Natures Express

2011-03-16T13:45:00.000-07:00

We have switched blog platforms. We will now be blogging directly on our website.

Check out our new blog here!!!

'Eat less,' U.S. says, but fast-food chains super-size their offerings” - LA Times

2011-03-01T08:14:00.000-08:00

By owner of Nature's Express, Dr. Carl Myers

Honesty is appreciated wherever one finds it. In a recent LA Times article, Sharon Bernstein focuses on the wide gap between official nutrition recommendations and what sells. The following statement from a fast-food executive quoted in her article tells it like it is.

"The bottom line is that we're in the business of making money, and we make money off of what we sell," said Beth Mansfield, spokeswoman for CKE Restaurants Inc., which owns the Carl's Jr. and Hardee's chains. "If we wanted to listen to the food police and sell nuts and berries and tofu burgers, we wouldn't make any money and we'd be out of business."

She is right, ignoring the longer-term results of junk food is a great way to make money. Connecting the dots between skyrocketing medical costs and fat children, diabetes, and heart disease is unlikely to happen when someone is just looking for a quick and tasty bite to eat.

At Nature’s Express we are designed to maximize purpose, not profits. We serve less toxic food because we believe the world will be a better place the more we are fit and healthy instead of fat and unhealthy. Money is necessary for our business to grow, but no way is it the reason we’re in business.

Beth makes a good point. People choose which businesses will survive and which won’t. So far it is no contest - the high fat, high sugar, and high calorie choices are winning hands down.

In 1900 people said, “Who needs a horseless carriage?” In 1970 IBM execs said, ”Who needs a computer?”

Perhaps in 2030 (with heart disease, diabetes, and obesity uncommon) we will look back at 2011 and laugh – “Who needs healthier food?”

Stay tuned.

Carl (not Jr.)

2011-01-13T15:54:00.001-08:00

We will have been open in Berkeley one year from tomorrow!

How did this happen? It feels like our grand opening was just last week!

We have learned a lot in the one year that Nature’s Express has been on Solano ave. offering up our vegan food.

We have met characters that even the best writer would be hard pressed to think up (like angry guitar guy who stands outside of the restaurant who thinks he’s Jimi Hendrix; reborn, or the guy who got mad at us for the placement of the cross walk on Solano Ave, outside of NE) , we’ve laughed until our sides hurt and some of us have even cried.

We’ve tasted unbelievably delicious food (my personal favorite, coconut spiced yam soup - which we haven’t had in a while….just sayin’, Joel) and even some food that didn’t quite pan out (our Krab Kakes were great in theory) .We have seen each other at our best and at times our worst. We have seen many busy days and some painfully slow days. We have gotten to know and adore our regulars (Dan, Dawn, Larry, Don, Ryan, Amanda, Sean, Caroline, the rest of you know who you are and we thank you) and we continue to see new, curious faces. We have worked our asses off and we have been grateful for the opportunity to do so every step of the way. Thank you Carl for all of your support, advice and commitment in making the world a bite healthier!

I would also like to thank Alex Kushner and his crew, if anyone ever needs a rock solid, no BS contractor, I highly recommend him (http://www.akgeneral.us/Home.html ), Jesse, our POS guy – Jesse you are the best, CB, who helps us with our graphic design projects – it’s a 21^stcentury craigslist love story!, Ann Wheat, one of the owners of Millennium restaurant and our biggest advocate.

Thank you to all of our most awesome employees – you are all a pleasure to work with, and entertaining to boot. Finally, (don’t worry, I’m almost done with my Oscar speech) to all of our customers – thank you, thank you, thank you for your continued support.

Here’s to another awesome year and some pics from this past year J

Eat Happy, be happy

Molly

P.S. Come in tomorrow for free soft serve and cookies!

2010-12-19T11:49:00.000-08:00

I love being in my kitchen when it's stormy outside!

I especially love cooking with warming Indian spices when it's cold.

I just got through making this recipe. Please try it - you won't regret it.

The flavors were dancing in my mouth - this dish literally made me smile.

