It’s National Vegetarian Week on 19^th – 25^th May 2008 and, whether you are a confirmed vegetarian or plan to go veggie just for the week, Canned Food UK has put together some fantastic recipes for vegetarian food lovers who enjoy a tasty yet convenient and nutritious diet.

For Canned Food UK’s Canveniently Nutritious campaign, leading dietitian Lyndel Costain partnered up with the Vegetarian Society, and targeted specific dietary requirements while highlighting how canned foods can be part of a healthy balanced diet.

Lyndel showed how cans help to make it easy to create and prepare delicious vegetarian meals that provide the nutrients essential to our health and wellbeing.

“Although protein might appear a primary concern,” says Lyndel, “it is actually very easy to get enough protein in a vegetarian diet. “Canned beans, peas and lentils, as well as eggs, dairy foods and nuts are all examples of good sources.”

Canned food ranges offer a great source of healthy vegetarian ingredients covering all the major nutrients – carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals – from fruit and vegetables to pulses and milk. The pressure cooking process locks in the food’s goodness, leaving cans packed full of nutrients.

So, vegetarians don’t have to increase their food budget or increase preparation time. They also don’t have to stick with salads every day. Here’s a yummy pudding to get your taste buds going!

Blackberry Oat Crumble

Makes 4 servings

2 large cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1 x 284 g can blackberries in fruit juice

2 tablespoons (30 ml) water

2 tablespoons (30 ml) acacia honey

40 g (1.5 oz) plain flour

40 g (1.5 oz) wholemeal flour

25 g (1 oz) oats

60 g (2 oz) olive oil margarine

60 g (2 oz) flaked almonds

40 g (1 ½ oz) brown sugar

Pre-heat the oven to 190 C/ 375 F/ Gas mark 5.

Put the prepared apples, blackberries, their juice and water into an ovenproof dish. Stir in the honey.

For the topping, put the flours and oats in a bowl and rub in the margarine until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Mix in the almonds and sugar. Alternatively, mix in a food processor.

Spread the crumble mixture over the fruit and bake in the oven for 25 – 30 minutes until the topping is lightly golden.

Canned Food UK has a great website and I highly recommend a visit, here’s a little more info about them:

Canned Food UK is an organisation committed to explaining and promoting the benefits of canned food to consumers in the UK.

We are devoted to honestly and accurately providing information to help dispel some of the myths about canned food. For example - the fact is that the canning process not only cooks the food inside the cans but also locks in the nutrients which means most canned foods do not need preservatives at all.

Canned Food UK is therefore keen to spread the news that many canned foods are nutritional and can count towards a balanced healthy diet. It’s also important to remind people that unlike fresh and chilled food, canned food is amazingly convenient and can be stored in the kitchen ready to eat when you want.

We’re also here to let everyone know that canned food can help make lives easier. We provide lots of exciting recipe ideas that fit in with people’s busy lives as well as supporting people’s interest in a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Our members come from all parts of the food canning industry - from people who make the cans and coatings through to food manufacturers who package their food in cans and the steel makers who provide the materials for the cans!

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