Namaste, Mary's Secret Garden

Eating raw, unrefined food is a way of life I try to embrace as much as possible. As an ex collegiate athlete, I look for foods that nourish my soul and give me a natural boost to take on the day. Although I love to eat out and indulge, it’s nice to have accessible indulgences that taste just as good as they are for your body.

Mary’s Secret Garden is Ventura’s local Vegan restaurant offering the community some of the freshest and tastiest vegan dishes. Mary is positively passionate about her food, paying attention to every detail in presentation and quality of ingredients she puts in each dish.

Now I’m definitely not a vegan, but I most definitely enjoy my fresh fruits and veggies. That’s why Mary’s is my go to place for that perfect salad, vegan entree and some of the best smoothies in town… I’m nuts about their smoothies. Packed with raw, organic and tropical nutrients, they taste amazing! "Pure energy food" all of her smoothies contain no soy or processed ingredients and are 100% raw. Our society is so accustomed to the typical Jamba that we forget natural can taste good.

One of my all time fav's is their Pistachio Mint Smoothie. Yes, I said Pistachio and Mint! However, the Purple Sky has a lot more to offer… Its ingredients may surprise any smoothie aficionado. Check it out! And if you are inspired, give it a shot!

Purple Sky Smoothie

1/4 cup or small handful of fresh or frozen blueberries
1 whole banana
1 heaping teaspoon of Hemp seeds
1 small handful of Mint leaves
1 large scoop of ice cubes
1/4 to 1/2 cup Raw Almond mylk*
2 tablespoons Raw Agave Nectar

Combine all in a very powerful blender (Vita Mix is definitely worth the investment). Serve right away and enjoy!

*For the Raw Almond Mylk
1 cup sprouted almonds
8 dates w/o pits
4 cups high quality Water

Blend all ingredients until warm to touch, about 1 minute. Strain. Raw Almond mylk will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Food plays so many roles and fills so many needs in our society. A restaurant, like Mary’s Secret Garden, that cares about their food and service beyond its revenue makes better offerings to the individual and to the community, and that’s something I strongly advocate.

Mary's Secret Garden
100 S. Fir Street
Ventura, CA
Website

San Francisco Fancy Food Show 2009

This past January I had the opportunity, well, $35 gave me the opportunity, to participate in the San Francisco Fancy Food Show. For those of you who don't know, I work in the commercial real estate industry and blog just for my love of all things food. Going to the Fancy Food Show was a totally new experience from all angles. The food industry is HUGE, electrifying and inspirational. For someone who thought they were obsessed with food, this was an eye opener! Or should I say, a realization that maybe I am not that crazy.

Henry of Henry's Olives, a new foodie friend that is the brother of my dad's good friend Murray, met up with me along with his friend Tom (that was a mouth full). Both were there to network and investigate as I was just there to troll the aisles and observe... and eat. There were famous chefs, major international corporations, new products galore, and Ina Garten. Yes, Ina Garten, my favorite person in the entire world - when put in food context.

A couple of highlights were:

• My first absolutely amazing cappuccino that was made by the San Diego coffee roasting company Cafe Calabria. Served in a porcelain cup, every sip was satiny and smooth. They are definitely committed to roasting as if it were a "Culinary Art".
  
• The peanut butter creations by P.B. Loco. This redefines eating peanut butter out of the jar. They have flavor combinations that range from Sumatra Cinnamon and Raisin to Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. P.B. Loco is all natural, so the guilt of eating out of the jar is somewhat removed. I can't wait to find this product in San Francisco!
• The awesomeness that is developing in the natural foods world: an obvious collaboration of natural and organic products with socially responsible endeavors. Not only are foodie entrepreneurs committed to local and organic food but they are combining these efforts with their commitment to social responsibility. Some of my favorite companies are HonestTea and SweetRiot Chocolates.

Oh and one more thing, I met Ina Garten!!!