Experience Nutrition

Category: A New View of Healthy Eating

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Quick Breakfast: Steel Cut Oats

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, retreat host, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC

    This week I was craving a warm breakfast with our cooler Arizona weather, so I decided to cook steel cut oats with apples, spices, and local Arizona honey. In my cookbook “A New View of Healthy Eating” I share how to cook steel cut oats in a rice cooker. This week, I cooked them stovetop and enjoyed the aromatherapy of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamom.

    Stovetop Steel Cut Oats

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • 1 cup steel cut oats
    • 2 cups water
    • 2 apples sliced
    • ¼ cup sunflower seeds
    • 2 tbsp goji berries
    • 1 tsp vanilla
    • Local honey
    • Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom

    SIMPLE STEPS

    • Thoroughly rinse steel cut oats multiple times until water is clear.
    • Put all ingredients, except honey in small pot.

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    • Bring oats to a boil.
    • Lower to simmer, cover pot, and cook for about 15-20 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.

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    • Enjoy with local honey and additional cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.

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    Excerpt from “A New View of Healthy Eating”

    BREAKFAST Whole Grains: Simple Steel-Cut Oats in Rice Cooker

    Steel-cut oats make a quick, easy, and good-for-you breakfast. This recipe is the perfect foundation for a breakfast made with whole grains. You can use any whole grain and add your favorite nuts, seeds, trail mix, and fruit. The rice cooker method is a simple way to cook steel-cut oats as well as other whole grains.

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • 1 cup steel-cut oats
    • ½ cup trail mix or your favorite nuts and seeds
    • 2 ¼ cups water
    • Organic apple, sliced
    • Fresh grated cinnamon and nutmeg
    • Local honey

    SIMPLE STEPS

    1. Thoroughly rinse steel-cut oats by placing them in a strainer and bowl of water. Rinse several times until the water is clear, not cloudy.
    2. Pour steel-cut oats into a rice cooker.
    3. Add trail mix and sliced apple.
    4. Pour water into the rice cooker.
    5. Grate cinnamon and nutmeg into the rice cooker.
    6. Turn on the rice cooker.
    7. Oats will be ready when the cooker turns off, after about 20 minutes.
    8. Enjoy with a drizzle of local honey.

    Steel-Cut Oats: Ireland

    Steel-cut oats are sometimes called Irish or Scottish oats and grow in the cold, wet climates of northern Europe and North America. Oats are unique among popular grains, as the bran and germ are rarely removed in processing.

    Why Oats

    • The fiber, beta-glucan, in oats helps lower cholesterol, which reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke, and enhances the body’s immune system.
    • Avenanthramide, a polyphenol antioxidant in oats, may have anti-inflammatory, heart-healthy, and anti-itch properties.
    • Fiber helps us feel fuller longer, which controls weight.
    • They have the highest protein content of popular cereals.

    Eat Oats

    • Available as steel-cut oats or oat groats (hulled grains).
    • Do not eat instant quick-cooking oats. They are low in fiber because most of the bran is removed. In addition, sugars and preservatives are usually added to the package.
    • The mild, smooth, sweet flavor makes oats a perfect breakfast grain to enjoy with nuts, seeds, and fruit.
    • Oats are naturally gluten-free, but may be contaminated with gluten during growing and processing. Look for oats certified gluten-free if you are sensitive to gluten.

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    Interested in “A New View of Healthy Eating,” I’m happy to gift-wrap and mail to you.

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  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Quick & Simple Flatbread Local Tomato Sauce

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, retreat host, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC, Phoenix, Arizona.

    This morning I was craving my sprouted spelt flatbread, so I started with activating the yeast and letting the dough rise. Honestly, my vision was to roast veggies, make a cashew nut cheese and white sauce. However, I was away from my home most of the day — shopping for superfoods and attending the Slow Food Phoenix Event: Slow Foods. Fast Friends Event. Such an energizing event around local food and sustainability, I’m so excited to get more involved in our local food movement in Phoenix.

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    Remembering the melt in your mouth simple Margarita Pizza that I enjoyed in Milan, Italy, so many decades ago, when I returned home in the evening I decided to make a really quick tomato sauce with garlic and sea salt for the flatbread. And, I loved it!

    Three Tips to Activate Yeast “Perfectly”

    Several weeks ago, when I blogged the steps to activate yeast and rise flatbread dough a few of my friends asked me how the yeast is so fluffy. My tips:

    • Water Temperature. Get the water temperature in the right range, 112 -115 degrees Fahrenheit. To do this, bring water to almost a boil. Then mix that water with cooler water until the temperature is In the 112-115 degree range.
    • Do not use a metal utensil to stir the yeast water. Use a wooden spoon.
    • Add-in ingredients with the yeast and water. I use local Arizona honey, extra virgin olive oil, and a dash of sea salt.

     

     

    Step-by-step: Dough rising.

     

    Roll-out the dough with a rolling pin between parchment paper.

     

    The Simple Tomato Sauce & Toppings

    Ingredients

    • Organic olive oil
    • Tomatoes: Abby Lee Farms
    • Fresh garlic
    • Sea Salt
    • Arugula: Blue Sky Organic Farm
    • Goat cheese
    • Olives

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    Simple Steps

    • Heat saute pan on medium heat.
    • Saute tomatoes and garlic for 3-5 minutes, adding sea salt after the tomatoes begin to soften.

     

    Bake the Flatbread

    • Place pizza stone into oven. Heat oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • Place rolled-out dough onto pizza stone.
    • Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.
    • Coat top with olive oil.
    • Bake for 5-7 minutes.
    • Add toppings.
    • Bake for 5 minutes.
    • Enjoy.

     

    Interested in Melanie Albert’s cookbook, “A New View of Healthy Eating,” order today and I’ll gift-wrap and mail a copy to you. 

     

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  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Arizona Winter Harvest Farm-to-Table Intuitive Cooking Class

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, retreat host, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC

    I am so honored to do the work I love with such beautiful food grown by our local Arizona Farmers in natural, beautiful places in the Phoenix area.  Last weekend I had the honor to lead a Winter Harvest Farm-to-Table Intuitive Cooking class at The Farm at South Mountain, in Phoenix, less than a mile from my home.

    For this class, our culinary focus was an Asian Salad, Veggie Stir-fry, and Hummus. I shopped at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market the day before event (while also leading a Taste of the Market Cooking Demo) and the Soil & Seed Garden at The Farm also provided a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share for the class.

    I was so incredibly excited getting set up for the class on our sunny Arizona winter day, immersed in the variety and colors and textures of the food for the class.

