Market Minestrone

Market Minestrone

A variation of a classic minestrone soup. It’s packed with super green nutrients for increased energy. Use whatever you find at the farmers market in season. 

Serves 4

Soup Ingredients

4 -6 cups vegetable stock, recipe below

1 bunch asparagus, tips only

1 bunch of spinach, or kale, chopped

2 cups english peas

1 head fennel, sliced, then chopped

4 garlic cloves, smashed with salt

1 spring onion, minced

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 lemon, juiced, plus zest

1 cup olive oil

1 tsp. salt or to taste

1/4 cup parsley,chopped

Pesto Ingredients  (Optional)

Bunch of basil leaves, 25 leaves

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup parmigiano reggiano, or nutritional yeast

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted 4 minutes, dry pan

1 clove garlic

squeeze of lemon

Preparing Pesto

Mix all pesto ingredients in a food processor and pulse. Leave a bit chunky. Do not over mix, it will make the pesto taste bitter. Set aside.

Preparing  the soup: 

Add half of the olive oil to a hot pan on medium heat. Add the onion, and saute for 5 minutes. Add smashed garlic, red pepper flakes and 1/2 tsp salt. Add fennel and saute 5 minutes. Add warm stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Add spinach, asparagus, peas, and the rest of the olive oil. Simmer for another 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Turn off the heat. Add lemon juice, zest, and chopped parsley. Taste again for seasoning.

Add half of the pesto and mix into the soup. Put soup in bowls and top with more pesto.

Easy Vegetable Stock Recipe: 
In a soup pot on medium heat, add 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Then add 2 carrots, 2 stalks of celery, 1 turnip, 1 white onion, 2 leeks, 2 twigs of thyme, a handful of parsley, 1 garlic clove, 7 whole peppercorns, and 1 tsp. sea salt. Add 6 cups of filtered water and simmer for 1-2 hours. Strain Vegetables. Broth keeps in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freezes up to 3 months.

Buon Appetito

For scheduled Cooking Classes in Asheville, Visit:
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When Only The Best will do

When Only The Best will do

Biltmore Executive Support Team (B.E.S.T) is a dream come true for entrepreneurs, high-level executives, affluent individuals, as well as big and small businesses alike. More than just your average professional organizer, B.E.S.T is your proud partner in business management, bookkeeping, professional organization, and customized business support services. They help your business thrive in the most efficient way possible to “get you where you need to grow!”

Their team of professional organizers is specialized in office systems and design and they collaborate with their clients to create a highly functional and peaceful work environment. They are Asheville’s only professional organizers who are certified by the American Society of Professional Organizers AND specialize in accounting. B.E.S.T is certified in QuickBooks and payroll, and they offer professional bookkeeping through their sister
company Accounting Office Management, Inc.

Not only do they help you organize and declutter your physical environment, but they also help create functional paper management, organize emails and digital files, and maintain bookkeeping systems. They do every tedious and overwhelming task that you can think of such as organizing medical records, financial statements, and setting up bill payment schedules. Even CPAs love B.E.S.T because they streamline end-of-the-year tax preparation, saving time for accountants, and reducing hefty fees for clients. They also help executives who are relocating or downsizing by acting as compassionate coaches in the purging and decluttering process.

Linne Warner has always had a clear passion for business and a thirst for creativity, which makes her a hugely successful boss-babe and the multi-talented founder of B.E.S.T. Her story began on a ranch in Chino, CA where she was riding horses before she even learned to walk. This perhaps, is what helped spark her love of adventure in life and business, and her entrepreneurial spirit.

Linne began working at the Coca-Cola Company in her early twenties, where she first became acquainted with the corporate world. Armed with a more refined sense of business, she left the company at age 22 (during the later stages of her first pregnancy) and started her first small business called, Linne’s of Palm Springs, in Santa Barbara, CA, where she produced and sold her own line of hand-painted clothing.

Linne diversified her education by completing her studies in multimedia arts and technology, which allowed her to have a focus on graphic design and marketing. Linne juggled a great deal while accomplishing her educational goals, raising two small children, having her own businesses, including maintaining the accounting and administrative needs of her family’s electrical contracting business, and eventually working full time as a marketing director for a national wholesale floral producer. Her 10-year experience as a director helped her analytical skills and creativity flourish. It also tapped into her adventurous spirit and allowed her to travel to Hong Kong and China several times a year.