Spiced Black-eyed peas

1 Tablespoon grapeseed oil

½ tsp. whole cumin seeds

2 ½ cups black eyed peas, cooked ( See note at the bottom)

1 tsp. coriander powder

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. turmeric powder

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. lemon juice

¼ tsp. garam masala

½ cup red onion, diced

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

· Heat oil in a heavy skillet

· When oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and cook for 30 seconds, stirring occasionally

· Stir in black-eyed peas

· Add coriander, salt, turmeric and chili powder along with ½ cup of water

· Bring to a boil

· Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed

· Stir in lemon juice and garam masala

· Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with onion and cilantro

· Serve immediately

This dish is great as a side dish along with brown rice and baked winter squash. It also works well as an appetizer.

How to make black-eyed peas from scratch

You can use canned black-eyed peas but there's a noticeable difference between canned and freshly cooked beans. There was a time when I was shy about cooking my own beans but once I started doing it, there was no going back.

To make black-eyed peas from scratch, place 1 1/2 cup of beans in a large bowl and cover the beans with fresh water. Add enough water so that the beans are covered by several inches.

Soak for 8 hours. Soaking black-eyed peas isn't entirely necessary but they will cook faster and I find the final product to be more tender after they've been soaked.

After beans have soaked, rinse them a few times with fresh water.

Place beans in a large pot along with a two inch strip of Kombu (this sea vegetable makes beans easier to digest) and cover with 2 1/2 quarts of fresh, cold water and place burner or flame on high.

Bring water to a boil and bring heat down to medium.

Let beans cook for 40-50 minutes, stirring once or twice. Beans should be tender but not falling apart when they are done.

Eat happy, be happy

Molly

Transformation: vegetarian to vegan

2010-12-10T15:56:00.001-08:00

I was born and raised a vegetarian. When one grows up in a a Teepee this is normal (true story and a whole other blog)

When I became older I had the same mentality about meat as I did with drugs. I figured, I went this long without - why start now? That's right, my 15 blog followers, in all of my 30 years I have never eaten meat.

My vegetarian diet was by default - I wish I could tell you that it came from an emotional place of wanting to be a better person but the truth is, I wasn't inspired by Bambi, health concerns or green house gases to eat a vegetarian diet. I didn't know any other way to eat or live.

It wasn't until I started working for Nature's Express did I become vegan. Again, I wasn't inspired by Bambi, health or green house gases. I felt like a hypocrite working for a vegan restaurant while I continued to indulge in eggs, butter and my all time favorite.....cheese. I made the decision and that was that. Apart from having physical cravings for cheese and missing the convenience of dairy, my transition was fairly easy.

I remember being skeptical that cutting out dairy would make any difference in my day to day life. I was very wrong.

The first two weeks of cutting out dairy I went through physical, emotional and mental transformations that I was surprised and delighted to be having. I felt lighter, I had more energy than I ever had, my skin was glowing, my pants fit better, I slept more sound, my eyes became brighter and I literally had moments of pure clarity. I know this sounds dramatic - believe me, I wouldn't have believed it had I had not experienced it first hand.

While all of these amazing things were happening I was kicking myself for not doing this sooner; while at the same time nervous that I had opened Pandora's box.

I started reading books, reading blogs and subscribing to all things vegan. At first, I was driven by my responsibility for learning everything vegan that I possibly could for the sake of my job. I was working on opening Nature's Express in Berkeley and I had to be in the know.

The more I was learning about the impacts that the meat and dairy industry have on our health, the environment and animal suffering, I quickly realized how blind I had been in the past not acknowledging what had been right in front of me.

I grew up not eating meat, my mom has been vegan for over 20 years, I was a personal chef who helped ill people get better through my vegan cooking. It's not like I lived in a vast far away country where the thought of factory farming was an alien concept.

I was disappointed with myself. How had I turned a blind eye my whole life to this entire world that I was just now looking at straight on? Although, I wished I had done it sooner, I had never felt better about being vegan. I have been vegan for two years now.

My personal outlook is simple. There are so many negative impacts that the meat and dairy industry account for. I very politely refuse to be part of the contribution. It is not my wish to push my views or beliefs down anyone else's throat, nor do I wish to make judgments on anyone who has a different view point from my own.

