Why it’s time for meat-free Mondays!

Going veggie at least one day a week is the best way to slim...

LOSING three stone each in 2012 probably saved their lives. Now, as statistics reveal a higher mortality rate from coronavirus for those who are obese or have type 2 diabetes, Hairy Bikers Si King and Dave Myers reveal how their new cookbook may help save yours . . .

VEGETABLES really are the dieter’s best friend. They’re much lower in calories than meat and provide loads of the vitamins, minerals and fibre our bodies needs to keep healthy while filling our tummies right up.

We’re both big meat eaters — always have been — but these days we enjoy at least two meatfree days a week. This helps keep our calorie intake down and good nutrition up.

And trust us, this is no sacrifice. In the old days, vegetarian food was something we associated with a grey plate full of unappetising mush. A juicy steak or roasted joint of meat would always be our first choice, any day of the week. Not any more.

A vegetarian meal offers a riot of colour, it looks as vibrant on the plate as it makes you feel once you’ve eaten it. The Japanese say that a good meal should have at

least five different colours on it: those colours come, of course, from your veggies.

A couple of years ago, Dave spent the whole summer at his place in France while Si stayed at his sister’s in Italy. In those beautiful Mediterranean countries, we were spoilt for choice when it came to fresh fruit and vegetables. Dave grew an abundance of fresh produce in his own kitchen garden; Si revelled in the offerings from the local markets.

Imagine a plate full of ripe tomatoes, left for a couple of hours in a bowl with nothing more complicated than some salt, pepper, a bit of red wine vinegar and a few drops of good olive oil: something so beautiful-looking can take centre stage on the table, and tastes out of this world.

We returned home at the end of that summer having fallen for the simple pleasures of meals where fresh veggies are the main event, instead of being an after-thought left standing at the side of the culinary stage.

And we don’t just take our inspiration from the Mediterranean cooking styles: herbs and spices from all over the world add a whole raft of flavour to vegetarian dishes, without increasing the calorie count. Remember, flavour doesn’t add calories.

Aubergines have a chunky, meaty feel, but are low in calories so they’re great for filling you up, without bulking up your waistline.

Meanwhile, even a devoted steaklover might be surprised to discover just how juicy a cooked Portobello mushroom can be.

One of Dave’s tricks is to add broccoli to his pasta for the last couple of minutes cooking time. This is a healthy way of bulking out your portion while adding flavour, but few calories. There are just 34 calories in an 80g portion. These meat-free days really are worth doing.

Research shows that people who have a mainly or totally vegetarian diet are less likely to be overweight or to suffer from heart disease or high blood pressure.

You only have to start looking at the calorie counts for vegetables — 80g of carrots comes to 34 calories compared to 132 calories for a small 25g bag of crisps — to see why. Half a red pepper is 21 calories: a single chocolate digestive biscuit, more than eight times as much.

We’d say, aim like us to have at least two meat-free days every week, cooking with delicious vegetables, pulses and wholegrains.

And who knows, you might find you like these vegetarian meals so much that you start to lean naturally towards having more meat-free days through the week.

If you’re worried about getting enough protein without meat, don’t be. An egg is only between 55 and 80 calories depending on size, and so makes a great protein addition to a veggie meal.

And there’s plenty more in lovely plant-based foods such as nuts, seeds, beans and lentils, which you’ll find in so many of our delicious vegetarian recipes, several of which we’re sharing with you today.