Passion for Flavour with Lucy May

Just a short drive from our farm here on the Yorkshire Wolds, word has been spreading about Lucy and the nourishing plant-based food she produces. Having catered for yoga and wellbeing retreats for a number of years, we see her devotees sharing their amazing plant-based lunches created by Lucy across social media.

As real inquisitive foodies here, we asked Lucy to provide the winter salad platters for our team for our Christmas send off, and were totally inspired by her suggested menu. The whole team were delighted with the dishes of seasonal veggies packed with flavour. We were equally delighted when she agreed to collaborate with us in creating a number of delicious plant-based recipes for us to share and inspire you this January. Whether you’re trying out Veganuary or not, these recipes certainly aren’t missing a thing.

It’s been quite an organic journey for Lucy to be where she is, but she can’t remember not being around food. Her mother was her first inspiration; making vegetables the most important ingredient on the table and packing food with flavour using fresh herbs. Lucy has always cooked, wanting to share good food with friends and family, and give her children the very best to eat. Being at home when her children were much younger, meant she had time to experiment with the vegetarian meals she cooked, and her vegan journey with food began.

For Lucy, producing a nourishing plant-based meal that everyone around the table can share and enjoy (and very often take away the recipe!), is her main intention. Her artistry is in taking one simple ingredient and making it the star of the show. Many of us think of our plant-based ingredients as a side dish, but not in Lucy’s world. Whether that’s how you cook those ingredients or how you present them. To keep plant-based food interesting and appealing, Lucy plays around with opposing flavours and textures for a dish that will be remembered. Taking inspiration from cuisines around the world, Lucy has a particular interest in European breads and middle eastern flavours.

Keeping it seasonal makes for the best produce and Lucy will very often challenge her amazing greengrocer, Rafter’s of Driffield in her home market town, with her ingredients list. It’s very often produce from her own allotment (a new passion!) that ends up in her dishes too.

With good news travelling well, Lucy now offers a plant-based meal delivery service in her local area during the working week. They consist of a nutritionally balanced salad bowl using homemade produce and organic, fair-trade and sustainably sourced ingredients where possible. Those working in offices (us included!), or even working from home, order lunch from Lucy knowing that a bowl of nourishment is guaranteed. What a way to power the workforce!

We were interested to hear what Lucy would be up to next on her foodie journey, and she shared her interest in nutrition and linking this knowledge with her creations to feed the body and soul. For a true creative who goes to sleep reading recipe books and waking up with new recipes to try, we were not surprised.

One last thing we wanted to find out from Lucy was what her current foodie ‘bedtime’ reading was. She is currently inspired by Philip Koury’s, A New Way to Bake. With his reimagining of cakes and bakes with plant-based ingredients that are easily sourced, it’s her latest page turner! Recommended by Ottolenghi (and Lucy!), we’ll look forward to tasting her unique take on her favourite bakes.

Two words were strung throughout our chat with Lucy – love and nourishment and we couldn’t sum up how she feels about her food any better. We hope you enjoy her recipes around tables filled to the brim with nourishing food for all to love and enjoy.

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