. Cook with the lid on for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is soft but holds its shape.  Remove from the heat to cool then stir in the mint to serve.

Note: Use the same day or if you keep it for a few days in the fridge the flavours will develop. If you do keep it then add the mint when you serve. Great with Bhajis, or poppadum’s.

Serves 2

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20-30 minutes

You’ll need:

600ml vegetable stock

25g butter

4 spring onions, chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

½ green chilli, de-seeded and chopped finely

150g Arborio rice

½ glass of white wine

Half a bundle (approx. 125g) British asparagus

100g British peas

2 tbsp (10g) grated vegetarian parmesan style cheese

3 tbsp (85g) crème fraiche

Juice and zest of 1 small lemon

Handful of chives, chopped finely

What to do:

Place the stock on a slow heat and keep it there whilst you

are making your risotto.

In a separate large pan melt your butter and then add the spring onions, garlic and chilli and sweat until soft for 5 minutes.

Then add the Arborio rice and mix round well so it absorbs all the flavours, before adding the white wine.

When the white wine has been absorbed, add the British asparagus spears and start adding ladleful by ladleful of stock, adding the next one when one has been absorbed.

After 15 minutes of continual stirring and adding the stock, taste and adjust the seasoning and then add the peas.

After a further 5 minutes turn the heat off, add the parmesan and crème fraiche, lemon zest and juice and let them melt in before dishing up, serving and finishing off with some chopped chives.

Serves: 1 (easily multiplied)

Preparation time: 1 minute

Cooking time: 9 minutes

You’ll need:

A decent frying pan

a knob of butter

3 Tenderstem broccoli stems (choose the slimmest)

Boiling water from the kettle

Salt

2 eggs

a little vegetable oil to cover the pan

1 tablespoon of caster sugar

A pinch of salt

1 tablespoon of water

1 tablespoon of soy/tamari/shoyu or ponzu sauce

What to do:

Put a knob of butter into your frying pan on a medium heat. Place the Tenderstem broccoli in the pan and add a little boiling water to the pan, just enough to cover the stems. Braise for 4 minutes until the stems are tender.

Drain the Tenderstem and set it aside, and wipe the moisture from the frying pan.

Whisk together the eggs, caster sugar, salt, water and soy/tamari/shoyu or ponzu sauce. Add a little vegetable oil to your frying pan, just covering the bottom and add the egg mixture so that it covers the bottom of the pan.

Once the egg begins to set, add the broccoli stems to the omelette, laying them next to each other stem to tip. Then, using a spatula, start to roll the omelette over the stems. You are aiming for a rolled Japanese style omelette with the bright green crisp broccoli stems inside.

Serve whole or sliced cross ways with small dipping bowl of soy sauce.

Recipe by:  www.tenderstem.co.uk

Serves 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time:  30-35 minutes

You’ll need:

1 large onion, roughly chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

2 cm piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped

2 tbsp vegetable oil

200g yellow split peas

200g Tenderstem, sliced into 3cm pieces

Small bunch coriander, roughly chopped

Freshly ground black pepper & sea salt

For the spice mix:

2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp fennel seeds

2 tsp fenugreek seeds

2 tsp mustard seeds

2 tsp nigella seeds

1-2tsp dried chili flakes, to taste

For the caramelized shallots:

300g shallots, peeled and cut into thin slices

3 tbsp vegetable oil

What to do:

Make the spice mix by dry frying the all the spices together for a minute or so. As soon as you smell their aroma wafting up strongly from the pan tip them into a pestle and mortar and roughly grind. Set aside.

Puree the onion, garlic and ginger in a food processor until smooth, adding a tablespoon or so of cold water to help this process along if necessary.

Heat the oil in a large heavy based pan and gently fry the onion, garlic and ginger puree until soft and translucent. This should take around 10 minutes.

Add the ground spices and fry for a further couple of minutes before adding the split peas. Pour in enough boiling water to cover the peas by about 3cm and bring up to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes stirring from time to time. You may need to add a little more water towards the end if it is looking a little dry.

Whilst the curry is cooking, caramelize the shallots by stir frying with the oil in a large frying pan or wok over a medium high heat. Cook until golden and crisp, then drain on kitchen paper. Set aside.

Stir the Tenderstem through the curry and continue to cook for around 5-8 minutes or until it is tender but with a little bite.

Serve the curry topped with the caramelized shallots and sprinkled with the coriander. Great served with plain rice or naan bread

Recipe by: www.tenderstem.co.uk

Cupcakes are the best. They are the perfect sized treat!

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: none

You’ll need:

250g cooked beetroot dipped in vinegar (not pickled)

1 tin butterbeans (410g), drained & rinsed

1-2 cloves garlic, crushed

Small bunch fresh chives, finely chopped (reserve a few for garnish)

3tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

What to do:

1. Chop the beetroot into small dice, set aside in a medium bowl.
2. In a food processor blitz the butterbeans with the garlic, chives and olive oil. Season to taste with sea salt & freshly ground black pepper.
3. Transfer into the bowl with the beetroot and gently fold through to mix. Spoon into a serving bowl, drizzle with a little extra olive oil and garnish with a few snipped chives. Serve as a dip with pitta crisps, or part of a salad lunch spread.

Drinks match by food and drink matching expert Fiona Beckett: “You might not think of cider as French but it’s hugely popular in Brittany, Normandy and down in the south-west of France near the Spanish border. The gentle sweetness of apple-flavoured drinks work perfectly with these soft garlicky cheese and crunchy radish sandwiches – the perfect picnic. If you’d prefer something soft, the French make lovely old-fashioned lemonades – perfect for all the family with this simple, delicious picnic sandwich. Lemon always plays well with herbs and garlic.”

Serves: 1

Preparation time: 5 minutes

You’ll need:

2 slices of seeded bread

3-4 radish or French breakfast radish

1tbsp Boursin cheese

Handful of lambs lettuce

What to do:

Slice the radish into quarters. Spread one slice of bread with Boursin, lay the radish slices on top and add the lambs lettuce before sandwiching the second slice of bread on top.

by…. www.loveradish.co.uk