I am fortunate enough to work for a company that feels the same.

I could not be the person who I am today If it wasn't for my ah -ha moment - and that ah-ha moment had to come from me and no one else.

When I sat down to write this post, my intention was to write a quick post about the unbelievable positive effects that eating Miso and seaweed every morning have had on my menstrual cramps. Well, boys, you're out of luck 'till next time - unless I decide to write my next post about Anthony Bourdain and why I can't NOT like the guy.

Eat happy, be happy.

Molly Patrick

Full of gratitude

2010-11-22T09:53:00.000-08:00

Scrumpdillyitious is how I describe my favorite vege-burger in the house, the classic with almond sunflower patty on rosemary bun!!

Yessiree, it is delish. But also if you are ready to power up on some major energy and don’t want to get weighed down with the gluten in the buns you have to try the Essential Lentil.

Plus I ALWAYS add avocado. What vegan would not appreciate the goodness of delicious avocado on anything? Am I right or am I right??

It is that fabulous time of year again when family comes around to celebrate the holidays with loved ones. I for one am looking forward to spending time with my kids and my brother will be serving up some tofu-turkey with savory stuffing and mushroom gravy! I am so stoked for the coming week!

I for one am thankful to be working at Nature’s Express where the food is awesome and the people are magnificent! I’d like to give a shout out to my work family for the team work and love they show one another each day as we prepare and serve delicious nourishing food to all of Berkeley.

Joel, Brenda, and Molly…You rock as managers, creative visionaries and consistency officers!! Danny your purity of spirit is remarkable and thanks for the smiles I get each time I read the “Hella Mayo” scrawled across the labels of the best mayo I ever tasted!. Sue, Matt and Regan…I gotta say I am loving the vibe we create on Sundays at NE, especially today. Sue, for your cheerful smile, spicy ideas, and unwavering kitchen support, Regan for your intellect, creativity, and mellowness, which helps us all breathe, and Matt for your speed and accuracy, not to mention the amazing rolls in collard greens!! Jacob, I love your vigor and enthusiasm. Your wit makes me laugh! Francisco, its so great how you know the best stuff about the local culture and the music scene. Thanks for your happy spirit and skills on grill! Luis, “The Machine” as Mike puts it. You are awesome to work with, never a complaint outta you! You embody the positive attitude thing! Ambrose, it is super wicked how you do food presentation! I love it, and your willingness to help. And lastly, Mike, the nicest smiling face anyone ever did see! Thanks for showing me the ropes and helping to keep us all on track!

Finally, to our customers, you are super rock star fabulous! Your feedback is great I love sharing the healthy abundance with you! Happy Thanksgiving community and family!

Hello Berkeley NE peeps!

2010-10-25T12:39:00.000-07:00

Hello sheeple and peeps! Ok, I stole that from Stephen Colbert, but it seems appropriate seeing as I am about to fly off to DC for the Rally to Restore Sanity! Yipee! I am writing into the vast number of NE readers to say please come by the restaurant tonight and give me your best sign ideas! Please introduce yourself and jot down your best line for the sign. Then you can say you knew me when….that is pre-restored sanity days….and I am sure that Jacob will be happy to make you your favorite sandwich this evening and we can really keep the night hopping! Also, come and see what’s new with the remodeling of our store. If you can’t make it in this evening for food and great conversation, I will be in all week Tues-Thurs, working the day shift and staying dedicated to the vegan masses before I fly!! Looking forward to your company! Over and out, Mary Rose

Food Waste…70 times more than the BP oil spill for Americans in one year! Yikes!

2010-10-15T09:06:00.000-07:00

Food Waste…70 times more than the BP oil spill for Americans in one year! Yikes!

I ran across this link via a friend of mine on Facebook. This is incredible. If you have 9 minutes to spare, click here and press the play on the audio strip.

I am so glad Nature’s Express already gets this….Really, very little goes to waste in our store and at the end of the day our employees take whatever fries and quinoa macaroni noodles are left over (which is minimal due to proper planning) to gobble up at home! I used to get the benefit of soup leftovers too, but Joel, our chef, figured out a way to finish off the day with NO soup leftovers!! Boo Hoo for me.

