It’s no secret that a diet high in processed red meat can dramatically increase the risk of death from heart disease or cancer. But with the summer barbecue season in full swing, we’ve been gorging on burgers most weekends. Will cheese and beans ever rival the real deal? Probably not. But it’s time to tackle the scary truth, one steak at a time.

This is a fantastic salad. Here it’s served with tofu, but you could just as easily serve it with veggie burgers or vegetarian sausages, as well as fries and mashed potatoes.

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and roast the cherry tomatoes for 10 minutes.

2. Cover the bottom of a pan with cold water and place a steamer above it. Put the broccoli, green beans, and carrots in the steamer, turn the heat on quite high, and steam for about 15 minutes, occasionally prodding the carrots with a fork to see if they are done. Some people like them slightly crunchy, others prefer them a little softer.

3. While the vegetables are steaming, make a salad with the leaves and scallions.

4. Combine the cornmeal and herbs in a bowl. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan. Dip the tofu in the cornmeal mixture and then fry until golden.

5. Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing, but only pour over at the last minute.

Ingredients

Serves four

• 28 cherry tomatoes

• 3 florets of broccoli

• 12 green beans, cut into 1 inch lengths

• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1 inch pieces

• 1 lettuce — I like Romaine

• 3 scallions, finely chopped

•2/3 cup cornmeal

• a handful of chopped herbs of your choice

• 9 ounces tofu, cut into slices

• olive oil for frying for the dressing

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)

• 1 teaspoon maple syrup (if you like a bit of sweetness)