    A look at the Farmers’ Market food…

    A look at The Farm at South Mountain CSA, which included all kinds of greens, black radishes, edible flowers, oranges, and pecans.

    I’m also sharing the beautiful “salad in a bowl” from The Farm, fresh and crisp and ready to enjoy with a simple flower.

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    Asian Salad

    We used the Asian Salad Dressing from my book, “A New View of Healthy Eating” as a guide for the dressings. (Scroll down for the recipe guide.) While I often teach how to make a basic salad dressing with an acid (lemon), fat (organic extra virgin olive oil), and sea salt, I have only taught the use of fresh ginger root in a salad a few times. The natural aromatherapy of the ginger really made this dressing fresh and unique.

    A look at two different Asian Salads intuitively created during the class.

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    Winter Harvest Saute

    Our stir-fry (really veggie saute) featured, in order of cooking:

    • Extra virgin olive oil
    • Spring green garlic
    • Green onions
    • Red and orange tomatoes
    • Sea salt
    • Sweet potatoes
    • Orange and purple carrots
    • Broccoli
    • Romanesco
    • Sweet lime and orange juices

    Click to get the recipe blog with simple steps for your veggie saute.

    Our final dishes…Asian Salads…Winter Harvest Saute…Garlic Hummus…

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    Excerpt from “A New View of Healthy Eating”

    Asian Salad with Vibrant Purple Cabbage and Tangy Citrus Ginger Root Dressing

    Make your own gourmet Asian salad with a rainbow of raw organic veggies, your favorite toasted nuts, and intuitively created ginger root dressing.

    Asian Salad: Ginger Salad Dressing: 3 Key Ingredients

    The essential ingredients for a perfect Asian dressing every time are ginger root, a soy flavoring (wheat-free tamari soy sauce or Bragg’s amino acids), and fresh citrus.

    Simple Ingredients

    • 1” fresh ginger root
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • ½ cup soy tamari or Bragg’s amino acids
    • ½ orange, juiced
    • ½ fresh-squeezed lemon or lime juice
    • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
    • 1 tsp local honey
    • ⅓ cup organic extra virgin olive oil

    Simple Steps

    • Finely mince ginger root and garlic.
    • Place in pint-size Mason jar.
    • Add all other ingredients (except olive oil) to jar and shake.
    • Taste and intuitively add ingredients to create your desired flavor.
      • Too much acid: add olive oil
      • Not sweet enough: add honey
      • Too oily: add lemon or lime juice

    The Power of Ginger

    Ginger is a tropical plant whose roots have been used medicinally in Asia for centuries. Ginger root is a natural anti-inflammatory; it reduces nausea, helps digestion, and is good for colds and flu. A simple way to add fresh ginger to your food is to use it in a salad dressing.

    “The key to a delicious ginger root salad dressing, taste the dressing while you are making it for just the right balance of ginger, citrus, and soy flavor.”

     Asian Rainbow Salad

    Along with a tangy ginger root dressing, a colorful rainbow of raw organic veggies creates a beautiful Asian salad.

    Simple Ingredients

    • 1 purple cabbage, shredded
    • 2 cups Napa cabbage, shredded
    • 1 cup carrots, shredded
    • 1 cucumber, julienned (long, thin slices)
    • 1 cup snap peas or snow peas, cut on bias
    • 6 green onions, cut on bias
    • 1 cup red or purple radishes, shredded
    • 1 cup almonds, sliced and dry toasted

    Simple Steps

    • Dry toast (no oil) sliced almonds in small sauté pan on low heat for 5 minutes.
    • Toss all vegetables in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
    • Drizzle the Asian salad dressing on the vegetables and gently toss.
    • Top with dry toasted almonds.
    • Enjoy!

    Finally, we created a very simple basic Hummus, just like the Hummus served at the VIP Tailgate Party at the Superbowl XLIV in Miami. Today’s hummus intuitively featured lots of fresh garlic. Click for Hummus recipe.

    Hope you enjoy your local farmers’ produce with simple culinary skills and intuitive cooking. For additional ideas, Melanie Albert’s cookbook, “A New View of Healthy Eating” is available.’’

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Intuitive Veggie Bowl

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, retreat host, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC

    This weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to lead two farm-to-table cooking events. The first a beautiful intuitive Arizona Winter Harvest Veggie Saute at the Downtown Phoenix Market “Taste of the Market” and then a beautiful intuitive cooking class with another beautiful veggie saute, Asian Salads, and a Garlic Hummus at The Farm at South Mountain in Phoenix.

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    Downtown Phoenix Market: Taste of the Market: Winter Harvest Saute

     

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    Arizona Winter Harvest Intuitive Cooking at The Farm at South Mountain

     

    Today, with some of the left-over veggies, I created a quick very, very intuitive veggie bowl. The goal was to create a dish with lots of color, different textures, and a variety of flavors.

    The Veggies and More

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    • Purple and orange carrots
    • Yellow string beans
    • Snow peas
    • Parsley
    • Arugula
    • Sweet lemon
    • More
      • Left-over quinoa
      • Left-over garbanzo beans
    • Extras
      • Basil olive oil
      • Cumin seeds
      • Bragg’s amino acids
      • Olives
      • Edible flowers
      • Sea salt

    The Culinary Techniques

    • Bamboo Steamer: Carrots, Yellow String Beans, and Snow Peas finished with Basil olive oil, sweet lemon, dry toasted cumin seeds, and sea salt

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    • Simple Pesto: Rough chopped parsley and raw almonds, sweet lemon, and basil olive oil.
    • Quick Saute: Arugula with Bragg’s amino acids

     

    Plating Mise en Place

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    Rustic Plating

    Bowl Plating

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    Hope you are enjoying my intuitive cooking creations and are having fun intuitively creating beautiful dishes with your local farmers’ produce. Share your creations with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating

    My cookbook, “A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods” features 84 simple culinary techniques. Order a copy and I’m happy to gift-wrap and ship to you.

     

     

     

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Don’t be Afraid to Cook Whole Grains on the Stove

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, retreat host, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC

    During a few of my recent cooking events, we were talking about how easy it is to prepare whole grains. I actually cook whole grains about twice a week and use them in a few meals. Two of my favorite go-to whole grains are brown rice and quinoa. I purchase whole grains in bins at one of our natural grocery stores, store them in glass jars in my panty. And, when I cook whole grains, I add a little flavor by cooking them with previously made frozen veggie stock. This week I made a batch with fresh Hawaiian turmeric root.

