Vegetarianism

A Project Book For Schools

d o v e g e ta ria ns e at?
What
o p e o p le g o v e g g ie?
Why d
v e g e ta ria n is m h ealthy?
Is
Established in 1847, the Vegetarian Society is an educational charity working
to support, represent and increase the number of vegetarians in the UK.

We believe that a balanced vegetarian diet is better for people, the planet
and, of course, the animals.

As a charity we:

• offer free, specialist information through our extensive range of leaflets,

booklets, posters and websites. Our website for young people can be found at
www.youngveggie.org

• provide loads of delicious and healthy recipes.

• help people learn how to cook imaginative and tasty vegetarian meals at our
Cordon Vert cookery school.

• attend events and give talks and presentations that encourage people to learn
more about vegetarianism and choose a vegetarian diet.

• answer all sorts of questions about vegetarianism. If there’s something that

you’re not sure about please contact us.

• provide food manufacturers with expert advice on vegetarian diet and nutrition,
enabling them to meet the needs of vegetarians with confidence and integrity.

• offer the Vegetarian Society Approved symbol as a quality-assurance

trademark that a product is 100% vegetarian.

• campaign about vegetarian issues.

• run membership clubs for young vegetarians. See page 31 for more details.

• organise National Vegetarian Week, a fun nationwide celebration promoting the

benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle to the public. During the week schools and
colleges throughout the country take part by producing information displays,
arranging food tastings, enjoying veggie school meals and completing project work
about vegetarianism.

The Vegetarian Society does not receive any funding from the government or local
councils; we depend on our membership and other fundraising activities to support
our work. If you find this booklet useful please consider making a donation via 0161
925 2000, www.vegsoc.org/donateonline or by becoming a member.
 Contents

4 SO WHAT DO VEGETARIANS EAT? 20 RECIPES

5 The different kinds of vegetarian 21 Quick chick pea curry
22 QuornTM lasagne
6 WHY ARE PEOPLE VEGETARIAN?
Animals 23 Cheesy pasta bake
7 Health 24 Sizzling stir fry
8 The environment 25 Onion and cheese quiche
9 Religion 26 Pasta salad
27 Cauldron sausage and bean pie
10 REVISION SHEET
28 Strawberry knickerbocker
11 NUTRITION cheesecake
12 The balance of good health plate 29 Carrot cake
14 Protein
30 The Vegetarian Society Approved
16 Iron symbol
18 A daily menu
31 Membership information

3 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools

So what do vegetarians eat?
Vegetarians eat everything apart from meat, fish and any other product that comes from
a dead animal, such as animal fats, gelatine, rennet or cochineal.

Vegetarian diets are usually full of healthy, fresh, nutritious, and delicious food. Meals suitable for
vegetarians (and everybody else!) are found in every country you can think of; you can have veggie
pizza, spaghetti Bolognese, chilli, stir fry, curry, bean burgers, veggie sausages (eg Quorn™),
ratatouille, lasagne, stew, wraps, quiche, chips and lots more. And let’s not forget sweets, ice
cream, cake and chocolate too…

Think of any meat or fish-based dish and, chances are, it can be made suitable for vegetarians and
anyone else who wants to cut down on the amount of meat they eat.

Vegetarians don’t eat...

■ MEAT:

including cow (beef), pig (pork, ham, bacon, gammon), sheep (lamb and mutton), goat, poultry
(including chicken, turkey, goose, duck), game (including rabbit, deer / venison, pheasant).

■ FISH AND SHELLFISH:

including tuna, cod, herring, shark, salmon, haddock, mackerel, oyster, mussels, cockles, eel,
squid, lobster, crab, prawn and shrimp.

■ GELATINE (OR GELATIN)

is made from animal ligaments, skin, bone and tendons. It is often found in sweets (including
marshmallows and some jelly sweets), biscuits, margarine, yoghurt, mousse, medicine
capsules, vitamin / mineral supplements and some coloured drinks.

■ RENNET

is traditionally sourced from the stomach of slaughtered young calves and is used to make
cheese. Vegetarian cheeses are manufactured using rennet from non-animal sources.

■ ANIMAL FATS

are fats taken from the body of an animal and can be found in a variety of foods, including
some margarines, cakes, pastries and biscuits. Often found as lard (pig fat) or suet (usually
cow or sheep fat) but not to be confused with butter, which is made from milk.

■ COCHINEAL

is a red colouring that is made from crushed insects. It is also known as E120 and sometimes
called carmine. It is used as a food and drink colouring and can be found in biscuits, desserts,
coloured drinks and sweets. Products containing cochineal may not always be red.

