Top tips for going vegetarian

With many of us thinking more about what we eat and reducing the amount of meat in our diets, National Vegetarian Week (10-16 May) is the perfect opportunity to give going veggie a go. Each year, the Vegetarian Society challenges meat eaters to embrace their inner herbivore and go veggie for a week.

Fancy giving it a go but don’t know where to start? Wilson Vale, the incredible team behind our on-site café at Arbeta, share their top tips.

Cook what you love

If you’re used to eating meat every day, taking the plunge into vegetarianism can be overwhelming. That’s why it’s best to start by cooking your everyday favourites and switching out the meat ingredients for a veggie alternative. Since you already know the recipes, you can enjoy your first veggie meals with no extra effort!

Stock up on staples

Make a list of the meat ingredients you regularly eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, then think about the veggie alternatives. For example, you might swap chicken for halloumi, or minced beef for lentils. Next, get yourself to the shops and stock up your fridge and cupboards with staples for the week.

Pack the protein

Many people are concerned they won’t get enough protein if they decide to go meatless, but a varied vegetarian diet packs the protein. There are lots of delicious protein-rich veggie foods, including (but not limited to) beans, lentils, quinoa, tofu, nuts, seeds, eggs, cheese, yogurt, avocado, spinach and broccoli.

Experiment and have fun!

Once you’ve cooked your first few veggies meals and you’re feeling more adventurous, there are endless recipes to try. Amazing vegetarian dishes originate all over the world, from India and Thailand to South America and the Middle East, so why not try themed nights to explore the veggie delights of our planet?

We’ll start you off with one of our favourites – a super quick Thai dish from the Wilson Vale kitchen.

Potent Phad Thai

What you’ll need

125g flat rice noodles
100g plant-based chicken (optional)
1 red onion, halved and sliced
Olive oil, for cooking
2 spring onions
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped (seeds left in)
75g shiitake mushrooms, sliced
Juice of 1 lime
2 tsp tamarind paste
2 tsp veggie or vegan fish sauce
2 tsp runny honey
Handful of salted peanuts
Small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
Sea salt

Method

Put the rice noodles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Leave to soften.

Meanwhile, heat a little olive oil in a wok or large pan. Add the red onion, spring onions, garlic and chilli and stir fry for 3-4 minutes, until soft and translucent. Season with salt.

Add the shiitake mushrooms and continue cooking until they have softened.

Drain the noodles and add them to the pan. Stir well and reduce the heat. Add the lime juice, tamarind, fish sauce, soy sauce and honey, and mix thoroughly.

Serve and garnish with the peanuts and coriander.

More about Wilson Vale

Wilson Vale is at the forefront of food. A family-owned business, their core values are simple – they enjoy serving fresh food from locally sourced ingredients. Wilson Vale have a strong CSR programme underpinned by their love of wonderful food, seasonality, nurturing talent, fairness and doing their part for the world we live in.

While their dishes are always on trend, Wilson Vale pride themselves on bringing creativity and flair to their cooking, which we can vouch for at our café!

The Arbeta café is open 8-10am for breakfast and 12-2pm for lunch, Monday to Friday.