Ronnie's Awesome List is proud to present a guest post by Binary Curtis, Founder of Bacon + Broccoli. Binay interviews Kristine Shine, co-founder of Imagine That, a delicious alternative to beat the heat and the sweet this summer. 

Give it a try; Swirl is offering 15% OFF until the end of August if you mention Ronnie’s Awesome List! 

School is over; baseball season is behind us and it’s summer time in Marin. What’s better than an ice cream cone on a warm (or cold, in our case) summer day?  As a nutritionist, I’m always looking for yummy treats make my children happy, without all the added sugar. That’s why when Swirl owners, Jeff and Kristine Shine, launched the Imagine That ice cream bar, with 13g of protein and 0g of sugar, I was eager to give it a try. The Imagine That ice cream bar flavors comes in vanilla, coffee bean, chocolate and sweet mint and is available at Swirl, Mill Valley. Take a look at these sweet smiles and top off your day with these sugar-free treats the next time you’re hiking, biking or playing on the beach in Mill Valley. 

I sat down with Co-Founder, Kristine Shine and asked her why they created The Imagine That ice cream bar:

Kristine, what’s your inspiration?

Jeff started making homemade ice cream in about a year ago but then got into a health and fitness kick.  His personal trainer suggested he make a "healthy" ice cream and Jeff started talking to nutritionists and other to figure out what "healthy" means.  Essentially, the healthiest products have lots of protein and no sugar.  He was obsessed on making a bar (which controls the portions) that tastes amazing so it took him eight months in development.  He chose to make it with coconut cream so that it is easy to digest and didn't weigh down.  Of course, with no sugar, it is also low calorie.  We named it Imagine That because frankly, we felt like we had imagined the impossible and made it possible!

Yes, but don’t we have enough healthy treats around this town?

There is a lot of healthy, but not a lot of healthy AND tasty.  Jeff was all about creating something that tasted like a full on treat, in the same way his ice cream is, but something you didn't feel guilty about eating everyday. 

Would you say this is for the typical Swirl customer?

Yes and no. We know our customers will enjoy it, but we also know there’s a much greater audience to appeal to besides those who walk in our doors. There are seniors and many others who need to watch their sugar intake for health reasons, such as diabetes. We will be expanding it beyond our store into grocery stores across the country, allowing everyone a bite at the Imagine That bar!

What’s your future vision for this company?

We are on a journey to inspire others to live their happiest, healthiest and most adventurous life. We are imaging being part of everything that makes Marin -- Marin! Hiking, biking, yoga, adventures, festivals and more…

To learn more, visit: imaginethatcompany.com/our-story

Binay Curtis is a nutritionist focused on food allergies and weight loss. She also is a sought after speaker and media trainer @GalaxySix.  For nutritional therapy information, please find Bacon + Broccoli on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.