Experience Nutrition: The List TV Show: Enjoy Chokeberries: 3 Delicious Beautiful Recipes

By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Intuitive Cooking Expert, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author

I am so honored to share my passions for healthy, beautiful plant-based food on The List TV Show to the show’s audience in 41 markets across the USA. This segment was a lot of fun to create and shoot with Producer Jacqui Denker and Co-host Segun Oduolowu.

Click to watch the segment on The List TV show.

A Peek Behind the Scenes

Producer Jacqui Denker asked me if I knew how to work with “Chokeberries.” Well, in all honesty, I had not heard of Chokeberries, but did a quick “Google Search” as we all do, and found that they were also called Aronia. Chokeberries sounded as though they would be similar to the superfood berries, Acai or Macai. I thought it would be fun to create with Chokeberries which I had never even tasted and agreed to work on the Chokeberry tv segment on Chokeberries with The List.

Northwest Wild Foods: Our Chokeberry Source

Little did I know after spending half a day driving around Phoenix that Chokeberries were not readily available locally here in Arizona. I was not able to find frozen, dried, or powdered chokeberries anywhere.

With a little more research, I was thrilled to find Chokeberries at Northwest Wild Foods an incredible family-owned company located between the temperate Puget Sound and the rugged Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest in Burlington, Washington. Northwest Wild Foods grows and harvests rare and natural berries of their region.

Within two days my supply of frozen, dried and powdered Chokeberries and other beautiful Wild and Organic berries arrived at my home. It was time to begin recipe testing for The List TV show segment. Honestly, I had so much fun creating these recipes to receive the antioxidant benefits of the chokeberries while enjoying a tasty Smoothie Bowl, Salad, and Dessert.

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Get to Know Chokeberries

Chokeberries have been extremely popular in Europe for over 50 years, and grow extremely well in the northern US climate. Chokeberries are similar in size to blueberries with a deeper darker blackish blue color and are rich in anthocyanins, which have high anti-inflammatory effects in the body.

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The Farm at South Mountain. Soil & Seed Garden

Meanwhile, to bring our local Arizona farmers into the dishes, I reached out to my friend, passionate Lead Gardener Billy Anthony at the Soil & Seed Garden at The Farm at South Mountain,  a beautiful urban farm where I hold cooking events and located less than a mile from my home. We discussed what was growing and brainstormed the local seasonal greens we could include in the salad along with edible flowers and herbs for garnish.

Some of my favorite greens were growing, including Glacier Lettuce (Ice Plant), Minutina, Spinach, and my favorite floral Shungiku (chrysanthemum). Plus, fresh herbs oregano, mint, and basil were in season. And, this time of year, in Phoenix, Billy is growing a wide range of stunning, tasty edible flowers that offer beauty and taste to dishes. I was especially excited about Pansies, Chrysanthemum, Violas, and red Begonias.

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Morning of The List TV Shoot: Chokeberry Recipe Prep

The morning of The List TV Shot, I prepared all three recipes before the crew arrived.  For my own pleasure I enjoyed the Chokeberry Superberry Smoothie Bowl. Plus, I made another batch of the Chokeberry Lemon Pops with fresh pansies grown at The Farm at South Mountain and made the simple delicious Chokeberry Dressing.

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Our Set for The List TV Segment

Honored to invite The List crew into my kitchen: Multi-talented fun co-host Segun Oduolowu, creative Producer Jacqui Decker, and talented, meticulous cameraman, Ryan. Such a joy filming and enjoy our Chokeberry creations together.

A few outtakes from the tv shoot, with a behind the scene video and photos.

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Segun’s Chokeberry Creations

During the shoot, I guided Segun to prepare the three Chokeberry recipes and, as always, so in awe of his willingness to have fun with the food and to creativity plate the dishes.

Enjoy a few photos from the shoot and the Dishes we created during the shoot.

• Chokeberry Superberry Smoothie Bowl

• Simple Greens & Berry & Walnut Salad with Chokeberry Dressing

• Frozen Chokeberry Lemonade Pops

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The Chokeberry Recipes

Intuitively create a full day of meals with the power antioxidant-rich chokeberries (Aronia) which score 3-4 times higher on ORAC as blueberries. While chokeberries are tart and a little bitter, they are a powerful superberry for delicious smoothie bowls, salad dressings, and even frozen pops.

• Chokeberry Superberry Smoothie Bowl
• Simple Greens & Berry & Walnut Salad with Chokeberry Dressing
• Frozen Chokeberry Lemonade Pops

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Chokeberry Superberry Smoothie Bowl

Start the morning with an antioxidant- and protein-rich smoothie featuring powerful chokeberries (Aronia berries). Add hemp and chia seeds for plant protein and fats. Plus, dates and banana add sweetness to the smoothie. Enjoy with your favorite fresh or frozen berries, herbs, and edible flowers.

