BOOK: The Butcher and the Vegetarian by Tara Austen Weaver

A Google alert popped up in my email saying: "A vegetarian goes over to the dark (meat) side."

I was intrigued.

The link led to a (slightly boring) Q&A with Tara Austen Weaver who gave up being a vegetarian when her holistic doctor suggeted she eat meat for health reasons. (Read the Q&A here)

She had been a veggie all her life. In her book she describes what it was like beginning to eat meat. This includes enjoying barbecued bacon and "meat hangovers"

The blurb on the book reads: "One Woman's Romp through a World of Men, Meat and Moral Crisis." This put me off. It makes it sound like some kind of Sex in the City meets the Bible meets a cook book.

Maybe it's just me. I hate it when people connect vegetarianism with morality. It's a personal choice about diet not some kind of religious superiority to those who eat meat.

I haven't read the book so I won't judge it. It might be fantastic...just with a rubbish blurb. Either way it'd be interesting to read about the effects of eating meat on the body and mind of a life-long vegetarian.

Check out Tara's website and blog.

McDonald's hope veggie burger and coffee will spur growth in Germany

McDonald's in Germany is apparently re-introducing the veggie burger to attract more women customers.

They think fresh food is more likely to bring in the female fast food lovers.

It will be made from potatoes, peppers and carrots. Although the Veggie Deluxe fills a guilty hole, I always liked the Quorn Premiere far more but according to a website I've found (Makeupyourownmind) there wasn't enough demand for it.

The website claims "The site has been set up for you to find out anything you would like to know about McDonald’s food, business, people and practices."

People ask questions and get them answered. Here's the answers on the Quorn Premiere and the Veggie Deluxe.

I haven't had a McDonald's for ages but the last thing I had involved chickpeas and an odd sauce. It helped ease a hangover but I won't be rushing back for another.

The Spicy Veggie Deli sandwich was good but didn't satisfy burger-cravings even though it was probably as laden with sugar and fat. (After a quick bit of research, I learn it contains 555 calories and 21g of fat - find out what the nutritional value of your McDonald's favourites here.)

My message has to be..

...BRING BACK THE QUORN PREMIERE!!!

I'm a Celebrity...king of the jungle celebrity chef Gino D'Acampo's vegetarian Eggs with Mediterranean Vegetables in Tomato Sauce recipe so good

As I've said before, I'm no cook. However, I'm trying at the moment because I'm doing that "low carb" diet again so bunging noodles in the microwave just won't cut it.

I found this brill recipe in Gino D'Acampo's book Fantastico! (£8.31 on Amazon)

It's called Eggs with Mediterranean Vegetables in Tomato Sauce (not exactly inventive) and is super easy, especially with my cheeky cheap cheat.

Instead of messing with all the fresh vegetables (because I was busy not lazy...honest) I got a tin of organic vegetables, which worked great. (I'm sure fresh veg is nicer and healthier though.) Anyway...enough chatting..here's the recipe from Gino's website.

But first...here are pictures of my attempt. Doesn't look too bad? It was really filling and super tasty. I recommed it.

Eggs with Mediterranean Vegetables in Tomato Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
3 medium courgettes, roughly chopped
1 large yellow pepper, roughly chopped
400g tinned chopped tomatoes
5 fresh basil leaves
50g pitted Kalamata olives
4 medium eggs
70g freshly grated Cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper

Preparation:
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion, courgettes and pepper until soft and browned, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, add in the tomatoes, basil and olives. Cook, uncovered, over a medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the water from the tomatoes is well reduced.

Meanwhile, preheat the grill. Make four slight hollows in the tomato mixture and very gently break one egg into each. Sprinkle over the cheese and cook under the grill for about 10 minutes or until the eggs are set as you like them.

Serve immediately with warm crusty bread. (Not so great on the low carb diet but nevermind.)

Enjoy x

Aldo Zilli relaunches Soho restaurant Signor Zilli as purely vegetarian after Celebrity Fit Club experience

CHEF Aldo Zilli is apparently relaunching his Soho restaurant as a vegetarian venture.

The award-winning Italian chef will open Zilli Green in Soho on February 14 after being inspired by his time on Celebrity Fit Club to have a new lifestyle.

He said: "Before going on Celebrity Fit Club a few years ago I decided that I wanted a new lifestyle and a new way of looking at food.

"The programme inspired me to alter the focus of my cooking with new ingredients and different patterns of eating.

"This year marks my 30th anniversary as one of Soho's original restaurateurs. At the time, I brought a fresh new approach to eating Italian food to London and I want to mark this anniversary with an equally exciting new approach to a fresh and healthy way of life for everyone to enjoy."



