It's National Vegetarian Week (21-27 May), and this year the people behind the veggie week are celebrating breakfast as an essential part of everyone's day.

The Vegetarian Society has asked some well-known faces to share their favourite vegetarian breakfasts, and here they are:

Dave Spikey, comedian, actor and writer - "Eggs Florentine."

Fiona Phillips, presenter and journalist - "My favourite veggie breakfast is scrambled eggs with Marmite on sourdough toast"

James Willstrop, the World No 1 squash player - "I'd go for quinoa porridge with vanilla soy milk, agave, currants, blueberries and pecans."

Alan Titchmarsh, gardener, presenter, author - "Porridge and honey - every morning bar Saturday or Sunday when the only veg on my plate is baked beans .....!"

George Galloway, Member of Parliament - "I almost always have a veggie breakfast -usually cereal, followed by fruit, with wholemeal toast and loads of black coffee."

If you need a bit of inspiration, The Vegetarian Society has loads of recipes on their website, we particularly like the sound of the 'nice but naughty fruit compote' - it is allegedly perfect for those wanting to detox:

Nice but Naughty Fruit Compote

Serves 4
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 25 minutes
Can be vegan*

Ingredients

Compote:

2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced

200g ready to eat prunes, sliced

30g sultanas

200ml apple juice

Yoghurt mixture:

50g blueberries or blackberries (reserve a few for the topping)

200g zero fat Greek yoghurt (or soya yoghurt for vegan option*)

Topping:

75g oats

50g chopped hazelnuts

Pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon

Method:

Place the compote ingredients into a large pan and gently simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Fold the blueberries into the yoghurt and set aside.

Place the oats, nuts and nutmeg or cinnamon into a non-stick pan. Gently heat for five minutes, stirring from time to time.

To serve, share out the fruit into four dishes, add a little yoghurt then top with the oat mixture and the reserved blueberries.

For more delectable breakfast recipes visit www.nationalvegetarianweek.org.

Now in its twentieth year, National Vegetarian Week is the annual awareness-raising campaign promoting inspirational vegetarian food and the benefits of a meat-free lifestyle. Across the UK there are special menus, events, offers, promotions and discounts - they're all listed in the what's happening calendar at www.nationalvegetarianweek.org.

Who eats turkey at Christmas?! Not these compassionate celebrities, who have made the choice not to gobble down something that used to ... gobble.

Here are our favourite veggie and vegan celebrities who will be tucking into their nutloaf or Quorn roast this Chrimbo!

For the full list of celebrities go to Peta's website

This week is National Vegetarian Week so we decided to kick off things with our top 5 vegetarian restaurants in London. We know that as we live, work and play in London we're a bit biased. So if you know any amazing veggie eateries outside of the capital that Hippyshopper readers ought to know about let us know by adding a comment below.

Hippyshopper's top 5 vegetarian restaurants in London

1. Mildreds

Established in 1988, Mildreds serves internationally inspired vegetarian food, all of which is made daily on the premises. The lively, yet intimate atmosphere is coupled with excellent value for money and a very broad menu that will keep non-vegetarians happy too!

When: Monday to Saturday, 12 noon till 11pm
Where: 45 Lexington Street, London, W1F 9AN
Web: www.mildreds.co.uk

2. inSpiral Lounge

This eatery is located in the heart of vibrant Camden. A unique concept, inSpiral Lounge combines personal and planetary health with the best view possible - right on top of Camden Lock.

A café, bar, events venue, you name it, inSpiral Lounge offers an amazing choice of ice creams, smoothies, cocktails and delicious food.

When: Monday to Thursday, 8am to 22pm / Friday, 8am to 2pm (late) / Saturday, 9am to 2pm (late) / Sunday, 9am to 23.30pm
Where: 250 Camden High Street, London, NW1 8QS
Web: www.inspiralled.net

3. Beatroot

Located in the heart of Soho, Beatroot offers vegetarian food that is full of flavour and wholesome ingredients at a price that won't break the bank.

They offer ten hot dishes that draw inspiration from around the world, together with colourful seasonal salads. Simply choose which size of container you'd like and your good to go! They also serve organic, fair-trade coffee as well as teas and herbals.

