Vital Vegan Expansion Fundraiser

Cynthia Montross is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

Namaste! Blessings of love :)

Hi Friends and family, it's Cynthia aka Chef Moon...
just want to first say hi and thankyuu! for taking the time to read about our fundraiser and for your continued love, support and positive prayers.

I would like to share a little about our journey, our visions, our story and goals.

( Vital Vegan team of devotees in Sedona on the move!:)

One essential component to the success of Vital Vegan is being able to create a stable and fully equipped commercial kitchen temple to call home. Our current commissary situation has been very limiting so we are ready to take our mission to the next level. In our new kitchen we shall continue to bless our foods with sacred mantras and sri yantras but will also have access to a walk in cooler, 8 burner stove and convection ovens! This means Vital Vegan soups, old faves and exciting new yummies as well as an array of products that have been developed and waiting for the perfect kitchen, will finally be shared with our community and abroad.

To begin with, one thing we have realized is our real investors are our customers. This whole project is being funded by you all who support our products and we thank you from deep in our hearts.

( Best seller @ Natural Grocers Sedona :)
vegan nutrition made delicious )

We are very thankful to the Sedona Natural Grocers for carrying our products and so many thanks to our customers for needing us to bring 3 steady deliveries a week for a whole year now, we appreciate your love and love feeding you!

There's a phenomena that happens when this nutrient rich slaw is offered, and it is called: Kale Addiction.
I'm proud of all of our kale eaters out there :)

sky high on the alkaline! :) the alkaline minerals found in kale are essential nutrients to your central nervous system... make you feel guuud :)

( the inspiration for our Kale Slaw came from this salad Chef Moon would feed guests at various retreats back in the day :) )

Chef Moon at The Sanctuary at Sedona Retreat - Master Chef Vegan and Raw Foods Specialist/ Biodynamic Garden Founder/Director
2006 - 2012

( fresh picked organic greens grown from seeds with love )

The Vital Vegan team:
Cynthia ( aka Chef Moon aka Moon Reflecting ),
Sundarananda ( aka Elijah) and our sons,
Menelik, Gyasi and Isvaraji are reaching out to the community for sponsorship in the essential expansion of Vital Vegan, our made with love line of fresh, local, hand made grab n go products.

We need to take Vital Vegan to the next level and we need your help dear friends and family...

Menelik and Gyasi say Vital Vegan is kid tested and approved :)!

Our 9 yr old Vegan Poster Child, Menelik One Zion Tafari :)

edible flowers grown by chef moon

The funds we we are raising will be a boost for Vital Vegan so that we are able to expand and offer our love treats to more stores in the community and finally get to share all the new exciting Vital Vegan products that have been waiting for their time to shine.

( we cant wait to share these with yu! )

Picture of the very awesome moment we were invited to share samples of Vital Vegan with the regional fresh prepared foods team at Whole Foods Market in Sedona :)

WFM approved our products! Now we need the help of the community to be capable of fufilling certain requirements needed to offer these goodies to WFM customers too.

oh yes, eggless egg salad sandwich, deliciously cholestorel free

http://freefromharm.org/eggs-what-are-you-really-eating/

Dear Friends and family...
We need help.

We may stay up until 3 am sometimes making sure Vital Vegan stays on the shelves..... and its truly a Labour of Love :)

( Loving hierloom tomato grown at the first organic garden project founded by Chef Moon at Angel Valley Retreat Center, Sedona. Photo colab by Amy Bennik and Chef Moon )

It means alot to us to be able to build our team to keep our quality top notch and share more of our loving foods.

Sundarananda and I are working 6 days a week so far to take care of our customers...
Being able to expand and create more avenues will enable us to invite our new team member and welcome more balance into our lives and hopefully one more day off ;)

busy bees :)

This is Chef Isvaraji, Sundarananda's son whom will be our first employee. We are raising funds to upgrade our kitchen and start new accounts in the community which will enable us to give Isvaraji the opportunity to be our first much needed new team member!

We would love to see Vital Vegan on more shelves in the community :)
and we have some ideas up our sleeves for shipping goodies abroad...

