At various stages in my life I’ve followed different diets – from vegan to vegetarian, from fruitarian to Paleo, to whatever I was craving at the moment – but no matter what I was eating, my diet has always been locally focused. Since our last recession, eating local has become the norm and I know many people have experienced a shift in awareness…but have we really moved the needle? Are we really changing the metrics about what percentage of food we import vs. what we grow right here in the islands?

The older I become, the more aware I am of the benefit my body feels when I eat a little bit less or opt for lighter faire or take the time to work some natural movement into my day. So, I was intrigued when I started hearing more and more about happiness, walking and a plant-based diet all related directly to living longer. Did you notice every recipe in this issue is plant-based? There’s a reason! So, read on and be inspired by the Blue Zones Project.

And for the 5th year, we’re pleased to present you with our Hawaii Farm Guide, added to our Spring issue as a token of appreciation for both our subscribers and the local farmers that feed us. We redesigned it based on direct feedback from our readers, and we added something special for our 5th annual Farm Day. We invite you to peek between pages 33/34, and mark your calendar for Saturday, May 19th to join us at the market.

Spring is all about growing. Will you help edible Hawaiian Islands grow too? We hear all the time, “I love this magazine!” or, “I keep every single copy!” so why not show how much you love us by becoming a subscriber? We deeply appreciate your continued support.

With aloha,
Dania Novack-Katz
Editor-at-Large