A smooth way to start your day

4 Medjool dates, pitted

2 frozen bananas

3 cups fresh strawberries, plus more for garnish

1 cup ice

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Notes:

You can substitute frozen strawberries for fresh if needed.

Eventually the grind and the party life grew wearying. “I wanted to settle down, have kids,” Riesco said. That led the couple back to Barcelona where they opened Picnic, a restaurant that introduced the concept of brunch to the night-owl Barcelonans.

“People loved it,” Riesco said. “The food was totally new to them. What is an eggs benedict? What is a fried green tomato?”

Thirteen successful years later, after a series of trips to Penke’s native Santa Barbara, the lure of her hometown grew strong. By this time they had two daughters, Chloe and Estela.

“I wanted our kids to have nature, family, cousins, all that,” Penke said. So they started look-

What’s it like operating restaurants 6,000 miles and an ocean apart? “It’s definitely a challenge, but Santa Barbara is hands-down where we want to raise our kids,” Penke said. “Where they can hear the mission bells and walk to the rose garden. It’s so nice to be in this beautiful town.”

Coming soon: brunch. They know how to do that perfectamente

A brief note about the name: “Gala” is the nickname of Salvador Dali’s wife, Elena Ivanovna Diakonova. The Dalis lived in Spain’s Costa Brava, which is dear to Penke and Riesco because they took their first vacation together there. “It was like naming our fourth child,” Penke said. “Picnic first, then the kids, now Gala.”

1 3⁄4 cups unsweetened milk of choice

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1⁄4 cup Imlak’esh sacha inchi protein powder or other protein powder*

1 Happy Chance cannabisinfused strawberry turmeric fruit bite, optional*

1⁄2 cup homemade or storebought granola*

Place the dates in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 10 minutes to soak. Drain and place in a blender. Add the banana, strawberries, ice, vanilla, milk, turmeric, protein powder of choice, and fruit bite. Blend until smooth. Divide the smoothie mixture between bowls and top with fresh strawberries and granola.

Imlak’esh Organics is a local Santa Barbara superfood company. Sacha inchi is a source of plant-based protein with all essential amino acids. There are 17 g of complete protein in every serving. If not making your own granola, then we love the granola from Oat Bakery!

Happy Chance is a female-founded cannabis company based in Santa Barbara. They offer a healthy alternative to the modern-day cannabis gummy with a low dose fruit bite made with whole foods, natural sugars, and solventless rosin. One strawberry turmeric fruit bite has 2.5 mg THC, 1 mg CBD, and 1 mg CBG per serving. You can find Happy Chance products a all The Farmacy stores and Sespe Creek Collective in Ojai. Visit www.eathappychance.com for more info.