Our sweet and spicy Raw Jalepeno Sunflower Pate emanates a deliciously spicy kick that is delish with cucumber slices, baby carrots, chips, as a spread for toast and just plain yum on anything you put it on :)

Thai Peanut Ginger Dressing is my favorite for dipping nori wraps or baby carrots

Thankfully we had some family and friends help in the beginning of this Vital Vegan project which we are ever greatfull for, but for about a year now we have put everything we have into this precious project and done our best to provide the community with high quality Vegan options
with no solid investors, no capitol, and no credit lines.

We have been pulling this off in a very grass roots small start up kind of way, it's been tough to keep it going as our main account puts us in the category of
" playing with the big dogs " :)
which is a big challenge for a small start up like us to be on the infamous net21 pay schedule tying up our precious resources.

So we are manifesting accounts with more stores and expanding the product line so the abundance shall grow and we may succeed in our efforts to provide for our family in a self sustainable way and continue to provide the community a made with love vegan option.

Sundaranada checking in Vital Vegan at Natural Grocers Sedona

Thank you Sedona customers!
We love you and we are working hard to be able to offer a wider variety of Vital Vegan goodies very soon

The notoriously addicting Thai Peanut Asian Greens Noodle Salad pictured on the rightside of this picture :)
will make its way back to the shelves soon

Our Living Pakoras with Cucumber Cashew Raitta is Vital Vegan's savory East Indian inspired version of a usually deep fried delicacie.... ours is delicately dehydrated to preserve the precious enzymes and nutrients of the unique blend of sprouted sunflower seeds, herbs and vegetables.
Great for hiking and needing high nrg food on the go...

We have been surviving on our Faith in God, positive visions and the support of the community.... and now to keep this vision alive we are reaching out for help so we can share these healing delicious foods with a higher potential.

Here is a list of some of the items that will boost Vital Vegan's success:

$1,000.00 - Deposit for Commercial Kitchen
( we are currently renting time in a local commissary kitchen, and although geatfull, at very inconvenient hours. To offer Vital Vegan at best potential we need a fully equipped commercial kitchen to call home )

$1,000.00 - 2 months of p/t kitchen rental
at $500.00 a month
( a couple months to give us a head start in creating new products... once we start rocking some new products then we will be able to afford our rent )

heres some pics we snapped at our dream kitchen temple upgrade!

cant wait to bring this warming comforting soup to our Verde Valley customers and some new surprises

we very much wish to bring our Vital Vegan soups back on the shelf and need these awesome burners to do it right :)

the ultimate healing comforting vegetable tonic made with love

Sundarananda is dreaming up delicious Prasadum offerings we cant wait to share as well :)!
so much goodness on the horizon

We Reeeeaaaaallly need a walk in cooler to fill up with goods plz

that will really help us because then not only can we supply more stores, but we can finally buy produce in large quantities and pass our savings on to our customers

dream sink!
we have access to not so big commercial sink at current commissary kitchen, this one is conducive to meditation :)

our little helper is excited about this new space too

There are some other items on our wish list that would really help us out....

$ 249.00 - Vitamix ( we are currently using the most inexpensive blender Walmart has available, need an upgrade! :) )

$ 200.00 - Cuisinart 14 cup ( we are currently using the most inexpensive food processor Walmart carries and definately need an upgrade for more efficient Pate's :) )

$ 100.00 - commercial grade immersion blender

$ 378.00 - 2 - LEM Food Dehydrators ( we have big plans for expanding our living dehydrated food offerings, new exciting delicacies coming soon, and if we have more dehydrators we will be capable of shipping out of state and spreading the love! )
$ 20.00 - dehydrator sheets

$ 1,000.00 - New product developement ingredient capitol
( we currently spend at least aprox. $500.00 a week in high quality ingredients to service Sedona Natural Grocers and as we are manifesting offering our goodies to another large store in the Natural Grocer's chain
( Flagstaff or Prescott ) or to Sedona Whole Foods, we would be ever greatfull with help, as we are on net21 pay schedules and the first month of starting a new account is pretty difficult for our small family run operation )

$ 600.00 - ( $ 200.00 x 3 = Lab analysis for 3 products in order to meet the Label Audit requirements for selling our products to Whole Foods Market
( Quinoa Croquettes, Toasted Sesame Cilantro Kale Slaw and Raw Jalepeno Sunflower Pate )

$ 100.00 - Kitchenware ( bowls, containers, etc currently working with bare minimum )

$ 400.00 - Graphic Design and Labels for Product Expansion ( we envision a sleek waterproof label :) )

$ 100.00 - Vital Vegan T-shirts, Hoodies, Promotion Stickers ( this would purchase a limited amount of these promotion tools, but the sales from these will be reinvested into purchasing more and helping with Vital Vegan expansion/Promotion )

$ 100.00 - Sponsorship towards Vital Vegan local garden projects. Our goal is to grow seeds with love that we transform into foods with love.