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    With the 8 simple steps in my cookbook, “A New View of Healthy Eating,” you can cook whole grains perfectly every time. Before I share the steps from the book, enjoy a few of my recent veggie dishes with whole grains.

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    ARIZONA WINTER HARVEST BOWL. Click for recipe.  Brown rice with this bowl.

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    ARIZONA ROASTED VEGGIES: Romanesco and Sweet Potato. Click for recipe. Notice the tri-color quinoa.

    Quinoa. Fresh Turmeric. Green Garlic.

     

    Quick roasted farmers market veggies with the Turmeric Quinoa.

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    Excerpt from cookbook, “A New View of Healthy Eating”

    Simple Steps to Steam Perfect Whole Grains Every Time

    The steaming method is a simple way to cook whole grains. With the steaming method, we use a specific amount of grain and a specific amount of liquid. We then cook for a specific amount of time. We can steam whole grains on the stovetop, in a rice cooker, or in an oven.

    For all of these steaming methods the steps are: Rinse, add liquid, cover, cook, rest, fluff, rest, and serve.

    8 Steps to Steam Grains on the Stovetop

    By following the specific details in this step-by-step cooking process, you will cook perfect, flavorful, tender whole grains very time.

    1. Rinse whole grains to remove residue and extra outer starch.
    2. Add liquid. Pour 1 cup of whole grains with 2 cups of water into a heavy pot. Use a heat diffuser under the pot to prevent the bottom layer of the grains from sticking.
    3. Cover the pot and bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
    4. Lower heat to lowest setting and simmer with the pot tightly covered for 15-20 minutes. Keep pot tightly covered to keep steam inside pot to cook the rice.
    5. Rest the grains. Once cooked, remove the pot from the heat. For even cooking, uniform texture, and fluffier grains, rest the grains with the lid on the pot for 10-30 minutes.
    6. Fluff the grains. Use a fork to lift the grains. Start at the bottom around the edge of the pot and lift the grains toward the center of the pot.
    7. Cover and let the grains rest for another 10 minutes.
    8. Plate and enjoy your perfect whole grains.

     

     

    Steps to Steam Whole Grains in a Rice Cooker and Oven

    • Rice Cooker: Pour rice and liquid into a rice cooker, cover, and turn on rice cooker. Let it cook. Rest. Fluff. Rest. Serve.
    • Oven: After grains and liquid have come to a boil on the stove, cover and place in preheated 350-degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Cook. Rest. Fluff. Rest. Serve.

    ACTION: Make a batch of whole grains this week and enjoy with a veggie dish. Share your experience with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating

     

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Raw Turmeric Crackers

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, retreat host, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC

    Recently, I had the great opportunity to purchase beautiful fresh organic Hawaiian turmeric root from McClendon Select at the Wednesday morning Uptown Farmers’ Market in Phoenix, Arizona. I love the fresh green taste and aroma of the turmeric, plus, its anti-inflammatory health benefits. 

    I had quite a bit of turmeric, so I decided to experiment with the turmeric in a raw dehydrated cracker. And, I’m so glad I did. While dehydrating, the aromatherapy of the crackers was warming and refreshing, perfect for a rainy Arizona evening.  And, oh my, the crackers are so vibrant tasting, easy to prepare, and I’m excited to make raw crackers more often.

    First, I’ll share the step-by-step process to dehydrate raw crackers in my book, “A New View of Healthy Eating” and then the intuitive cracker recipe I created with the fresh turmeric root.

    Excerpt from “A New View of Healthy Eating”: Dehydrated Raw Flaxseed Crackers

    Flax seeds, chia seeds, and buckwheat groats are perfect for a flatbread batter because they form a natural mucilaginous gel when combined with water. Once dried, it’s a great binder for crackers, flatbread, and raw tortillas or wraps.

    5 Ingredients for Dehydrated Flatbread or Crackers

    The basic ingredients to create the base for dehydrated flatbread or crisp crackers are very simple. Have fun using your intuition to create your own versions of crackers with this raw dehydrating process.

    1. Soaked flax seeds, chia seeds, or buckwheat groats
    2. Fresh vegetables (peppers, tomatoes, beets, carrots) or fruit (apples, pears)
    3. Nuts or seeds (almonds, cashews, pecans, sunflower seeds)
    4. Herbs and spices (basil, oregano, ginger, turmeric)
    5. Dehydrator: to dry for 8-12 hours

    Sweet Pepper Almond Flax Crisp

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • 1/2 cup golden flax seeds, ground, then soaked in 1 ½ cups water
    • ¾ cup raw almonds, soaked in water for 2-3 hours, drained
    • 1 ¼ cup yellow bell pepper, minced
    • 1 shallot, minced
    • ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked and drained
    • 1 ½ tsp chili powder
    • 1 ½ tsp onion granules
    • 1 tsp sea salt

    SIMPLE STEPS

    1. Gather mise en place.

    2. Blend ingredients.

    • Add soaked flax meal (ground flaxseeds and water) and almonds to food processor and blend until smooth.
    • Remove and place in mixing bowl.
    • Blend yellow pepper, shallot, and sun-dried tomatoes with a touch of water.
    • Add chili powder, onion granules, and sea salt to food processor with the pepper, shallot, and sun-dried tomatoes until smooth.
    • Add vegetable mixture to the bowl with flax meal and almonds and fold together until thoroughly combined.

    3. Dehydrate.

    • Set dehydrator at 115 degrees F.
    • Spoon mixture onto dehydrator tray. Spread mixture evenly to ¼-inch thickness on non-stick dehydrator sheets with an off-set spatula.
    • Dehydrate 1-2 hours. Once partially dried, score batter to desired size and shape.
    • Dehydrate an additional 1-3 hours. Flip the crackers off the non-stick dehydrator sheets and onto the dehydrator screens so that the crackers dry properly.
    • Dehydrate an additional 1-2 hours or until crackers are crisp.
    • Dehydrating time depends on how thick the paste is to begin and how crisp you want the crackers.

    4. Options.

    • Soft taco shells: Once flipped onto the dehydrator screen, dehydrate for 1-2 hours or until batter is not wet and is pliable.
    • If crisps dry too much, sprinkle water to restore pliability.
    • Enjoy as a cracker snack, dip in hummus, or top with a pâté.

