“In Nigeria my grandfather was The King of the Yams!”
Some days I have almond croissants for breakfast, other days I choose to revel in veg, which isn’t actually as weird as it sounds. Now by veg I mean the liquid form, aka smoothies and/or juices depending on my mood! Why do I dabble you may ask?! It’s because when you see all the green healthy goodness turning into a vibrant liquid you can almost hear your insides singing with glee and that’s even before you take that first slip! Before smoothie making or juicing was trending with all the health nuts, this snack was mainstream back home for one Dublin trader.
Valentine, owner of Tutti Frutti is a whizz when it comes to our five a day. In Nigeria he spent every holiday he could with his grandmother on the farm. “We called my grandfather The King of the Yams!”And so as you can imagine they ate all that they grew – yams, peppers, tomatoes, herbs, you name it! During term time he watched his mother as a caterer and his passion for food continue to blossom! “Agriculture is my love – touching the soil, growing the food, that’s me”. In 2001 Valentine moved to Ireland with his Brazilian wife Vania (think of that fruit and veg knowledge combo!!) and soon found themselves missing the fruit bars that were scattered on street corners back home. This was definitely a niche they could fill!
Valentine and Vania decided to set up a market stall to test the theory. Valentine knew from experience that it’s best to have everything “100% fresh for 100% flavour”. They began growing their own fruit and veg, including their very own organic wheatgrass in their compost. They also started importing the tropical fruits they were so dearly missing – papaya, avocado and pineapple. Valentine started out with a menu of 25 smoothies and 30 juices and made changes every week to meet the Irish tastes. The health revolution meant that the Irish wanted more and more and so Tutti Frutti started delivering fresh juices, smoothies, wheatgrass and wheattgrass soaps nationwide and providing them to parties and events. One look at their stall and you know that Tutti Frutti are all about serving seriously tasty, fresh and nutritious products that make you feel good!
The food:
Tutti Frutti boasts bold, flavourful juices and smoothies that are nutrient dense and made-to-order using fresh, organic ingredients. Valentine knows the benefits of each ingredient whether it boosts metabolism, lower cholesterol or improves your immune system. You just know when you see something so naturally colourful that it has to be good for you!
Pictured:
As you can see, these drinks are like summer in a cup!
- Boost Juice (pineapple, orange, carrot, apple, lime) – Revives you and gets those juices flowing! Ideal when you’re in a need of morning refresher!
- Vegan Planet (broccoli, spinach, apple, kale, cucumber) – Not pictured but sounds like the perfect health kick!
- Tropicana smoothie (passion fruit, mango, banana, papaya, orange) – Creamy and bursting with flavours
- Supreme (strawberrie, blackberries, banana, pineapple) – Perfect energy booster!
- Wheatgrass (sometimes known as the mighty green stuff) – Where one shot has the nutritional equivalent to 1 kg of juiced green vegetables. I’ve yet to try this all-round natural multivitamin but am very intrigued!
I can promise that when you taste them it’s like drinking a rainbow, guaranteed to get your juices flowing!
Currently trading on Sundays at People’s Park and delivering in Ireland. Check out tuttifrutti.ie for more information!
**Food for thought
- Blending and puréeing fruit with ice has been a common practice for centuries in Mediterranean, Eastern and African cultures where exotic fruits are plentiful. It wasn’t until the invention of the blender in the 1930s that Americans started to experience these natural fruit drinks!
- In 1936 a famous body builder called Jack Lalane opened the first health and fitness gym that supported healthy eating and juicing. Soon there were avid followers of this regime and as a result, in the 60s health food shops started popping up selling bottled fruit drinks
- By the early 2000s entire books were dedicated to smoothie and juice recipes and now they have inched their way into our mainstream diets as power drinks, meal replacements, and if you’re feeling bold dessert shakes! We have our friends in tropical countries to thank for their birth!
Steph's Food Scoop 
Now this is what January nutritionist all about! When I need to feel energised quickly and feel like I treat I reach for a smoothie just like this.
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