4 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools

There are four different types
of vegetarian diet

Lacto: milk Ovo: egg

1
■ LACTO-OVO VEGETARIAN

The most common type of vegetarian. This diet consists of vegetables, fruit, nuts,
pulses (that’s all types of beans, peas and lentils), grains (such as wheat, oats and
rice), free-range eggs and dairy products (milk, cream, cheese and yoghurts).

2 ■ LACTO-VEGETARIAN

The same diet as above but without eggs.

3
■ OVO-VEGETARIAN

Differs from lacto-ovo vegetarians by eating free-range eggs

but no dairy products.

4
■ VEGAN

A diet that is based on vegetables, fruit, nuts, pulses and grains, and does not
include eggs, dairy produce or any kind of animal product, including honey.

HOW MANY
VEGETARIANS ARE
THERE IN THE
UNITED KINGDOM?

The latest statistics

suggest that 3% of
VEGETARIANS DO NOT EAT FISH!
the population is
People who eat fish but not vegetarian and an
meat are sometimes extra 5% is partly
referred to as pescatarians. vegetarian, not
www.vegsoc/fish eating some types
of meat or fish.
Some vegetarians choose
to not wear leather, fur or
silk, nor use products that For more facts and figures please visit
have been tested on www.vegsoc.org/statistics
animals

5 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools

 People become
vegetarian for
four main

1
reasons:

Animals
Most people become vegetarian
because they are opposed to the
cruelty and pain inflicted upon millions
of animals every day and believe that
animals should never be killed for
food.

A lot of people find it particularly

upsetting to look at pictures or even
read about the average life experience
of a farmed animal.

In the UK alone, over two million land

animals are slaughtered every day1 and
approximately 600,000 tonnes of fish
are caught annually,2 all so that people can
eat their flesh or wear their skin. Most of these animals are raised in factory farmed conditions.
For example, about 70% of pigs reared in the UK are farmed intensively3 and half of the fish
consumed worldwide are
■ Intensive animal farming usually involves very large reared on fish farms.4
numbers of animals being farmed on a limited amount of
land, requiring large amounts of food, water and On average a vegetarian
medication for the animals.
saves the lives of over fifty
land animals and hundreds
■ Fish farming uses tanks or enclosures to farm a large of fish each year by
number of fish in a limited amount of water.
choosing not to eat them.

For more information on animal welfare see our

information sheets at www.vegsoc.org/animals

6 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools

2 Health
Vegetarian food can help everyone keep fit and healthy. A well-balanced vegetarian diet
supplies all of the nutrients that everyone needs and ensures that people get their five portions
of fruit and vegetables every day. Vegetarian diets tend to be low in fat and high in fibre and
can offer a wide range of health benefits.

Removing or reducing meat from diets can significantly reduce the intake of fat, especially
saturated fats. Even extra-lean minced beef has over four times the fat of pulses. Making
Bolognese or curry with Quorn™ or soya mince can reduce the fat content by approximately
three-quarters.5

Research shows that eating a well-balanced, low-fat, high-fibre vegetarian diet may reduce the
chances of suffering from certain cancers, heart disease and diabetes. Vegetarians are also
less likely to be obese and tend to have a lower average body mass index (BMI).6

Vegetarian diets have also been successfully used in the treatment of various illnesses,
including rheumatoid arthritis and type 2 diabetes.

More information on vegetarian nutrition can be found in the Nutrition section

on page 11.

1 Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), 2010

2 Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), 2010
3 The Soil Association
4 Food & Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, 2008
5 McCance and Widdowson. The Composition of Foods, 2004
6 Key TJ, Appleby PN and Rosell MS. Health Effects of Vegetarianism
and Vegan Diets, 2006

7 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools

3 The environment
What we choose to eat is one of the biggest factors in our personal impact on the
planet. Going vegetarian is an easy way to lower that impact as it helps to save large
amounts of energy, land and water used in food production. Studies suggest that an
affluent diet containing meat requires up to three times as many resources as a
vegetarian diet.7

It has also been estimated that farmed animals impact further on the environment by
producing more greenhouse gas emissions than the world’s entire transport system!8

Meat and farmed fish are two of the most costly foodstuffs in terms of resources used to
prepare them. Raising cattle causes the most environmental damage due to over-grazing of
land, soil erosion, deforestation and their gaseous emissions.

