Veg out at Amico Bio during National Vegetarian Week

Stella McCartney and Russell Brand have something in common - they're both vegetarians - and the Vegetarian Society are keen to make us all aware of the virtues of a vegetarian lifestyle, with or without the celebrity factor. Next week is National Vegetarian Week and whether it's trying to reduce our environmental impact or being more healthy and upping our 5-a-day, this is the opportunity to try some of the benefits of the vegetarian lifestyle (23 - 29 May). 

No matter if you're already a seasoned vegetarian or have more carnivorous tastes, you can enjoy one very satisfying meal at the London restaurant Amico Bio: "Green Thinking - Better Living", a restaurant that already specialises in vegetarian, organic, Italian food, but whose head chef Pasquale Amico is producing a special lunch menu that is totally vegan. Amico says of his cooking, "I know I’ve succeeded when I hear hardcore carnivores raving about my vegan dishes!”

For recipes to try at home, Phaidon's cookbook Vegetables from an Italian Garden is a source of tasty inspiration and offers a guide to incorporating more seasonal vegetables into everyday dishes.

Follow the link to Veggiebelly for a range of easy through to exotic vegetarian recipes.