The next door on her career path opened while traveling home from one of these business trips. A man sitting next to her on the flight observed her as she worked and was impressed by her keen focus and drive. He recruited her to work at Select Staffing, where she excelled as the Santa Barbara branch manager. She became educated on staff and client management, accounting, and was a devoted student of Steven Covey (author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People).

The next stop along her career path was working as the Vice President of Marketing for the Third Age Foundation. This non-profit organization was developed to help elders in the third stage of life to have longer, happier, and more fulfilled lives. Linne loves helping disadvantaged people find their direction by supporting their personal development. This is why B.E.S.T loves working with elderly executives that need help getting organized, especially if there is any cognitive decline or chronic illness.

Linne is also fierce when it comes to empowering her team members.
Because of her staffing experience, she has learned to look beyond the face value of the resume and encourages people to exceed all expectations. Her team is the foundation of her business and she loves to showcase their many talents. Her executive assistant, Olivia, is even certified in Feng Shui! Linne also does her best to support the local economy by using and recommending businesses here in town. Even her own office is outfitted in art and décor from local shops.

Linne says, “We don’t need to bring others down to succeed! There is enough to go around in this life. God gives us everything we need, including ALL the gifts and blessings that should be used to assist and elevate others whenever possible!”

Linne has two amazing children. Her daughter, Lindsay Rae, is a successful hair and makeup artist, who has worked in Beverly Hills for the past 12 years. Her son, Lucas, will be taking over the family electrical contracting business in C.A. She gets to see her children often because B.E.S.T also caters to clients in the Beverly Hills and Santa Barbara areas.

Linne married the love of her life, Chris Warner, in 2011. The two are wildly adventurous and madly in love. “He supports me 120% in every crazy idea I have or adventure I suggest. I am so grateful that he has been blessed with some sort of divine resilience, and an extraordinary amount of patience, to put up with my never-ending flow of wild ideas!” The two love to explore together, which is how they ended up in Asheville. They sold all of their belongings and hopped into their RV for a 10-month long road trip from C.A. to N.C. They purchased 17.5 acres of land in Candler, N.C., and built their dream home where they’ve had a horse, a pig, goats, chickens, two tortoises, two dogs, and a cat!

In Linne’s spare time, she loves to ride her horse and is an annual pass equestrian member at the Biltmore Estate and Asheville’s Adult Riding Club. Linne says her source for everything is her faith in God. She is an ordained minister, an Officer of the Court of the Catholic Daughters of America, and a child and hospitality minister for St. Joan
of Arc Church in Candler.

B.E.S.T

Biltmore Executive Support Team

asheville-oms.com/best

828-785-2695

79 Woodfin Place, Suite 205A
Asheville, NC 28801

Special thanks to Jim & Barbara Whitmer, Owners of Encore Stables, for graciously granting us access to their farm, encorestablesinc.com

Monica Rousseau

Monica Rousseau

Monica Rousseau is an innovator, a mentor, and a leader that has helped shape her community in positive ways with her optimism and forward-thinking attitude. She is a proud mama of 5 kids, an entrepreneur, a philanthropist, and an example of everything you can achieve when you believe in yourself.

She takes great pride in her work as principal broker at Realty ONE Group Pivot, one of the fastest growing real estate firms in Western North Carolina. Monica opened the office in 2019 because she wanted to offer a different kind of firm, one that is edgy and dynamic. She says it’s more of an “UNbrokerage” firm, where brokers can grow their businesses and provide for their families in an encouraging atmosphere that is agent-centric. Her business thrives on a culture of connectivity and support. “A rising tide raises all ships”, she says, and when one of her team members is thriving, the entire team is a success. The hallmark of her company is the mentorship and coaching approach she takes with each agent, becoming a teacher, confidant, and friend. This approach truly allows the team to become ONE family. Her brokers also utilize the most advanced technology tools to grow their businesses. For example, they were already strongly established in the online platform, so when Covid-19 hit and the industry had to make huge transitions, Realty ONE Group Pivot didn’t miss a beat and it has been business as usual throughout the pandemic.

Realty ONE Group Pivot is a full-service concierge brokerage firm that works with new construction, residential, land, and commercial spaces. They do everything for their clients from cleaning out spaces, coordinating services, estate sales, and introducing them to the best local hangouts. They anticipate their clients needs and they keep the process as seamless as possible in order to remove any stress factors. Monica’s favorite part of the job is building relationships with agents, clients, and the community. Buying and selling real estate, in particular, someone’s family home, is one of the most stressful events in life. “This job allows us, as brokers, to be a part of the most intimate space in a person’s life…their home. It’s so special to be a part of that.”

