by Melanie Albert, Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking Expert, Award-winning Cookbook Author, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition
I’m honored to intuitively create recipes from the produce in The Farm at South Mountain CSA grown at the Soil & Seed Garden.
Farm-to-Table Intuitive Cooking. Each week, right after Lead Grower Billy Anthony and Grower Michael Schultz, have their ideas for the crops that they’ll be harvesting, they text the list to me and my creativity begins. With farm-to-table and intuitive cooking, we really do first see what’s available from our local farmers, then taking into account simple cooking techniques, begin to develop a recipe direction for the CSA.
Creativity Flows. After picking up the CSA at The Farm (less than a mile from my home) the creativity begins. First, I look at all the goodies. Then, I begin to organize the food to create the dish. this is when my creativity begins. Sometimes, or I should say, many times, there are produce which I have not previously prepared, and I get really excited.
Pesto Inspiration. This week, when I saw the green herbs and greens, I immediately decided to create a simple pesto. I was inspired by the combination of the aromatherapy of the lemon basil, the “good for us” omega-3 rich purslane (a weed that grows naturally here in Phoenix), and the sage (which I have never used in a pesto) as the base of the pesto.With the addition of a nut (almonds) for crunch, and an “acid, fat, salt” dressing, the pesto came to life in my mind.
Soil & Seed Garden, Fall Week 2 CSA. October 26, 2019
Enjoying our beautiful Phoenix evening at The Farm at South Mountain, while picking up the second week of the Fall CSA…
Now, the beauty of our Fall Week 2 CSA.
The Farm at South Mountain: Soil & Seed Garden: Fall 2019 Week 2 CSA: 10.26.19
The Greens and Herbs: Chard, Lavender, Lemon Basil, Purslane, Eggplant, Radishes.
The Soil & Seed Salad Box.
Fall CSA Week 2: 10.26.19
- Farm eggs
- French breakfast radish
- Soil & Seed Salad Box
- Ichiban eggplant
- Lemon basil
- Northern lights chard
- Autumn sage
- Goldbergs purslane
- Spanish eyes lavender
- Decorative pumpkin / gourd
Soil & Seed Garden Fall Green Pesto
A pesto is a quick, delicious dish to create with the Soil & Seed Garden fresh herbs and greens. This week’s pesto inspired by the lemon basil is perfect in a Chard Wrap. I’ll also use is as my “green sauce” in a Raw Deconstructed Lasagna.
Simple Ingredients
- 1 cup lemon basil leaves
- 1 cup purslane leaves, chopped
- 5-6 sage leaves
- ¼ cup almonds, rough chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Pinch sea salt
- Garnish: Radishes, Chard
Fall Green Pesto Mise en Place. Simple. Beautiful. Fresh.
Simple Steps
- Gather mise en place (get all ingredients organized)
All ingredients are ready for the Fall Green Pesto.
- Place lemon basil leaves, purslane, sage, almonds, lemon juice, and lemon zest into food processor.
All ingredients, except olive oil, into the food processor. Pulse 8-10 times.
- Pulse 8-10 times, until desired level of chunkiness
- Stream in olive oil and pulse a few more times.
- Enjoy on a raw cracker, wrapped in chard leaves, or with other dishes, such as a Raw Deconstructed Lasagna.
The simple, fresh Arizona Fall Green Pesto.
Enjoy the Fall Green Pesto as a wrap with the Northern Lights Chard.
Enjoy the Fall Green Pesto as a snack on a Raw Cracker (this one Pumpkin Seed Turmeric) with French Breakfast Radish.
Click here, if you missed the Soil & Seed Garden Fall CSA Week 1 Recipe
The Radish inspired salad with the radishes at the Soil & Seed Garden at The Farm at South Mountain.
FARM-TO-TABLE PLANT-BASED COOKING CLASSES AT THE FARM with Melanie Albert and Farm Operations Manager/ Lead Grower Billy Anthony
I am so honored to be leading hands-on intuitive cooking classes at The Farm at South Mountain for the 4th year. For the classes this season, Lead Grower Billy and I will be walking the Soil & Seed Garden the week prior to each class to develop the food strategy for the classes. Billy will harvest the morning of the classes, and you’ll have the opportunity to intuitively prepare dishes, guided by Melanie.
November 3, 2019, 11am-1pm. Click to purchase tickets.
December 8, 2019, 11am-1pm. Click to purchase tickets.
SEDONA PLANT-BASED COOKING RETREAT: November 15-18, 2019
In September 2019, I hosted the first Sedona Plant-Based Cooking Retreat. Based on the life-changing retreat with incredible cooking, hiking in Sedona, and friendships, I decided to host the next retreat in November. Learn more on www.ExperienceNutrition.com/sedona-retreats/
Or, to answer your questions about the retreats, please feel free to contact me (Melanie Albert): 602.615.2486 or Mel@MelanieAlbert.com