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    Intuitive Raw Turmeric Crackers

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • 3/4 cup raw almonds, soaked 8-10 hours
    • ½ cup golden and brown flaxseeds, ground
    • 1 orange bell pepper, diced
    • ¼ cup dehydrated tomatoes, soaked 30 minutes
    • 2-3 tbsp soaking water from dehydrated tomatoes
    • 1 shallot, minced
    • Pinch sea salt
    • 1” fresh turmeric root, minced

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    SIMPLE STEPS

    • Soak almonds 8-10 hours in room temperature water.
    • Grind flaxseeds in blender.
    • Soak ground flaxseeds with ½ cup room temperature water for 30 minutes.
    • Process almonds and flaxseed mixture in food processor until combined. Pour mixture into bowl.
    • In food processor, process pepper, shallot, and dehydrated tomatoes, sea salt, and a few tablespoons of the tomato soaking water until smooth.
    • Fold in liquid mixture (pepper, shallot, dehydrated tomatoes) to the almond flaxseed mixture.
    • Fold in turmeric root.
    • Spread batter about ¼” thick with off-set spatula on dehydrator sheet.
    • Dehydrate at 115 degrees Fahrenheit for 1-2 hours.
    • Score to your desired shape.
    • Dehydrate another 1-2 hours. Flip crackers to mesh dehydrator sheet.
    • Dehydrate 2-4 additional hours to your desired crispness.
    • Enjoy!

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    As always, I invite you to share your raw cracker creations with us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating.

    And, if you’re interested in learning additional culinary techniques as a foundation for intuitive cooking, I’m happy to mail a copy of my book, “A New View of Healthy Eating” to you.

     

     

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Really Quick Intuitive Lunch: Dolmas and Farmers’ Market Left-overs

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, retreat host, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC

    Very often I like to intuitively create a very, very quick lunch using left-overs in my refrigerator. I love Dolmas and used these stuffed grape leaves as the inspiration for the lunch. With a Mediterranean focus, I added farmers’ market organic veggies and rich black Beluga lentils. Plus, I really wanted to enjoy fresh light pea sprouts from Steadfast Farm and bright edible flowers from Maya’s Farm.

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    You’ll notice in the ingredient list I do not include amount of the different ingredients. In making an intuitive dish, use your intuition to choose a few of your favorite veggies and their amount. A dish created this way will be different and delicious every time.

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

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    Ingredients in order of plating…

    • Black Beluga lentils
    • Dolmas, sliced
    • Avocado, sliced
    • Local yellow and red tomatoes
    • Romanesco tips
    • Capers
    • Sea salt
    • Pea shoots
    • Edible flowers

    SIMPLE PLATING

    Get your plating mise en place set…

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    Mindfully plate the ingredients one-by-one and enjoy your lunch…

    ACTION: I invite you to choose a few ingredients in your refrigerator and mindfully and intuitively create a lunch. Share your culinary creations with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating

    Buy Melanie’s cookbook, with 54 whole food, plant-based, gluten-free recipes…

    A few views of the Intuitive Lunch plate…

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  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: How to Braise Leeks for Roasted Carrot Soup

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, retreat host, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLCs

    Today, I’m excited that I completed the requirements and received my certification for the Plantlab Culinary Fundamentals of Plant-based Cooking 120-hour course, including knife skills, 61 cooking projects, written exams, and my Final Project.

    I’ll be sharing so much of my learning in future blogs and am also sharing my Final Project with you. My Final Culinary Project embraces our local Arizona farmers’ veggies with a menu featuring some of my favorite dishes and skills learned during the course.

    Let’s take a look at our local Arizona Winter produce in my Final Project.

    Arizona Winter Harvest Menu

    • FIRST. Roasted Carrot Soup.
      • Navel Orange Braised Leeks. Almond Cream. Edible Flowers.
    • SECOND. Sprouted Spelt Flatbread.
      • Arizona Winter Roasted Veggies. Pistachio Pesto. Almond Bechamel Sauce.
    • THIRD. Cacao Crepe.
      • Chickpea Crepe. Apples. Arizona Citrus Marmalade.
    • DRINK. Root Matcha Latte.
      • Chicory Root. Dandelion Root. Matcha Tea. Cashew Milk. Warm Spices.

    NAVEL ORANGE BRAISED LEEKS

    In the past, I’ve only eaten leeks in restaurants and love them, so I decided to include leeks as a green contrast to the sweet roasted carrot soup.

    Today, I’m sharing the recipes and cooking process for Braised Leeks, Almond Nut Cream, and plating of the Roasted Carrot Soup. Hope this inspires you to cook interesting soups.

    Almond Nut Cream

     INGREDIENTS

    • 1 cup almonds, soaked 8-12 hours and rinsed
    • 2 cups filtered water
    • Pinch salt
    • 1/2 tsp sumac powder
    • 1 tsp grapeseed oil

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    SIMPLE STEPS

    • Blend the almonds and water until smooth.
    • Stain in nut bag.
    • Return strained almond cream to blender and blend with salt and sumac.
    • Gradually stream in oil on low to emulsify.

    BRAISED LEEKS: INGREDIENTS

      • 3 leeks, cut into 1-1 ½ inch pieces
      • 2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
      • 2 tbsp shallots, minced
      • ½ tsp coriander seeds
      • ½ tsp caraway seeds
      • ¼ cup vegetable stock
      • Pinch sea salt
      • 2 tbsp fresh navel orange juice
      • 1 tbsp navel orange zest
      • 1 cup almond cream
      • 1/2 cup almond cream
      • ¼ tsp sumac
      • 1 tbsp orange zest

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    ORANGE BRAISED LEEKS

    SIMPLE STEPS

    Prep

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • Clean leeks in cold water in a bowl to removed dirt between the layers.
    • Cut white and green part of  leeks into 1-1 ½ inch rounds.

    Sear Leeks

    • Heat olive oil in medium-high saute pan.
    • Add leeks to pan with round side face down on the pan.  Press leeks down with spatula to evenly  brown, for about 5 minutes. While cooking move leeks around pan to prevent them from sticking to the pan. After the first end has lightly browned flip and brown the other end.
    • Once both sides have browned, remove from pan and set aside.

    Cook Braising Sauce

    • Add shallot, coriander and caraway seeds to pan and sauté until shallot becomes translucent.
    • Add vegetable stock, salt, orange juice, and 1 tbsp  orange zest and bring to a boil.
    • Add almond cream and bring to a boil, stirring frequently, then reduce to a simmer.

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    Braised Leeks

    • Remove pan from stove, add leeks to pan with round side up.
    • Cover the pan with a tight oven-safe lid.
    • Place pan in oven to braise the leeks for 5 to 7 minutes, or until soft and tender when pierced with a fork.
    • Remove leeks from pan and set aside for plating.

