Vegetarian Awareness Month: Versatile Veggie Recipes

October 1st marks the start of Vegetarian Awareness Month. You may not have been aware about this event in the calendar, but you are now.

Vegetarianism and making more plant-based food choices has been a growing trend in recent years with almost 500,000 Brits giving up meat in 2020, double that of 2019’s figures.

There are currently around 7.2 million people in the UK following a meat-free diet. This is a significant proportion of the population, and therefore our maple-filled recipes must be suited to them too.

The charities supporting Vegetarian Awareness Month also emphasise the benefits of ‘going veggie’. They stress that a meat-free diet can reduce the risk of illnesses such as heart disease, strokes and even some cancers. They also highlight the environmental benefits of vegetarianism, as well as the importance of animal welfare.

Ultimately, it’s something we can all get behind whether we commit to a vegetarian diet for a day, month, or year.

Versatile Vegetarian Mains

As we move into Autumn we need more warming, nourishing dishes. Our butternut squash and maple pilaf is the perfect dish for this transition. The use of a classic autumnal ingredient, roasted butternut squash, paired with pure Canadian syrup and an additional sprinkle of sultanas makes this veggie dish a sweet sensation, despite it predominantly being a savoury dish.

If you’re looking for a veggie dish which is more suited to entertaining and impressing your assembly of people, then look no further than our twice-baked goats cheese soufflé. These soufflés are as light and as airy as their reputation maintains. However, this recipe disregards their reputation of being notoriously difficult, as this recipe makes them quick and easy to make.

Now, if you fancy a more hearty vegetarian dish in comparison to these two, you could try your hand at a mushroom ‘bourguignon’ with a cheddar and maple scone topping. The addition of maple syrup to the cheddar scones makes them even more moreish than they already are. This vegetarian twist on a French classic is perfect for a cold evening in whilst the rain pours outside.

Although we are promoting vegetarianism, there is certainly nothing wrong with going the whole hog and trying a vegan recipe. Our vegan maple mac n cheese would be the perfect starting point as you can’t even tell this deliciously creamy, indulgent dish is vegan. It enhances the American classic by adding a slight maple twist.

Speedy Snacks

Sometimes you don’t fancy a whole meal, so these vegetarian snacks are an ideal size to satisfy your hunger. Our vegetarian ‘sausage’ rolls successfully imitate the classic, meaty snack. They have a delicious veggie filling wrapped in mouth-watering pastry, topped off with a sweet maple syrup glaze.

A more adventurous choice would be to try bang bang cauliflower with a maple sauce. The combination of sweet and spice excites your tastebuds. Although it sounds exotic, this recipe was in fact developed in partnership with the Cook School, an initiative to help children get involved in and enjoy cooking. So, anyone of any age and ability will be able to make these fiery snacks.

Discover more vegetarian recipes here.