In our recipe with The List, we garnished with a superberry antioxidant frozen blend of wild Blueberries, wild Lingonberries, and wild Sea Buckthorn from Northwest Wild Foods.

• Smoothie (1 serving)
  • Simple Ingredients
    • 2 tsp chia seeds, pre-soaked in ¼ cup coconut water for 20 minutes
    • 1 cup coconut water
    • 1/4 cup hemp seeds
    • 1 tsp chokeberry powder
    • ¼ cup frozen chokeberries
    • 1 Medjool dates, pitted and rough chopped
    • 1 ripe bananas
    • Garnish: Edible flowers, fresh basil, frozen berries (such as wild blueberries, lingonberries, and sea buckthorn)

• Simple Steps
  • Blend all ingredients in food processor or blender.
  • Add additional dates for sweetness, if desired.
  • Pour smoothie into a bowl.
  • Garnish with frozen berries, fresh basil, and edible flowers.
  • Mindfully enjoy.

Blend all ingredients.

All set to plate the Chokeberry Smoothie

Mindfully Plate and Enjoy your Chokeberry Superberry Smoothie

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Simple Greens & Berry & Walnut Salad with Chokeberry Dressing

Enjoy a simple fresh greens salad with tasty Chokeberry Honey Mustard Garlic Dressing. Add a few fresh or frozen berries, figs, and walnuts for a nutrient-rich fresh salad. For taste and beauty, garnish with fresh herbs (mint, basil, or oregano) and edible flowers.

Serves 2

• Chokeberry Honey Mustard Garlic Dressing
  • Simple Ingredients
    • 2 tbsp stone ground mustard
    • ¼ cup organic extra virgin olive oil
    • Pinch sea salt
    • 1 ½ tsp local honey
    • 1/8 cup frozen chokeberries, mashed with spoon
    • 1-2 garlic cloves, minced

• Simple Steps
  • Pour mustard, organic extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt into a small bowl.
  • Whisk until well combined.
  • Add honey, chokeberries, and garlic to the bowl.
  • Whisk until well combined.
  • Taste, and adjust flavor, as needed for more sweetness or saltiness.
  • Save to toss with the salad.

 

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• Greens & Berry Salad
  • Simple Ingredients
    • 2 cups of greens, such as Spinach, Arugula, or Shungiku (Chrysanthemum greens)
    • 3-4 fresh herb stems: Oregano, mint, or basil
    • ¼ cup walnuts
    • 3 dried figs, sliced
    • ¼ cup fresh or frozen berries. Fresh mulberries or blueberries; Frozen wild blueberries, lingonberries, and blackberries.
    • Garnish: Edible flowers

• Simple Steps
  • Place greens and fresh herbs into medium bowl.
  • Pour dressing over the greens and herbs.
  • Lightly toss to coat all greens and herbs with the dressing.
  • Add figs, walnuts, and berries to the greens.
  • Lightly toss.
  • Plate and garnish with extra berries and edible flowers.
  • Enjoy!

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Frozen Chokeberry Lemonade Pops

Enjoy Superberry Chokeberry Lemonade Frozen Pops this Spring and Summer. Make your own home-made lemonade, add chokeberry powder, a few berries, a few edible flowers, freeze, and enjoy.

Makes four 3 ounce pops

• Simple Ingredients
  • Chokeberry Lemonade
    • 1 cup coconut water
    • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
    • 1 apple, sliced
    • 1 tsp chokeberry powder
    • 1 date, rough chopped
    • Additional date(s), for desired sweetness
  • Garnish
    • Edible flowers
    • ¼ cup frozen berries (such as wild blueberries, lingonberries, and sea buckthorn)

All set to make the Chokeberry Lemonade

• Simple Steps
  • Chokeberry Lemonade
    • Place coconut water, lemon juice, and apple in food processor or blender.
    • Add date and blend until smooth.
    • Taste and add lemon juice, apple, or date for desired sweetness.
    • Add chokeberry power and blend.

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  • Freeze the Pops
    • Place frozen berries, banana slices, and/or edible flowers into frozen pop molds.
    • Pour Chokeberry Lemonade into the molds.
    • Freeze for 6 hours.
    • Remove from mold.

• Enjoy a refreshing spring and summer treat.

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A fun outtake video from The List TV Shoot with Segun Oduolowu. Thanks Jacqui Denker for the capture! Love working with both of you!

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As a final note, if you are interested in learning about our Sedona Plant-Based Cooking & Self Care Retreat, September 13-16, 2019, you can learn more on the Experience Nutrition website, and if you are interested please let me know and we can chat.