VegFest and Meeting Dr. Myers

2010-10-07T12:56:00.000-07:00

As a relatively new employee of Nature’s Express, it was so exciting to have been invited to work at VegFest in San Francisco over the weekend. I was also looking forward to the day because I was finally going to meet our founder and owner Dr. Carl Myers. The day did not disappoint! The morning started off with Molly and I arriving and setting up the Nature’s Express booth among all the other incredible displays and vegan enthusiasts. Soon Dr. Myers arrived and greeted us warmly. He was scheduled to give and hour long talk on the benefits of the vegan lifestyle and diet. I was impressed by his and his wife’s open and loving demeanor. Molly attended Dr. Myers talk and then returned to watch the booth so I could attend a talk given by John Robbins.

John Robbin’s eloquence and style pulled his audience into a wonderful sort of warm cocoon. I was inspired and felt an immediate sense of community in the room. It made me realize that our true equity is, now more than ever, sharing that sense of community by exchanging ideas, supporting healthy choices for the body and the environment, and doing it with ease and tenderness for one another. As you may be able to tell, I left the auditorium beaming. I was smiling because I realized how lucky I was to be working with other vegan food enthusiasts and people who shared similar values and goals; that of sustainable living, making the healthiest dietary choices and generating positive, smiling vibrations.

Finally today, when I was back in the restaurant, Dr. Myers came in to visit and see how all of us were doing in Berkeley. Many of our customers had the chance to meet and talk with Dr. Myers since he made himself available throughout the entire lunch hour rush. I observed many happy conversations and new bonds being made here in our local health conscious community, where by the way….all are welcome vegan or not.

I for one, look forward to hearing from all of you and sharing the incredible experience that is Nature’s Express; Fresh, organic, tasty vegan food prepared by a new breed of business people empowered by shared humanistic goals and values!!

Pickling Day!

2010-09-24T09:58:00.000-07:00

We like to make things at Nature's Express.

Being in the kitchen, creating new tastes and textures for a range of palates is what we do. Trial and error occurs on a daily basis.

Our drive is to nourish people with fresh, real,tasty food.

We make our own mayo, ketchup, soft serve, sauerkraut, pickled ginger, desserts, burgers......

It was time to take on pickles and we did!

We can now add house-made dill pickles to our repertoire - and believe me when I tell you - they are amazing! Come in and ask for a sample and taste for yourself!

Pickling day

Cucumbers and brine

Danny, our fermentation master

Soon to be yummy pickles!

"fermentation station"

Let the fermentation begin!

A tip about quinoa noodles that we accidentally stumbled upon in our kitchen

2010-09-04T08:50:00.000-07:00

If you're allergic to wheat or just want to try a different kind of pasta then quinoa pasta should be on your grocery list.

It's gluten free, it's an alkaline food and it scores low on the Glycemic index. On top of that, it has a delicious natural buttery flavor and a great texture. It's easy to cook, whether you're making spaghetti or a baked casserole. We do have a tip about cooking with quinoa noodles that we accidentally found out about a couple of weeks ago.

We use quinoa noodles for our Mac & Cheese so when chef Joel decided to introduce a macaroni salad to our menu he naturally went for the quinoa noodles that we already had on our shelf.

He made a batch of macaroni salad, we taste tested it and it got the round of approval.

The next day we tested it to see how the flavors melded over night.We were surprised to find that the noodles were crunchy!

Joel had an idea to turn the crunchy macaroni salad (which was not a typical creamy mac salad but more of a Greek style with kalamata olives, olive oil, artichoke hearts, etc..) into a warm pasta primavera dish. As soon as the quinoa noodles were heated up again they became soft and delicious as if we just cooked them! We offered the primavera as a special that day and it was a hit.

So, if you're going to make a cold salad with quionoa noodles be sure to either eat it all in one day or make the recipe suitable so that you can re-heat the leftovers :)

Happy eating everyone!

Happy Birthday Joel!!!

2010-08-27T08:22:00.000-07:00

We're late on this but here's a big belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY to most awesome kitchen manager, Joel! He brings humor, calm and balance to our kitchen.

