Today we’d like to introduce you to Misty Stewart.
Misty, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Where to begin… well, as an American child raised in Haiti, I was exposed to the freshest foods daily. Mostly everything I ate was from farm to table and just sooo good. When I returned to the States my senior year, I definitely noticed a big difference in the way food tasted here, especially on a teenage budget (not as fun and flavorful). However, with the melting Pot that the USA is, I had the opportunity to slowly meet people from all around the world and get a taste of their Culture (Sooo Yummy!). I finally HAD to cook when I had my girls… rough! I got bored quickly of spaghetti, ramen, Hot dogs, Burgers, Rice, Oatmeal, Frozen Dinners, and Fast Food. My body was not happy with this Fuel either. So, I started by consuming more Organic (meats and Veggies), Free Range and Wild Caught and noticed that my body was much HAPPIER. My main frustration was irregular cycles which I was able to correct with my Diet and not by taking a pill anymore. Also, this food tasted better! My body steadily stopped wanting meat, and more my veggies. Cooking started to get fun when I noticed that I could make so much without meat and still satisfy my taste buds along with my non-Vegetarian Husband. Between my large family background of exceptional cooks, YouTube, and friends, I had a lot of foods to try, experiment and share.
My original main focus with my business was making guilt FREE Chocolate Dessert balls from 4-5 simple ingredients: Cacao powder, coconut oil, salt, maple syrup, and occasional peanut butter. This was very hard for me to sell in public because they needed to be kept frozen to maintain a certain consistency and Florida weather did not help. I then started to make Vegan Sweet Potato pies in chocolate, Orange Ginger and Original Sweet Potato. I have ALWAYS loved the taste of Haitian chocolate and wanted to incorporate it in my cooking but finding it in powder form seemed impossible (sold as a hard paste with the cacao butter). However, one day, I found Chocomax of Fb and they had what I need in Haiti. I was so excited!!! I was on a flight to Haiti within a week to meet with the owner of Chocomax, an extraordinary young entrepreneur. After a 6 hour drive and a 3 hours hike up a very steep mountain which can only be reached by foot, I was also able to meet the farmers and come home with the goods. I continued to sell my pies to friends and family and at small venues. One day, a friend told me about a venue looking for a Vegan food vendor and I decided to give it a try. A lot more work than it looked to be but fun and rewarding. I was able to cook what I wanted when I wanted while infusing cacao in certain dishes. To maintain freshness, I purchased most of my produce from local farms which I never knew where right under my nose for all these years. Slowly, I started signing up for more food vending opportunities and this is how it all started for me.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
You don’t know what you like or don’t like until you try something. Running your own business is “not an easy road”… as Buju Bonton would say. You don’t know the true struggle until you have walked in those shoes. Whatever your brain thinks about the challenge, times that by at least five. Start-up Funds can be challenging. I was able to find an organization called Score that provided an entrepreneur class at the right time that helped me get the basic information needed, the mindset and $1000 startup funds upon completion of the course. So grateful! Some of the other challenges come from Mother Nature herself. Purchasing, making and not being able to sell the food due to weather or low attendances at a venue can also hurt the business when you have to swallow the cost. Losing money doesn’t taste good to me. Long hours are also spent on your feet shopping, cooking and selling. Finding venues, advertising and paying vendor fees is also tough. Trying to get my kids to help me with all my events… OMG!! With all challenges comes lessons learned and opportunities for growth. As long as you keep the lens that you look at everything positive, everything is always gonna work out just fine. I have found that I really enjoy just taking pictures of inspired food.
Please tell us about Mindful Munchies LLC.
I am currently known for my Healthy Vegan fusion food and my Jackfruit (Mojo, Jerk, and Korean BBQ). From Comfort to Korean, I am in that Kitchen cooking. I don’t like to always follow recipes. If something sounds good in my head, I try to make it and amaze my taste buds without sacrificing the quality/benefits the food is meant to provide. I believe that you definitely are what you eat so I try to provide the best to keep you and me, at our best. Quality food is our prescription to health which is life long wealth. I am also a Nurse now nursing in different ways. By networking, I have learned so much (new herbs, veggies I never knew about) and met sooo many amazing people in my community and we all help each other in so many ways. Food has also helped me maintain my artistic side by playing with food colors and flavors… mmmm!! You won’t find my freestyle food anywhere so far but here. I love to share the joys of a “Party in your mouth.”
What are you striving for, what criteria or markers have you set as indicators of success?
Success to me…. hmm?? Success to me is being able to see where I once was and how far I have come and overcome. Success is like YESSSS!!!! You made it over that bump in the road, then the hurdles, the voices in and outside of your head, but wait there’s more… yes, you made it to the top of a mountain you couldn’t see the top of and can help others make it too… being asked to do an interview and reading my current story, that is a success. No longer having to work for the “man” (hehe) is my success (one day soon!!). Feels so good. I’m doing what I love, and it doesn’t feel like work. LIVING and enjoying life all over the earth and spreading the love = Success.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 7272541702
- Email: mindful.munchies.eatgood@gmail.com
- Instagram: Mindfulmunchiesllc
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
