by Elaine Pearlman, ParkLane Pantry
Every so often one thing leads to another and such was the case with me and ParkLanePantry granola. Call it kismet (fate) basheret (meant to be), I’m not sure how it happened so quickly but the stars aligned for me to share my wellness journey from breast cancer with my community through my small batch granola.
Where it started
My life in Dallas began in 1986 as a young lawyer with Cowles and Thompson PC, then continued as a mother and community volunteer while I raised my children. Now young adults, my 27 year old son Ryan lives in Dallas and works in the energy business, while my 24 year old daughter, Morgan, is in her first year at Stanford Law school. Mid-life, after a blurred year from 2017-2018 spent dealing with breast cancer, an opportunity arose that spoke to my soul; my second act started then and continues to unfold in real time every day.
My love affair with granola began in 1987 at the Bluebonnet Cafe and Grocer on lower Greenville Avenue in Dallas. I became a forever granola girl back then, and began my quest to find unique home-made granola wherever my travels take me. Over the years, my hunt for the perfect blend for my pallet led me to develop my own recipes. I eat my original concoctions daily on yogurt or oatmeal, or alone as a simple workout snack – and of course I happily share the latest batches with family and friends.
The diagnosis
Life changed dramatically for me the day I received my breast cancer diagnosis and discovered I carried the BRCA 2 mutation. My determination to nourish my body led me to a holistic approach with food. I now eat a gluten free, nutritionally dense and fat adaptive diet. I learned sugar feeds cancer cells that can make cancer grow.
The medicine prescribed for me to take for the next 10 years was one that caused excruciating joint pain. I learned from my oncology nurse that a gluten-free diet incorporating healthier fats could reduce the pain.
I adopted an all-organic, cancer-fighting diet of only gluten-free whole grains, and no sugar, alcohol or dairy. In between my surgeries and during the recovery phase, my daughter and I played around in the kitchen to come up with a granola recipe that did not contain the gluten, dairy, soy and sugars found in most granola’s on the market – and just as importantly, did not sacrifice taste.
During this difficult time, my new homemade granola offered me the crunch I craved with a tad of sweet flavor.
How I realized my second act – ParkLanePantry Granola
This was the start of my journey that finally led to the perfect granola recipe. It met all my requirements – gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO, free of canola oil, grains, soy and refined sugar with good flavor, good crunch and nourishing all-natural ingredients.
Fast Forward to early 2019. My sister introduced me to Tiffany Lustig, an executive MBA student at SMU who asked me if she could “hypothetically” launch my granola as a start-up for her entrepreneur class at SMU. I agreed and soon thereafter she conducted a blind taste test featuring all the top market granola’s, gluten free and otherwise. To my surprise, ParkLanePantry scored highest on taste and texture . We decided to officially launch my product as a real business, starting on April 27th of this year and we haven’t sat still since.
I enjoy this venture every day. I wake up excited to share my small batch granola because I infuse each batch with emoto postive vibes of love and light. ParkLanePantry allows me to share my wellness journey with others which created created a healing outcome for me and a delicious product for all.
Elaine Pearlman lives with her husband, Trevor, in Dallas, where she prepares and distributes her wonderfully tasty and healthy granola. Check out her website for inspiration, recipes and a list of locations where ParkLanePantry granola can be purchased, or contact Elaine at orders@parklanepantry.com
A portion of all proceeds from ParkLanePantry are donated to the Dwight Powell Children and Family Support Fund to help patients and their children cope with cancer.
Read Other Second Act Articles