Joel, you are a pleasure to work with and to know!

Simple and healthy recipe

2010-08-19T07:59:00.000-07:00

1 cup brown rice

1 sweet potato, grated
1 bunch collard greens, chopped
Frozen Edamame

I used a rice cooker to cook the rice. Put in 1 cup water, 1 cup rice and 1 tsp. olive oil. It should take about 1/2 hour to cook.
Meanwhile, grate the sweet potato and add it to a lightly oiled, hot skillet (I'm a fan of grape seed oil)
While the sweet potatoes are cooking, place the Edamame in a pan with a couple inches of water. Cook for about 10 minutes, drain with cold water and set aside.
When sweet potatoes are soft, add the chard and cook until the chard is just wilted; season with salt and pepper.
When the rice is cooked add it to a plate along witht the sweet potato/chard mixture and the edamame beans.
When I eat low fat, high fiber, nutrient dense dishes like this one, my body literally feels happy.

BEWARE THE DISEASE!!!!

2010-08-18T23:09:00.000-07:00

Many people these days want the biggest bang for their buck. They want the maximum entertainment, portion, and service... or else. This has caused SEEMORETHANYOUNEEDitus. Folks across the country are scavenging for the places that will give them more for less as far as they can "see" anyways.

But is quantity really better than quantity? Is seeing really believing? Is it really fair to say that you get MORE just because the box is bigger? I say NO.

Giant bottles of milk can contain chemicals related to formaldehyde. Innocent cookies from popular brands can have more than 50 ingredients in them. Produce can me genetically mutilated/mutated to look fresher longer- but the long term health affects remain unknown.

SEEMORETHANYOUNEEDitus is a real epidemic- quickly on the verge of becoming a pandemic. Symptoms include various forms of cancer, birth defects, infertility, higher stomache aciditity, digestive problems, evolutionary mutations, acne, cramps, headaches, nausea, addiction, irritation, loss of eyesight, diabetes, several viruses, loss of feeling in limbs, acid reflux, ulcers, cold sores, cavities, diarrhea, and much much more. It's literally killing us and those we love. In this economy I can understand wanting to save money- but the hospital bills you will have to pay later will quickly surpass the cost of those "cheap" items you ingest.

Good news though! SEEMORETHANYOUNEEDitus can be cured! How? Love.

Seriously.

Love for yourself and the love put into what you are putting in your body. Food is literally the fuel we use to keep our engines going. We can NOT afford to put in a low grade because we WILL break down eventually.

At Nature's Express I get a LOT of people questioning me about the food. Asking if it comes with anything. When I say "no it comes as is." People get a little sad. They sometimes even question the cost of the food and complain that they should get more. Does anyone really know what a serving size is anyways? Does anyone really know that they are doing to their bodies when they see more than they need and consume it until their belly feels at bursting?

The reason our food costs the way it does is because it is made fresh, on-hand, and it's mostly organic stuff. Every dish is scrutinized, studied, and worked upon until it proves that it can provide the maximum nutrition and flavor for its purpose. Trust me- I am an official taste-tester and structural critiquer. As a full-time student I can not afford to be messing around with low-standards. We work hard to maintain portion sizes because we are well aware of SEEMORETHANYOUNEEDitus- and we want you to be able to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Besides that, every item ordered on the menu DOES come with something. LOVE. Of course. It's in the ingredients to ensure the biggest bang for Your buck.

So please, love yourself. Appreciate the vessel that carries you around from day to day. Prevent SEEMORETHANYOUNEEDitus... it just might change the way you experience life.

<3>

Rain

SUPERPOWER SUNDAYS

2010-08-08T14:39:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen! For your pleasure only we are starting SuperPower Sundays!

How it works:

Every Sunday from 10:30am-9:00pm we will be offering a special superpower from our superpower bag of amazingness. These powers come with either your delicious meal purchase or of course your generous and intelligent tips. (The superpower bag of amazingness may appear to be just a paper bag with superpowers written on papers inside it... but don't underestimate it....)

Today we had quite a few great superpower moments!

