If you were a cow, you'd have every reason to bless Tzedek, the international development aid charity. It's cut its carbon footprint by 15 per cent with a series of environmentally-friendly measures – one of which is to insist on vegetarian catering at its events.

Director Dan Berelowitz has risked accusations of sacrilege by declaring "Smoked salmon bagels are off the menu." Supporters will have to make do with grilled halloumi, instead.

But the charity has found inspiration in the latest cookbook of Yotam Ottolenghi, the London-based Israeli chef who does a weekly veggie cooking column for the Guardian magazine.

Ottolenghi, a supporter of Tzedek, will be lending his skills to another cause, the New Israel Fund, by catering its main do in autumn. But in a concession to those who can take green puritanism only so far, the NIF menu will include fish.