■ Cattle require approximately 7kg of grain in order to

make 1kg of beef, pigs require 4kg grain for 1kg of pork.9

7 Penning de Vries, Van Keulen and Rabbinge,

Natural Resources and Limits on Food
■ In the UK alone, farmed animals consume more than Production, 1995
half of the 20 million tonnes of cereal grown each year – 8 United Nations Food and Agriculture
that’s more than half of the wheat and over 60% of the Organisation, Livestock’s Long Shadow, 2006

barley.10 9 T White, Ecological Economics, 2000

10 T Garnet, Food Climate Research Network,
2008
11 R Brown, World Watch Institute, 2000
■ It takes five tonnes of wild fish, used as feed, to produce
each tonne of farmed salmon.11

■ By feeding people instead of farmed animals the amount

of food available to everyone is dramatically increased.

Throughout the world, demand for

meat is expected to more than double For more information on the
by 2050 causing further pollution, environmental impact of diets
water and land usage. see our information sheets at
www.vegsoc.org/environment or
order a copy of the Vegetarian
Society’s “Why It’s Green To Go
Vegetarian” booklet from
www.vegsoc.org/resources.

8 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools

 VEGETARIAN DIETS REDUCE:
s
• Carbon dioxide, methane and nitrou
oxide production.
• Water usage.
ans.
• Pollution of streams, rivers and oce
• Destruction of topsoil.
• Deforestation.
• Destruction of wildlife habitats.
s and
• Use of antibiotics, growth promoter
chemicals in farming.

Visit the “Being

Veggie” section of
www.youngveggie.org
to read a selection of
personal accounts of
why young people
have chosen to go
vegetarian.

Religion

4
Approximately 25% of the world’s population enjoy a vegetarian diet and
veggies can be found amongst the followers of all the major religions,
including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism and Hinduism. Many
religions demand specific practices in the preparation and eating of different
foods and it is possible to observe all of these requirements whilst following a
vegetarian diet.

Other people become vegetarian because they do not like the

taste or texture of meat, or because a vegetarian diet is often
cheaper than a meat-based diet.

9 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools

 Revision sheet
VEGETARIANS DO NOT EAT:
PRODUCT FOR EXAMPLE

MEAT beef, pork, ham, bacon, lamb

FISH cod, tuna, shark, sardine

POULTRY chicken, turkey, duck, goose

GAME rabbit, deer / venison, pheasant

SHELLFISH oyster, mussel, cockle

CRUSTACEA prawn, lobster, shrimp, crab

ANYTHING FROM DEAD ANIMALS gelatine, rennet, cochineal

THE MAIN REASONS PEOPLE BECOME VEGETARIAN ARE:

COMPASSION FOR ANIMALS

HEALTH BENEFITS

CONCERNS ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF EATING MEAT

RELIGIOUS BELIEFS

DISLIKE THE TASTE AND TEXTURE OF MEAT

THERE ARE FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF VEGETARIAN:

TYPE DEFINITION

LACTO-OVO VEGETARIANS eat free-range eggs and dairy products

(eg milk, cheese, yoghurts)

LACTO VEGETARIANS eat dairy products but no eggs

OVO VEGETARIANS eat free-range eggs but no dairy products

VEGANS don’t eat eggs, dairy produce or

any animal products, including honey

10 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools

Nutrition

It is incredibly easy for vegetarians to eat healthily. A well-

balanced vegetarian diet will supply all of the essential
nutrients necessary to help maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Vegetarians are less likely to be obese and tend to have a
lower average body mass index and blood pressure than meat
eaters. Research consistently shows that vegetarians are also
less likely to suffer from diabetes, heart disease and some
other medical conditions than meat-eaters.
Of course it is also possible to follow an unhealthy vegetarian
diet! The government's advice for healthy eating applies to
vegetarians too. A healthy diet includes plenty of fruit,
vegetables, breads and cereals, some milk and dairy products
or alternatives, some nuts, peas, beans (including soya),
seeds, and small amounts of food containing fat and sugar.
The balance of good
This plate shows what
vegetarians should eat for a
balanced and healthy diet.

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

Fresh, frozen, juiced, canned or dried fruit

and vegetables, for vitamins, minerals and
fibre. 5 or more portions a day.

PROTEIN-RICH ALTERNATIVES TO MEAT AND FISH,

INCLUDING EGGS, BEANS AND OTHER NON-DAIRY
SOURCES OF PROTEIN

A variety of pulses, nuts, seeds, eggs, soya, Quorn™ and other

proteins, like wheat, should be included to ensure adequate
intakes of protein, minerals & vitamins. 2-3 portions a day.

12 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools

health plate
BREAD, RICE, POTATOES, PASTA
AND OTHER STARCHY FOODS

These starchy foods should be the basis of most meals.

Wholemeal or wholegrain versions should be used
whenever possible. These supply carbohydrates, fibre,
protein and some vitamins and minerals. 5 portions a day.

