The idea of a locally produced gluten-free cereal caught my attention. The ingredients, all superfoods, are organic whole grains, and would be a wonderful start to a day. And then I realized that it was Barbara Swartz, a friend from my boys' school days, who created the cereal!
When Barbara's daughter Christy went off to college in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2009, she found it hard to study because of a growing sensitivity to wheat. So her mom began to experiment with grains, nuts, and seeds to find a breakfast that would not only be non-gluten but also give Christy a healthy boost to her morning. It's the gourmet black rice, that turns a lovely purple color when it is cooked, that prompted Barbara and her husband Chris to call the cereal Purple Sunrise.
They turned their TV room into a commercial kitchen and were licensed last October. That's where they mill the grain and make and package their cereal.
It's a busy time for the Swartz family just now. Christy is getting married on March 30, but there is plenty on the family's plate between now and then. This weekend they will be introducing their new product at Seattle's Vegfest. To prepare they packaged (by hand) enough 16oz bags of Purple Sunrise to sell at the festival, plus 2000 3.35oz bags to include in a box for other Vegfest vendors!
If my own experience is any indication, they should have plenty of sales at Vegfest. After reading the Herald article yesterday and checking out their website -- Barbara is a graphic artist, so both the website and the packaging are high quality -- I called to place an order. When I stopped by True-View Glass and Windows in Stanwood, a local drop-off for Purple Sunrise, there were several orders to be picked up by people who had also heard of them through local media. I'll just bet they enjoyed their breakfast this morning as much as I did.
(I'm already thinking about ways to add a bit of Purple Sunrise to the muffins I'm planing to bake later today!)
If a hearty, healthy breakfast for you and your family is important to you, I suggest you check out Purple Sunrise!
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