Even the non-veggies will like this!

Vegetarian cooking shouldn’t be a painstaking affair, nor should it flaw eager chefs who aren’t used to cooking without meat and meat products. Remember, vegetarianism is not a disease and it doesn’t involve ‘rabbit food’ anymore than the next person’s diet. Whether you’re veggie yourself, keen to cook for veggie friends or simply keen to experiment without meat, here are a few nutritious and delicious recipe ideas to get your taste buds tingling…

Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

An alternative take on the enchilada, this dish looks more like a Mexican lasagne! Rich in protein, iron and calcium, serve with brown rice, a crunchy salad an all the Mexican trimmings for dinner with friends. Serves six.

● Throw a large diced white onion, 2 chopped bell peppers, 2-4 crushed garlic cloves (depending on preference), a pot of salsa, 2 teaspoons of cumin and around 600 grams of cooked black beans into a large-ish pan and bring to simmer over medium heat. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

● Take a baking dish and lay out two or so tortilla wraps. Spread an even layer of the black bean mixture over the tortilla base. Sprinkle a layer of cheddar cheese over the mixture before laying another layer of tortilla wraps over it. Repeat until there’s no more mixture and you have what looks like a lasagne.

● Cover in aluminium foil and cook in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Garnish as desired, and tuck in!

Bulgar Wheat and Chickpea Hotpot

A hearty, protein packed, fast-cook hotpot, perfect for cosy evenings. Serve as a main with a minty, crunchy salad on the side, some crusty bread and some good cheese. Serves four.

● Sautee a large white onion in some olive oil in large pot until moderately softened.

● Stir in about 200g of uncooked bulgur wheat (a little like you would risotto) and coat in the onions and oil.

● ext add one can or 400-ish-g of cooked chickpeas along with a pint or so of vegetable stock (Marigold Swiss Bouillon is always the best to use). Bring up to the simmering point and leave to cook for around 5 minutes – the mixture should have started to thicken up. Taste the bulgur wheat to see whether it has cooked through.

● Once it has, add 100ml of orange juice and stir in a couple of handfuls of cauliflower florets and two generous handfuls of kale (de-stemmed and cut into strips). Simmer for about three minutes until the cauliflower has softened but still has a little bite.

● Serve piping hot. You can thin the hotpot out a little if you wish by adding more stock.

Deliciously fresh, summery super food salad

Super Food Salad

SO good for you, this divinely refreshing and filling whole wheat pasta salad is ideal for summery lunch parties as either a main course or side platter. Experiment with legumes such as fine green beans or nutritious leaves like spinach or watercress. Serves two as a main (adjust amount of ingredients as required).

● As per the cooking instructions, boil about 200g of wholewheat pasta in a saucepan. A pinch of salt will aid the pasta in retaining its bite.

● While waiting for the pasta to cook, make the dressing: whisk together 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, around 100ml of olive oil and one finely chopped clove of garlic. Add some crushed sea salt to taste.

● Just before the pasta has finished cooking, place a bunch of trimmed asparagus, and half a large head of broccoli florets into the pan to soften. After just 30 seconds, bring off the boil and drain the pasta, asparagus and broccoli in a colander and hold under a cold tap for a few seconds (this will prevent the vegetables from losing their crunch).

● Transfer the pasta mix into a bowl and add a handful of chopped mint. Drizzle half the dressing over and mix with salads spoons.

● Now add a handful or so of alfa alfa, 75g of toasted almonds, some chopped cucumber, one ripe avocado (cut into slices or cubes) and 100g or so of crumbled feta cheese.

● Gently toss the salad, ensuring the avocado and feta don’t disintegrate too much, and drizzle over more dressing if needed. Keep the rest for the table, and serve up with crusty bread.

If you like those yummy veggie recipes, why not try this delicious Quinoa Soup?