When: Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm / Saturday, 11am to 9pm
Where: 92 Berwick Street, Soho, London, W1F 0QD
Web: www.beatroot.org.uk

4. Chutneys

A true find if you enjoy a good Indian. Specialising in South and North Indian pure vegetarian cuisine, Chutney's has a cracking menu and a really reasonable all-you-can-eat lunch buffet for £6.95/

When: Monday to Sunday, 12 noon to 11.30pm
Where: 124 Drummond Street, Euston, London, NW1 2PA
Web: www.chutneyseuston.co.uk

5. Vita Organic

Or Vitao as it's now called is as hippie as it comes. As one of the first restaurants in the UK to create and provide genuinely healthy food, Vitao use the best quality organic ingredients specially selected to achieve optimum health. Vitao caters for a wide range of dietary needs and choices, including vegan/vegetarian, macrobiotic, raw/living food, coeliacs, diabetics, those suffering from food allergies, or anyone just looking out for their health and well-being.

If optimised nutrition is what you're after, this is your place.

When: Monday to Sunday, 12noon to 11pm / Sunday, 12 noon to 9pm
Where: 74 Wardour Street, London, W1F 0TE
Web: www.vitaorganic.co.uk

We recently heard about this great campaign in North America called Veguary, which is as its name suggests, is encouraging people to become vegetarian for the month of February.

It is no secret that most of us eat too much meat, so this February, let's join the Americans and challenge ourselves to eat a diet based on whole grains, root vegetables, oils, legumes, nuts and vegetables. By aiming to eat vegetarian, vegan, or just even a few meat-free meals per week, you can improve your health, as well as the health of the planet. And hey it is the shortest month of the year... so why not give it a go.

Veguary is not an attempt to turn people vegetarian or vegan. Rather, it is an attempt to get us to look at what a balanced, sustainable diet is all about. So lets use February to review the way we think about our diets, how it relates to our bodies, the environment, and the animals who provide us with food.

Need more reasons for why you should take part in Veguary? Well eating excess animal protein has been linked to many major cancers and heart disease. It also affects immune and hormonal functions, weight management, joint/muscle pain and lactic acid build-up, energy levels, and bone density. In addition to your own welfare there are a number of environmental reasons to give it a go. From water to earth to rain forests to air, our large demand for meat is damaging our planet at an alarmingly fast rate, making it one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global.

And if that's not reason enough... even Oprah is giving it a try.

National Vegetarian Week will commence May 23 this year, with the popular vegetarian brand Cauldron Foods is set to sponsor it again.

Cauldron Foods has been sponsoring National Vegetarian Week since 2006 and have issued a statement saying: "We are very pleased. This celebratory week is one of the most important in Cauldron's calendar, and gives us the voice to remind and inspire everyone that great tasting vegetarian foods are really healthy, natural and delicious."

The Week will take place from Monday 23 May to Sunday 29 May, and is a time for everyone from foodies to families, caterers to cafés, to give a meet free week some thought. There will be hundreds of different activities and events held across the UK to celebrate. To find out more about events, new recipes and veggie starter packs go to www.nationalvegetarianweek.org

On Sunday February 20th, the Vegetarian Society will be hosting Meet the Manufacturer. The day-long event will bring vegetarian product manufacturers and consumers together.
With the vegetarian food market estimated to be worth £739 million in 2008, it is big business and manufacturers are keen to find ways to improve and develop their products. Vanessa Brown, Head of Corporate Relations at the Vegetarian Society hopes that this event will provide consumers the opportunity to provide manufactures direct feedback on what they want and don't want.

So far Redwoods Wholefoods, Goodlife Foods, Stoats, Goody Good Stuff, Rude Health and Liberation Foods have all confirmed their attendance at this free event. There will also be over 20 workshops running on the day, including demonstrations from the Cordon Vert Cookery School. Places in the workshops and demos are available on a first come, first served basis.

Meet the Manufacturer will be held at The Window Conference Centre, Islington, N1 8QG, an exclusively vegetarian venue, from 11am to 4pm, for more information visit www.vegsocapproved.com/MTM

As a vegetarian, Christmas dinner is not always the most exciting meal of the year. You're either stuck trying to make the most of various side dishes or, worse, tucking into the dreaded tofurkey. But December 25th doesn't just have to be for carnivores, there are plenty of great recipes that can make Christmas just as festive for the non-meat eaters in your life.

