What if the words “healthy” and “delicious” were as commonly linked together in daily conversation as “cheap” and “fast food”? What if fast food was actually good for you? Fast food is certainly a brilliant concept–it’s cheap, easily accessible, and filling. Unfortunately, fast food as we’ve known it has come at a huge cost–at the expense of our longevity, physical power, energy, mental clarity, vibrancy, and healthy glow. The good news: it doesn’t have to. Thrive, a vibrant new restaurant in the Roosevelt area, is redefining the term “fast food” and has created an environment for people to be nourished and supported in creating optimal health and well-being.

“Thrive hopes to provide a radically different dining experience designed to provide the body with the fuel it needs so that people have enough energy to fulfill their dreams, or whatever it is they are up to in life,” says Monika KInsman, 29, Thrive’s founder. She continues, “our regular customers consistently tell me that our food provides them with increased nourishment that helps them operate more effectively and efficiently in their daily lives, that they experience heightened mental clarity, that they experience more restful sleep with less hours and a quickened waking up, and are able to be more present to their work, families, and daily experience.

While Thrive’s food is carefully crafted to ensure each meal is highly nutrient-dense, the meals are designed for deliciousness. Amazingly, all of Thrive’s meals are created using only raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, seaweeds, and natural sweeteners. “Because our ingredients are 99% organic, you will taste the difference in every bite. Our menu may be 100% gluten-free, dairy-free, and peanut-free…. but take one bite of our chocolate mousse or key lime pie, and you’ll be amazed and delighted by what is possible using simple, fresh, natural ingredients.” Monika says that the caring intentions and thoughtfulness that Thrive’s staff put into preparing each meal is what makes the difference. “Our team members are health-conscious warriors who thrive on creating nutritious meals that make you go “MmmMMmmm!!!!!” Their commitment is that the body be fueled for vibrant living.

Thrive is transforming the viewpoint and common conversation our culture holds about the levels of the health and vitality possible in older age. They also aim to make a significant impact in reducing incidence of cancer and other disease. Monika shared her personal journey and the transformation that led her to creating Thrive. “When my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2003, she opted not to undergo the usual, recommended treatment of Chemotherapy and radiation. Instead, we started researching the link between food, diet, and disease and spoke to many people who’d successfully recovered from various health challenges by eating a raw, plant-based diet. We became completely intrigued by the concept, sought support, and both changed our dietary habits. Within a year, my mother’s cancer was in remission and she’s living healthy and vibrantly today. Personally, I lost sixty pounds, my cholesterol dropped over 100 points and, most importantly, I started having the energy necessary to support my extremely demanding lifestyle of a full-time job, schooling for two independent master’s degrees, and a fulfilling family life.”

Monika also shared her challenges of “going raw”. “The greatest challenge that I experienced after switching to a primarily raw foods diet was the lack of health-conscious restaurants available. I enjoyed dining out with friends and family, and found that Seattle that every time I’d visit a restaurant in Seattle and asked if they had anything raw on the menu, I’d get odd looks and uncertainty from my server. I finally would settle on asking for a salad with nothing cooked or processed, and proceeded to endure a drab meal. After traveling to cities and experiencing the joy of eating at incredible live-food restaurants in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York, I was inspired a restaurant locally where people could experience the what the raw foods diet is really about. I put my knowledge, skills, and abilities to and created the vision for a community-oriented business whose mission was to have people thrive. I left my day job, raised nearly $200,000, and here we are 8 months later, serving plates of pure healthful decadence that don’t sacrifice flavor for health. Since opening, we’ve served over 15,000 guests, many of whom have now had the opportunity to experience the radical, positive effects of shifting to a natural, plant-based diet. But most importantly, despite the struggles of opening a new business, I love coming to work each day because I know I’m making a difference. I have great visions for the expansion and future of Thrive. Whether people knowingly walk-through our doors or accidentally stumble upon us, I’m confident that Thrive will impact them as positively and profoundly as it has the entire Thrive family.”