3 rules to upgrade your vegetarian diet

I was vegetarian before it was cool. Before chefs like Yotam Ottolenghi made lentils sexy, I muddled through in a world filled with rehydrated soya mince, anaemic veggie sausages and restaurant menus where you’d have to ask for the no-meat option. And it was usually pasta. Or quiche.

But we’ve come a long way since the nineties. Not eating meat is now so normal that Beyoncé’s gone vegan, plant-based bloggers like Deliciously Ella are enjoying meteroic success and chefs – even famous meat-loving French ones like Alain Ducasse, are thinking about their culinary creations veg-first.

So in 2015, there really is no excuse for being a pasta-and-pesto-and-cheese vegetarian. Or for basing your diet around said sausages. There’s such an abundance of exciting and nutritious meat-free fare out there, and a never-ending supply of inspiration to do something really exciting with your veggies.

‘Top chefs now aren’t afraid to have a go at plant-based food,’ says Jane Hughes, tutor at the Vegetarian Society’s Cordon Vert cooking school and author of The Vegetarian Year: 365 Healthy, Seasonal Recipes (Modern Books, £20). ‘They’re now expected to do something really creative for vegetarians and vegans – and it’s no wonder they have risen to it. A colourful plate of vegetables is much more exciting thank thinking about meat and two veg, with a big, grey lump of meat you have to work around,’ she continues. No disrespect to our omnivorous friends.

But it’s not just about making your rounds of beetroot look double tap-able on Instagram. Here are her three ways to be a kinder, more conscious plant-based eater this Vegetarian Week.

1. Let the seasons choose

Once you’re tuned in you’ll notice things changing every week, but here’s a rough guide:

Spring: Foods in season in spring are early, immature, like broad beans, rhubarb, baby carrots, thin leeks and spring onions.

Summer: Things that are wetter, cool and crisp – think fresh berries and cucumbers and lettuce; lovely cooling stuff you’d like to put in a salad.

Autumn and Winter: This stuff isn’t grown in the sun, it’s underground, gathering nutrients under the earth. That’s why things like squash, carrots, beets and pumpkin feel so much denser, and warming.

2. Think beyond the supermarket

‘Swap your supermarket for your local greengrocers or farm shop and it inevitably makes you stop and think about what’s in season. Even just talking a walk in an allotment to see what’s coming up can be enough to inspire you. It’s all about shifting your focus to leading from what is super-fresh.’

Additionally, she adds, ‘Don’t keep looking for strawberries in February. See what’s in the shop, and ask the people in there for what’s new. It’s not just about eating seasonally, it’s about eating the best bits from your local area. If you’re time-poor, get a vegetable delivery box – that way you’ll always get interesting new stuff to cook with.’

3. Leave no trace

‘If you don’t manage to use all the bits of your vegetables, and they’re looking slightly tired, you can still get all the goodness and money out of them by mixing up a juice.’

Click the link for celeb favourite Rosemary Ferguson’s juice recipes

‘Or, preserve fresh produce in it’s prime. I make batches of hearty meals and freeze them, so even months later when you come to eat them, you’re still getting all the nutrients. My homemade jam is a great way to enjoy strawberries off-season.’

How do you make the most of your veggies? Tweet and tell us @healthymag, join in the chat on our Facebook page, or tag us @healthymagdaily in your Instagram snaps!

For more tips and recipes on how to upgrade your vegetarian diet check out Jane’s book The Vegetarian Year: 365 Healthy, Seasonal Recipes (Modern Books, £20).

Photography: The Kitchn.com | Pinterest