A portion is an average serving,

for example a slice of bread or
two tablespoons of baked beans.

MILK, DAIRY AND ALTERNATIVES

Good sources of calcium, protein and some vitamins.

For anyone not eating dairy products, fortified soya, rice
or oat drinks should be chosen along with other foods
high in calcium. 2-3 portions a day.

FOODS AND DRINKS HIGH IN FAT AND/OR SUGAR

Although we all need some fat in our diets, these foods

should be eaten sparingly with low-fat alternatives
chosen whenever possible. 0-3 portions a day.

13 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools

 e
n s a r d wh e r e

Protein
a r i a
Veget imes aske tein
t o
some et their pr
g
they on from…
r
an d i

Everybody’s protein needs are automatically met by well-balanced, varied diets. Protein is available
in varying amounts in all foods apart from refined white sugar and some oils.

Meat and fish do provide protein but they are not the only
source. Nuts, beans (including soya), peas, cereals
(wheat, oat and rice), eggs and dairy products (such as
milk, cheese and yoghurt), lentils and many meat
substitutes are all good sources of protein. Animal-based proteins, such as
egg, meat, milk and cheese tend to
be regarded as having a higher
For example, one slice of low-fat cheddar cheese has the

protein quality than plant proteins

same amount of protein as two grilled pork sausages. It

and are sometimes referred to as

would be extremely difficult to eat a vegetarian diet that is

high biological value (HBV). This

short on protein.

One of the benefits of a vegetarian diet is that it usually is why plant proteins are
contains adequate, but not excessive, protein. Too much sometimes referred to as low
dietary protein can be a cause of health problems. Excess quality proteins or low biological
animal protein can cause pressure on the kidneys and value (LBV). Soya, however, is a
doctors will recommend a vegetarian diet to help avoid high quality protein with high
and treat kidney stones.2 biological value (HBV) and can be
regarded as equal to meat protein.
Which foods contain protein?1
100g Protein (approx)
Cheddar cheese 25.5g
salted peanuts 24.5g
boiled free-range egg 12.5g
wholemeal bread 9.5g
cornflakes 8g
tofu 8g
white bread 8g
boiled red lentils 7.5g
tinned chick peas 7g
pasta 6.5g
semi-skimmed milk 3.5g
soya milk 2.5g

(2 thick slices of wholemeal bread = approximately 100g)

14 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools
 All of these contain the same amount of protein

The Reference Nutrient

Intake (RNI) is the
amount of a nutrient
that is enough to meet
the dietary needs of
approximately 97% of
the UK population.
How much protein do we need?3
Age RNI Age RNI
0 to 3 months 12.5g Boys 11 to 14 yrs 42.1g
4 to 6 months 12.7g Men 15 to 18 yrs 55.2g
7 to 9 months 13.7g Men 19 to 49 yrs 55.5g
10 to 12 months 14.9g Men 50 + yrs 53.3g
1 to 3 yrs 14.5g Girls 11 to 14 yrs 41.2g
4 to 6 yrs 19.7g Women 15 to 18 yrs 45.4g
7 to 10 yrs 28.3g Women 19 to 49 yrs 45.0g
Women 50 + yrs 46.5g
Pregnant women 51.0g
Breastfeeding women 53 to 56g

Unlike animal protein, plant proteins may not contain all essential
amino acids in the necessary proportions. However a varied vegetarian
diet does ensure that a mixture of proteins is consumed and that the
amino acids in one protein compensate for the deficiencies of another. Amino acids: A
reminder! Proteins
are made up of
Combining plant proteins, such as grains with pulses (for example, smaller units called
beans on toast), leads to high quality proteins which are just as good amino acids. There
as protein from foods made from animals.
are about 20 different
amino acids, at least
Recent research now shows that it is not necessary to combine eight of which are
protein sources within a single meal as our bodies are able to keep a essential amino acids
short-term store of essential amino acids. that must be present
in the diet because
they cannot be made
1 McCance and Widdowson “The Composition of Foods”
from other
2 Robertson WG, Peacock M, Marshall DH. “Prevalence of Urinary compounds in the
Stone Disease in Vegetarians”
human body.
3 Department of Health “Dietary Reference Values”

15 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools

 Iron Dietary iron is found in many foods but although a lack of iron is one of the most
common problems in typical British diets, vegetarians are no more likely than meat-
eaters to suffer from it.

Anaemia, which causes tiredness and a lack of energy, occurs when there is a reduced
number of red blood cells in the body. This can be caused by iron deficiency.

Good vegetarian sources of iron include bran flakes, spinach, muesli, wholemeal bread,
watercress, chick peas, red and green lentils, dried fruit, most nuts, kidney beans, tofu,
pumpkin seeds, baked beans and sunflower seeds.

