By Tiffany Haslacker
When asked what super fruit he couldn’t live without, Dan McCormick, health and nutrition enthusiast and co-founder of Bowl of Heaven, winced at the thought of choosing. Reluctantly, out of an all star list including acai, goji berries, cili and Siberian pineapple, he chose gac – the super fruit of all super fruit.
Bowl of Heaven in Huntington Beach offers locals a healthy alternative to the American dietary lifestyle.At Bowl of Heaven, patrons can enjoy bowls and smoothies infused with acai, one of the latest crazes in health and nutrition, assorted fresh fruits and an anti-oxidant super fruit blend. Dan and Tiffany Parks, Huntington Beach franchise owner, urge the community to indulge in meals that are of superior nutritional value and that actually have palate appeal. Established in reaction to theirresistibility of the acai bowls that Dan came across in Hawaii, Bowl of Heaven serves truly healthy super fruit bowls in contrast to “healthy” products that are more bountiful in the area of market appeal rather thanactual nutrition. Through generous sampling, promotional activities at local schools and the aid of social media, bowl of heaven is quickly marketing itself as the go to place for nutrition, energy and downright delight.
Dan’s passion for nutrition is evident in the fruit that he chose to serve as Bowl of Heaven’s Maq 7, the seven super fruit that formthe foundation of his enterprise. While Dan is willing to integrate other fruit into hismenu with proper research and palate rewarding experimentation, these seven fruit (gac, cili, maqui berry, acai, goji berries, Alaskan blueberry and Siberian pineapple) each have a unique history that gives credence to their place on the list. Gac, for example, is known as the “fruit from heaven,” hence the name Bowl of Heaven. Gac is harvested in Vietnam and was traditionally used for both culinary and medicinal purposes. It is packed with antioxidants like beta carotene, lycopene and zeaxanthin which promote immune health, eyesight and skin health respectively, amongst a host of other benefits.
Dan believes that his endeavor to infiltrate the lives of locals with knowledge of dietary health and provide an outlet for healthy lifestyles is the next wave of nutritional fanatics. “Someone once told me, First there was ice cream, then there was frozen yogurt and now there is Bowl of Heaven'” said Dan. Whether its breakfast, lunch or dinner, the offerings at Bowl of Heaven satisfy an empty stomach or a mid-day pick me up. “Our bowls aren’t meant to be a snack,” says Dan. “They are a meal.”
Hefty in organic hemp flaxseed granola (rather than fat and sugar) andtopped with bright, fresh fruit, the bowls are filling as well as appealing.ThePopeye bowlaccented with bananas and drizzled with honey may sound like dessert but is actually made with organic kale, spinach, blueberries and strawberries among other ingredients. The best thing is that the bowls have enough sweet appeal to pacify a craving but are hearty and fresh enough to serve as a meal. The Sea Sider is ideal for breakfast. It is made with unsweetened vanilla almond milk, organic hemp flaxseed granola, strawberries, pineapple, blueberriesand topped with honey and coconut.TheSea Sideris like a glorified version of your favorite oatmeal. (If your favorite oatmeal contained the nutrients of super fruit.)
Each bowl served at Bowl of Heaven contains Dan’s signature Maq 7 blend, so no matter which bowl you choose, you know you’re getting your day’s share of super fruit. Pair your favorite bowl with a super fruit smoothie or grab a smoothie on the run and you’ll thank yourself later when you are full, energized and guilt free.
