Breast? Nope. Drumsticks? Guess again. This chicken dish is something else entirely . . .

In the old days, popular wisdom held that if you wanted to grow up big and strong, you needed plenty of meat in your diet. The only way to build muscle was to eat muscle, and if you didn’t get enough animal in your diet you were missing out an essential source of protein.

Our understanding of nutrition has progressed quite a bit since then, and we know today that a balanced and healthy diet doesn’t necessarily need to include meat. The reccommended daily intake of protein is between 40 and 70 grams, depening on your body weight, and a vegetarian diet can easily provide this if you eat the right foods.

Whether you’re a vegetarian, thinking about becoming one, or simply looking to diversify your diet and lay off the flesh a bit, this is a guide to the best non-meat sources of protein.

Legumes

Far and away the best source of vegetable protein. Legumes are an eternally popular staple with vegetarians and vegans around the world. Beans, lentils, soy, carob – these are all super-nutritious and should form the backbone of a meatless diet. There’s a whole world of soy-based products out there – tofu being one of the most popular.

Nuts

Nuts are a great healthy snack, loaded with protein and essential monounsaturated fats (the good oil that your body needs). Your best options as a proteinn source are peanuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. Unsalted is obviously the healthier choice.

Dairy

Unless you’re a vegan and eschew all animal products, you can’t beat milk and cheese as an alernative source of protein to meat. In fact most bodybuilding supplements are based on milk protein. Your healthiest options are the low fat ones, like skim milk and ricotta cheese.

Grains

While we instinctively think of grains as a source of carbohydrates, you can in fact get a decent amount of protein out of grain-based foods. The best known grain sources of protein are barley, buckwheat, rye, quinoa and oatmeal. If you have a look in the health food section of the supermarket, you can usually find high protein breakfast cereal made up of these ingredients.

Eggs

Eggs are as close to a meat protein source as you can get. There’s a hundred and one ways you can use eggs in your cooking, and they’re great for keeping a non-meat diet varied and exciting. It’s generally not reccommended to eat more than three eggs per day.

No matter how delicious a piece of food is, you can ALWAYS make it taste better by wrapping it in bacon. We found this great article with some clever suggestions for bacon-enhanced cuisine.

And here is a stand-up set of only bacon jokes.

This humourous gentleman in the United States has found a legal loophole in his Burger King voucher. Perhaps they’ll think twice before offering free guacamole again, or at least be a bit more specific about which sandwiches are eligible.

This youngster is probably the world’s greatest multi-tasker. He’s combined two of life’s essential activities in a way that no adult ever could. Too hungry to sleep? Too tired to eat? Not a problem for this kid.

Summer is round the corner once again, which means it’s time to get serious about fruit. Forget about apples and oranges – the warmer months of the year are a chance to step outside your comfort zone and discover weird and wonderful natural delicacies. If you want to impress friends and family with a truly exotic fruit selection this summer, head to the biggest fruit and veg market you can find and try to hunt down some of these rarities.

Loquat

The loquat is a bulbous, yellow-orange fruit that bears a slight resemblance to an apricot. Intensely sweet and mildly acidic, the loquat is one of the most flavoursome fruits you’ll ever sink your fangs into. Loquat jam is an eternal winner, if you can resist gobbling them all up on the spot.

Dragonfruit

On the outside, dragonfruit looks like something from another planet, with glowing red skin and weird green flaps. But the delicate grey flesh melts in your mouth, with a subtle sweetness and texture like no other fruit you’ve ever eaten. Also known as pitaya, this is a fruit best served chilled.

Kumquat

Kumquats rarely grow bigger than golf balls. A distant cousin of oranges and mandarins, this fruit is the runt of the citrus family. Yet what the humble kumquat lacks in size, it amply compensates for in flavour. The kumquat is an acquired taste, with a tangy and pungent essence that generally works better in marmalades and garnishes than served fresh.

Lady Finger Banana

The lady finger is a smaller, sweeter and more richly flavoured version of the standard banana. Due to its high natural sugar content, this is a great one to feed to the kids, for a healthy energy snack that still tastes a bit like junk food. For a natural sweetness boost, use lady fingers in place of ordinary bananas in your cakes and muffins.

Quince

The quince is quite similar in appearance and texture to a pear. While it’s not commonly eaten raw, quince is a great fruit to stew for warm desserts, and is also cooked with meat in a lot of Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. You know the line: “They dined on mince and slices of quince . . . “

Ahh, the mighty banana. Is there anything it can’t do? This video contains some very unorthodox advice on how to use a banana, for people who aren’t content with simply eating them.

Next time you have a picnic, keep an eye out for any ravenous dogs in the area. Turn your back for five seconds and this could happen to you . . . .