There are two different types of dietary iron

■ Haem iron: found in foods and products derived from animals, and
■ Non-haem iron: found in plant-based foods.

Haem iron is more readily absorbed than non-haem iron but non-haem
iron is the main form of dietary iron. Meat-eaters in the UK obtain only
between 10%-14% of their iron in haem form from meat, with the rest
coming in non-haem form from cereals, bread, fruit and vegetables.

Which foods contain iron?4

100g Iron (approx) 100g Iron (approx)
Weetabix® 11.9mg bran flakes 11.6mg
corn flakes 7.9mg sunflower seeds 6.4mg
cashew nuts 6.2mg muesli 5.8mg
figs 3.9mg apricots 3.4mg
watercress 2.2mg boiled spinach 1.6mg
frozen peas 1.6mg tinned chick peas 1.5mg
baked beans 1.4mg oven chips 0.8mg

(approximately 3 tablespoons of chick peas = 100g)

16 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools

 The Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) is the amount
of a nutrient that is enough to meet the dietary needs
s
eans contain
of approximately 97% of the UK population. For iron
of b a ke d b
135g n t of iron as
the current figures are:
m e am o u
the sa
icken legs!
two roast ch How much iron do we need?6
Age RNI
0 to 3 months 1.7mg
4 to 6 months 4.3mg
7 to 12 months 7.8mg
1 to 3 years 6.9mg
4 to 6 years 6.1mg
7 to 10 years 8.7mg
Tea and coffee contain
Men 11 to 18 years 11.3mg
compounds which make it
harder for our bodies to Men 19 + 8.7mg
absorb iron. The UK Food Women 11 to 49 years 14.8mg
Standards Agency advises
people to avoid drinking tea Women 50 + years 8.7mg
and coffee with meals or Approximately 10% of females between the
within 30 minutes after a
ages of 11 and 49 will need more iron
meal.5
than is indicated above. Extra iron is also
required during pregnancy and
breastfeeding.

If anyone (meat-eater or vegetarian) is worried

about getting enough iron into their diet,
eating or drinking something high in vitamin C
(such as a glass of orange juice) with a meal
containing iron-rich foods can triple the
amount of iron absorbed by the body.

4 McCance and Widdowson “The Composition of Foods”

5 www.food.gov.uk
6 Department of Health “Dietary Reference Values”

17 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools

All of these contain the same amount of iron
A daily menu
Eating vegetarian food is enjoyable, convenient and usually a healthy option.
There are loads of vegetarian foods to choose from.

BREAKFAST
Porridge
Fruit juice
Croissant
LUNCH
Pasta salad
Fruit
a ter or fru it -f lavoured milk
W
TEA/DINNER
e- ma d e ch ic k pea curry,
Hom
d rice
naan bread an
Ice cream
Drink of choice

A vegan daily meal plan

will not have too many
differences from a
vegetarian menu.
18 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools
 BREAKF
AST
Fruit and
fi
semi-skim bre cereal, Remember! Almost any meat
med milk or fish-based dish can be
Fruit juic
e made suitable for vegetarians.
Toast
LUNCH
Simple vegetarian snacks can include: fruit, cereal bars,
Cheese an
d pickle s flapjacks, yogurt, dried fruit, cake, muffins, seeds, nuts,
Fruit andwich cheese and savoury biscuits.
Water or f
ruit-flavo
ured milk
TEA/DIN
N ER Breakfast and lunch ideas include veggie sausage
Vegetaria (eg Quorn™) and beans, scrambled egg on toast,
nl
bread, car asagne, garlic jacket potato, beans on toast, hummus and olives,
rots and p
Yogurt eas veggie "bacon" with lettuce and tomato, cous cous,
corn on the cob, salad pitta, soup, omelette, potato
Drink of
choice salad and veggie burger.

Vegetarian sandwich options include egg, peanut butter,

jam, hard cheese, veggie sausage, cream cheese, soya-
based meat substitute slices, avocado, yeast extract
(eg Marmite™), hummus and marinated or smoked tofu.

There are many

different types of
vegetarian “bacon”.
Its main ingredient is
usually soya, Quorn™,
Remember! Vegans don’t eat any or wheat protein.
dairy products or eggs. They do
drink and use soya / oat / rice-
based alternatives to cows’ milk
and eat cheese and yogurt
substitutes that do not contain any
dairy produce. Soya-based
yogurts are available from many
supermarkets and non-dairy
cheeses can usually be found in
health food stores.