Amy... dog walker and Grilled Tempeh Rueben eater... left Nature's Express with the ability to fix a flat tire by chanting a secret chant.

Dan... the man who almost always enjoys an Einstein... received the power to harmonize with all birds.

Barbara (and friends!) who usually come in as an ordinary cheery trio- all were boosted up with the power of perfect jump roping, armpits that always smell nice, and of course everlasting minty fresh breath!

We have many more powers to hand out from say... flight by flapping your arms to the ability to always see the truth in someone. If you don't like the power you get from the superpower bag then I can guarantee you that you will like the power that you will get from your meal. With our food chock full of love and flavor yet void of evil fats and villainous GMO ingredients how could you not feel like a superhero? I mean saving your own body from the harms of bad consumption is just as good as Spiderman doing his Spidey thing!

Catch y'all next Super Power Sunday!

Nature's Express

Identifying and cooking root vegetables

2010-08-06T12:56:00.000-07:00

Root vegetable medley in 4 easy steps

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2) Choose your roots

Our personal favorite - The Turnip

The inspiration behind our very own TurnipMan!

Part of the cabbage family, Turips are high in vitamin C and they thrive well in poor soil where other vegetables suffer. Super Power indeed!

Chiogga Beet

Beets were originally used as medicine dating back to before written history!

They are high in folic acid, potassium, calcium and antioxidants.

3) Cut your roots into bite size pieces

Rutabaga

The Rutabaga originated as a cross between the Turnip and the cabbage.

4) Place all root cubes into a casserole dish, drizzle a little olive oil, salt and pepper and stir

5) Place in the oven and bake for one hour and fifteen minutes

This is a great side dish when paired with grains, legumes and greens

Sean the Super Dude

2010-08-01T15:37:00.000-07:00

Today we had yet another recipient of our $25 gift card. Sean Munding. After an epic adventure of eating here enough times to reach 250 points on his Natures Express Card- he finally reaped the rewards.

Sean was here with about a million friends (or 5... if you want the buzz-killer facts) so it was difficult to interview him. Yours truly attempted to fight through his entourage in order to ask him some questions for this blog- but alas I was trumped by a grilled tempeh reuben and a "Sean Stalker" named Caroline. However I will do as every other tabloid does and pretend I managed to get him aside for few moments. What you are about to read next is the (not-so) "real" conversation I had with him.

ME: SEAN YOU JUST WON A $25 GIFT CARD HERE! HOW DO YOU FEEL?!

SEAN: Rain- is it alright if I call you Rain?

ME: Yes Sean it is!

SEAN: Well Rain- to answer your question it feels just amazing. Like I won the lottery- only better.

ME: WOW Sean, it sounds like you are really happy!

SEAN: I am Rain! I really am!

ME: Now Sean, it takes some dedication to build up those points as high as you did. A lot of eating here had to be done! What kept you coming into Nature's Express?

SEAN: I must be honest- besides your witting charm and dashing smile- I came into Nature's Express because it's where I get my superpowers from.

ME: Oh please do Explain Sean!

SEAN: Well Rain since all of your food is plant-based, cooked fresh and delicious in such a happy atmosphere- it gives me my awesome SuperStrength and my SuperSuaviness.

ME: What a story Sean! I'm glad to work here and have been a part of such a great moment! Now Sean do you have any words for our readers on this blog?

SEAN: Definitely! GO TO NATURE'S EXPRESS! IT'S AMAZING, FANTASTIC ATMOSPHERE, TASTY FOOD, and of course RAIN works there so um- how could it not be incredible?

ME: There you have it folks, from the man himself- SEAN MUNDING! Thanks for answering these questions... and for all of you tuning in thanks for reading!!

(Sean's hypothetical interview was brought to you by RAIN. Nature's Express is not responsible for any bias in this article... not that there is any- it's all true right?)

Please feel free to RESPOND to this article and tell us how we can make YOUR Nature's Express experience better...

Carl's Debut

2010-07-28T23:01:00.000-07:00

Finally the word is in! Our owner Dr. Carl Myers was visiting about a week ago- and we caught tons of cool footage of him on tape. He gave us the low=down on why this restaurant is in existence, what he hopes people will gain from it, and we even catch him posing for manly pix.

