I love visiting England, especially after I have been traveling
in other places. First of all, when I am in the UK I am usually staying at a
friend's or family member's home so I can put together favorite ingredients
into a meal. Secondly, most cities have plant-based milks in the grocery stores
and often in cafes, and finally, I speak the national language (if somewhat
differently that the locals) and this makes it easier to communicate my dietary
wishes.
I remember the first time I was going to visit my, then friend,
now partner Sophie at her mother's home in West London. Sophie told her mother
about my plant-based dietary pattern before I arrived. Among other incredulous
questions, she asked, "what can she eat for breakfast?" She wanted to
know that she had all the requisite supplies to make sure I was happy and
well-nourished while visiting. Luckily I had visited England before and
remembered that a common simple vegan breakfast served is baked beans on toast.
I emailed Sophie a whole list of breakfast foods that I enjoyed (toast, fruit,
oats, potatoes, etc.), but it was this item that set her mum at ease.
I still love a good English Breakfast Vegetarian-style (hold the
eggs), though I didn't have one this visit. Vegetarian
English Breakfast is usually toast, pan-grilled tomatoes and mushrooms, and
baked beans. A fancy one will also include a vegetarian sausage and/or
potatoes. Who really needs the eggs?
This trip I visited dear friends in Buxton England, Fiona, Dan,
Aidan and Will, and then Sophie and her mum in West London over a period of
about 10 days. The breakfasts were hearty, healthy and delicious. My favorite
breakfast in Buxton this trip was Alpro lemon-lime soya yogurt with muesli with
raisins, malt squares cereal, and fresh strawberries.
Best part
about it was getting to eat breakfast across the table from Will.
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| Breakfast with Will |
I
love Alpro products and the company’s organic line Provamel. I was first
introduced to Alpro about 9 years ago when I was visiting England to see
my "fairy god-child" Aidan. The company is based in Belgium, and
makes (still in my opinion) the best soya yogurts and puddings, as well as
top-notch soya milks. Late June and early July are strawberry season in England;
and the berries are very good--densely flavored and juicy.
Breakfast in the London flat most mornings was some variation on
vegetarian sausages on toast with pan-grilled mushrooms. A couple of mornings
we had sautéed onions, green garlic and chard (these latter two ingredients
traveled with me from Dan's allotment in Buxton), a couple mornings, we had
sliced avocado and cherry tomatoes, and often a handful of strawberries.
As often as possible I like to include fresh from the garden greens for
breakfast. I keep a garden at home and regularly work cooked greens into our
breakfast. It's a great way to get a jumpstart on meeting vitamin and mineral
needs over the course of the day and high “qi” foods in the morning get you
started off well energetically as well. On my last morning in Buxton, Dan and I
spent a few hours at the allotment weeding, harvesting and planting. He had a
veritable forest of overgrown chard plants as well as kale, garlic, rhubarb,
herbs, lettuce, and gooseberries ready for harvest.
I have had great luck eating at Heathrow airport. In
addition to the place I had my yummy breakfast this trip, I have also had great
vegan meals at Giraffe Restaurant at Heathrow. And on my way to Greece shared a
great lunch in Munich airport at place called 4URBS.
Athens
airport offers a point and pick salad place with a wide variety of ingredients.
In all cases, my UK breakfasts were accompanied by at least 2
large mugs full of English Breakfast tea and soya milk. The option to have
English black tea with a smooth, non-curdling, non-bean tasting plant-based
milk is a real pleasure. And whenever she is anticipating a visit from me,
Sophie's mum still makes sure that there is fresh fruit and soya milk in her
home for me.
