“Mess-O-Greens” Cook-off Launched at Ventura County’s Annual Juneteenth Celebration

Ventura County will be home to the first
Mess-O-Greens
Cook-off on Saturday, June 21 at the 24th annual Juneteenth
Celebration in Oxnard.

The two-day family-friendly event is the first
cultural and wellness celebration of cooking greens in Southern California. It
will kick off on Friday, June 20 with a contest for Southern California’s best
greens recipe and culminates on Saturday, June 21 with food demonstrations and
a wellness pavilion featuring health and wellness experts discussing the
benefits of eating greens. Prizes will be awarded to the winners.

“Popeye was right, but it’s not just spinach that
will make you healthy and strong,” said Susan J. Speer, a registered dietician
and board-certified specialist in oncology nutrition at St. John’s Hospital
Cancer Center. “Greens are super vegetables”

The event organizers have designed an event to
attract families from the Ventura County community, amateur chefs, foodies,
food bloggers, health and wellness educators, exhibitors, tourists and others
interested in learning more about the importance of “eating green.”  

“The Mess-O-Greens Cook-off is a chance to promote
better health to minority groups through food and diet, while celebrating
cultural traditions and learning about the various recipes for cooking greens,”
said Kelcey Newman, event producer and owner of Attain Design
and Marketing Communications (ATTAIN+), an Oxnard-based marketing, graphic
design and brand development company. “We must take time to recognize that
while good recipes can be passed down through generations, so can good health
and eating habits.”

There
are more than 15 types of cooking greens including kale, chard, mustard, turnip
and collards. They are becoming increasingly recognized for their exceptional
nutritional richness, health benefits and delicious flavor. These greens belong
to the cruciferous family of vegetables and provide significant health
benefits, including cancer prevention, eye health, bone strength and lowered
cholesterol.

Ventura
County is the gateway to California’s central coast. Oxnard’s vibrant and
culturally diverse community celebrates many of its historical, recreational
and environmental assets. Already known as the “Strawberry Capital of the
World,” Oxnard is home to some of the most fertile soil in the country and is a
major producer of celery, lima beans, lettuce, onions, lemons and Greens.  

Garrett
Nishimori, food service business development and corporate chef for the
Oxnard-based San Miguel Produce, Inc., said his company is
proud to provide “high quality, fresh greens” and washed and ready-to-use
products for the community.

Mess-O-Greens
invites you to join San Miguel Produce,” Inc. (Cut ‘N Clean Greens), Whole Foods, St. John’s Hospital Cancer Center,
Powerhouse Gym, Attain Design and Marketing Communications (ATTAIN+) and other businesses in promoting the importance of healthy
eating and living well in partnership with BAPAC’s 24th Annual Juneteenth
Celebration. For more information, visit http://mess-o-greens.com.