Vegetarian feasts for meat eaters
| Date | 05 December 2020 |
| Published date | 05 December 2020 |
| Publication title | Birmingham Mail (England) |
"I've never been away from my mate for that long - it was five months," says Si, who still lives in his native North East.
Dave, who hails from Lancashire but lives in Kent, recalls the last time they were together, recording a TV series voiceover at the end of February.
"Si and I were sharing a voiceover booth and I jokingly saying, 'If you start coughing, I'm getting out of here'. It (the virus) was very light, nobody took it seriously then."
Although separated for months the bearded BFFs, completed one big project together, their first Hairy Bikers' vegetarian cookbook.
"We did a book a few years ago in the dieters series (The Hairy Dieters Go Veggie), and it was at the back of our minds after that,"
says Dave, 63. "We thought, 'Wouldn't it be great to do a vegetarian book which is for meat-eaters really?"' So the carnivorous cooks aren't giving up steak and sausages for good. The Hairy Bikers' Veggie Feasts (which also features vegan recipes) is about "putting veggies centre stage", Si says, explaining that they were partly inspired by their children.
"It's been a conversation in our families for a very long time. My middle son James is vegan - from a moral point of view, but also an environmental point of view."
The impact of the meat industry on climate change is also a concern for the pair, something they noticed while biking through the US.
Si says: "Dave and I travelled through the Midwest and - draw your own conclusions - on the plains and outskirts of Oklahoma, there are at any one time upwards of one million head of cattle."
Cutting down on animal fats was another reason for creating meat-free recipes. A decade ago, the pair overhauled their eating and exercise habits, losing nearly seven stone between them, and have maintained their healthier lifestyles ever since.
"Dave and I are of a certain age where we have to watch our weight for health reasons," says Si, 54. "I've always had a propensity to put weight on."
As well as lowering fat consumption, eating more veg-packed recipes ups the nutrient element too.
"The Japanese say you need five colours on the plate, to make sure you're getting the vitamins and minerals you need," says Dave. "I eat vegetables for health as well - I'm not getting younger and my body feels better on it."
He estimates that he eats meat around three times a week...
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