Sam is head of E-commerce at OSEA. When not dissecting a data set, he can be found on a run at the beach, working on a jigsaw puzzle, or plotting his next weekend getaway. Not to mention, his fall kale salad is the perfect quick dinner! Keep reading for more on Sam, our marketing master.
Q&A With Sam Koch
Brightland: What do you like to keep out on your kitchen countertop or "kitchen shelfie"?
Sam: My countertop is a shrine to my love of elaborate beverages. The offerings include:
(1) A water pitcher and bowl of lemons - as my closest companion is usually a mason jar filled with lemon water.
(2) A Chemex, coffee grinder, and scale to enable precise measurement of my caffeine intake.
(3) A Vitamix - because I truly love a breakfast smoothie and somehow just having the blender out eases the mental burden of clean up.
Brightland: What does living in a golden state meant to you?
Sam: It means maintaining practices that encourage me to be present. Doing so on a regular basis makes the everyday richer. Even if it’s something small like walking the dog or finding the right album to play while I fold laundry, it makes that chore so much more pleasant and encourages so much more peace of mind.
Brightland: What is your favorite way to use olive oil?
Sam: I love using Brightland with large batches of veggies and other simple dishes where I can really let the quality shine. I am also on a quest to make sure I try ARDOR with all my favorite LA pizzas.
Brightland: What is your favorite board game from your childhood?
Sam: Clue - apparently foreshadowing how one day I would end up so well-versed in 20+ seasons of Law and Order: SVU.
Brightland: How do you unplug and disconnect?
Sam: One of my favorite ways to unplug is to have a jigsaw puzzle that I am working on at home. I find it requires just enough concentration to quiet my mind, and it’s simple enough to pick back up if you for whatever reason have to neglect it for a few days.
Sam's Fall Kale Salad, featuring Brightland
Ingredients:
- ½ Butternut Squash
- 4 tbsp Brightland's Awake
- 1 Gala Apple
- 2 bunches of Dino Kale
- 1 lemon
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut the squash into small cubes, toss with 2 tbsp of AWAKE plus salt + pepper.
- Once the oven is hot, roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
- De-stem and chop Kale. I prefer smaller shreds between ½” and ¾”
- Add kale to a bowl and massage with 2 tbsp AWAKE and a pinch of salt.
- Squeeze half a lemon over the kale and set aside.
- Dice the apple and slice the almonds.
- Combine squash, apple, and almonds into the bowl with the kale and mix.