Organic Collards growing at one of our plots. Our goal is to provide fresh picked organic produce to our customers.

We are working towards having a booth at Sedona Farmers Market so we may suprise our customers with new Vital Vegan specials every week and organic non gmo produce locally grown by our family with love.

chef moon running booth at Flagstaff Farmers Market with hierloom goodness grown from seed

Moon Garden Salads grown from seed at biodynamic garden past project in Cornville... more of these vibes coming soon

Napoletano Lettuce Leaf Basil grown with love from seed

New product coming soon!

Moon Garden Salad is an upcoming new product which got its name inspiration from the salads Chef Moon would create for guests during her time as vegan head chef and biodynamic garden founder/director at The Sanctuary at Sedona Retreat Center in Cornville AZ

These salad meals are color therapy worthy arrays of fresh picked vegetables, herbs and flowers featuring specialty vegan dressings....
like Pomegranate Balsamic Herb and Thai Ginger Peanut coming soon!

feat Hopi Red Dye Amaranth, fresh dill and marigold

Hierloom tomatoes grown from seed with love!

Vegan Pizzzaaaaaa :) soon

Upcoming new offerings will include the famous Chef Moon Raw Pies....
for those of you in the community who have tried these delicacies back when Chef Moon prepared foods for Angel Valley Retreat, The Sanctuary, D'Lish Very Vegetarian, and the Sedona Raw Cafe... you're in for some old favorites and new love treats.

raw mango cashew cheesecake with date walnut hemp crust topped with edible flowers including German chamomile... all grown from organic non gmo seeds

Ayurvedic Fruit Tart! good for Vata, Pitta, Kapha

We are bringing back the
Original Green Goddess Soup now in a convenient Vital Vegan grab n go package :)
which Chef Moon created and offered at Sedona's first raw food restuarant The Sedona Raw Cafeback in 06'
( now Chocolatree )

vibrant enzyme rich dream cream

These are just a few of the vegan love offerings we would like to share with the community

moon garden salads can get crazy!

Moroccan dream :)

chipotle sunflower seed cheez n radish sprout stuffed mater

gluten free vegan spicy cilantro sweet potato cabbage and pea samosa

Chef Moon style Nori Wraps!

What's in the name Vital Vegan?

Well first of all, as our roots in natural living and spiritual discovery has taught us...

Ital is Vital :)

‘Ital is vital’ best summarizes the Rastafarian belief that pure food from the earth is the most physically and spiritually beneficial.

What is the symbolism in the sacred geometry of the Vital Vegan logo?

The Sri Yantra or Shri Yantra, also known as the Cosmic Yantra or Yantra of Creation is the most revered of all the Hindu Yantras. Yantras are a particular field of mandala imagery that visually represent the harmonic tones of mantras. by meditating on the Sri Yantra, an attunement of individual consciousness with the harmony of universal consciousness develops.

The Sri Yantra is believed to be the visual interpretation of the OM mantra, which in the Hindu tradition is understood to be the primordial sound of creation. It is believed that thousands of years ago as the Vedic monks sat in meditation chanting the sacred sound of OM, they were able to tune into the vibration of the sound and visioned the Sri Yantra image. Modern science, with its research in sound, known as symatics whereby a form of speaker is placed under a metal plate and sand or water placed on top. At pure tones, the sand forms particular patterens. At the OM frequency, the Sri Yantra pattern forms in the sand.. a remarkable testimony to the wisdom of the ancient mystics.

Sri Yantra is one of the most auspicious, important and powerful Yantras. Meditating on the Sri Yantra is believed to bring about material & spiritual wealth, strengthen relationships, enhances peace, happiness, empowerment, abundance & an alignment with the Universal flow of plenty.