We also had a wonderful meet-up "get to know Carl" night- in which several fans came, ate, and asked a lot of questions. As the weeks go on you will start to see music video, mini documentaries, and infomercials from the visitors we caught on tape.

Having Carl join us here in Berkeley had a lot of pros, but I must say there was just one Con that I have to get off my chest...

While filming this go-getting, enthusiastic, blue-eyed, oncologist... a crime occurred. I left my sweet potato fries on the table as a prop for scenic reasons- and he ate them. Next week you will surely see footage of this atrocity. Besides being a fry-thief though... he's a pretty awesome

guy.

Moving On and Moving In

2010-07-24T00:25:00.000-07:00

So it has been a few days since y'all may have heard from our crew here at Nature's Express. One reason is because we have been dealing with the bittersweet happening of losing/gaining employees. While some would see this as a negative event, I personally see it as a great opportunity for our community and company grow.

Here are the four wonderful friends who will be frolicking in another direction:

Chelsea: Speedy GRILLzales and Sarcasm Lover

Devon: Dashing Grill Boy and Brilliant Smiler

Stacey: Valiant Leader and Official Soup Tester

Carolyn: Kicka** Bakeress and Cupcake Extraordinaire

Since the beginning of Time (as we know it) these fellow comrades have fought for Nature's Express. Their grill skills, sweet treats, and spicy fight has been a great part of our crew's flavor... and I know they will be missed. HOWEVER these fantastic four are moving on to great futures! (And we at Nature's Express are proud to be able to claim that we were able to help sculpt their work ethic, postitive attitudes, and healthier lifestyles during the period they were here.)

The cool thing about people moving on- is people moving in! We are now in the process of hiring... and WHO can't resist that NEW EMPLOYEE scent?? Sifting through the applicants is kind of like going down the Cereal aisle. Some are a little nutty, some are sugar-coaters, some are full of fiber... okay well the analogy can only go so far- but you get my drift. We are super excited to have so many people competing to work here and can't wait to see how the new dynamics of our restaurant will change Solano Avenue. I hope you will find us to be just as fantabulous as you did before. I guarantee we will still be fresh, delicious, and all around an awesome experience every time you visit. Thanks for supporting us!!!

XoXo,

NE

Get to know us!!!! #001

2010-07-19T23:31:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! While you are dining at Nature's Express do you ever notice that our staff is a little bit... different than most fast food places? When someone says that food is made with love usually they are kidding. But here, we are serious! That's because at Nature's Express we embrace each other's unique styles, talents, and characteristics... and use them to make our food as epic as it is. In fact we are so proud of each individual that we will be putting out a mini profile/interview each week so that you can get an insight as what makes us...us.

SO without further ado- I give you our first profile... SUE!

Name: Hey yeah, I'm Sue.
Position: I'm a Cook... or really a Jill of All Trades.
Work Music Preferred: I tend to listen to "Trashy Euro Dance Music" and Classical of course! I love Beethoven!
Work Age: 7 months!

If Sue were a menu item what would she be? I would definitely have to be a Spicy Hawaiian Burger with the new ORIGINAL Patty.

Why did Sue apply to work here? I used to do Collections- and it was depressing to TAKE from people every day. So I decided I wanted to do something that gives back... and this was it.

What does Sue want to be when she grows up? I wanna be a Mad Scientist- evil laugh, crazy glasses... the works!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrwPDRcGk60

Healthier High-Rollers

2010-07-17T15:20:00.000-07:00

HE strolled in... cool, nonchalant, acting like it was simply another regular day in Berkeley CA. A lady by his side and a wallet in his fist, he posed for a moment to scan our menu as if he had no idea what to order. With a nod he decided and leaned over the counter slightly...

"I'll have a mixed berry smoothie, no banana, extra ice. Also a mango smoothie with just a touch of blueberry." He flashed a payment card at me, and I swiped it swiftly- ignorant of what was about to happen.

The monitor hummed a silent undertone... the grill sizzled and crackled in the background... voices floated in musically through the door...

