Making the decision to cut meat and fish from your diet is a big one, and people often worry that their meals will be boring once they've turned vegetarian. This book, however, will show you that the complete opposite is true, and that vegetarian cooking is tasty, filling, nutritious -- and, above all, delicious!

There is a huge variety of vegetarian ingredients out there that can add some interest to your cooking. Pasta and rice, baked with vegetables or cheese, make a filling lunch or dinner dish, while soups and salads can also be jazzed up with the addition of beans and pulses. Vegetarians can also be catered for at barbecues -- normally the preserve of the big meat-eaters. Vegetarian sausages and mushroom burgers taste fantastic when grilled over hot coals (away from the meat, of course) and there are endless variations on delicious vegetable and bean curd kebabs.

You will also find that a lot of international dishes are vegetarian anyway, which means even more variation in your weekly menu! Piquant Indian dishes -- either delicately flavored or more robustly spiced -- bring an exotic touch to your everyday meals, or try couscous as a tasty alternative to pasta and rice. Bean curd is another excellent ingredient that is used in many vegetarian meals. It is extremely adaptable, takes up the flavors of spices and marinades brilliantly, and can be pan-fried, barbecued, and baked. Try adding it to Chinese-style dishes in place of meat, and you'll be pleasantly surprised. There are also plenty of recipes for those vegetarians with a sweeter tooth. Delicious baking and dessert ideas are also included, which will finish off your vegetarian banquet perfectly.

1000 Vegetarian Recipes is just the book you need to kickstart your new vegetarian lifestyle or spice up your existing one.