We’re renowned as a fairly carnivorous bunch, us Aussies. There are few social events in this country that don’t involve large chunks of flesh searing on a hot metal plate. Yet vegetarianism and veganism are growing in popularity, and there’s an ever-increasing chance that you’ll have a few herbivores turning up to your next BBQ.

In the interests of making the great Australian barbie open and accessible to our non-meat-eating brethren, we’ve dug up a few tasty BBQ ideas that don’t contain any dead animals.

Tofu Rolls

All you need is a few slabs of firm tofu, olive oil, a large onion, barbecue sauce and your choice of bread rolls. Adjust quantities according to the number of people you’re feeding.

1. Grease the barbie up with a generous layer of olive oil.
2. Cut tofu into half centimetre-thick slices and grill on medium heat until golden brown on both sides.
3. Add roughly chopped onion and grill until brown.
4. Reduce heat to low, add barbecue sauce to taste, and let the mixture cook for another ten minutes.
5. Serve the whole lot up on a bread roll.

Eggplant Rolls

The same basic concept as the tofu roll, but substitute the onion for fetta cheese with chopped mint and a pinch of fresh chilli.

1. Cut your eggplant into circular slices around a centimetre thick, discard the skin.
2. Fry in olive oil on medium heat, until the eggplant has absorbed most of the oil and is crispy on the outside.
3. Mash fetta cheese in a bowl, add chilli and mint (quantities to taste), and spread on bread rolls.
4. Let eggplant simmer for a couple more minutes on low heat, then serve on rolls immediately. A dash of lemon juice is recommended too.

Grilled Veggies Mediterranean Style

You can experiment with this, but generally the best vegetables to use are eggplant, zucchini, broccoli, red capsicum, carrot and mushrooms (whole, not sliced).

You’ll also need a couple of big garlic cloves, Italian herbs, and a good supply of olive oil.

1. Chop all veggies except the mushrooms into rough, half-mouthful sized pieces. Discard the eggplant skin. Chop garlic finely.
2. Pour a generous amount of olive oil on the hotplate, grill veggies and garlic on medium heat. Continue to pour small amounts of olive oil over the veggies until the eggplant won’t absorb any more.
3. Sprinkle Italian herbs to taste, grill for a further 10 minutes or until everything is golden brown. Serve immediately.

We’re pleased to bring the second instalment in our guide to essential herbs and spices. For anyone who dreams of working the spice rack like a pro but doesn’t quite know where to start. Welcome to the wonderful world of spice!

Paprika

It’s half-sweet, half-spicy, and great for any dish that needs a bit of a pepper boost without venturing into mouth-burning territory. Ground paprika complements all grilled meat and fish. Sprinkle lightly, in similar proportions to salt.

Nutmeg

Nutmeg comes from the seed of a apricot-type fruit. This condiment gets its name from the rich nutty flavour that works so well in spicy confections, like fruit mince pie or custard tarts. It’s also a secret weapon for custards and banana milkshakes. Don’t overdo it though – a tiny pinch is sufficient.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a natural sweetener, with a rich and warm flavour that livens up any cake or pudding. It works equally well in savoury stews and curries, and some folk swear by cinnamon as a sugar-replacement for tea and coffee. Cinnamon is available powdered, but you’ll get that extra bit of flavour by breaking the full sticks into chunks yourself.

Curry Power

This is perhaps the most under-appreciated spice on Earth. Far from being restricted to curry dishes, this yellow power tastes amazing on grilled meat and veggies, as well as baked fish and boiled eggs. We think it should be renamed ‘All-Purpose Powder’.

Cloves

Whole cloves are the unopened bud of an evergreen tree found in tropical regions. They can be inserted into a roast beef or pork dish to infuse the meat with a rich and pungent savoury flavour. Strangely enough, ground cloves take on a sweeter tone and are often used in biscuits and cakes.

This is one of the most potent spices known to man, and should be used sparingly at all times. Cloves are rarely used on their own, but mixed with other spices to balance out the flavour.

Ginger

The root of the ginger plant has been used in cooking for thousands of years, renowned for its mouth-tingling spiciness that’s remarkably sweet at the same time. Ginger is commonly used in sweet dishes and baking, but you’ll also find it in a lot of savoury Indian cuisine. Crushed ginger makes an excellent garnish for baked fish too. Always use in moderation, and get the fresh stuff over powdered whenever possible.

Chilli Powder

A lot of people don’t realise that there’s more to chilli powder than just chilli. Most varieties are a blend of dried red chilli, oregano, cumin, coriander and even cloves. So this isn’t simply a substitute for fresh chilli, the powder has a flavour all of its own. Ideally suited to Mexican dishes like tacos, burritos and enchiladas. But it will work on anything that needs a little bit of kick.