When this boss babe is not running her business and supporting her team of 36 brokers, you can find her advocating for her community through programs like Safelight and serving on various committees for the Asheville Chamber of Commerce. One of Monica’s proudest accomplishments was starting GAFA Studios, a non-profit dance studio in Wilmington, NC. Her daughter is an accomplished dancer and when her dance studio closed down, Monica decided to open up her own space. She has always been passionate about empowering children and is a strong advocate for their wellbeing, as well as an activist in ending child sex trafficking. The studio served as a means to accomplish that by helping boys and girls find their intrinsic worth, to know their gifts, and to feel good about themselves. “Everyone has greatness inside of them and I love to help other people find that greatness.”

The most important thing to Monica is her beloved family. Her greatest joy in life is when her and her husband get to watch their 5 kids do all the things they love to do such as football, softball, dance, and track. They are a family of athletes and her eldest son loves competing with her in the Spartan race (Monica is currently training for a triathlon). She will often bring her kids with her to the office to help educate them on the ins and outs of business operations.

Monica spends her free time training for races, playing golf, swimming, surfing, and skiing. She also loves to cook and is a huge jokester. “If it’s not fun, I’m not doin’ it”, she says.  She doesn’t take herself too seriously and she strives to live from a place of authenticity and vulnerability. “I have faults and I make mistakes. It’s okay to pick yourself up, dust your knees off, and keep moving forward every day”, she says. She knows that we are all still learning and becoming the best versions of ourselves. “I get up in the morning to help people reach their goals, that’s what drives me the most”, she says.

MONICA ROUSSEAU
Principal Broker
319 N King Street
Hendersonville, NC 28792
m: 828.676.7264
o: 828.595.2494
https://linktr.ee/rousseau

Trish Luzzi–Going the Extra Mile

Trish Luzzi–Going the Extra Mile

Trish Luzzi has been on the back of a motorcycle since she was 16 years old. Her love of freedom and exploration has given her the reputation of being a gypsy among her family and friends. Her openness to adventure is what led her from Canada to the United States to pursue her career in the media and real estate industries. She is passionate about encouraging others to take chances and follow their dreams. Helping people achieve their goals is what makes her the dedicated, determined, and savvy real estate advisor that she is today.

Trish has a great team of professionals at Engel & Völkers, and she feels blessed to work with Bethany Behrmann, their amazing broker in charge, who guides and encourages the team daily in their professional careers. Trish has lots of personal experience with buying and selling homes which motivated her to get her real estate license in 2018. Real estate is a way for Trish to help people settle down and get to where they want to be on their journeys. She wears many hats in the industry and enjoys both sides of a real estate transaction, whether that be selling someone’s home or finding them their next dream home.

To Trish, it’s not just about the brick and mortar of the home. It’s about going that extra mile for her clients. That can mean getting her hands dirty in crawl spaces and attics, understanding water and radon testing, being knowledgeable about septic systems and wells, and establishing trusting friendships with her clients. She goes above and beyond to make sure all the details are taken care of and her client can feel at ease throughout the process. She is able to get the resources her clients need so that they don’t have to sweat the small stuff. For instance, Trish had some out-of-state clients who purchased a home, but were not moving into the home for several months. Trish would check on their house every week and pick up their mail. Trish embodies everything you could want in a real estate advisor. She has keen negotiation skills, she’s detail oriented, a great problem solver, and to top it all off, she has a fun loving and charismatic personality.

Trish and her partner, Jim, also co-own Aero Property Investors where they work with people who want to get into the real estate game, but don’t want to handle all the aspects of property management and house flipping. Their company’s goal is to maximize their client’s funds by helping them invest in local and affordable real estate. They also work with realtors and clients to clear out homes in preparation for closings.

Trish’s journey began in Hamilton, Ontario, where she served as the Community Relations Representative for the McDonald’s Corporation. One of the greatest achievements of her career was serving on the board of directors to build a Ronald McDonald House in her home town. While raising money for the project, she met Don Luzzi, her future father-in-law and mentor, and the person that catalyzed her career in the media industry. Don was the president of two radio stations in Hamilton & Toronto and Trish was impressed by his sharp negotiating skills, cleverness, and refined business sense. She knew from their first meeting that she wanted to work for him and had asked him for a job at his station. After a few years of working for different radio stations, Don hired her at his station for sales and marketing. His integrity and leadership skills separated him from the rest of the pack and the skills Trish learned from him early on in her career left a lasting mark on her for years to come. She has been divorced from her ex-husband for a long time, but she continues to remain close to Don, and he continues to be one of her closest advisors.