Then SUDDENLY pastel confetti flew through the air! Fireworks blasted through the white-lit ceiling showering us with heat and color! Everyone sitting outside suddenly exploded through the door cheering and yelling "HUZZAH HUZZAH!" The world seemed to be celebrating in our shop- but why???!!!

My heart was pounding with excitement and fright as I tore his receipt off the feeder. My hand trembled awkwardly as I straightened out the piece of paper to review it... then suddenly it all made sense. This customer wasn't just any customer.

He was Peter the Magnificent! High-Roller! He had just barely gotten 250 points on his Nature's Express card!! Which meant that he was suddenly entitled to receive a $25 gift card from us.

So okay it didn't quite happen like that- but it SHOULD everytime. For those of you who aren't familiar with the Nature's Express card it is really simple. Any time you come into Nature's Express and make a purchase we swipe the card and you collect points. When you get to 250 points you get a $25 gift card. FREE! SMILE INCLUDED! (Maybe even a high-five...)

So if you are a Frequent Flyer of Nature's Express... and you want to upgrade to being a High-Roller like Peter the Magnificent, be sure to ask for a card next time you come in.

By the way, we asked Peter the Magnificent:

If you were a Nature's Express food item which would you be?
Signature Salad with a Hummus Wrap and a Maple Coconut bar of course!

What about YOU? What would YOU be??

SERIOUS COOKIES ONLY

2010-07-17T00:45:00.000-07:00

Hey there! This is Rain- that tall, devilishly good-looking, and intelligent cashier you may encounter while stopping by Nature's Express. =)

As a lover of food, people, and world peace I find it in the best interest of customer-kind to give some tips on a very important subject... just in case I'm not there while you are visiting. This subject of course is about... COOKIES. Seriously.

People hardly realize that selecting the perfect cookie is an art! There are questions that must be asked and procedure to follow that will allow one to maximize their AWESOME COOKIE EXPERIENCE. Please consider the following!

1: What kind of cookie-monster are you? Soft or crunchy?
-A survey taken at the restaurant showed that men tend to lean more towards crunchy cookies... women towards soft. Sometimes the crunchy/soft factor can make or break a cookie's taste in one bite. So when you walk up to the counter first ask if the type of cookie you want is soft or crunchy.

2: What temperature does your mouth crave?
-Have us throw a chocolate chip cookie under a heat lamp for a minute to enjoy a gooey, melt-in-your-mouth experience and optimum greatness. Or take home a peanut butter cookie ad refrigerate/freeze it. It will change your life! A science report released by BBC in 2004 proved that temperature DOES have a taste... so indulge in it. It will be worth your while!

3: Sweet or Salty?
-Cookies are an amazing snack with many different character types. There is the solid cookie- such as a peanut butter cookie that will have a better tendency to fill you up quicker and kick you some protein. The power cookie like the Oatmeal Walnut Date will leave you feeling energized and ready to tackle the world. The lighter cookie like the Lime Tahini that will give you a hint of sweet without killing your tastebuds. Or an all out glorious sweet tooth cookie like the Chocolate chip that will just sing in your mouth. Please do not abuse the power of tastebuds! Listen to them! If you are craving sweet go for sweet... not a lighter cookie just because you think it's necessary. If you are craving saltier cookies don't force yourself to stick with the safe Chocolate Chip cookie. Try something new like a Trail Mix cookie... If you fail to follow your taste buds, you will fail to snag an opportunity to achieve total cookie satsifaction!

4: BIG BANG FOR YOUR BUCK!
-The laws of cookie physics state: THE BIG COOKIE GOES ON THE BOTTOM. This of course is to stabilize the pile and give an aesthetically pleasing air to the cookie tray. If you want to get the most for your money... get the biggest cookie! Next time you get a cookie ANYWHERE get your money's worth and go for the one on the bottom.

Now I'm not saying the above is a cookie-cutter perfect way to find deliciousness. Goodness knows I have made some bad cookie choices in my day! However, I think and hope you will find these tips helpful in obtaining some of the most memorable pastry moments you will ever have. Thank you for reading and good luck!

<3>

Rain