Pump Up the Protein

Hanna Valley Protein's no-bake bars are made with plenty of healthy and organic ingredients. Find the full recipe here.

PUMP UP PROTEIN THE ALL-NATURAL WAY

Writer: Karla Walsh

Once per day, every day, I whip up a smoothie bowl. I find that this is one of the easiest and simplest ways to guarantee I get at least two cups of fruit and a good dose of protein each day. And one of the powders I use is Emily Hanna's Hanna Valley Protein, which I tried this spring.

The ingredients are healthy, organic and affordable. And Hanna knows the power of clean eating: After being diagnosed with the autoimmune disease lupus in 2016, she found that nearly all of her symptoms disappeared after adjusting her diet to be packed with whole foods.

At the time, her husband was using protein powder daily—and as Hanna began examining the labels of all of the staples in their home kitchen, she was surprised by the lengthy protein powder ingredient list. So she grabbed a spice grinder, some nuts, seeds and spices, and blitzed up her own signature blend for the family to use at home in smoothies, pancakes and beyond. Her neighbors caught wind of the creation and the super-powered powder snowballed from there.

You can now find her chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla and pumpkin (a fall exclusive) protein powders at several retailers across Iowa, including Campbell's Nutrition, Fresh Thyme Market, Dogpatch Urban Gardens, Nosh, Des Moines Mercantile, Iowa Food Coop and Capital City Fruit.

“When I'm in a hurry, I toss it in with almond milk and frozen banana," Hanna says. "Otherwise, most of my smoothies have almond butter, vanilla cashew yogurt, spinach and berries as well.”

If you’re less of a smoothie fan and more of a sweets person, here’s Hanna's recipe for her no-bake bars.

To learn more and order online, visit hannavalley.com. Score more recipes and discover new retail partners as they’re added by following @hannavalleyprotein on Instagram.

"Tent Pegs" by David Dahlquist will be one of the works on display at Moberg Gallery's new exhibition, "Full Circle," opening Friday. Photo: Moberg Gallery

TWO ARTISTS STAR IN NEW MOBERG EXHIBITION

Life certainly has a way of coming back around. Just ask David Dahlquist and Wendell Arneson, who were teacher (Arneson) and protégé (Dahlquist) at a Wisconsin high school in the 1970s. Now they both
feature in Moberg Gallery's upcoming exhibition opening Friday—aptly named "Full Circle."

"We have talked about doing a show together for a long time," Dahlquist says, adding that the two have stayed close over the years. "In artwork, you think about the past, people that you loved as teachers, influences—they come around."

Des Moines-based Dahlquist, who specializes in ceramics, will have about two dozen works on display. Last year, Dahlquist stepped back from his full-time position as managing principal at architectural firm RDG Planning and Design to focus on his own artwork. This will be his first exhibition since then—he had previously had a few works selected as a part of larger showcases.

"In my studio, there's dirt and the chaos and everything going on around my work," Dahlquist says. "Now, [at Moberg], you can you hang it on the white wall, where you put it on this new pedestal. You are granted a moment of objectivity, where you get to see it differently."

Arneson, a painter from Northfield, Minn., will display 22 works. He's participated in past Moberg exhibitions and has works in numerous corporate and public collections, such as Ford Motor Corp., 3M Corp. and First Bancorp.

"Full Circle" launches with an opening reception at 5-7 p.m. Friday at Moberg Gallery. Find more details and images of the artwork here.

Another Must-See Exhibition
View works from some of Des Moines' top artists at Polk County Heritage Gallery's annual "Greater Des Moines Exhibited" collection. The exhibit, which features 63 works from 51 local artists, will be on display through Dec. 17.

Friday's "Wreath the Runway" will be the second such event; the first took place in 2019. Photo: Design Fetish

TAKE IN FLOWERS AND FASHION AT RUNWAY EVENT

Fashion will meet florals at the upcoming "Wreath the Runway" show at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Mainframe Studios. Deshara Bohana, who owns Design Fetish, and Thijin Bol of Project Runway are partnering on the project, which will showcase Black culture through fashion, flowers, food, storytelling, music and dance.

Organizers are collaborating with a number of local Black-owned businesses and will raise funds for the Ankeny Community Network, which aims to "provide a supportive environment that appreciates multiculturalism and diversity."

The show is one of a number of happenings at Mainframe's First Friday event, including a DSM Latino Film Festival screening of Vincent Valdez’s short film that honors Latinos from the Des Moines area; large-scale photographic works of art by Goizane Esain; and a performance by the musical ensemble Calle Sur. Attendance is free.

Bravo is back! The popular awards gala will return in 2022. Photo: Ann Elizabeth Photography and Maharry Photography

BRAVO AWARDS GALA TO RETURN IN FEBRUARY

This story appeared in our sister publication, the Business Record. Read the full story here.

Writer: Michael Crumb

Bravo Greater Des Moines will bring back its fundraiser gala Feb. 5, 2022, as an in-person event, with proceeds going to offset the organization’s operating expenses. Whatever is raised above that level will go back to the community in grants to Bravo's 75 nonprofit cultural partners, says Sally Dix, Bravo’s executive director.

The gala was last held live in 2020, just weeks before the pandemic began to shut things down.

Dix says Bravo is maintaining the elements that make the gala unique, but also refreshing it to keep the familiar black-tie, cocktail party format exciting and focused on the local arts, culture and heritage sectors.

Sponsorships for the 2022 Bravo Awards Gala are now on sale for past event partners. Depending on availability, tickets for new supporters and the general public will go on sale Dec. 10. More information is available and sponsorship requests can be made by emailing gala@bravogreaterdesmoines.org.

Take a tour of one of Greater Des Moines' most expensive homes in this video.

WHAT WILL $4 MILLION GET YOU THESE DAYS?

Looks like it'll get you quite a lot. A recently listed Clive home boasts a 1.5-acre lot, 3,847 square feet, four bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, three fireplaces and a temperature-controlled wine room. The list price? $4.45 million.

The home also has custom millwork, a 12-car garage and a fully integrated smart home system. But words really don't do it justice. Check out this video tour of the property.

Hope Ministries is asking for volunteers for its annual Thanksgiving Day food delivery program. Photo: Hope Ministries

IOWA STOPS HUNGER
BRING FOOD TO THOSE IN NEED THIS THANKSGIVING

Hope Ministries will deliver thousands of meals to people in need on Thanksgiving Day—and they’re asking for the help of volunteers. Positions include on-site meal delivery as well as driver teams who will deliver meals around Des Moines.

If enough people volunteer to help assemble and deliver, Hope Ministries will be able to provide 3,500 free Thanksgiving meals. On-site volunteers must be at least 13 years of age. Organizers say for families with younger children, serving as a meal delivery driver team is a great option. For more information on Thanksgiving volunteer opportunities, go to this website.

Iowa Stops Hunger is a Business Publications Corporation initiative to bring awareness and action to food insecurity in Iowa.