Although I think it's brilliant such a high-profile chef is bringing vegetarian food into the spotlight, it sometimes annoys me people assume a vegetarian lifestyle is "the healthy option."

I remember being on an American flight as a child - when everyone got a ready salted bag of crisps as a snack, I was handed a stick of celery.

I do, however, like how Zilli focuses on how tasty vegetarian food can be. He said: "...vegetarian food doesn't have to be dull or tasteless - but exciting and delicious with quirky flavours and combinations."

Starter dishes (from £3.50) include Beetroot Lasagna with Dandelion & Rocket Salad; Jerusalem Artichoke Tart with Goats Cheese, Fig & Grape Chutney; and Red Lentil & Barley Soup.

Pasta dishes (£6.00) include Pumpkin ravioli with Butter, Sage and Nutmeg Sauce; Artichoke and Smoked Mozzarella Risotto with Toasted Sunflower Seeds; and Black truffle lasagne.

Other mains include, Lentil Cake with Steamed Baby Vegetables, Fried Fennel and Beetroot Oil; Marinated Seared Tofu with Asian Salad and Miso Soup; Thai Curry with Quinoa & Blood Orange Chutney; and Purple Sprouting Broccoli & Oyster Mushroom Tempura as well as a Daily Roast.

I particularly fancy the Jerusalem Artichoke Tart with Goats Cheese and...well...all the mains. Check out the whole menu for yourself.

Vegetarianism isn't a moral choice for me. I love going to veggie restaurants because I can completely relax about what I'm eating, I know my food hasn't been cut with the wrong knife in the kitchen or touched something non-veggie.

However, vegetarian restaurants should not be held up as somehow better or healthier or more moral than other eateries. They are simply another choice, as is being a vegetarian.

Vegetarian Christmas present ideas: sweets, Haribo, vegan marshmallows and more

Well, I've been rubbish at updating the blog. I have no excuses but will make it up with loads of interesting posts about tasty veggie treats.

Today it's the wonder of sweeties. As I may have said before, I've been a vegetarian since I was four so I don't "miss" meat and animal products in the way a more recent veggie might. One thing I do wish I could have is jelly sweets, marshmallows and other sugary naughtiness.

A friend from work did a bit of Googling and found me these websites:

Sweet Vegan

Sweet Vegan will be sending out Christmas orders up to December 21st. They appear to sell four products: vanilla marshmallows, coconut marshmallows (both £4.99 for 200g), mint hot chocolate and hot chocolate (both £4.95 for 300g).

Although there aren't a lot of products to choose from, the marshmallows are handmade and look like they'd make nice gifts. (Let's hope the boyfriend's reading this!!!) Next site is...


Scrumptious Sweets

This site sells classics like cola cubes, jelly beans and fizzy fangs.

There are tons of sweets to choose from and best of all they have Christmas gift packs including Deluxe Organic Vegetarian and Vegan Xmas Fondue Gift Box (£75) and a Fruit Sweet Treats in a Mug (£19.99) plus many more.

Gift packs range in price from £9.99 to the Exclusive Christmas Gift Hamper for a whopping £95 but it does include:

Exclusive Chocolate Fondue set.
Vegan 'Free From' Chocolate.
Vegan & Vegetarian Vanilla Marshmallows.
Vegan & Vegetarian Coconut Marshmallows.
Vegan & Vegetarian Cinnamon Pecan Marshmallows.
Vegan & Vegetraian Marshmallows Ghost.
Vegan & Vegetrian Peanut butter Smores
vegan & Vegetarian Rocky road.
Vegan & Vegetarian Organic Sour Fruit Drops.
Vegan & Organic Sweet Fruit drops.
Vegan & Vegeatrian Herbs and fruit Drops.
Vegan & Vegetarian Peppermint and Eucalytus Drops.
Jar of Vegan Organic Sugar Jelly Bears.
Jar of Vegan Organic Jelly Sour Worms.
Jar of Vegan Organic Oranges & Lemons Fruit Slices.
Luxury Gift Box or Hamper.
Personal Greeting card.
FREE DELIVERY to anywhere in the UK!

Sweetie World

No fancy gift sets on this site but lots and lots of choice from Wham bars to Raspberry Millions.

You can order up to December 22nd for Christmas and as a nice bonus £1 from every order made between the 16th-22nd December gets donated to charity Crisis.

There are loads more veggie sweeties site but I thought these three were quite different. If you're only going to look at one, I recommend Scrumptious Sweets for their gift sets.

Enjoy