friends who once set the table for omnivores can feel nutritionally challenged.

Recent studies show about five percent of western populations call themselves vegans with an increasing number of those being teens.

Many teenagers end up subsisting on fast food that's free of meat -- and of most nutrients, says Carol Coughlin of the American Dietetic Association. She calls such dieters "french-fry vegans.'' Even elementary-school students are hopping on the bandwagon. A colleague laments that her third-grader's friends embrace "vegetarianism'' built on a dietary pyramid of spaghetti, pizza and quesadillas, letting nothing green pass their lips.

Three main issues arise around vegetarian youngsters today, contends paediatrician Dennis Bier, director of Baylor College of Medicine's Children's Nutrition Research Centre.

The first is getting enough vitamin B-12, which occurs mainly in meat, eggs and milk. It's necessary for red blood cells, nerve function and DNA synthesis. These days you can find prepared foods fortified with vitamin B-12, including cereals, soy milk and veggie burgers.

Next, minerals such as iron, calcium and zinc are essential for healthy blood, bones and growth. Although present in vegetables like spinach and broccoli, they're less "bioavailable,'' meaning they're less easily absorbed from plants than from animal sources. But more food producers are adding mineral supplements to orange juice, soy milk and cereals.

Third, young children need sufficient calories for growth. Vegetables, less calorie-dense than meat or dairy foods, don't supply as much energy. When babies or toddlers are weaned onto a vegetarian diet by their parents, the issue becomes giving them enough essential fatty acids -- found in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, margarine and fish oils -- for brain and nerve development.

Here are few recipes to help you get your daily allotment of vegetables.

Broccoli with French Sauce 2 packages frozen or 2 pounds fresh broccoli 2 tablespoons margarine 2 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup chicken soup broth 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 cup sliced stuffed olives 4 hard cooked eggs, sliced COOK broccoli in boiling salted water until tender. Drain (save water for soup).

French sauce Melt margarine, mix with flour and salt, gradually stir in broth, cook until thick. Add Worcestershire sauce, olives and egg slices, spoon sauce over hot broccoli, or serve it in separate dish. Makes 6 servings.

EGGPLANT SOUFFLE 1 medium eggplant 3 eggs 3 tablespoons oil 1 medium onion 3 tablespoons flour Parsley Soy sauce Pepper 1 cup water CUT eggplant lengthwise and bake, broil, steam, sizzle or griddle open side down until soft, scoop out the flesh and leave the shells.

Saute chopped onion and eggplant in oil, dust with flour, add water stirring constantly. Season with chopped parsley, soy sauce, and pepper. Remove from heat and add beaten egg yolks, let cool.

Whisk egg whites fluffy and fold slowly into eggplant sauce. Spoon into eggplant shells and bake at 300-325 for about 35 minutes.

FOUR BEAN BAKE 8 bacon slices, cut up 1 medium onion, chopped 1 1 cups brown sugar 1 cup vinegar 1 can butter beans, drained 1 can lima beans, drained 2 cans kidney beans, drained 1 large can baked beans in tomato sauce Salt and pepper to taste Garlic salt to taste FRY bacon and onion; add brown sugar and vinegar; simmer for 20 minutes. Add remaining ingredients.

Put mixture in baking dish and bake in a 350 degrees oven for 1 hour. Note: This will serve as a large side dish at a barbecue.

STIR-FRIED SNOW PEAS AND CHINESE MUSHROOMS 1 package frozen snow peas or 10 ounces fresh 6 large dried Chinese mushrooms 1 1 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon sugar 5 teaspoons cooking oil SOAK mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes. Cut away stems and slice mushrooms. Strain mushroom water, reserve 2 tablespoons.

Let frozen peas come to room temperature. If using fresh peas, string them.

Heat oil until very hot in wok or fry pan. Lower heat and drop in mushrooms.

Stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes. Add peas, salt and sugar; stir-fry 1 to 2 seconds.

(If not to be served immediately, turn off heat at this point, and let set.) Add reserved mushroom water and cook over high heat, stirring constantly until water evaporates. Serve at once. Serves 6.

VEGETABLE MEDLEY 4 large onions 1 cup butter (total amount) 1 pound carrots Salt and pepper 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon mint or parsley, chopped 3 pound button mushrooms 1 large cauliflower 2 pounds potatoes 1 egg yolk 1 tablespoon cream Mornay Sauce: 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons flour 1 1 cups milk 4 to 5 tablespoons cheddar cheese, grated PEEL and slice onions, cook slowly in 3 tablespoons butter until soft and golden. Place in the bottom of a 12-inch quiche dish or shallow casserole dish.

Peel and cut carrots in thin rounds; cover with cold water, salt, sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, and cook until water has evaporated. Stir mint or parsley in with carrots and arrange on top of onions.

Wash and trim mushrooms. Saute briskly in 3 tablespoons butter. Season, and arrange over carrots. Sprig the cauliflower and cook until just tender. Drain; arrange among the mushrooms. Boil potatoes and puree with 2 tablespoons butter and cream. Add egg yolk.

Prepare Mornay Sauce, gradually adding cheese when sauce is almost boiling.

Season, and spoon over vegetables.

Using a 1-inch nozzle, pipe a thick lattice of pureed potatoes on top in an attractive design. At this point, dish may be frozen. Thaw at room temperature for 3 hours.

Brush lightly with beaten egg. Brown in oven at 375 degrees.