    Almond Cream

    • Add ½ cup almond cream, sumac, and 1 tbsp navel orange  zest to pan.
    • Return pan to stove top and simmer, whisking frequently, until cream becomes thick. Once the sauce reaches desired thickness, remove from heat.

    ASSEMBLY

    • Place braised leeks, with round side up on bottom of flat bowl. Gently pour carrot soup into the bowl, with the tops of the leeks exposed.
    • Drizzle almond cream sauce on top of the leeks.
    • Garnish with edible flowers.

    The Roasted Carrot Soup. Orange Braised Leeks. Almond Nut Cream

    Happy to share a video look at the soup…

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    Interested in my book, A New View of Healthy Eating, I’m happy to mail a copy to you.

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  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Arizona Winter Harvest Bowl The Beauty of Local Farmers’ Food

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, retreat host, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLCs

    I am so in awe of our beautiful Arizona farmers’ Winter bounty. Today’s intuitive recipe was inspired by many of the incredible veggies I purchased at the Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market this weekend. Thanks so much to so many of my local farmer friends for all the passion, dedication, and hard work to grow the beautiful produce for all of us to enjoy.

    Thanks, Farmers!

    • Blue Sky Organic Farm: beautiful Romanesco
    • Maya’s Farm: unique purple and white cauliflower, edible flowers
    • Steadfast Farm: fresh sunflower sprouts, Iitois onions and amazing rainbow of purple, yellow, and white carrots
    • Rhiba Farms: wild arugula
    • Golo Family Farms: sweet lime

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    In addition to showcasing the beautiful Arizona Winter veggies, I also wanted to share a simple way to cook the veggies in a bamboo steamer to keep them vibrant and colorful. Once we’ve gently steamed the veggies, we can finish them with a simple dressing.

    I invite you to Intuitively create your dish using these recipe steps as a guide. When you choose your vegetables consider their different colors, different textures, and different flavors. Also, use your intuition to determine how much of the veggies you’d like to cook. For me, I like to cook a small batch so I can enjoy a meal one day and then eat the left-overs for lunch the next day.

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    Bamboo Steamer

    • Romanesco
    • Purple cauliflower
    • Yellow and purple carrots
    • Wild arugula
    • Iitoi onions, cut on bias
    • Sunflower sprouts

    Dressing

    • Sweet lime
    • Extra virgin olive oil
    • Coriander seeds
    • Sea salt

    Extras

    • Rose brown rice
    • Edible flowers

    SIMPLE STEPS: Arugula Saute

    • Pre-heat saute pan on low-medium heat.
    • Add olive oil to pan.
    • Sweat onions for a few minutes.
    • Add arugula and cook for a few minutes.
    • Add Sunflower sprout and cook for about a minute.

     

    SIMPLE STEPS: Dry Toast Coriander

    • Pre-heat small sauce pan or pot on low heat.
    • Add coriander to pan and toast for a few minutes.
    • Remove from heat and save for the dressing.

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    SIMPLE STEPS: Bamboo Steamer

    • Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a large stock pot.
    • Cut all vegetables into bite-sizes pieces.
    • Place vegetables on steamer, with space between each, to allow steam to rise and cook the veggies.
    • Sprinkle a few pinches of sea salt on the veggies.
    • Cover the steamer.
    • Steam for 5-7 minutes until the veggies easily fall off the fork.

     

    • Drizzle lemon, olive oil, and sea salt, and coriander seeds on the veggies to create a dressing.
    • Gently hand toss the veggies in the dressing.
    • Adjust flavors. Add more olive oil, lemon, or salt to suit your personal taste.

     

    • Gather your plating mise en place.

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    • Plate the veggies with brown rice.
    • Garnish with edible flowers.

     

    Two Cooking Events this Weekend in Phoenix, February 17 and 18, 2018

    Taste of the Market, Downtown Phoenix Market, Saturday, February 17, 2018, 10am. If you’re in the Phoenix area, I’ll be hosting the Taste of the Market Cooking demo at the Downtown Phoenix Market on Saturday, February 17, 2018 at 10am. I’ll be shopping the market and then will create a bamboo steamer and sautéed greens dish. Stop by to learn these culinary techniques and taste the amazing food from our local farmers.  Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market, Central & McKinley, 14 E Pierce Street, Phoenix, AZ (Central Ave & McKinley)

    Intuitive Cooking Experience: Winter Farm-to-Table Cooking Class at the Farm at South Mountain, Sunday, February 18, 2018, 11am-1pm. Full hands-on intuitive cooking class at The Farm at South Mountain. Cost $45 per person + tax.

    I’ll intuitively shop the Saturday farmers’ markets for local, Phoenix fresh, justharvested produce the day before the class. During the hands-on cooking experience you’ll learn culinary skills and dishes from my book, “A New View of Healthy Eating.” You will create:

    • A beautiful, unique Asian-inspired salad with ginger dressing
    • Seasonal chickpea hummus with fresh herbs
    • Colorful veggie stir-fry with lots of greens

    You’ll learn a few simple key culinary skills:

    • 3-Ingredient salad dressing, as the foundation for the perfect dressing
    • A basic hummus that you can adapt with all kinds of herbs and spices
    • The proper steps and process to make a veggie stir-fry

    PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: The Beauty of Local Farmers’ Food

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, retreat host, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLCs

    Today I spent the day living my passions and having fun with my like-minded food friends. Next weekend (Saturday, February 17, 2018, 10am) I’ll be leading a Taste of the Market Cooking Demo at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market, so I visited the market today to see what our local farmers are growing and to get inspired for ideas for the class.

    Our Winter Arizona farmers’ bounty is so incredible, I just wanted to “be” with the food and my farmer friends. I ended up staying at the market for three hours, enjoying the food, taking food, talking cooking, and having my kind of fun. Later in the day, I stopped at The Farm at South Mountain, an urban farm about a half mile from my home.

    Sharing some of the beautiful food and a video of some incredible cauliflower…hope you enjoy..

    In awe of the cauliflower grown by Blue Sky Organic Farm…

    Powerful Purple…

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    Gorgeous Green…

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    Fresh Yellow & Orange…

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    Radish Red…

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    Taste of the Market Cooking Demo…

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    Thanks, Downtown Phoenix Farmers’ Market…

    And all my farmer friends…Maya’s Farm…Steadfast Farm…Abby Lee Farms…Golo Family Farms…McClendon Select…Community Exchange…Blue Sky Organic Farm…

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    Interested in my book, you can buy it and I’ll gift wrap and mail to you.