19 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools

 Recipes

You don’t need any new skills to cook great-

tasting and healthy vegetarian food. Here is
just a sample of some of the mouth-
watering veggie main meals that anyone can
prepare. To see our full collection of veggie
recipes visit www.vegsoc.org/recipes

20 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools

 Quick Chick Pea Curry Serves 4
You will need…
3 tbsp vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely
chopped or crushed
4cm fresh root ginger, peeled and finely
chopped or grated
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
150ml light vegetable stock
2 onions, peeled and chopped
225g mushrooms, sliced
425g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
50g creamed coconut, grated
75g flaked almonds, toasted
© Vegetarian Society
21 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools
Gently fry the garlic, ginger and
1 spices in one tablespoon of oil for
2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes
and stock and cook for another
minute.
Blend to a paste and set to one
2 side in a bowl.
Fry the onion in the remaining oil
3 for 3 minutes, add the mushrooms
and cook for a further 3 minutes.
4 Pour the paste over the onion and
mushrooms, and add the
chickpeas and most of the
coriander. Cook gently for 10
minutes.
5 Stir in the coconut and almonds,
saving a few for garnish.
6 Serve with rice or cous cous,
breads or poppadoms
and mango chutney.
dian
Many In table
e sui
dishes ar ns and
ria
for vegeta nd great
a
vegans – ing!
for shar
 Quorn Lasagne Serves 4
You will need…
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
100g mushrooms, diced
300g QuornTM Mince
400g passata
3 tbsp vegetarian red pesto
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp sugar
1 vegetable stock cube
2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, torn
8 lasagne sheets
CHEESE SAUCE:
25g margarine or butter
25g plain flour
300ml semi-skimmed milk
© Marlow Foods Limited.
100g strong vegetarian cheese, grated
22 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools
Pre-heat the oven to 200C / 400F /
1 Gas Mark 6. Fry the onion and
garlic in the oil for 5 minutes until
softened. Add the mushrooms and
cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the QuornTM Mince and then
2 add the passata, pesto, oregano,
sugar and vegetable stock cube.
Gently simmer for 8 minutes.
Season to taste and stir in the basil.
To make the cheese sauce, melt
3 the margarine or butter in a pan and
slowly stir in the flour. Gradually add
the milk, stirring continuously to
avoid lumps, until it thickens. Stir in
about three-quarters of the cheese.
Put two pasta sheets in the base of
4 a lightly greased, shallow ovenproof
dish. Spoon a third of the vegetable
mixture on top. Repeat these
layers, finishing with a layer of
lasagne. Pour the cheese sauce
onto it, scatter over the remaining
cheese and bake for 25 minutes
until golden brown and bubbling.
 Cheesy Pasta Bake Serves 4
You will need… When the sauce is ready, in around
10-15 minutes, it will be fairly thick,
250g pasta shapes of your choice
smooth and steaming. Don’t allow
40g margarine or butter
it to boil! (You may want to
40g plain flour gradually increase the heat from
600ml milk low to medium-low as you add
more milk).
350g grated mature vegetarian Chedda
r
40g breadcrumbs
3 Remove the sauce from heat and
stir in 250g of the cheese, mixing
Dried chives (optional)
well until the cheese has melted.
Transfer the pasta into an
1 Pre-heat oven to 190C / 375F / Gas Mark ovenproof dish, pour the cheese
5. Cook the pasta according to packet sauce over it and stir the mixture
instructions, drain in a colander, wash around, making sure that all of the
quickly with cold water, and set aside. pasta is covered in sauce.

2 Melt the margarine over low heat. Once

4 Sprinkle the mixture first with
it is melted, add the flour and stir to form breadcrumbs, then with the
a sort of paste. Cook for another 1-2 remaining cheese, finally adding a
minutes. Gradually stir in the milk, dash of dried chives (optional).
approximately 100ml at a time, stirring Bake for approximately 30 minutes
© Vegetarian Society

out any lumps from the mixture. until the cheese is browned and
Continue stirring until the sauce bubbling. Serve with steamed
thickens, then add the next bit of milk. broccoli and sliced tomatoes.

This eas
sauce is y cheese
u
all sorts seful for
of
try it po dishes –
u
freshly red over
steam
broccoli ed
…
 Sizzling Stir Fry Serves 5
You will need…
2 tbsp oil
2 red peppers, deseeded and sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
5cm root ginger, peeled and chopped
3 carrots, sliced into thin strips
1 red onion, sliced
1 broccoli head, split into small florets
10 baby sweetcorn, whole
1 Heat oil in a large pan or wok on
medium heat, fry pepper, garlic, and
ginger for 2 minutes.
Add vegetables, in order of
2 ingredient list, and soy sauce. Stir
fry for approximately 10-12 minutes
until vegetables are cooked but still
firm and crunchy. Add cashews.
3 Serve with rice or noodles.

