The Power of Good Vibes

"Love your Acai berry juice!!! Top-notch product, great price, good taste. Feel a lot better using it!!!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

Bless you all,
Customer: M. Franson – San Diego, CA"


This recent email sent to info@sambazon.com served as a potent reminder of the power of gratitude & appreciation. It transported me to a time when my yoga teacher (who was critiquing my teaching style at the time), reminded me that I’d forgotten to convey to the class the importance of cultivating deep feelings of love & gratitude during our practice. He explained that every emotion has a corresponding affect on the physical body and that to experience the full healing potential of yoga, one should strive to remain continually aware of such positive emotions; a phenomenon I enjoyed directly while reading the grateful words of Mr. Franson.

As we strive to experience higher degrees of health and vitality through our diet, it’s easy to forget the importance of taking a moment each day to let go of negative feelings and replace them with feelings of love, acceptance & gratitude.


With Love & Devotion,
Skanda

Sambazon CEO Ryan Black Volunteers in Haiti

I had the privilege of spending a week of vacation last week volunteering in Port au Prince, Haiti. The trip was organized by a local church group of 14 people including me, some of the members which had made trips there before and after the devastating earthquake in January of this year. I personally felt compelled to go there in an effort to share some hard work, love and service to a country and people who need it terribly. Despite the overwhelming conditions (heat, poverty, water, medical, food, housing), the Haitian people’s happiness and energy reminded me of Brazil, one other country in the world where the energy and joy simply can’t be overcome by the poverty. This was uplifting and exciting.

While I was there, I ran into Sambazon Ambassador Jon Rose. To bring clean drinking water to school children in Kenya & Uganda, Jon’s father Jack Rose started raincatcher.org. Jon Rose then created Waves for Water to bring the solutions developed in Africa to the rest of the world, and most recently, Haiti. W4W is arming local people with water filters and buckets - a simple yet effective water purification system that makes any accessible water potable. Jon, Jack and all the remarkable people I met in Haiti truly revise the boundaries of what is possible.

I don’t have to tell any of you how truly blessed we are to have been born in country where most of the basic needs are not even a question. While my personal journey to Haiti last week was in the name of building a concrete wall and servicing the people down there, I knew that leading up to the trip that I would benefit much more from what they gave than what I could give them. Coming back to lovely San Clemente and reflecting on an intense week at a Haitian orphanage, I am quite sure of this. The video above is 10 minute slide show of the pictures that I took and the love that was shared with so many beautiful kids and hard working people.

-Ryan Black

Chicago Greenfest Goes Purple!

With the Cubs on a winning streak, the Blackhawks advancing to Stanley Cup Finals, a record setting heat wave and Green Festival in town – Chicago was buzzing this weekend with positive vibes. Being my first trip to Chicago I was excited to see Wrigley Field, try out some world famous deep dish pizza, and turn Chicagoland onto the Purple Berry.

Green Festival Chicago had a great vibe this year with Clif Bar’s 2 Mile Challenge and T-Mobile’s Recycle your Cell campaigns. It was great to see the people of Chicago taking advantage of this great event to support green and sustainable businesses and services.

As an official Partner of Green Festival Chicago, Sambazon was front and center near the entrance so our booth was poppin’ all weekend. With Samba music blazing and açaí bowls blending, thousands of people were able to experience the Sambazon culture and get their first taste of the real deal açaí experience.

Thanks to everyone who came out to support the event and if you tried Sambazon for your first time, heard about us from a friend, or got some great shots of the booth, be sure to hit us up on Facebook and show your Samba love.

Get with the Purple Berry,
Cameron Faist - Sambazon Event Manager / SAMBAZON

Featured Recipe: Vegan Açaí Frosted Cupcakes

Desert is usually where the feeling of “good for your soul” takes precedence over rational thought. The yummy, satiating taste of sweetness reminds us of those home baked goods from mom that always, no matter what, made us feel loved, and safe, and happy. Grow up a few years and we suddenly realize how unhealthy those goodies actually were... Which is why we came up with our very own Vegan Açaí Frosted Cupcakes. A little compromise of bad with a whole lot of good.


Soft fluffy chocolate cake topped with açaí frosting that’s both indulgent and rich in antioxidants. Perfect for any shower or get together. Plus did I mention that they are vegan? No animals harmed in the making. Feel good yet?


Chocolate Cupcake
1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract, chocolate extract, or more vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder, Dutch-processed or regular
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and other extract, if using, to the soy milk mixture and beat until foamy. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredients and beat until no large lumps remain (a few tiny lumps are OK).
Pour into liners, filling 3/4 of the way. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

Açaí Frosting
1/2 cup Earth Balance margarine, softened
1/4 cup soy milk, rice milk, or other non-dairy milk of choice
3 cups Veganized Powdered Sugar
1/4 cup Sambazon Original or Pure Açaí Smoothie Pack, thawed
1 1/2 t. vanilla

Using an electric mixer or in a large bowl with a hand held mixer, place the soy margarine and soy milk, and cream them together. Add half of the sugar, and beat well to combine. Once combined, add the rest of the sugar, Sambazon smoothie pack and vanilla and continue to beat the mixture until light and fluffy.