Meat free cooking

You must have tried meat food cooking - aka vegetarian food? Do you know the health benefits of no meat in your diet and the fibre you get from vegetarian diet?

What is meant by meat free cookery & vegetarian diets? First of all this depends on what kind of vegetarian diets you are interested in or are planning to cook for.

While vegans not only avoid meat but all forms of dairy products, demi-vegetarians, also known as pescetarians, don't mind eating fish.

Meat free cooking doesn't necessarily imply special dishes however. Many traditional meals can be easily adapted to make them vegetarian diet friendly. The easiest way to achieve meat free cookery is to replace meat with vegetarian substitutes. Soya, Quorn and tofu are all popular alternatives that can be prepared in many different ways.

For example, you can use Quorn mince to make a delicious spaghetti Bolognese and when mixed with the right sauce, it's often hard to tell the difference. Also these substitutes are also generally high in protein but low in fat. So going meat free can also be a good way to lose weight.

Bear in mind though that, depending how strict you want to be, you need to watch out for animal based gelatins and other fats that may be listed in product ingredients.

Other ways to spice up traditional meals is to use more vegetables and fruits instead. Try to be creative both in the variety used and the way they are presented. Being meat free no longer means surviving on a meal of beans and brown lentils. The vast majority of traditional dishes can be translated into a veggie version from shepherd's pie to spicy curries. So who needs to boil up our furry friends?