Flower Power in a Plant-Based Fashion
Plant based diets are on the rise, be it for health or eco reasons, and no high street chain worth its eggplant is ignoring this fact.
Research reveals that dairy-free milks are now consumed by a quarter of the British population and more and more people are ditching meat from their diets completely for a variety of reasons.
You don’t, of course, have to take the full vegan plunge to enjoy plant based foods and their benefits.
When I cut out dairy earlier this year it took time to adjust and I’m not afraid to admit I went through periods of panic and uncertainty. I stopped drinking animal milk a long time ago, but I love cheese, butter and cream and I couldn’t imagine not ever eating a cake or ice cream again, or having my morning croissant. I’m not a vegan, nor am I vegetarian, but I would now call myself a ‘dairy-free pescatarian’ (you heard it here first!).
At first I found eating out a struggle, but as I continued to visit restaurants and I had to pay more attention to the menu, I have been seeing more and more plant based foods appearing, with many restaurants having clear dietary and allergy notes.
The food industry is quickly adapting to a significant increase in demand across the UK – for not only those wanting more plant based foods in their diets but also to the other many varied dietary requirements, including food intolerances and allergies.
When we were invited to sample the “Flower-powered Plant Love Summer Menu” at Le Pain Quotidien, my heart skipped. My eyes landed on the Vegan Hibiscus Croissant. I knew my mornings would never be the same again.
We arrived at LPQ’s Covent Garden branch and were directed upstairs to a big dining room with a very large communal table. It was a feast for the eyes as well as the belly. The table was set out beautifully – vases filled with sunflowers, baskets of bread and delicious trays of vibrant and colourful foods, I felt like I was in one a movie set in a countryside somewhere in the south of France.
The new summer menu was created by Stacy and his team of chefs and offers a range of mouth-watering plant based delights that cater for any time of the day, and it’s all available to eat in or to take-away.
“LPQ has a long history of innovating in the plant-based space and we’re thrilled with this menu. It’s totally delicious, good for you and bursts with colour and integrity”, said Kieran Simmonds, Head of European Marketing Operations at Le Pain Quotidien.
We enjoyed the very refreshing Good Karma Watermelon Feta Salad (mine was without the feta), delicious Far Out Hemp Pesto Bowl and my absolute favourite Portobello Shroom and Turmeric Hummus Tartine.
There were plentiful baskets filled with fresh bread, Lemon Twists with organic Poppy Seeds and Vegan Hibiscus Croissants to nibble on.
To finish there was the new buttery Apricot Tart which I am reliably informed was delightful.
If the empty table afterwards was anything to go by, the menu was a huge success. The food was delicious, refreshing and perfect to help us stay cool during these hot summer months.
Other items include a Strawberry Toast Forever and the Crunola Parfaits.
Hannah and the LPQ team were wonderful hosts; very well informed, great company and they gave excellent service. So thanks to the delicious and healthy food alongside the superb staff we will now plant ourselves firmly on to the list of regular LPQ customers.
The new summer menu is available in all LPQ branches across the UK.
Bon appétit!
