This week, beginning Monday 18th May- Sunday 24th May, is National Vegetarian Week. We know many of you might turn your noses up at the thought of not eating meat, but with the wide variety of alternative options that are available nowadays – you may be surprised at how easy it is to quit the habit! Whether you’re an avid meat eater or a committed vegetarian, here @TheSPG, this bank holiday weekend, we challenge you to try cooking one of these delicious vegetarian dishes, courtesy of Nosh Books. 

Mexican Eggs
 

This is a good way to use up any leftover tortillas and makes a spicy breakfast alternative, or an interesting snack.

corn tortilla
1 tablespoon oil to fry
spring onions, chopped
1 small clove of garlic, chopped
3 small pieces bottled chillies,chopped
1 tomato, cut into chunks
eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon chives
salt
 and pepper

1. Cut the tortilla into strips and fry in oil until golden brown. Set aside.
2. Tip out most of the oil and fry the onions, garlic and chopped chillies for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and fry for another minute.
3. Add the beaten eggs and chives and stir. Do not overcook the eggs; they need to be quite soft. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Put the tortilla strips on the plate and pour the egg mixture on top.

Bean Burgers
 

If you want to keep one of the burgers for the next day, don’t fry it, but wrap it in cling film and keep it in the fridge.

1⁄2 x 750g pack of frozen broad beans
1 egg, beaten
1 slice bread, made into breadcrumbs
1 small onion, grated
1 bag ready salted crisps, crushed
1 tablespoon oil to fry

Toppings
1 onion, sliced
pickles, e.g. gherkins
tomato sauce

1. Allow the beans to defrost. Mash with a fork, or whizz a little with the blender. Don’t make them too pulpy, leave a bit of texture.
2. Put the egg and breadcrumbs in a bowl and allow the bread to soak up the egg. Mix well. Add the beans.
3. Grate the onions and squeeze out most of the liquid. Add to the bean mixture and mix well.
4. Shape the mixture into 2–3 burgers. Put the crushed crisps on a plate and roll the burgers in them.
5. Heat oil in a frying pan and cook the burgers for about 5 minutes each side. Take care that they do not burn. If they brown before the 5 minutes, just turn them and turn down the heat. They will need a
total of 10 minutes in order to be heated through.
6. While they are cooking, slice the other onion (for the toppings) and fry in a saucepan until caramelised (i.e. really brown). You will need to stir them frequently.
7. Slice the burger bun in half, horizontally. Put the burger inside, with the onions on top and some tomato sauce and pickle to finish. Enjoy!

So what are you waiting for? Let’s get cooking! Oh and once you’ve finished, why not tweet us a picture of your meal @TheSPG