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Another Clean my Refrigerator: Arizona Purple Cabbage

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, retreat host, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLCs

    Since I’ll be farmers’ market shopping in the morning, today I decided to do another “Clean my Refrigerator Meal.” I was fortunate to see a beautiful organic purple cabbage from one of my local Arizona farmers. Rather than eat it raw in a salad or as a wrap, I quickly sautéed the purple cabbage and enjoyed it with a few of my other left-overs: Black Beluga Lentils, Rose Brown Rice, and an avocado.

    Let’s look at the natural beauty of the Purple Cabbage.

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    Mindfully pause and enjoy the art in food.

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    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • ½ purple cabbage
    • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • Pinch sea salt
    • 1 avocado
    • ½ cup black Beluga lentils
    • ¼ cup rose brown rice (all that was left)
    • 1 avocado
    • 1 tsp basil extra virgin olive oil
    • 1/4 tsp black sesame seeds
    • Few basil leaves
    • Few edible flowers

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    SIMPLE STEPS

    • Slice cabbage into strips.
    • Heat olive oil in saute pan on medium.
    • Add cabbage and sea salt.
    • Stir occasionally.
    • Plate with brown rice, lentils, and avocados.
    • Drizzle with basil extra virgin olive oil.
    • Garnish with black sesame seeds, fresh basil leaves and edible flowers.

    The final dish…

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    ACTION: Have fun creating a quick meal with “what’s in your refrigerator” and share with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating

    Interested in learning plant-based culinary skills, Melanie’s cookbook, “A New View of Healthy Eating” is available.

    A final look…Purple Cabbage Saute…

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  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Clean my Refrigerator Roasted Veggies & Beluga Lentils

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, retreat host, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLCs

    Today’s intuitive recipe is inspired by all the left-over veggies in my refrigerator. Fortunately, we are in the amazing Winter growing season and our local Arizona farmers are growing a wide variety of beautiful food.

    We can easily roast all kinds of veggies with the simple veggie roasting method in the Romanesco & Sweet Potato Blog. Today I roasted sunchokes, leeks, green garlic, golden beets, red and white radishes, purple cauliflower, broccoli, red pepper, a tomato and one Brussels sprout.

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    How to Cook Black Beluga Lentils

    While the veggies were roasting I started to think about how the colorful veggies would beautifully contrast nicely with rich Black Beluga Lentils, with their deep color and delicate flavor.

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    How to Cook Black Beluga Lentils

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • 1 cup black Beluga Lentils
    • 2 cups veggie stock
    • 3 inches kombu
    • 2 garlic cloves

    SIMPLE STEPS

    • Place all ingredients into pot.
    • Bring to a boil.
    • Simmer for 20-25 minutes with lid.
    • Enjoy with roasted veggies.

    Arizona Winter Farmers Roasted Veggies

    Let’s take a look at the beautiful roasted veggies…from refrigerator, to oven, to plate.

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    SIMPLE VEGGIE ROASTING STEPS

    • Place cut veggies in a bowl.
    • Drizzle extra virgin olive oil and a little sea salt to fully coat the veggies with the oil.
    • Place on parchment-lined sheet pan.
    • Roast at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.
    • Flip veggies.
    • Roast for another 15 minutes.

    Mindfully plate the roasted veggies and Black Beluga Lentils one-by-one…

    Another view of the beautiful, colorful roasted veggies and black beluga lentils…

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    The final plate…

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    ACTION: Have fun roasted veggies and cook some black Beluga lentils. Share your creations with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating

     

     

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: 20 Pounds of Tomatoes Part 3: Tomatoes Arizona Lemon Sauce

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, retreat host, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLCs

    As some of you may be aware, a few times a year I have the opportunity to purchase 20 pounds of organic Campari tomatoes from McClendon’s Select for $20 US dollars at one of our local Phoenix farmers markets. This time, I was fortunate to purchase the tomatoes at our Wednesday morning Uptown Market in Phoenix, Arizona.

    When purchasing the flat of tomatoes, they are quite ripe, so I really have to cook them within a day or so, or share with family and friends. With the flat of tomatoes I purchased a few weeks ago, I prepared the tomatoes 4 different ways:

    1. Roasted in oven.
    2. Dehydrated in dehydrator.
    3. Stove-top saute with Arizona lemons.
    4. Stove-top saute with veggies.

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    Tomatoes. Arizona Lemon Saute Sauce

    Today, let’s take a look at the sautéed tomatoes with Arizona lemons.

    This simple tomato sauce was inspired by our local Arizona citrus season, with so many aromatic lemons growing everywhere around the Phoenix area. Love the sharp contrast of the lemon in the sauce. After the sauce cooked and cooked, I froze it in 2-cup servings.  I look forward to enjoying the Tomato Lemon Sauce with whole grains and veggies…Maybe tonight??!!!

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • Tomatoes
    • Lemons
    • Extra virgin olive oil
    • Sea salt

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    SIMPLE STEPS

    • Place tomatoes and lemons in large saute pan.
    • Bring to a simmer.
    • Drizzle in olive oil and a few pinches of salt.
    • Saute for about 45 minutes.

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    Quick video…Getting started…tomatoes and lemons into the saute pan…

    And, the tomatoes and lemons cooking…

    Another simple idea for Tomato Saute in my cookbook, “A New View of Healthy Eating.”

     

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    You can purchase “A New View of Healthy Eating” right here and I’ll gift wrap and mail a copy to you.

    Also, I invite you to Follow me on Instagram where I post my favorite “food art” photos. @nutritionauthor

     

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Two Veggies and Quinoa Beautiful Lunch

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, retreat host, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLCs

    This morning, listening to my body, I noticed that I was quite hungry way before my typical lunch time, was prepping for a meeting, and wanted to make something really quick, healthy and delicious.

    During the Christmas holidays in Cocoa Beach, I showed my 91-year old Dad how to roast sweet potatoes with a really easy method, and I had a beautiful Romanesco broccoli from one of our local Arizona farmers, Steadfast Farm. Since I knew I was hungry, I decided to also cook a batch of quinoa.

    I only have a few photos from today, as I was not intending to blog about this dish. However, the final plating is so beautiful and delicious, I’m sharing today.

