Busy lifestyles, especially when traveling often, can lead to an empty refrigerator. That's one of several reasons that I happily accepted the invitation to review Farmbox Direct. Having been away from home for two months, the timing was perfect. I truly missed eating a lot veggies and fruit while away.  Plus - I loved reading about the company's mission to provide healthy organic and natural produce while supporting local farmers. As an Ambassador for Global Wellness Day --and-- as a certified Ambassador of the World Food Travel Association, I love sharing ways to live better, healthier and more socially conscious.

This  lifestyle hack to help you stay on track for eating well and good while saving time and having to decide what plant based food you want to shop for.

Farmbox Direct is a door-to-door service that deliver fresh vegetables and fruits from farmers markets to your home and is available throughout the continental United States. The selection changes with what's in-season and local.  and, unlike other subscription services, boxes can be customized to accommodate allergies and preferences.

As a food lover, I was excited to rip open my box and discover what was inside. First impressions matter and I was impressed at how well the produce was carefully wrapped and packed. Asparagus, organic rainbow carrots, an onion and organic kale were rolled in paper, while sprouts were in plastic bags with holes to ensure freshness. Red potatoes and perfectly ripe organic green peppers were included. There were apples, naval oranges and kiwis, along with  pears and avacados. The unveiling of the fruits and veggies was a lot of fun - it felt like Christmas for the plant-based foodie.  All of the produce with the exception of one red potato were in perfect condition and fresh. My only suggestion to FarmFresh is to have an insert saying what's in the box as they do on their website. I wasn't sure which box I received but after checking, it looks like I received the Medium Organic Box. Most of the produce had organic stickers but not all.

Upon receiving my box, I immediately set to work  - first staging a few photos and then I made a huge batch of vegetarian soup that incorporated the carrots, onion, kale and potatos. I added in my own celery and a can of fire-roasted tomatos, added a few fresh springs of thyme and added a box of veggie broth. It was that simple - and super delicious. Just saute the onion, carrots and celery first until the onions are translucent. Then add the kale and saute.  As this was happening, I cooked the potatos in my new InstaPot. Then added the broth and tomatos and let simmer along with the thyme branches (which I pulled out later.) I still have a whole lot of fruits and veggies to use and will probably most of the veggies for dinner tonight and enjoy the fruit over the next couple of days.

The FarmBox Direct organic box ranges from $45.95- $66.95 or if you prefer to save a few dollars, the all-natural boxes range from $41.95- $51.95. There are 9 boxes to choose from: small, medium and large organic boxes and small, medium and large all natural boxes in addition to green, orange and red juicing boxes.

Bonus #1: customers can customize their box with up to 5 substitituions with each delivery.
Bonus #2: No commitment
Bonus #3: You can also customize your schedule

 ​https://www.farmboxdirect.com/

Disclosure: I was not financially compensated for this review. I did receive the product for the purpose to review the product/service. My opinions are my own.

Until visiting Stockholm in June, I was a raw food newbie.  It was out of pure good luck that I was introduced to Micael Friberg's raw & organic food restaurant,  Ecobaren. The Stockholm Tourism Board extended an invitation to experience Stockholm's historic art nouveau spa, Central Badet, and dine at Ecobaren on premise.  

Located above the spa area, the vibe is upbeat, simple and sleek.  My brother and I dined in our spa bathrobes along with other spa guests which felt utterly indulgent. Being of Italian decent, I am always up for food and new experiences. I wasn't sure if raw was a PC way of referring to rabbit food but I can assure it is not. Tasty, healthy, created with innovation and artfully plated, I discovered raw food is an art form with great attention given to sourcing, preparation and presentation.

Equally impressive is Michael Friberg's passion for his business and for helping others achieve better health. Attentive, friendly and very open to our many questions, Michael helped us select a veritable raw feast accompanied with flights of organic raw wines.

In reading the Swedish to English version of Ecobaren's website, the copy is fresh and inviting. I've modified the translation to read more smoothly. See below.

Ecobaren is the small water hole with the big heart, where the guiding principle is the awareness of human and planetary health, reflected in the carefully and lovingly designed menu. A unique and relaxing spa environment invites  the body and mind to relax, while a variety of natural ingredients served in a well-taste experience. Carefully selected organic wines, champagne, cider and a wide variety of nutritious and refreshing drinks along with our snacks and meals allows you to fill yourself with organic food and life-giving raw food in an ecological feast.

