These Are Not Your Mother ’ s Spices
Providing Opportunities for Adults with Special Needs
Savoring the Future
AUTISM NEWS
They started mixing and packaging spice blends to go with their recipes . When they debuted their products at a local farmer ’ s market , they sold out immediately . They started expanding and haven ’ t stopped .
Today , the Zen of Slow Cooking spice blends are sold at specialty grocers like Whole Foods and Peapod Online ( where they ’ re packaged in popular meal kits ) as well as on thezenofslowcooking . com .
These Are Not Your Mother ’ s Spices
Barnhart and McKay source their ingredients very carefully , starting with whole spices that release their oils more slowly than ground spices , lending themselves to slow cooking .
Zen Blends ’ ingredients are carefully selected , starting with non-irradiated spices that are free of additives , chemicals , and salt , except Smoky BBQ . Some blends feature whole spice infusions , which release their oils more slowly than ground spices and are ideal for slow cooking . All ingredients are listed on the packaging , along with a shopping list and recipe .
They currently offer nine spice blends , including Coq au Vin ( their best-seller ), Daube Provençale ( beef stew ), Southwest Fiesta ( chicken tortilla soup ) and Smoky BBQ ( pulled pork ).
They also offer seasonal mulled spices for wine and cider , plus a sweet & spicy cinnamon-based blend that ’ s ideal for breakfasts and desserts .
Also noteworthy is Moroccan Tagine , which features saffron sourced by Rumi Spice , a company formed by US veterans who partnered with Afghan farmers to catalyze Afghan ’ s agricultural economy . “ As Rumi cultivates peace ; we cultivate Zen ,” says Barnhart .
The “ Zen Blends ” are sold in two spice packets per pouch for $ 7.00 online . In addition to the recipe and shopping list provided on each pouch , their website features additional recipes and ideas for every spice blend .
They ’ re perfectly aligned with the growing trend of “ speed scratch ” cooking — i . e ., combining healthy , quality convenience foods with fresh ingredients to create quick , delicious meals .
“ Life is busy ,” says McKay , “ One of our goals has always been to make it easier for the home cook to prepare delicious , clean food from scratch .”
Providing Opportunities for Adults with Special Needs
But that isn ’ t their only goal . Inspired by Barnhart ’ s son , the intent from the beginning was to build a business that would provide job opportunities for adults with special needs .
That led them to outsource their packaging to Planet Access Company ( PAC ), a packaging , shipping , and warehousing company that employs adults with developmental disabilities . PAC is an enterprise of Search , Inc ., a 501 ( c )( 3 ) not-for-profit that serves adults with special needs .
“ Our PAC employees do beautiful work ,” says Production Coordinator Jackie Alfirevic . “ Our customers aren ’ t just getting a premium spice blend , they ’ re helping young adults move toward independence . In fact , a notecard signed by the employee who packs an order is added to every spice shipment .” Alfirevic continues , “ The spices were originally packed in lovely tins with a ribbon , but when Barnhart and McKay realized these were hard for our employees to pack , they changed the packaging to pouches .”
Also , a portion of every purchase goes to Drishti Donation , Barnhart and McKay ’ s giving-back program . When their busy schedule allows , they offer complimentary cooking classes to adults with special needs and donate slow cookers to their community kitchens .
Savoring the Future
Poised for growth , Barnhart and McKay have a big year ahead . They ’ ll be launching several new blends later this year . They ’ ll begin selling their products on Amazon while building their retail presence . They are committed to keeping all five of their children — ranging from seven to 23 — active in the business in some way .
In addition , they ’ re determined to help people spend less time in the kitchen and more time gathered around the table .
“ 83 percent of American households have a slow cooker , but rarely use it ,” says Barnhart . “ Our dream is to inspire every family to slow cook one day a week — to slow down and savor their times together .”
60 | Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 71