Vegetarian diets - going back to our roots
Vegetarianism has been around since at least the fifth century BC and records show that the populations of both ancient India and ancient Greece stayed away from meat.
In Asia, the diet has traditionally been connected with non-violence towards animals while other groups have stuck to vegetarianism for medical or purification purposes.
The number of vegetarians in the West has increased dramatically over the last 30 years yet restaurants are stilling fail to cater to their needs and cookbooks often offer recipes that are full of carbohydrates and nuts.
Yet vegetarian dishes can be creative, modern, flavourful and healthy – something that both restaurants and airlines should perhaps bear in mind.
I’ve been using pumpkin as a substitute for pasta for a while, as this variety of squash has an interesting texture as well as a terrific flavour.
It’s easy to prepare too: all you need to do is to peel the squash and then grate it into pasta-like shreds before wok-frying in a little olive oil with garlic. It cooks quickly and one cup has just 15 grams of carbs. Furthermore, one cup provides the recommended 32 per cent of fibre our bodies need everyday.
Pumpkin also contains the antioxidant beta carotene, which research has shown to lower the risk of cancer, cardipvascular disease and diabetes .
It also is a great thickener for soups and after cooking will pulse well into the liquid.
Pumpkin curry is often found in Thai-Chinese cuisine and served in a scooped out pumpkin. You can also roast it with garlic, onions, fresh thyme and olive oil.
Or you can try something different and try out the recipe below.
Spaghetti Acorn Squash
(Serves 2)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small pumpkin, halved and peeled into long ribbons
2 courgettes, peeled into long ribbons
2 garlic cloves, crushed
175g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste
freshly ground black pepper
a handful of fresh basil leaves
Method
Heat half the olive oil in a large non-stick pan and add the squash. Toss over a medium heat for 3 minutes, then add the courgette and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
Add the remaining olive oil, plus the garlic, tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring to coat. Reduce the heat to low and toss the pan.
Remove the pan from the heat and turn onto a plate. Season with black pepper, tear over the fresh basil and serve.
The dish has 279 calories, 12.3g fat, 1.8g saturates, 22.2g sugar, 0.2g salt , 8g protein and 11g fibre.
_ British celebrity chef Daniel Green loves to create healthy recipes that are easy to follow. His column “Make It Today” will share his passion of good food that is low in fat but modern and full of flavour and will run every last Sunday of the month.
