Community

By accident, our team of nutritionists at Village Juicery has become mainly all women. We chalk it up to the profession being female-dominated and open up welcoming arms to male nutritionists every chance we get! As a result, we are lucky enough to be among a group of intelligent, creative and like-minded women who inspire me daily. Because of the pride we have in our team and in women with passion all over the world, we are kicking off a series of featured posts on strong, powerful, accomplished woman that exude positivity and act as role models to our staff. These women are the game-changers in our community that we are fortunate to have crossed paths with. The quality of their work speaks wonders, however, getting to know their successes and failures and tidbits of advice has been eye-opening, educational and simply, beautiful. … Our second feature is on the two women who co-founded Earth + City, Lisa and Cassandra. Earth + City offers healthy, plant-based, seasonal foods with the mission of enriching the health and sustainability of our local food community and economy. What inspired you to found a small business in health food? I was very inspired by the notion of food as medicine in my mid-thirties, which in turn led to my involvement in the opening of Earth + City. I had been dealing with a variety of medical issues that I felt weren’t adequately addressed by the allopathic system. Searching for a way to augment my health, I discovered a world of raw, plant-based food along with naturopathic strategies for healing. My co-founder, Cassandra, had a strong background in food and restaurants, coupled with a passion for local procurement and sustainability. Together, we decided to embark on a business that would have a meaningful impact on the local food system in Toronto. What is your most popular product? Why do you think it is? Our most popular product is most certainly our Cowgirl Cookie. Available at our markets, at local retailers like Village Juicery and Jimmy’s Coffee, this cookie is a huge hit. I think people like it for the same reason I reach for it so often: the Cowgirl Cookie is a filling, all-natural snack that works in a variety of circumstances. Whether I need a quick breakfast, a filling snack post-run, or a late afternoon pick-me-up, the Cowgirl Cookie hits the spot every time. What’s your favourite place in Toronto? Oooh, great question! This is a tough one. There are so many awesome places in this city – urban, exciting spaces as well as quiet, tucked away nature nooks. If I had to pick, I would say my favourite place in Toronto is Wychwood Barns. It’s a special place for me and Cassandra – our business got its start on Saturday mornings at the Barns, way back in 2010. There will always be something magical about Wychwood for us. It’s full of potential and nostalgia; there is an energy that will always feel like home. What is one of the most important lessons you have learned from owning a small business? Gosh, another great question. Without thinking about it too deeply, I’d say that most important lesson is to trust your gut (and along with that comes knowing when to say “no”). It’s so easy to feel like you have to say yes to everything and that you have to take every opportunity that appears along your path. Listen to your gut when presented with new directions and new possibilities. Some are perfect for you and your business, others aren’t. To survive and, more importantly, thrive in the small business world requires a strong connection to your core beliefs and values. What key piece of advice would you give a young person thinking about starting their own business? The simplest thing I can offer is just “Go for it!” If you have a great idea and are driven and motivated, give it a try! You never know what will land and what won’t. Nothing is permanent in this life and anything can happen. Don’t be afraid to take a risk. If it doesn’t work out, you can change it. Everything is possible. What qualities do you think are necessary to embrace as an entrepreneur? Resiliency, flexibility, creativity. Spontaneity, organization, commitment. Drive, strong values, leadership. Name 5 things you can’t live without: My running shoes. There’s nothing I love more than running around city streets and park trails. Tea! I start everyday with a cup of black tea, sweetened with local Ontario honey. Sandwiches. As someone who doesn’t love to cook, sandwiches will forever be my go-to. Laughter. Whether it’s cry-laughing with friends and family about old stories or comedic shenanigans at Earth + City, a day without laughter is a day I don’t want to experience. My son, Will! He’s 7 months old and totally rocking my world! Oh, and I better tack on my wife, Ashley, to this one too – we always joke that Will has replaced each other as “most important person”! 😉   Interview and questions by Stephani Fenk, CNP