20 mange tout, whole

50g water chestnuts, sliced
1 courgette, sliced
-based
250g mushrooms, sliced Vegetable be
n
dishes ca
© Vegetarian Society

a nd
colourful –
200g beansprouts
g
satisfyin unch
90g unsalted cashew nuts
dd cr
3 tbsp soy sauce
cashews a tein
and pro

24 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools

Onion and Cheese Quiche Serves 4
You will need…
A little flour
150g shortcrust pastry, shop-bought
or home-made
1 tbsp vegetable oil
130g onions, finely sliced
3 free-range eggs
50ml semi-skimmed milk
2 tsp fresh parsley (or ½ tsp dried
parsley)
75g strong vegetarian cheese, grated
120g tomato, sliced
HOME-MADE SHORTCRUST PASTRY
100g plain flour
Pre-heat oven to 190C / 375F / Gas
1 Mark 5. Grease a 20cm quiche tin.
If you are using shop-bought pastry go
2 to step 3. For home-made pastry place
the flour and salt into a bowl. Use the
tips of your fingers to rub in the
margarine until the mixture looks like
breadcrumbs. Slowly add the water
and bring together as a ball. Cover in
cling film and refrigerate for 20 - 25
minutes.
3 Dust your work surface with a little flour
and roll out the pastry. Place the pastry
into the quiche tin, allowing it to overlap
the rim a bit. (If you like a crisp base,
place it in the oven for 10 minutes.)

50g margarine Gently fry the onions for 5 minutes then

Pinch of salt 4 add to the pastry case. Whisk together
1 tbsp cold water the eggs, milk and parsley, then pour
over the onion in the oil. Sprinkle the
grated cheese on top and arrange the
tomatoes into a circle.
© Vegetarian Society

Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to slightly

5 cool then trim the excess pastry.
 Pasta Salad Serves 4
You will need…
200g penne pasta
50g (or one big handful) of
fresh spinach,
washed and roughly choppe
d
½ red pepper, chopped
50g pitted black olives, hal
ved
25g (or 2 tbsp) sunflower see
ds
100g feta cheese, crumbled
Freshly ground black pepper
to taste
Optional: 2 tbsp shop-boug
ht or homemade
balsamic dressing

1 Cook pasta according to pac

instructions.
ket

2 Drain pasta and transfer to a

large bowl.

While pasta is still hot, add spi

3 stir for a minute or two until the
nac h and
spinach
starts to wilt.

4 Leave pasta and spinach to

approximately 10 minutes.
cool slightly,

5 Add all of the remaining ingred

the bowl and stir well.
ients to

6 Serve immediately, or cover

and
refrigerate until ready to serve.

© Vegetarian Society

a st a , c h eese and
P
n fl o w e r seeds are
su
l l g o o d s ources of
a r
protein fo
ns
vegetaria

26 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools

 Cauldron Sausage and Bean Pie Serves 4
Pre-heat the oven to 190C / 375F /
You will need… 1 Gas Mark 5.
1 pack Cauldron Lincolnshire or
Boil potatoes until softened, drain
Cumberland Sausages
2 and mash. Add remaining topping
1 tbsp sunflower oil
ingredients, except grated cheese.
1 onion diced
Slice the sausages into bite-sized
420g can baked beans
3 chunks and fry in the oil for 2-3
4 tbsp tomato ketchup
minutes until golden on the outside,
1 tbsp mild chilli sauce or 1 tsp chilli remove from the pan and put to
powder
one side. Add the onion and cook
80ml water until they have softened.

Add beans, ketchup, chilli sauce

TOPPING: 4 and water and simmer for 3-4
750g peeled potatoes, cut into chunks
minutes. Stir in the sausages.
250g frozen sweetcorn
Place the bean mixture into an
2 tbsp milk
5 ovenproof dish, top with the
© Marlow Foods Limited.

25g margarine or butter

mashed potato then the grated
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve
75g strong vegetarian cheese, grated with steamed green vegetables.

This un
usua
and swe l potato
etc
topping orn
transfo c an
rm left-
into a f ov
illing m ers
ea l
And for dessert…

Strawberry
Knickerbocker
Cheesecake Serves 4
You will need…
1 Put the biscuits into a plastic bag and
crush them into small pieces using a
100g biscuits (we used digestives but
rolling pin. Put to one side.
ginger nuts work well too)
250g low-fat vegetarian cream cheese Combine the cream cheese, yogurt,
250g strawberry yogurt
2 icing sugar and vanilla extract and stir
until creamy and smooth.
1 tbsp icing sugar, sieved
1 tsp vanilla extract Put a layer of biscuit, a layer of the
100g fresh strawberries, sliced
3 yogurt mixture and then a layer of
strawberries into a bowl or dessert
glass. Continue sharing out the
ingredients, ensuring that the top
© Vegetarian Society layer is strawberries. Serve
immediately or chill until ready to eat.

