HECK Goes Veggie (And Vegan)

Super-veg, gluten-free sausages, burgers and balls bring taste to veggie plates

(Coeliac Awareness Week 9 – 15 May, National Vegetarian Week 16 – 22 May, National BBQ Week 30 May – 5 June)

Need a smashing sausage or brilliant burger to feed vegetarian visitors or flexitarian friends this summer? Give 'em HECK! The fast-growing Yorkshire food company has gone back to the kitchen table and made wonderful vegetables the star of the show with a delicious line-up of meat-free sausages, burgers and balls that are bringing taste to the veggie aisles and are packed with delicious super-food veg and ingredients to do you good as well as taste good.

On a mission to put vegetables centre plate rather than just a bit on the side, HECK Super Greens Balls (vegan), Nuts About Cheese Sausages and Gourmet Goat's Cheese Burgers go on sale at Waitrose at the end of April and are a far cry from the regular soya-sausage and beef-free burger offerings.

Mindful that they wanted to finally smash the 'taste-free' reputation of many meat-free products, the Keeble family behind HECK has combined heavenly protein and fibre-rich veg, nuts and cheeses all chosen for their mouth-watering taste, as well as nutrition benefits. Completely soya, wheat and gluten-free, and with Super Greens super low in fat too, they're perfect for vegetarians, coeliacs and anyone looking to curb their meat or calorie intake but still enjoy a decent banger or burger.

• Fresh, tasty, nutritious
• Quick, delicious, healthy meal solutions
• Packed full of veg, nuts and cheese
• Good source of protein and fibre
• No fake meat, soya or wheat
• 100% gluten-free
• Low fat (Super Greens)
• Vegan suitable (Super Greens)
• Ideal to eat on their own or to replace regular sausages in recipes

With square, heart-shaped, skinless and lower fat chicken sausages and burgers already under their belt, the Keebles behind HECK are known for their creative take on the traditional British sausage and the new veggie range was created after fans kept asking for a decent-tasting meat-free sausage.

Super Greens Balls. Quinoa, spinach, kale and ginger. Plate up with a crisp beansprout and cashew nut salad.

Nuts About Cheese Sausages. Cashews, two cheeses, flax and chia seeds, plus a dash of chilli. Add some asparagus and a little thyme.

Gourmet Goat's Cheese Burgers. Quinoa, goat's cheese and caramelized onion. Dig in with skinny carrot fries and honey-roast beetroot.

As a nation we're all eating more consciously and mindfully, whether for health, ethical or economic reasons, and with an estimated 35% of Brits now calling themselves flexitarian and actively choosing to reduce their meat intake, HECK has also created a series of vegetarian recipes to inspire meat-free meal times.

Dietitian Vanessa Quarmby says, 'It's great to see new products being launched with health in mind; many people choose food for that reason today. Whether you're avoiding gluten or you're a vegetarian there's a tasty, quick alternative to meat for dinner. The spinach in Super Greens is a source of Vitamin E and Folate, and the quinoa provides calcium and iron. Nuts and seeds are foods that we should eat more of; flax seeds provide valuable omega-3 fats and cashew nuts provide potassium and zinc, making them a nutritious addition to anyone's diet.'

The HECK meat-free range will be available in selected Waitrose stores and online from www.heckfood.co.uk from 25 April. Sausages, 4 per pack 267g. Burgers, 2 per pack 228g. Balls 9 per pack, 255g. Introductory price £2.25 per pack, normal price will be £3 after 8 June.

ENDS