I would like to acknowledge Denise Mari for turning me on to the plant-based lifestyle in April 1999. Back then, I didn’t know what organic was and I thought a vegetarian was someone from California. You inspired me and provided me with knowledge and opportunities to radically improve my life and to create socially responsible businesses. To Oliver Mari, my godson, who has an indomitable will to create.
To my incredible collaborator, Leda Scheintaub, for her brilliance in creating recipes with sprouts that are both delicious and incredibly healthy. Not to mention the late nights, early mornings, and infinite patience in outlining, organizing, and editing my passions.
To my literary agents at Park Fine: Sarah Passick, Celeste Fine, and Anna Petkovich, who helped map out a path of success for this concept.
To my editor at St. Martin’s Press, Elizabeth Beier, for hearing my story, immediately eating my sprouts, and committing to sharing the sprout vision with the world. To Hannah Phillips for being there for us and for the loving nudges. Many thanks also to Olga Grlic, Jeremy Haiting, Lisa Davis, Brant Janeway, Erica Martirano, Kelly Klein, Sara Ensey, Steven Seighman, Naureen Nashid, and Rowen Davis.
To our talented photographer, Clare Barboza, who makes sprouts look gourmet and craveable. And to Jenn LaVardera for keeping our facts straight.
To the incredible teachers and mentors who agreed to be interviewed for the book: Josh Axe, M.D.; Brian Clement, M.D.; Stephen Fiskell; Joel Fuhrman, M.D.; Alan Goldhamer, M.D.; Michael Greger, M.D.; Mark Hyman, M.D.; Joel Kahn, M.D.; Stacy Kennedy; Joseph Mercola, M.D.; Dean Ornish, M.D.; Mehmet Oz, M.D.; and Katie Wells.
To Paulette Cole for inspiring me through everything that she has created at ABC Carpet and Home, my favorite restaurant, abcV, and all the love she shares with the world.
To my teachers and friends in the consciousness and plant-based world: Sahara Rose, David Wolfe, Gabriel Cousens, David Jubb, Doug Graham, John McDougal, Neil Barnard, Viktoras Kulvinskas, Julie Piatt (“SriMati”), Rich Roll, Alejandro Junger, Michael Klaper, John Joseph, and Ari and Noah Meyerowitz.
To my friends at OWN, Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, Adam Glassman, Raeann Herman and Kelsey Farish for sharing so much love and goodness with the world.
To Yves Behar and Fuseproject for being the best design partners one could ask for.
To Giles Lowe, Arne Lang-Ree, and the team at Spanner for their help in designing products for the masses.
To my friends who inspire me and reflect the truth to me always: Jack Hidary, Tia Kansara, Jenna Lee Prince, Ryan Allis, Ashlee Margolis, Steven Jensen, Joel Seiden, Harry Mcilroy, Gidon Wise, Sonia Jones, Casey Neistat, Michael Franti, Mike Posner, Josh Kushner, Jeff Rosenthal, Elliot Bisnow, Baruch Gorkin, Yaron Sheba, Hannah Heenan, Mikaela Windham-Herman, Dr. Deb, Brian Herman, Brad Palmer, Dhru Purohit, Myka Mcglaughlin, Debra Winter, Maria Marlowe, Jud Traphagen, Alessandro Piol, Alice Frank, Jay Edlin, Tom Scott, Matt Wiggins, Daniel Schmactenberger, Julia Allison, Jesse Itzler, Randy Komisar, David Krane, Matt Rogers, Mike Harden, Stuart Peterson, Rita and Peter Thomas, Rachel Rossitto, Hannah Heenan, Bill Elkus, Amir Banifatemi, Radha Agrawal, Miki Agrawal, Henry Chalfant, George Naddaff, Lori Herbel, Laurin Seiden, Evan Seiden, Malachy Moynihan, Starielle Hope, and Eli Call.
To my whole Camp Mystic family for showing me what’s possible in community.
To the many of you who I unconsciously left out, but you know who you are. Please feel free to accept my apologies in advance and remind me. I am far from perfect.