Mrs Crunch shares her favourite meat-free meals ahead of World Vegetarian Day

MORE and more people are cutting out meat – and it’s World Vegetarian Day next Sunday.

It is great to eat fruit and veg when they are in season.

In September, runner beans, courgettes and cabbages are all at their best.

A veg-based diet keeps calories and costs down, too. So here are some recipes that make vegetables extra-interesting.

Baked colcannon - 78p per serving

Serves 2

Preparation: 10mins. Cooking: 10mins

One serving contains 575 calories (29% of recommended adult daily intake); 27g fat (39%); 10.5g sat fat (52%); 5g sugar (6%); 1g salt (17%)

YOU NEED:

70g cabbage, any type you like with tough stalks removed

30g kale

500g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 leek, finely chop all but the deep green bits

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

4 tbsp milk

Salt and pepper

4 medium free-range eggs

40g low-fat cheddar, grated

METHOD: Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6. Place the cabbage and kale in a pan and set aside.

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender – about 15-20 minutes. When cooked, drain the water into the pan containing the kale and cabbage.

Then drain the cabbage and kale. Wait until they cool then chop them up. Gently fry the leeks in the oil for a few minutes to soften

Mash the potatoes with the butter and milk then season with salt and pepper. When lump-free, add in the leeks and cabbage.

Spread the mixture into a shallow, buttered baking dish and make four dips in the top with the back of a spoon.

Crack the eggs into the dips and cover with the cheese.

Bake for 8-10 minutes until the eggs are as soft as you like them.

Courgette cake - 39p per serving

Serves 8

Preparation time: 15mins. Cooking time: 1 hour

Calories 440 (22% of recommended adult daily intake); 21g fat (30%); 2g sat fat (10%); 23g sugar (26%); 0.33g salt (6%)

YOU NEED:

Butter, to grease loaf tin

2 large eggs

125ml vegetable oil

85g soft brown sugar

350g courgettes, coarsely grated

4 tsp lemon zest

300g plain flour

2 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp baking powder

85g walnuts, roughly chopped

140g sultanas

METHOD: Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas 4. Butter and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, oil and sugar, then add the courgettes and lemon.

In another bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients with a pinch of salt.

Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, then pour into the tin.

Bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool, then serve.

Runner bean chutney - £9.37 per 1.5kg

Makes approx 1.5kg chutney

Prep time: 20mins. Cooking time: 1hr 40mins

22 cals per 10g/1 rounded tsp (1% of daily recommended intake); trace fat (less than 1%); 0g sat fat (0%); 4.5g sugar (5%); trace salt (less than 1%).

YOU NEED:

800g runner beans, trimmed

600g onions, finely chopped

4 courgettes, thinly sliced

350g cooking apples, peeled, cored, and chopped

500ml malt vinegar

3 tbsp cornflour

1 tbsp mustard powder

1 tbsp ground turmeric

1 tbsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted in a dry frying pan

200g light soft brown sugar

400g demerara sugar

METHOD: Blanch the beans in boiling, salted water for 2 minutes then drain. Refresh in cold water and then drain again. Chop finely, set aside.

Put onions, courgettes and apples in big, heavy pan with half the vinegar, simmer for 20 minutes, add the beans.

Mix the cornflour, mustard powder, turmeric, mustard seeds and sesame seeds with a little of the remaining vinegar. Stir into the onion and bean mix.

Add the rest of the vinegar and cook gently for 10 minutes. Add both the sugars, stir until dissolved.

Bring back to the boil, stirring, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour until slightly thickened, stirring frequently.

Transfer to warm sterilised jars, seal and allow to mature for 6-8 weeks.