What I also liked in particular was food education on the  menu. For example, there is a legend identifying gluten-free and lactose free menu options.  The menu also expressly states that no microwave, frying techniques or fryer or aluminum containers are used in the restaurant. Also, raw food is defined as a cooking technique where ingredients are prepared or cooked below 40-45 degrees Celsius. Lastly, I am a huge fan of Non GMO so to see that on a menu is a great plus.

Here's what we had for dinner:

Toast Skagen: shrimp with seaweed caviar with a bit of dill, lemon and horseradish. This was yummy and this type of shrimp salad with mayo is a favorite dish in Sweden, often served on top of a baked potato or with crackers and toast. Yummy!

Cracker & Cheese Selection: The most amazing crackers made with dehydrated seeds and cherries were presented to us. They were amazing!

Taco Wrap:  By far this is one of the healthiest tacos I've had in a long time! Made with zucchini, sunflower seeds,  walnuts, chili, coriander, sour cream with a side of salsa.

Lasagna:  Raw food lasagne with zucchini,cashew cheese, tomato sauce and marinated chanterelles

Wines: Michael treated us to a flight of really wonderful wines. To be honest, we were having such  good time chatting, drinking and eating that I neglected to write down details but the full drink list and menu items can be found on their website.  If you wonder what the health benefits of imbibing in organic wine, here's an interesting article.

Banana Cream Pie: Oo la la! Oh my gosh, my brother and I absolutely loved this dessert made with a nutty chocolate base, date toffee, bananas and coconut cream. 

What a treat!

You can find Ecobaren - Life Source on Facebook
For our interview with Michael Friberg, click here
For a favorite Ecobaren recipe, click here
For our coverage of Central Badet, click here

Interested to know more about a chef who's tagline is "Crafting the future of food", I set out to explore Matthew Kenney's newest restaurant, Plant Food and Wine with my colleagues from the World Food Travel Association, President, Erik Wolf and Gary Grant.

The Concept: The restaurant introduces nutritious plant-based food based on Southern Californian fresh produce. Raw, organic and fresh are taken seriously and sourcing is key.  There's even an urban garden onsite for  edible flowers and herbs. Modern and classic cooking techniques are combined with aesthetics to create plant-based dishes that are  fresh, delicious, healthy and visually appealing.

“Our goal is to create a space where we can share our expertise of the most nutritious and absolutely beautiful cuisine with locals and visitors,” says Founder Matthew Kenney. 

The restaurant space is clean and sleek with seating for  65 guests indoors and outdoors. With the sunny California weather, our party enjoyed our garden courtyard seating where there were olive trees providing a natural setting with a Mediterranean vibe.  

The lunch menu was organized into snacks, cheeses, lunch and desserts and small and large plates. Our table ordered sun dried olives  with pistachios and citrus segments (so yummy!) and a selection of "cheeses" that were made from cashews, macadamia nuts. Eric asked the manager about water conservancy and the amount it takes to grow an almond and we found Shaun to be a font of knowledge. The amount of water to grow an almond is incomparable to the amount of water needed for meat production. Great point. We all had different items for lunch and I opted for a more Sunday brunch-y version of French toast with berries and frothy almond milk that hit the spot. 

Zucchini tagliatelle with sweet corn and sunflower seed romesco and Haas avocado paired with watermelon radish and risotto with summer peas and watercress were on the lunch menu. Clorella olive oil cake served with fig gelato is the perfect finish and banana split with goji, hemp and maca illustrate the creativity in these menu.  

What I find to be of particular interest is touring the newest location of Matthew Kenney Culinary Academy located above the restaurant.  Food & Wine Magazine recognized this academy as one of the world’s best cooking classes for its personalized, small class, hands on instruction emphasizing whole, organic, unprocessed, plant-based foods to achieve healthy, aesthetically refined and flavorful cuisine.

Plant Food and Wine is located at 1009 Abbot Kinney Blvd, in Venice CA. More information can be found online at PlantFoodandWine.com.

About Matthew Kenney
Matthew Kenney is the world’s leading raw food chef, the writer of several best-selling cookbooks, a culinary educator, speaker, and an entrepreneur specializing in the plant-based lifestyle. He has authored 12 cookbooks, including his memoir Cooked Raw: How One Celebrity Chef Risked Everything to Change the Way We Eat, released in January, 2015. Kenney was honored with a James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef nomination, receiving much acclaim. Kenney is involved in raw food and plant-based projects around the world, and travels extensively to forward his mission to show others that food can be delicious and vibrant, while still healthful.