Special Sections

6 LIVE IT UP! FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2017 SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL T here are times—heck, maybe even lots of times—when you don't want to cook, but you also don't feel like going to a restaurant, whether it's because you don't want to spend the money, or for other reasons. Even more challenging, you want to eat something that's nutritious. So what are your options? Here are details for three Santa Cruz County businesses that create healthy, pre-packaged meals. ey all offer pick-up and delivery. Also, they do not require you to commit to a weekly order— you can receive emails each week (or even skip the email notifications, if you'd like), and then order if and when you prefer. GOLDEN ROOTS KITCHEN Golden Roots Kitchen co-owners Mar- tina Bill and Melanie Geist describe their business as a "flavor driven organic prepared meal service that places quality of ingre- dients first." Some of GRK's most popular savory dishes are their weekly frittatas made with pasture-raised eggs and their home- made soups and stews. Customer favorites include Roasted Hannah Sweet Potato and Leek Frittata, and Chicken Posole Soup- -a classic Mexican soup with nourishing bone broth, local pasture-raised chicken from Fogline Farms, and fresh tomatillos and poblanos. Popular desserts include protein-packed Fudgy Black Bean Brownies with sprouted black beans and coconut oil, Chocolate Chip Tahini Cookies, and Nut and Seed Brittle. All selections are gluten-free; they are primarily plant-based dishes but also feature carefully selected pasture-raised animal proteins. GRK enables customers to "stock their fridges with healthy prepared foods that can be combined with each other or supplemented with staples in your fridge," say Bill and Geist. "We've designed a fun way for people who enjoy food to try new flavors and be current with modern culinary trends." Bill and Geist graduated from the Natural Chef program at Bauman College, a Berkeley-based holistic nutrition and culinary arts college where the two first met. In 2016, they launched GRK out of a wish to find a way to use their "holistic culinary and nutrition training to support our local community, and offer healthy food that is well sourced, nutrient-dense, and made with integrity." ey understand that many of us have busy lives and don't always have the time or energy to create our own nutritious meals. Also, despite the emergence of healthy food options, the two women found there was still a lack of understanding regarding the importance of optimizing digestibility and using traditional methods to do that. "We prioritize the digestibility of ingredients by taking extra care to soak and sprout our grains, legumes, and nuts/seeds for optimal nutrient absorption and digestibility," say Bill and Geist. "We've had clients who haven't been able to tolerate grains and legumes due to digestive discomfort, yet thrive off our carefully prepared dishes." ey strive to design creative menus inspired by international cultures, and use fresh herbs and spices. An early October menu included Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Chickpeas, Red Onion, Cilantro, and a Tangy Tahini Dressing. Menus change each week and rotate with the seasons, with Bill and Geist oen shopping for produce at the Westside Farmers Market. As the weather cools, they plan to create hearty stews and other dishes that highlight the richness of fall and winter vegetables. Bill and Geist hope that customers are eager to try new types of cuisines and flavors, but the way the menus work, there is something for everyone. For a small fee, GRK offers local delivery to those living within 15 miles of GRK's Santa Cruz kitchen (which is on Soquel, not far from Dominican Hospital). Or, customers can do free pick-up of orders at the kitchen. FOODSMITH Each week, Foodsmith offers six days of prepared breakfast, lunch and din- ner options. Customers can personalize their combination of meals to fit a specific schedule and budget. ere are two sizes of meals, Regular and Large, and three different menus: Paleo, Paleo Plus (with an additional serving of complex carbs like organic brown rice), and Vegan. e menu changes every week. Dishes include Paleo Southwest Chick- en (or Vegan) Breakfast Hash, "both packed with nutrient rich veggies and healthy fats and carbs to jump-start your day," says founder Jamie Smith, "or our delicious dairy-free Paleo Smoked Salmon Chowder and Vegan Smoked Veggie Chowder that are so rich and creamy, you won't believe they are gluten and dairy free (the secret is our magical cauliflower 'cream!')." Other dishes include Chicken or Tofu Tikka Masala packed with exotic antioxidant spices, rich creamy (cauliflower) sauce and served over ginger cauliflower 'rice' – which, says Smith, "you simply have to taste to believe!" Smith gets produce directly from a handful of local organic farms, including Happy Boy Farms, Coke Farm, and Route 1 Farms, with much of it picked right before being delivered directly to the kitchen. He loves to take familiar recipes from across the world, and rethink them to make them healthier. Smith worked as Chef and Food Services Director for Santa Cruz City Schools for five LET SOMEONE ELSE DO THE ( HEALTHY ) COOKING FOR YOU Courtesy of Golden Roots Kitchen Courtesy of Golden Roots Kitchen CONTINUES ON 7 BY TARA FATEMI WALKER Courtesy of Foodsmith

• Cover