Our first home was an unassuming storefront on the corner of College and Euclid in Little Italy. This neighbourhood quickly stole our hearts with its commitment to tradition, quality and community. Here are just a few of our favourites: The Green Grind This coffee shop just across the way is committed to getting you your daily cup of joe without contributing to environmental degradation. The Green Grind is actually LEED certified, the first café in Toronto to boast this certification. It is this commitment to sustainability that brings us in, but the coffee keeps us coming back: certified organic, fair trade coffee that is roasted in Toronto, and a great selection of plant-based snacks and quick meals to grab on the go. Kicking back here in a comfy chair is our favourite way to power through some work or read a good book. The Health Hut Located just a little north of our College location, you will find the Health Hut. Curated with wellbeing in mind, owner and holistic nutritionist Tara Miller has stocked her shop with the most sought-after all natural, non-toxic beauty and wellness products. This shop stays true to the philosophy that what we put on our bodies holds just as much importance as what we put in them. We appreciate the positive customer experience it offers, the support it shows for Canadian entrepreneurs and the certainty that each product that is sold is free of harmful chemicals and additives.  Herbs & Nutrition Herbs and Nutrition is not only one of the best natural health food stores in our vicinity, we would argue it’s one of the best in the city! Located just a few steps west from Bathurst Station, it’s stocked with all things healthy and organic making it a health food nerd’s oasis. Most impressive to our team of nutritionists, their vast selection of high quality supplements and herbs offered at some of the best prices in the city. We regularly stop by to pick up organic produce, organic teas, all natural cleaning and hygiene products, bulk nuts and dried fruit and much, much more. Bar Raval Last but not least, the vibe over at our beautiful neighbours, Bar Raval, is that of a Spanish escape or as it’s been said - ‘a warm hug from a tree’. Enjoying a meticulously crafted coffee or well sourced tea at the curved mahogany bar is a perfect way to start the day. We love sharing their pintxo selections; our nutritionist hearts appreciating the seasonal, high quality ingredients and ‘made in house’ aspects. The staff is as warm and inviting as the interior, the mood carefree and unpretentious and the music selection on point! By Gabby Ouimet CNP, Marcelina Maciejewski CNP & Stephanie Fenkanyn CNP, Nutritionists at our 540 College St. location.

With our new location opening this week, we take a moment to sit down with Mason Studios, the award-winning interior design firm headed by Ashley Rumsey and Stanley Sun. In this Be a Villager, we learn how good interior design stands at the junction of art, graphics and technology. VJ: Five years ago, Mason Studios was born. What made you start your own company? SS: I think we wanted to challenge ourselves. There was so much potential in the city and we just wanted to break out of it. AR: When we first started, we didn’t take it too seriously. We just wanted to follow our intuition. We thought, “If it works, then great, if not, then we can find something else.” I guess that’s the flexibility of being young. It gave us the chance to give it a try. VJ: Why did you choose the name Mason? AR: There are three main reasons. The first represents the support of our families. SS: Both of our grandfathers are stone masons. They were hard working, came from humble beginnings and they enjoyed what they were doing. So it represents that history. AR: The second is that the word mason respects the foundation and the built environment. And lastly, we wanted to pay tribute to the stone masons who are the very people who build our work. They put our concepts and designs into something real.VJ: What makes Mason so unique? SS: We believe design is a response to simple issues and we look at fundamental problems. Our designs have a purpose, they stand for something. They’re not just a response to aesthetics. VJ: What project are you most proud of? SS: We did a conceptual design space for the Interior Design Show. It was the first piece we ever did together. The final solution was a really strong reflection of our work. It set the tone for Mason. We got great response from the community and it validated what we were intuitively thinking. VJ: This is your second project with Village Juicery. Why do you enjoy working with us? AR: Village Juicery is the quintessential client. You have a great message and a strong identity.SS: You truly believe in what you’re doing and not trying to latch on to something. It’s authentic – we like to see that in our clients. VJ: Do you have an ideal client? SS: There is no ideal client. We like to align ourselves with people with the same approach to life and the same vision. We push out the energy we want to get back. And we think it’s working. VJ: How do you define success? SS: We set out goals for ourselves and look at them every couple of months. We try to celebrate milestones and tangible goals and we’re constantly re-evaluating them. VJ: What are your favourite places in Toronto? AR: I like Hole in the Wall in the Junction. It’s got good food, good people. I spend time at Kensington Market and markets in general. And I just like how Toronto neighbourhoods are unique. I feel like they’ve magnified themselves over time. SS: I’m an aimless wanderer. I like admiring how different Toronto architecture styles can all thrive in the same city blocks and yet still maintain their identities. I am big on brunch, I find myself going to the White Brick Kitchen often. They make a great banana bread French toast. VJ: Take us through your typical day. AR: Our days aren’t that exciting. We’re either in the office or on-site. It’s not very glamorous work. We’re in Excel a lot. We’re in Outlook a lot. It’s a lot of coordinating and making sure all the pieces are in place at the right time. VJ: How do you manage to stay sane and find centre? AR: For me, it’s coming to an understanding that the work is never complete. I have to remind myself that I need to stop and take a break. SS: Staying organized. I have my agenda. I need to write it all down. I depend on lists and checkboxes.VJ: Name five things you can’t live without. SS: My agenda, podcasts, purging – and what I mean by that is not being held down by things, travel and Americanos. AR: Also my agenda, contacts, music, lattes and the combination of my house in the country and my city apartment. VJ: What’s your favourite juice? AR: Be Clean SS: Be Green