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    2 Veggie Lunch: Romanesco & Sweet Potatoes

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • 2-3 sweet potatoes
    • 1 small Romanesco
    • Pinch sea salt or a blend of spices. Today, I used Penzeys Spices Fox Point blend: salt, shallots, chives, garlic, onion, and green pepper corns
    • 2-3 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 tsp basil olive oil
    • 1 cup quinoa

    SIMPLE STEPS

    Quinoa

    • Rinse quinoa in a strainer.
    • Pour quinoa into a small pot.
    • Add 2 cups liquid, water or veggie stock.
    • Cover pot, bring to a boil.
    • Simmer for about 15 minutes, with lid tight.
    • Sit for about 10 minutes.
    • With a fork, fluff around the edges of the quinoa.

    Simple Steps to Roast Veggies, Excerpt from “A New View of Healthy Eating”

    Sweet & Rich Roasted Roots

    Roasted roots are beautiful, flavorful, and sweet, as well as a rich, colorful complement to any meal. The roasting culinary technique is a dry heat cooking method that intensifies and concentrates the flavor of vegetables. When roasted properly, the natural sugars in the vegetables brown or caramelize to create a deep, rich flavor. When visiting your farmers’ market, buy a few roots even if you don’t recognize them, and roast them with this simple, quick culinary technique. Enjoy roasted roots as a side dish, to create soup, with hummus, or in a raw kale salad or veggie wrap.

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    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • 10-12 of your favorite roots: carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, golden beets, red beets, and radishes
    • Approximately ¼ cup organic extra virgin olive oil
    • 3 tbsp dry herbs (Choose a few: basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, or thyme)
    • ½ tsp sea salt

    SIMPLE STEPS

    1. Pre-heat oven to 475 degrees F.
    2. Scrub roots under running water to clean the outside.
    3. Let sit for about 10 minutes to dry.
    4. Slice roots into even, bite-size pieces.
    5. Mix olive oil, herbs, and sea salt in a bowl to make the dressing.
    6. Add root vegetables to the bowl and toss to evenly coat with the dressing.
    7. Carefully lay the roots on parchment paper in a heavy-duty flat baking sheet pan. Place roots flat side down in a single layer, making sure the vegetables do not touch.
    8. Place baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven.
    9. Roast roots in the oven for about 20 minutes, then turn vegetables.
    10. Cook another 15 minutes, until fork tender.
    11. Plate vegetables. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
    12. Enjoy!

    Have Fun Plating your Veggies and Quinoa

    • Spoon quinoa, then sweet potatoes, then Romanesco on the plate.
    • Add a few of your favorite extras. Today, I added rough chopped pistachio nuts and capers.
    • Drizzle with oil. Today, I drizzled with Hutun Basil Extra Virgin Olive oil.

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    ACTION: Roast a few veggies, cook a whole grain, plate, and enjoy. Share your creations with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating or tag #NewViewHealthyEating

    Melanie’s book, “A New View of Healthy Eating” is available to ship to you, or see you at an upcoming event in the Phoenix area.

     

     

     

     

     

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Super Bowl Recipe: Avocado Tartare

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC

    I’m always a little reflective during Super Bowl week, and realized it was 10 years ago that my company was first involved with the Super Bowl. That first year, we created three healthy lifestyle products with the Super Bowl XLII logo: a zen clock, soy candle collection, and matcha tea kit. For the next two Super Bowls, we catered at the Super Bowl VIP Tailgate Party with Tropical Trail Mix in Tampa, and then Hummus and Cold Soup in Miami.

     

     

    Over the years, we learned about the serious health issues of the former NFL players when they retire,  taught former players how to cook healthy meals, created a healthy eating program, and in 2011, my company became the Official Health & Wellness Partner of the NFL Alumni Association.

     

    Avocado Tartare Recipe for Super Bowl

    Anyway, enough reminiscing…

    Today, the eve of the Super Bowl game many people were out shopping for the perfect avocados for guacamole, so I decided to create a little more fancy version of guacamole.

    Avocado Tartare Mis en Place: So simple…avocado, tomatoes, lemon, and sea salt.

     

    Avocado Tartare Plating

     

    Enjoy your Super Bowl Day and your Avocado Guacamole and Avocado Tartare!

    Share your Super Bowl snacks with us over on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating

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  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Quick Farm-to-Table Veggie Saute

    A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Quick Farm-to-Table Veggie Saute

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC

    Today I very intuitively created a very simple farm-to-table veggie saute with beautiful veggies in my refrigerator from local Phoenix farmers and gardeners. When I first pulled out the veggies from my refrigerator my intention was to create a cold avocado tartar with the tomatoes and carrots.  While chopping the veggies I was imagining the beautiful aromatic veggie saute from last night’s  “Living an Edible Landscape Life” and decided to prepare a saute.

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    When cooking a quick stove-top saute, first gather your veggies. Today’s veggies are from many of our local Arizona farmers.

    • Green onions
    • Green Spring garlic, McClendon Select
    • Mini red tomatoes, Phoenix Community Exchange
    • Orange carrots, Steadfast Farms
    • Arizona lemon, Phoenix Community Exchange
    • Kale, The Farm at South Mountain, Seed & Soil Garden
    • Chrysanthemum greens, The Farm at South Mountain, Soil & Seed Garden
    • Fresh dill, Joan Baron Food in the Alley, Scottsdale
    • Avocado
    • Sea salt
    • Extra virgin olive oil

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    As always, mindfully pre-chop your veggies and get your mise en place set for cooking.

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    Once our mise en place is set, we mindfully cook the veggies, one-by-one. With this process, we can really taste the flavor layers. Start with a little olive oil, sweat the onions, add the garlic. Then add the veggies one-by-one. Intuitively, I usually add a little sea salt right after the tomatoes go into the pan, to bring out their sweetness. And, this time of year in Arizona, I love to squeeze in a little citrus to add a bright taste to the saute.

     

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    While this dish was cooking, the natural aromatherapy of the lemons and fresh dill really made the dish a more beautiful mindful experience.

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    Once you’ve sauteed the veggies, mindfully plate and enjoy your farm-to-table veggies. You’ll see that I added a few dehydrated tomatoes for extra beauty and flavor.

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    ACTION: Have fun shopping at your local farmers’ market this weekend, and please share your veggie sautes with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating

    For some additional veggie saute ideas, a spread from Melanie’s book, “A New View of Healthy Eating.”

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    If you’re in the Phoenix area, my next hands-on intuitive cooking class, Winter Farm-to-Table Harvest is at The Farm at South Mountain, Sunday, February 18, 2018, 11am-1pm.  Learn more and register here.

    You can order “A New View of Healthy Eating” book and I’m happy to gift wrap for you.

