“The Genius Thing That We Did Was, We Didn’t Give Up.”- Jay-Z
That quote is inscribed on the wall at Planet Vegan. Along with other encouraging and motivational sayings and art, it sums up the commitment of the owners of this popular restaurant to rise from adversity and move toward success.
If you are looking for something healthy to eat or drink there is a fairly new place in Sanger, California you should check out. It’s called Healthy Blendz. They opened their doors on January 3, 2022. They were mentioned earlier this year in one of our Great Food Search columns and I decided to chat with owners Salvador and Diana Colin to learn more. By the way, they have a special Halloween menu!
In the state of California, when you think of the havens that are considered vegan, you would imagine cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles. Rarely would you think of the Central Valley. And by reputation, deservedly so. We are the agricultural capitol of the world, especially when it comes to meat and dairy. You can’t go a square mile in this area and not see a farm of some sort.
In the culinary world, the term “secret menu” by definition is exclusive knowledge that’s unknown to the majority of the public. It is known only to those select few who are aware of certain items that are not on the everyday menu of their favorite eateries. It’s very much a VIP thing. Well, here in the Central Valley, there’s a secret menu of food out there from an establishment that is gradually gaining attention through word of mouth.
Sometimes, I eat alone. When I do so, my options are broader, brighter, and easier. But I do not always eat alone. When I eat with others, it is not necessary for my health that I eat. I have other ways of getting nutrition, but it is more pleasant and more of a celebration if I can order and savor something from the menu.
I am, in general, not one of those people who gets sentimental over Valentine’s Day. I remind my husband every year not to get flowers for me because the cats eat them, and I get stuck cleaning up their vomit. We do not buy gifts for each other because—why? We have the things we need, and the last thing we need are more things.
I am on a journey. It is a journey for life and health, wellness and joy. Like Hippocrates, the ancient physician, I have been learning “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
I recently had the pleasure of getting reacquainted with Ellen Mitchell, the owner of To Better Health, located at 1721-11th Street in downtown Reedley. Ellen and I hadn’t seen each other in probably 30 years, so it was a real treat to talk with her about her store.
IQ, Intelligence Quotient, is an important tool for measuring cognitive ability. EQ, Emotion Quotient, is a new device for measuring emotional health and capacity. However, to adequately measure the value of a noodle, one needs NQ and, more specifically, Noodle Q near the southeast corner of Fresno Street and Ashlan.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a way for consumers to buy local, seasonal produce directly from a farmer in their community. It is a method of closing the gap between the farmer and the consumer, assuring that families can receive local, healthy food in season. CSA is a form of handshake where everyone wins. The farmer and the consumer save money and high quality, organic produce is delivered to the people and places where it is needed. There are several such providers in the greater Fresno area. We will look at two, OOOOBY and Abundant Harvest and mention a third.
