I met Lonnie Atkinson, Founder and Owner of Village Juice Co., a few years ago while she was doing a juice “tasting” at my Pure Barre studio. I have had lots of juice in my time, but something was different about Lonnie’s juice. It’s beyond fresh, her mix of flavors is spot on and her nut milks are out of this world. Most importantly, the juice’s are cold-pressed (raw) and last about 72 hours, because Lonnie does not use any pasteurization (heating of the juice) or HPP (High Pressure Processing). Her juice is untreated in any way and each contains up to four pounds of fresh produce!! My favorite is “Get Real.” It’s all greens + lemon, ginger and turmeric, making it super low sugar, anti-inflammatory, alkalizing, an immunity booster and a digestive aid. Can’t beat all that! I also LOVE “Moose,” which is their version of a chocolate almond milk. It is such a treat while still being great for you!
Recently Lonnie expanded Village Juice into a full-blown restaurant and juice bar in Winston Salem, North Carolina. The food is incredible. Think, grain bowls, avocado toasts, smoothie bowls, salads, etc. I recently had the Edie bowl, which I could literally eat for lunch everyday…it’s that good! Village juice only uses the best possible ingredients and sources from local farms.
We believe in clean food and raw juice – full of nutrients, free of artificial anything and Mother Earth-approved. We believe real food doesn’t contain ingredients, it is ingredients. That’s why everything on our menu is pressed, squeezed, ground, pureed, mixed, chopped and crafted in-house. We believe superfoods make you feel superhuman. And everyone deserves to feel that way. –Lonnie Atkinson
While Village Juice is not yet shipping nationwide, they do deliver in the Triad area and the juices are sold at their shop (205 S. Stratford Rd, Winston Salem, NC 27103), from their Truck (1208 Reynolda Rd, Winston, Salem) and at the Cobblestone Farmers Market on Saturdays. Even cooler (no pun intended!), they now have a “Juice Box” aka a cold-pressed juice vending machine at the Wake Forest Innovation Quarter. Hope to see more of these around the country in the future!
Hope you’ll read on for Lonnie’s “Light”ning Round to learn more about Lonnie and why juicing and eating this way is so important for our bodies. If you’re in NC, be sure to check out the new Village Juice Co. restaurant and click here for more info www.villagejuicecompany.com.
“Light”ning Round…
Why juice? I found juicing when I lived in Northern California. I had struggled with terrible digestion and weight fluctuation after college. Juicing immediately changed my life by eliminating my sugar cravings and regulating my digestion. I helped me to establish a healthy relationship with food.
What sets Village Juice apart? We make real food & juice without any of the junk. our products are REALLY GOOD for you and taste amazing. Most foods that are labeled “health foods or juices” lack flavor and are generally processed, high in sugar and don’t make you feel good or give you the results you want
Why should we drink it? With our juices, you get 4lbs of organic produce in one bottle. That’s more veggies than most people get in a whole day. Our juices are high in vitamins, minerals & phyto nutrients. By not processing or pasturizing our juices, all of those nutrients are still alive in our juices.
Your new restaurant…Village Juice Co is a quick serve fresh food restaurant that serves: Cold-Pressed Juices & Nut Milks, Smoothies & Smoothie Bowls, Salad & Grain Bowls, Toasts (open faced sandwhiches) & Vegan Desserts. We are proud to make almost everything we serve from scratch. The items we do not make are sourced responsibly and often locally. All of our juices and nut milks are made in house daily using the finest fruits, vegetables and superfoods available. Much of our menu is plant based, but we serve bacon & chicken as well. Our menu is very diverse to appeal to all different types of people.
Breakfast – Green Juice (usually our Pipe Dreams or Get Real- cuke, celery, kale, chard, parsley, lemon, ginger, turmeric) + Moose ( our decadent chocolate almond milk)
Lunch – smoothie or cukes dipped in avocado spread with Gnomestead Hollow Curtido.
Snack – trying to limit my snacking, but if I do, I’ll usually grab a handful of our housemade almond crumble, goji berries & cacao nibs
Drinks– Kombucha, kombucha cocktails, white wine
Dinner – I usually eat pretty light during the day and try to have a substantial meal with my family for dinner. I tend to go for fish (usually salmon) + rice or a salad.
Dessert — i RARELY eat dessert, but if i do, it’s usually a fig bar or vegan cheesecake from Village Juice or if we are at a restaurant and they have creme brulee, I cannot turn it down.
Workout of choice? jogging… I like to run 5-6 miles if I have time. I do tons of pushups and try to do weighted squats & lunges 3-4 times per week.
Favorite activewear brands? Beyond Yoga + Lululemon
Your version of self-care? Not overeating, getting to sleep in at least one day a week, sweating five days per week, and if i’m lucky, going to mexico with my best friend every winter. Most of all, spending time with my family… in particular my little girls. They make all of this work worth while:)
Books, Netflix or Housewives? Books