Sporty Spice, Melanie Chisholm, may have to change her name to “Sprouty Spice.” She has joined Fiona Apple, Paul McCartney and The Artist to sing the virtues of vegetarianism. Here are some of Melanie’s favorite animal-friendly foods:

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Meanwhile, heat a large, lightly oiled wok or skillet. Add and steam-fry the green (spring) onions and garlic for about 2 minutes. Add the water, broth powder, cornstarch, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, chili paste and sugar to the pan.

Stir until it boils.

Add the vegetarian “ham,” peanuts, cucumber and spinach. Stir quickly over high heat until everything is hot. Drain the pasta and add to the wok or skillet. Toss quickly and serve immediately.

Mix the soy sauce, lemon juice and ginger. Cut the tofu into 1-inch chunks and place in the marinade. Let marinate for 45 minutes. Drain the tofu, saving the marinade.

Heat the oil in a large pan and add the cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, onion, green pepper and tofu. Stir frequently, cooking evenly. Add the snow peas, mushrooms and green (spring) onions. Continue to stir frequently until the vegetables are cooked but still crunchy. Serve over rice, topped with the marinade.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Sort and wash the beans. Pour the beans and 2 cups (400 ml) of water into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, remove from the heat and let stand for 1 hour. Drain the beans and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until hot. Sauté the onions and garlic until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the beans, remaining water, bay leaves, bouillon cube, oregano, hot sauce and sugar. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours, or until the beans are tender.

Remove and discard the bay leaves. Serve over rice.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

The following recipes are from Some Like It Hot: 200 Spicy Vegetarian Recipes From Around the World by Robin Robertson (Plume, 1998).

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the package directions. Drain well. In a large serving bowl, toss the pasta with the sauce, soy Parmesan cheese and basil, then serve.

To make the “meat” balls, in a large bowl combine the ground meat alternative, 1/4 cup (50g) of the tofu, the peanuts, fresh ginger, cilantro, salt, 1/8 tsp. of the cayenne and 3/4 cup (75g) of the chopped onions. Shape into 11/2-inch balls. Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil in a large skillet. Add the balls and brown on all sides, about 3 minutes. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

To make the curry sauce, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a skillet. Add the remaining onions and brown lightly. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, garlic, turmeric, ground ginger, coriander, remaining cayenne and salt to taste and sauté 2 minutes. Add the tomato and simmer, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the remaining tofu. Add enough water to make a thick sauce. Carefully add the “meat” balls to the sauce and warm over low heat without boiling. Garnish with the parsley.