POWER PLANTS

Fiona Armstrong considers the value of going vegan and how we might convince more carnivores like the chief to ditch the beef. Illustration Bob Dewar

Fiona Armstrong's efforts to turn the Chief vegan are admirable

Whisper it, but the chief has gone vegan. Well, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but the MacGregor has eaten two plant-based meals in the last fortnight. He has eaten them – and, what’s more, he has enjoyed them. Not that he knows they were meatless and dairy-free. Because if he knows about it, he will not eat any more. So, please, if you see the man, do not tell him.

This is someone who lives for a lamb chop. Who loves a pork loin. Who relishes a ribeye. And preferably a rare one, at that. This is the person whose blood-type dictates he must eat meat – and lots of it.

This is the Highlander who considers salad a sad form of rabbit food. He is the one who, when asked what vegetarians might nibble on at a drinks party, declared: ‘Let them eat grass’.

‘Let them eat…’ We all know what happened to the cake lady, don’t we?

Anyhow, these plant-based meals are an interesting exercise. Not that this new-fangled food is my idea. Darling Daughter is currently living at home whilst her house is rewired. And, like a growing number of young, she thinks we should all reduce our meat consumption. Not cut it out completely, you understand. Just try to be a bit more aware of what we put on our plates.

She is right, of course. We should all eat more soya and spinach. We ought to fill ourselves up on figs and falafel. We must munch our way through marrow and mung beans. Because these things are good for a body. And they can be extremely tasty.

The problem is, though, how to present them to a carnivore. How to sneak bright red and green superfoods out of their packets and onto dinner plates.

I suppose they could be whizzed up in soups. Which would work well in winter, but not so well when the sun shines. They could be hidden under a creamy sauce, but just think of all those calories – and all the cholesterol that would be involved.

Veggies might be chopped, boiled, mashed and whizzed into a souffle. And, without boasting, I can tell you that my souffles always rise…

Yet I suppose the real trick is to be really bold with flavour. And for her part, DD produced a black bean, sweetcorn and chilli dish. It was fiery and tasty – and the chief declared it delicious.

For veganism is hot. Literally. And the numbers eating this type of diet are growing. It’s thought there are more than 350,000 devotees in Scotland alone, with Glasgow now deemed the UK’s top vegan community.

It is an extraordinary thought that in the home of scotch pies and lorne sausage, almost a quarter of the population are eschewing anything to do with an animal. And it is not just meat. Milk, eggs, cheese and butter are also off the menu. So much for steak pie and haggis.

Farewell bacon butty and black pudding. Goodbye Glasgow salad, with its fried chicken, kebab, pizza, pakora, coleslaw and chips…

Seriously, though, how do we get the boys on board with this new way of eating, because figures show that twice as many women as men are vegan.

We could tempt them with a slice of vegan bacon, or even a thick vegan steak. And yes, there are such things on the market. They will probably see through it though.

So give me the occasional plantbased meal. I’ll be happy with that.

And talking of smiles, here’s something that might put one on your face: what did the singer, Cher, say to the vegan? ‘I got tofu babe…’

‘In the home of scotch pies, almost a quarter of the population are eschewing anything to do with an animal’