To help get you started on your holiday menu, the Vegetarian Society has sent us a collection of six recipes. With everything from a novel way to enjoy sprouts, pastry-free mains, vegan trifles, a veggie consommé and potato in the pudding, they are sure to inspire a mouth-watering meat-free feast.

All recipes are available for download here

No lame stereotypes of lentils and sandals here. No sir-ee. Yesterday saw sexy Vegetarians in Chilli Pepper Bikinis spice up Capitol Hill in the US.

Model Vida Guerra joined PETA's sexy senoritas in a vegetarian Chilli dog giveaway - and I bet there were a few takers.

Wearing nothing but a Chilli-pepper bikini, the men's magazine model and vegetarian Vida Guerra handed out veggie treats in front of the Capitol building.

The event marked National Veggie Dog Day, PETA's answer to the meat industry's National Hot Dog Month.

PHOTO:WENN.com

Stuck for Christmas gift ideas for your environmentally conscious friends? Vegan and eco-friendly fashion and accessories boutique Alternative Outfitters has a range of innovative gifts for women and men, from faux wool coats to faux suede boots. They also ship to the UK. Here's a sneak preview of what they have to choose for the festive season.

CLICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO CHECK OUT THE PRODUCT GALLERY

This unusual and regal-looking clutch bag has more than a little of the Vivienne Westwood about it, but it's not Dame V at all: this bag's from eco chic emporium Fashion Conscience, where you'll find a jaw-dropping selection of non-hippy clothes, shoes and accessories for those who don't want their fashion habit to inflict too much pain on the planet.

Or, as in this case, the inhabitants of the planet, because as its name suggests, this bag is made from 100% vegan materials and lined with organic cotton. A great choice whether you're an ethical fashionista - or just want something a bit different you won't see on any high streets. Each bag is made to order, and you'll need to allow up to two weeks for delivery: £175 at Fashion Conscience

Related: Fabulous recycled tyre mock-croc handbag | Top 5 ethical handbags

The opportunity to share the many benefits of a great tasting healthy cruelty-free lifestyle with the world is upon us once again - it's National Vegetarian Week!

If you're already vegetarian you could use this week to help spread the word! Let everyone know that it's not just about lentils, tofu and open-toed sandals any more (although there's nothing particularly wrong with any of those). There's a whole world of deliciously sumptuous delights awaiting those who are willing to take a small dietary step. You veggies are the living proof of the benefits of this lifestyle - so get out there and show yourselves off!

What to do if you're not already a veggie...

If you're a veggie who's ever attempted to order a meal in Belgium, this piece of news may just shock you: the entire city of Ghent in Belgium has declared Thursday Vegetarian Day (or Veggiedag), when civil servants and elected councillors will go for meat and fish-free meals. From September this new initiative will be hitting schools too, which will change their default meal to a vegetarian one.

Are you vegetarian (or vegan) and proud? If so, you might enjoy the chance to celebrate your lifestyle choice with the same vigour that gay people have been doing for decades, and take to the streets for some true veggie-loving zeal.

'Veggie Pride' is still a fairly new concept here in the UK, where we tend to be a bit more reserved about our eating habits than our American and European cousins, but that's all changing, says Paul Ridden, reporting from France (where I thought they still ritually burned vegetarians at the stake).

Read on for more info on how you can take part!

Matt & Nat are already a firm favourite here at hippyshopper due to their cruelty-free and vegan stance on bags. But this new particular Jorja tote made from 100% veggie leather has really stolen my heart, ticking the two crucial boxes of being not only kind to the environment, but unbelievably good to look at too. The magenta colour is divine, the antique silver and black nickel hardware is lush, while the overall design of the bag is forward-thinking yet still completely functional. It's priced at £155.

[Via The Bag Lady]

I've lost count of the times I've been horrified to discover that my favourite sweet (hello, Bounty) or other foodstuff is not vegetarian. Or indeed, the number of times I've been delighted to discover that a product has suddenly lost its meaty additives (there were whoops of joy here when digestive biscuits finally lost their animal fat). But how can you keep tabs on this ever changing world without looking like some kind of crazed calorie-counter in the supermarket?