I’ve recently become a fair weather Vegetarian. Without realising, i’ve been eating as a Vegetarian during the week, up until the weekend comes and me and my better half can do some kick ass meatylicious cooking. I LOVE weekend cooking. I LOVE meat. But now I appreciate it more now only eating it on the weekend.

This way, I can also afford to cook with some good quality cuts of meat, free range, Organic, and lovingly prepared by yours truly.

Don’t get me wrong, I won’t refuse some meat if offered, and if I fancy a little chicken or beef, I will have a slither. I don’t really crave meat that often, and it’s great experimenting with flavours that you can get from veg with the addition of strong flavours from sauces and seasoning.

Risottos are fantastic to experiment with, soups, tarts, all that jazz. I’m not sure whether I can come round to the idea of meat substitutes in terms of taste, but I think this is because I want to expand my palette and my heart just says no! I would call this plastic food, like plastic cheese if you will, that I regret to admit, used to eat by the dozen. Kraft was God. And, as always, I got better.

Here is a stupidly easy recipe. For the fellow fair weather veggies and the honest raining cats and dogs veggies.

This to me, is fast food.

Bon Appetit!

Ingredients (serves 2)

250g Penne Pasta (or whatever takes your fancy)

250g Portabello mushrooms, sliced

2 teaspoons of Wholegrain mustard

150ml Veg stock

3 cloves of garlic (crushed)

S&P

Handful of fresh parsley

Lemon zest

Heat a saucepan with some “saltier than the Mediterranean Sea” (thanks Nigella) water, bring to the boil and add the pasta

Add the Stock, Mushrooms, Garlic and Mustard to a frying pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes until mushrooms are tender and the jus has reduced a little

Drain the pasta and add to the pan of Mushrooms and mix it all together gently. Another option, which the Italians may prefer, is to add the mushrooms and the pasta once the pasta has been served on the plate, just make sure the pasta is coated with the jus.

Finally add the Lemon zest and parsley garnish and serve immediately.

The Jus really ignites the flavour of the gorgeous Portabello mushrooms. Totally tasty.