Trish’s own father passed away when she was just a little girl, and her mother taught her and her siblings to always be strong willed and autonomous. When Trish went through difficult times in her life, her family reminded her to stay true to her independent, spontaneous, and adventurous spirit. This sentiment is what inspired her to get her motorcycle license. She was determined to be the driver of her own destiny, not just a passenger along for the ride.

Trish’s sense of adventure led her from Canada to the United States, where she became a permanent resident and lived in Florida and Connecticut, eventually settling down in North Carolina. She has managed teams of account executives whose focus was helping realtors market themselves in the digital world. She also worked with big companies such as Sotheby’s and Coldwell Banker to assist them in utilizing their marketing dollars to attract buyers and sellers. While living in Connecticut, she became the Senior Director of Sales Operations for Hearst Connecticut Media.

Trish had always been determined to move to the Carolinas and when she met her partner, Jim Fritz, they were able to make that dream a reality. Trish and Jim share a love of adventure and motorcycles, so the winding and scenic mountain roads of Western North Carolina were a major draw for them. “It doesn’t take much of a nudge from either of us to drop what we are doing and go for a ride any month of the year.” A typical ride for them lasts from 3 to 10 hours and they can end up in another state just to go to lunch.“We have covered all of the Northeast, including New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont. Our best trip so far, was a 6-day trip from Connecticut to the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia with a group of friends.” Her true home is on a bike, boat, or a horse, and is where she finds her ultimate peace of mind. Tragedy struck when Trish had a bad car accident a few years ago and she found herself apprehensive about getting back on her bike. With the support and encouragement of Jim, she is determined to get back to riding and becoming that adventurous free spirit once again.

Trish hasn’t let go of her media background and is also an account executive for AVL Media Inc. and does freelance work for SOFIA magazine. She is proud to be a part of the publication because it focuses on local business women and has featured some great gals on the cover, many of whom she works with in her industry.

On a personal level, Trish is super optimistic and there is no place for negativity in her world. She can always find the good in any situation. While she strives to be the best version of herself, she knows it’s also important, especially for women, to love ourselves the way we are, and be comfortable in our own skin in order to truly give to others and to be of service. She is a Rotarian with the Hendersonville Rotary Club and some of her major goals for 2021 include completing 30 charitable activities (she has a food drive set up in her neighborhood for Manna food bank in February), as well as taking 30 hikes, and 30 motorcycle rides.

Trish Luzzi
Real Estate Advisor
ENGEL & VÖLKERS Asheville
[email protected]
trishluzzi.evrealestate.com
828-423-0248

Natasha Kubis is a licensed acupuncturist and certified yoga teacher.
For more
information, visit acuwellhealth.com

It’s About the Journey, Travel Well…

An important question to ask yourself is Why? It is what will have sustainability, and keep you moving forward. As an entrepreneur who created three successful businesses in a three decade span, the main ingredients have been passion, intention and a bit of drive. My first business was an intimate hair salon in Santa Fe. I opened it with five clients. I remember someone saying she either has money or she has nerve. Neither was the case. I knew it would be successful. I saw the result in my heart and mind, although it had not yet come into fruition.

“Do not be concerned with the fruit of your action – Just give attention to the action itself. The fruit will come on its own accord”. Eckhart Tolle

I admit it takes some courage to do something like that.  When I look at my endeavor’s the common thread was a passion for creating beauty of all kinds, and sharing it with others. What is it for you? If there is doubt, know it is a natural emotion in the creation of something unknown.

As an entrepreneur there will be Sundays still in your jammies working on a project. For me it never feels like work. I feel joy and a heartfelt connection. it will take time, wand some sacrifice, but it is a journey worth taking.

What I learned along the way…

    Follow your first instinct

    Stay open, flexible, pay attention to opportunities.

    Know your strengths and limitations, learn how to delegate.

    Follow the 95% rule, especially for all the perfectionists.  When a project is 95% move on. The energy spent for that last 5% is exorbitant, and unnecessary.

I wish all you courageous women success and magic…

For Cooking
Classes in Asheville, Visit:
LaurieRichardone.com

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