It was Chef Moon's experience with Anahata chakra meditations while designing a biodynamic kitchen garden to offer healing foods to guests at
The Sanctuary, that she was lead the the healing properties of Sri Yantra...

Anahata symbolises love, empathy, selflessness and devotion. The center of force inspires humans to love, be compassionate, altruistic and devoted and to accept divine actions 

real 4 leaf clover found by Moon!

A firm believer in organic biodynamic agriculture, Chef Moon naturalized Holy Basil aka Sri Mati Tulasi Devi amongst the whole garden... an auspicious food for the pollinators leading to abundance and a mystical environment for the guests on a path to healing

Holy Basil, Echinacea and Jamaican Calaloo

We love to offer foods grown with Love and prepared with Love :)

A little background about our team:

Me and Sundarananda :)

Chef Moon

Chef Moon aka Cynthias Montross
Vital Vegan Founder
Biodynamic Organic Garden Designer
Mother of 2
Photographer
Composer Singer Songwriter
known as Moon Reflecting

Moon's specialty is conciously prepared vegan and livings foods made to make the palette, heart and soul happy.

Chef Moon was Sedona's first raw food chef back in 1999, when she showed up on the scene pushing nori rolls and almond pate as a private chef and at catering events. She then founded Guardin D' Lights, Sedona's first line of grab n go raw foods. Later becoming founding Chef of Sedona Raw Cafe, the city's first raw cafe which later was taken over by Chocolatree. Along her journey of sharing love made foods, also spent some time as head chef at D'Lish Very Vegetarian Cafe in Sedona where she worked early morning hours preparing lunch specials, soups and raw desserts.

These experiences and time as a private chef for retreat centers like Angel Valley, The Santuary and at New Frontiers deli kitchen inspired years of creativity and a love for making healthy vegan food taste delicious.

Moon is very excited to finally have a solid outlet to share past and present favorites with the community through Vital Vegan. And is very excited to continue the journey creating new delicious vegan options with her partner Sundarananda...

Stay tuned!

heart beet grown by Moon at Angel Valley :)

sample Chef Moon D' Lish Very Vegetarian Menu

For 15 years, Moon has worked with the land in the Verde Valley experimenting and developing sustainable ways of growing love infused organic vegetables, herbs and flowers

video of Moon talking garden :)
https://vimeo.com/28470969

Chef Moon at The Sanctuary Retreat Center wearing copper Sri Yantra :)
and holding fresh picked, started from seed
Heirloom Violetta Artichokes
( seeds from Thunderfoot naturalized on property 5 years! )
grown in the high desert  

Moon designed garden boxes, trellis system and coldframe

heart felt dressings :)

Moon and sacred tulasi

:::::::::::::::::::::::::Sundarananda aka Elijah:::::::::::::::::::::

Sundarananda also known as Elijah joined the Vital Vegan team in early 2014 bringing his special skills, love and healing presence :)

He served as a deity cook at the Oahu Pancatattva Temple where he gained much experience in devotional service and making sacred vegetarian preparations for his Lordship Sri Sri Pancatattva and his devotees. Also has prepared offerings for vegetarian vegan restaurants in Austin Tx and San Diego CA.

Okinawan Sweet Potato, one of Sundaranadas favorites roots, Hawaii specialty

Lord Krishna, govinda Protector of the Cows and senses sharing prasad ( love offered vegetarian preparations ) with his beloved devotees and friends

Sundarānanda adds to the auspiciousness of Vital Vegan playing and chanting mantras during food preparation.

A favorite devotional song played during food prep :)
https://youtu.be/D-A_kek-iAA

Sri Sri Pancatattva Temple Oahu, HI

He has been known to be found in the sacred loi's of Kaua'i his homeland, planting and harvesting Kalo root,

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Menelik One Zion Tafari::::::::::::::::::::::::

Menelik One, Vital Vegan helper, little vegan chef and Sadhu in training

Vegan from birth :)

:)

https://youtu.be/wzS-pVH6Ed0

Thank you!

For taking the time to get to know us and care about Vital Vegan :) xoxo
Chef Moon

We shall make updates and posts about how the fundraiser is going and post pics along the way of how we utilize these precious resources...
Thank youuuuu with Love
Moon, Sundarananda, Menelik, Gyasi and Isvaraji