We all know the wonderful health benefits of beets, but its  vivid colour is also a great way to add the finishing touches to our baked treats without the artificial dyes. We asked our friends at Tori’s Bakeshop to give us their tips and tricks for making the best icing the most natural way: 1) There are two ways to add colour:  juicing a fruit or root or adding a potent powder or spice. For example, the icing on the “Homer Simpson”-style baked donuts are bright pink from beets, which were juiced and strained. Blueberries make a wonderful blue. For green, use chlorophyll (we prefer the liquid version versus the powder version, but both can be used). And adding turmeric powder to a white frosting gives a soft or bright yellow, depending on how much you use. 2) With fruit, it can be helpful to cook it first in order to remove excess water and condense the colour, making in the process a concentrated syrup that can be refrigerated and used for multiple applications. 3) None of these natural additives offer any kind of flavour change when used in the amounts needed to add some colour, but the best rule is to always start with a small amount and mix well to see how your dye batch affects your batter; you can always add more. 4) Note that these dyes work best on a blank white canvas, like frosting, and less well in golden tinted batters like cake or dough. 5) It’s important to note that no matter how much you add, these colours will naturally be softer than their primary or secondary cousins, so if you’re looking to use these tips to make an all natural Superman emblem on your four year-old’s party cake, I’m sorry to say they will be kryptonite-esque to your valiant effort. 6) Have fun and experiment with the colours! And remember that you will be so much better off for the lack of artificial dyes which can be very unhealthy for you.

As a teen girl, there’s a lot of pressure to look and act a certain way. According to the Canadian Women Foundation, a staggering 50 per cent of all girls in Canada say that they wish they were someone else. Whether it’s feeling too tall, too short, not smart enough or not at all beautiful, these negative feelings impact their self-confidence and their sense of identity. In this instalment of Be a Villager, we sit down with Dee Buryk, founder of Growing Goddesses, an after school program that helps girls navigate through these negative feelings and turn them into something positive so that they can learn to love who they are and truly reach their potential. VJ: In your work with teen girls, what do you see as the most common issues facing them today? DB: Across the board, eating disorders is the number one health problem in Canada. I read a recent statistic from the USA Girl Scouts the other day that says one-third of girls have either starved themselves or refused to eat in order to become thinner. It just reminds us of how tough it is to be a girl. There are so many messages out there about how to look and what the ideal body image is. And it’s not just through the media; there’s social pressure as well. Girls get clouded with these images and get lost in that negative space. The second most common health problem is self-esteem. A recent study showed that 36 per cent of girls in grade 6 are confident in themselves and this plummets to 14 per cent by the time they’re in grade 10. As a result they become depressed and develop feelings of helplessness. VJ: How does Growing Goddesses help girls face these issues? DB: With Growing Goddesses, I try to provide the space and the tools to make a paradigm shift from the negative to the positive so that these girls can empower each other and find confidence in themselves. We meet once a week after school and through yoga, fitness, nutrition and many other activities, I try to help girls learn how to stop comparing themselves to others and start embracing their individuality. We start each workshop with a different intention, like creativity, authenticity or trust. For example, in the creativity workshop, every girl would have brought in their favourite ingredient for a salad. We learn how to nourish our bodies with healthy meals and then together, we build one big salad with all of our ingredients. Each class ends with goal setting, journaling and key takeaways. Another component of our program is Gratitude Day. This is when I bring in mentors: strong females who are doing great things in their fields. We’ve heard from photographers, lawyers, olympians and dancers…the list goes on. VJ: Where did the idea of Growing Goddesses come from? DB: I guess this journey started when I was in high school. I was always super tall and incredibly shy to a point where my face went really red when I met new people. I had to teach myself to learn how to say ‘hi.’ I had self-esteem issues based on that and I had to coach myself out of it. In my fourth year of university, I was scouted to be a model. The agency I was with approached me to coach their academy program and I worked with girls aged 13 to 18. It was through this  that I noticed girls’ lacked self-confidence. So I start teaching them yoga, fitness, nutrition and goal setting. It made a world of difference. VJ: Who is your mentor? DB: I’ve always had really strong women in my life. My mom started her own business and my sisters are also self-employed. They made me keep a good head on my shoulders while I was modelling. Today, I’m influenced by Gabrielle Bernstein and Marie Forleo. They inspire me to do what I’m doing. VJ: How can we as a community help empower our young females? DB: I don’t think negative messages are every going to go away. But I do think we have a part in educating ourselves and being more aware of our actions and what we project into the world. As soon as the average Torontonian nourishes themselves with self-love and care, they give permission for young females to feel they can do the same. VJ: What’s in store for Growing Goddesses? DB: I definitely want to grow the program in Toronto and I would like to start having summer camps up north where we can do entire weeks with the girls, such as canoe trips and activities outside. I’m also working on a side project called Mission Goddess, but the details are still a secret. Village Juicery’s Be a Villager series takes a look at the men and women who have inspired us. They are members of our team, our partners and the larger community who, by honing in on their craft, are doing great things for the city in which we live.

In the third instalment of the Be a Villager series, we speak to the founder of ChocoSol, Michael Sacco, who turned thousand-year-old chocolate recipes from Mexico into one of the most ecologically sourced and packaged chocolate in the country. How did ChocoSol come about? My background is in solar technology. I have a Masters in Environmental Studies from York University and was studying in Oaxaca, Mexico. While I was there, a grandmother from one of the villages asked if I could do a special chocolate with this technology. I was looking for other applications – I already made pizza and coffee and I was excited to try to make chocolate. The process of making this 1,000-year-old recipe fascinated me. It meant going to the traditional marketplace where all of your transactions are relationship based. I grabbed cinnamon, cacao -spices and things I had never even heard of. Eight months later, I was still making chocolate, refining the recipe. To me, chocolate became the delicious invitation to taste the solar technology, support the project and get a flavour of what it can do. What makes ChocoSol unique? We consider ourselves slow food chocolate makers and we take a socially just, ecological ‘cradle to cradle’ approach to our process. The main ingredient used in our chocolate is the organically- and shade-grown cacao bean that comes from indigenous communities and forest gardens in the Lacondon Jungle of Chiapas, Mexico and the Oaxacan mountains of Southern Mexico. We use a stone-ground process that is environmentally friendly. Our products also don’t contain any dairy, gluten, nuts, soy, preservatives or additives, and are also vegan. What product are you most proud of right now? Our raw cacao nibs. We take pride in sourcing the best. We use a blend of five cacao. From the time they are shelled to the time they are in customers’ hands is 10 days. That’s typically how long cacao is in transport. What does a typical day look like for you? I have three babies under the age of 3. I start the morning changing diapers and making sure my wife has 45 minutes to take a bath. I get to our production facility at 8:30 am. I look at the production schedule and then get grinds on right away. I check the moulds and do some quality control. For me, 70% of my job is production, sourcing, lining things up for 2015 and looking at the harvest. I don’t think it’s good enough to be just an environmentalist, you also have to be a good business leader. 30% of my job is getting out there and getting involved with other local sustainable projects. On a typical day, I try to get out of the facility at about 6 pm and I usually have other meetings around the city. What is the best part of your job? The people I work with. Everyone here is using this job as a vehicle for their creativity. When you’re not at ChocoSol, where can we find you? Changing diapers. What is your favourite place in Toronto? Evergreen Brickworks. It’s such a dynamic food community. Name one thing people would be surprised to find in your home kitchen? Wine. We make our own from organic grapes in Ontario. What are five things you can’t live without? Water, cacao, my family, adventure and a higher purpose. What is your favourite juice? Be Nourished and Be Happy, of course. It has our cacao nibs, so I’m biased.Village Juicery’s Be a Villager series takes a look at the men and women who have inspired us. They are members of our team, our partners and the larger community who, by honing in on their craft, are doing great things for the city in which we live.