Here at the Vegetarian Society, we’ve been busy getting our peas growing as part of the great #PulseTace. We had wondered if they would sprout in time for National Vegetarian Week in the UK (16 -22 May) and we’re delighted to say they have – we are very proud!
Not only are we celebrating peas, we are also launching a brand new recipe book for National Vegetarian Week called Happy, Healthy and 
Delicious! To give you a flavour of the tasty dishes it contains, we’ve picked a couple of recipes (which include pulses) to share with you.
This year National Vegetarian Week 2016 is all about food, stories and traditions. Food has a special place on everyone’s table because it can evoke great memories of places, people and events. Maybe a family holiday once inspired you to rustle up something you now call Skegness soufflé, or perhaps you invented a recipe for banana curry the day you ran out of potatoes and you've loved it ever since – or have you lovingly refashioned a fabulous veggie version of a dish that reminds you of home? Whatever it is, we want to hear from you – and our online ‘Kitchen Table’ is waiting to collect your stories simply visit www.nationalvegetarianweek.org
Have a happy National Vegetarian Week and enjoy the recipes.
Black Bean and Avocado Salad
This dish provides one-third of your recommended daily intake of magnesium. This mineral is involved in many reactions in the body and is essential for healthy bones and the conversion of food into energy.
Serves: 2, Preparation: 8 mins, Cooking: 3 mins, Energy: 441 kcals
Ingredients
- 100g green beans, topped and tailed and cut into 1cm pieces
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- 1 x 400g can black beans, drained and washed
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 2 large spring onion, finely sliced
- 1 stick celery, finely sliced
- 10g fresh coriander
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of ground black pepper
- 1 large avocado, peeled, stoned and sliced
Method
- Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil and blanch the green beans for 1 minute. Drain the beans and run under cold water so they retain their colour.
- Heat a small frying pan and add the pumpkin seeds. Move the seeds around the pan to evenly toast them for a couple of minutes then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- Place the black beans in a medium mixing bowl with the green beans and all remaining ingredients, except the avocado, and combine well and season.
- Serve the bean mixture in small bowls and top with the slices of avocado.
Supergreen Stir-Fry with Marinated Tofu
Choosing wholegrain varieties of rice helps to increase your daily fibre intake, which is good for a healthy digestive system. Wholegrain foods are also a good source of B vitamins which help to convert food into energy.
Serves: 2, Preparation: 15 mins, Cooking: 30 mins, Energy: 507 kcals
Ingredients
- 80g brown rice
- 20g cashew nuts
- 1 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
- 1 medium red onion, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 small red chilli, finely chopped
- 160g marinated tofu pieces
- 100g broccoli, cut into small florets
- 1 large courgette, cut into sticks
- 50g soya beans, frozen
- 10g fresh coriander, finely chopped
- 2 tsp low sodium light soy sauce
Method
- Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the rice and cook for 20 minutes until tender.
- While the rice is cooking, toast the cashew nuts in a small pan over a medium heat until they turn golden brown. Watch the pan carefully as the nuts can easily burn. Once browned, remove from heat.
- Next, heat the coconut oil in a wok or large, deep-sided frying pan, add the onion, garlic and chilli and cook for 1 minute, then add the tofu and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Stir in the broccoli, courgette and soya beans, adding a small splash of water to the pan so the vegetables can cook in the steam. Cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender, stirring in the cashew nuts halfway through.
- Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the coriander and soy sauce.
- Drain the rice and divide it between two bowls, then top with the stir-fry.
By Su Taylor, Vegetarian Society (United Kingdom)