Note: Strawberries can be replaced with other fruits of choice, and different flavoured
yoghurts can also be used. Defrosted frozen fruits can be used in place of fresh.

28 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools

Carrot Cake 9 slices
Pre-heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas
You will need… 1 Mark 5. Grease and line a 450g loaf tin.

2 free-range eggs
Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a
75g light brown sugar 2 large bowl then blend in the oil. Gradually
100ml vegetable oil add the flour, stirring continually with a

150g self-raising flour, sieved wooden spoon.

175g carrots, grated Stir in the carrots, sultanas, ginger and

75g sultanas
3 nutmeg, mixing everything together until it

½ tsp ginger is evenly combined.

¼ tsp nutmeg Transfer the mixture to the loaf tin,

LIGHT ICING (IF REQUIRED)
4 ensuring that it is evenly spread out. Bake

30g icing sugar for 35 minutes. Allow to cool slightly

before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
2 tsp lemon juice
l) Mix the icing ingredients together. When
2 drops of orange food colour (optiona
5 cake has cooled, top with icing, slice and
serve.
© Vegetarian Society

This cl
ass
cake lo ic carrot
ok
impres s very
si
it’s rea ve – but
lly eas
y to
make!
The Vegetarian Society Approved symbol
The only legally registered trademark for
vegetarian products and services. Millions of
people regard this symbol as a trustworthy guide
to what is suitable for vegetarians.
Whenever you see the Vegetarian Society Approved symbol – you
might be doing the shopping, buying a cookery book, or having a
meal in a café or restaurant – you can be sure that the product is
100% suitable for vegetarians.

Products that are Vegetarian Society Approved must not include any meat, fish, or genetically
modified ingredients. If eggs are included they must be free-range, and the product must not have
been tested on animals. All of a product’s ingredients are carefully checked, and a visit to the
manufacturer is often made, before the Vegetarian Society will put its label on it.

The Vegetarian Society Approved symbol can currently be found on over 8,500 different items
worldwide, including those made by Quorn™, Cauldron and Linda McCartney Foods.

The Vegetarian Society Approved symbol is also displayed on menus in restaurants, hotels, mobile
catering units, cafés, and it is even used in hospitals. Anyone eating out can dine with confidence
when they see the symbol, safe in the knowledge that their vegetarian meal fully complies with our
strict criteria.

Frequently asked questions

■ How long has the Vegetarian Society Approved symbol existed?

“It was first registered as an official trademark in 1969 and was probably the first-ever food
accreditation label.”

■ How was the Vegetarian Society Approved symbol designed?

“It began as a sketch of a letter V which resembled a sprouting seedling, with the words ‘live
and let live’ underneath. It has been slowly developed into the world-famous ‘V’ symbol.”

■ At what stage does a manufacturer usually approach the Vegetarian Society for
product approval?
“The product development stage is popular, or when packaging is about to change.”

30 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools

 ■ What happens if a product changes its ingredients after it has been approved?

“The manufacturer lets us know which ingredients have changed and we investigate. It's
very rare that we have to retract approval. Once a product has been approved the
manufacturer is usually keen to keep the product vegetarian and retain its approved status.”

■ Can anyone apply to have their products approved by the Vegetarian Society?

“Anyone can apply. We work with a diverse range of clients. Some of them, (eg McDonalds’,
Dalepak, Burger King and Beefeater) also produce meat products.”

■ What is the most unusual product you have ever been asked to approve?

“Veggie black pudding! Black pudding usually has animal blood and intestines in it”

For more information visit www.vegsocapproved.com

Join the Team Veggie youth

club: get The Vegetarian
magazine four times a year, a
regular e-newsletter and a free
keyring plus ongoing support,
advice and regular updates on
our campaigns. To join visit
www.vegsoc.org/youthclubs or
telephone 0161 925 2000

31 Vegetarianism A Project Book For Schools

 The Vegetarian Society, Parkdale, Dunham Road, Altrincham WA14 4QG
0161 925 2000 • education@vegsoc.org • www.vegsoc.org • www.youngveggie.org

Charity number: 259358 Registered company number: 959115 (England and Wales) © Vegetarian Society 2012

Printed on 100% recycled paper