The NuttZo family includes founder Danielle LiVolsi and husband Kevin and adopted sons Matthew and Gregory.
Photo by: Karen Billing
Danielle LiVolsi is hoping that people will go absolutely NuttZo for her invention - a new kind of multinut butter now featured on the shelves at Jimbo's and Whole Foods.
The Carmel Valley mom explained that NuttZo is an all-organic product that combines Valencia peanuts with cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds and flax seeds. It's a dream come true for someone like LiVolsi, who cops to eating peanut butter by the spoonful as a child.
The product is also her way of giving back, with a portion of the proceeds from NuttZo going to Project Left Behind, which helps orphaned children. The cause is dear to her heart as she has adopted two children from Ukraine, Matthew and Gregory.
For LiVolsi, whose family all has matching "Go NuttZo" tees, going NuttZo doesn't just mean enjoying her yummy spread. It also means doing your part for a cause you are passionate about.
"We want to inspire people to pick a cause that they have a fire in their belly to do something for and get involved," LiVolsi said. "If we all do one thing, we can change the world, one nut at a time."
Health nut LiVolsi has always been into health and nutrition and a natural in the kitchen. When she adopted Gregory, she said she found out he was vitamin-deficient, so she started "super-boosting" all of his foods to get him the nutrients he needed. That was how she created NuttZo.
LiVolsi would buy all the nuts raw and roast them herself - her husband, Kevin, finally remarking, "Can't you just buy that?"
Realizing there wasn't a jar of multinut butter you could buy and that everyone seemed to adore the stuff, LiVolsi quit her job at Jack FM radio station to go NuttZo.
"She's a phenomenal cook," Kevin said. "This is the perfect thing for her."
NuttZo is not crunchy or smooth - while it's unsweetened, it tastes sweet and the seeds and nuts blend well together to make each bite flavorful.
Making the product unique, the jar is stored upside down on the shelves so the oil separates to the bottom, LiVolsi said. Once opened, you stir it and store it right-side up.
LiVolsi said she eats NuttZo by the spoonful, but her boys like it on apples, waffles and English muffins. She even whips up NuttZo dog treats - she said her dog starts barking in anticipation when she smells it baking.
What makes NuttZo's success even sweeter for LiVolsi is what it can do for Project Left Behind, which seeks to provide human touch, nourishment and surrogate nurturing tools to the some 10 million children in the world's orphanages.
"It feels like we're doing something, and that is so empowering," said LiVolsi, who in July will visit Nepalese orphanages to spread a little love and NuttZo.
To learn more about NuttZo, check out gonuttzo.com.
Karen Billing Karen is a staff writer. She can be reached by e-mail.
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