In a relatively short space of time, vegetarian food has come a long way. Once snubbed by carnivores for being bland and uninspiring, meat-free cuisine has now tempted seven per cent of us to go veggie.

As our palates have become more discerning British food has improved vastly, although vegetarian cuisine has probably benefited most from the great food revolution.

The rise of celebrity chefs, a willingness to experiment and the availability of exciting new ingredients have conspired to inject some flavour into veggie dishes.

And it couldn’t have come at a better time; as we become increasingly aware of our carbon footprints more people are trying to steer clear of meat (cattle farming is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gasses) and the tasty alternatives now available have made forsaking it far easier.

“Going vegetarian reduces your carbon footprint and saves animals, but it can also be better for your own health and well being,” says Su Taylor of the Vegetarian Society.

“Many health conscious people go veggie to improve their diet. Statistics show vegetarians are less likely than meat eaters to suffer from diabetes, heart disease and some other medical conditions. Vegetarians are also less likely to be obese and tend to have a lower average body mass index (BMI).”

However, just reducing your meat intake can have a positive impact on the environment and your health as Paul McCartney will tell you. Last year he launched Meat Free Monday, a campaign to encourage people to go veggie one day a week. And the former Beatle would approve of these recipes, which are the ideal introduction to vegetarian cuisine.