     

     

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Get to Know Farmers’ Markets and CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture)

    A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Get to Know Farmers’ Markets and CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture)

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC

    This evening I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in the Living an Edible Landscape Life with urban gardener Joan Baron, sponsored by the Scottsdale Green Building Program.

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    Today, Joan Baron shared key tips to start a home garden in Arizona (which I’ll share in another blog). We also cooked a simple salad with Joan’s just-harvested greens, 3-ingredient salad dressing (Meyer lemon, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, plus fresh mint), and a beautiful veggie saute with green onions, spring garlic, tomatoes, golden and striped beets, carrots, and watermelon radish.

     

    During the evening we discussed the value of shopping for local, in-season food at farmers’ markets and CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture). I promised a few of the attendees at the workshop that I’d blog about farmers’ markets and CSA’s…

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    Excerpt from “A New View of Healthy Eating”

    Shop at Farmers’ Markets in Your Area

    As demand for locally grown fruit and vegetables has increased, farmers’ markets have steadily grown in number throughout the last few decades. According to the USDA Farmers Market Directory, in June 2017 there were 8,687 registered farmers’ markets as compared to 1,744 in 1994—an increase of more than 7,000 in 23 years. In addition to the USDA Farmers Market Database, another source to find farmers’ markets in your area is www.localharvest.org.

    Favorite Phoenix Farmers’ Markets

    We are so fortunate in the Phoenix area, as we have farmers’ market across the Valley of the Sun every Saturday, and even have a few mid-week markets. I recommend shopping at a farmers’ market that’s convenient and to getting to know your local farmers.

    I live in the South Phoenix area and my favorite markets are:

    • Downtown Phoenix Openair Market, Central and McKinley, Phoenix, Saturday, 8am-1pm
    • Scottsdale Old Town Farmers’ Market, 1st Street and N. Brown, Saturday, 8am-1pm
    • Uptown Farmers’ Market, Central and Bethany Home, Phoenix, Saturday and Wednesday 9am-1pm, Wednesday, 9am-1pm
    • Ahwatukee Market, 48th Street and Warner, Tempe, Sunday, 9am-1pm

    In addition to farmers’ market it’s great to buy a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). 

    Excerpt from “A New View of Healthy Eating

    Commit to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Share

    Developed in the 1960’s in Japan, CSA programs are designed to build a relationship between the farmer and the community. At the beginning of each season, farmers sell CSA memberships to consumers. Each week, customers receive a sampling of produce that is available from one farmer or a group of local farmers. CSAs cost $25 to $35 per week for six to eight weeks and are perfect for those of us who wish to experiment with unique, interesting, locally grown food. Farmers distribute CSA’s at farms, farmers’ markets, and convenient pick-up locations, such as yoga studios. Some farms even deliver CSA’s right to your home.

    Great CSA’s in Phoenix

    Since I primarily shop with our local Phoenix farmers for both my personal cooking and cooking classes, I’m very familiar with our local organic small farmers. A few of my farmer friends offer CSA’s. If you’re in the Phoenix area, check out the CSA’s from these farmers and know that you do not need to live near their farms, as they have various pick-up locations around the Valley.

    • Maya’s Farm, South Phoenix. My favorites: Fresh herbs, flowers, edible flowers. www.mayasfarm.com
    • Steadfast Farm, Queen Creek. My favorites: Yellow and orange carrots, Romanesco. www.stead-fast-farm.com
    • Blue Sky Organic Farms, Litchfield. My favorites: Dinosaur kale, dandelion greens. blueskyorganicfarms.com

    ACTION: I invite you to shop at your local farmers’ markets and/or support your local farmers’ by participating in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture.)

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Chocolate Avocado Pudding. Arizona Navel Orange.

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC

    I’m so honored to be presenting monthly cooking classes at the Humana Community Center in Mesa, Arizona. Today’s theme was superfoods. One of my very favorite superfoods is raw cacao, so we prepared the very simple Avocado Chocolate Pudding. We topped the pudding with hydrated goji berries, raw cacao nibs, and hemp seeds. Everyone in the class loved the simplicity of making the pudding, it’s smooth texture and how healthy it is.

    A few fun photos from today’s class:

    Today I was very fortunate to have a few left-over perfectly ripe avocados. When I returned home from the cooking class, I made a small batch of the Chocolate Avocado Pudding. I had fun mindfully plating it with some of my favorite superfoods and a sweet Arizona navel orange. After the recipe from “A New View of Healthy Eating,” scroll down for today’s dessert creation.

    Simple Recipe from “A New View of Healthy Eating”

    Chocolate Avocado Pudding

    Incredible, rich, and creamy vegan chocolate pudding will delight everyone. Make it for dessert or an after-work or after-school snack. Once you’ve made this avocado pudding, experiment by adding some extras, such as bananas, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, homemade nut milk, and freshly ground spices, like cinnamon and nutmeg.

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • 4 ripe avocados
    • 8 Medjool dates, pitted and sliced
    • 2 tsp vanilla extract or 2 vanilla beans, scraped
    • ½ cup raw cacao powder
    • 2 cups water

    SIMPLE STEPS

    1. Place all ingredients in high-speed blender.
    2. Blend on high for about 2 minutes.
    3. Stop and scrape down sides of blender, if needed.
    4. Blend for another 2 minutes or until completely pureed and smooth.
    5. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
    6. Enjoy topped with fresh fruit, nuts, and seeds.

    Avocado Pudding Mise en Place

    Blend All Ingredients in Food Processor

    Prepare your Plating Mise en Place

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    Fun Chocolate Pudding Plating

    Another look at the final Chocolate Pudding Plate…

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    Having fun with the raw cacao…maybe a little too much…but tasty!

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    If you’re interested in learning more simple culinary skills and healthy recipes, Melanie’s book, “A New View of Healthy Eating” is available.

    If you’re interested in a Workshop, Cooking Class, Team Building Event, or Retreat, contact Melanie: Mel@MelanieAlbert.com

     

     

     

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Smoothie Mise en Place

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC

    As I sit here late tonight with the beautiful full moon above my home in Phoenix, with a beautiful cloud ring around it, I really want to be outside looking forward to the Super Blue Blood Moon. Thus, tonight’s blog will be very short.

    This morning while making my Superfood Smoothie, I realized that I actually almost always set up my “mise en place” when I cook, prepare, and plate food. Even with today’s smoothie, I mindfully put my ingredients into place before “plating” (if you want to call it plating) my smoothie.

    My Smoothie Mise en Place

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    Today’s Superfood Smoothie

    Excerpt from “A New View of Healthy Eating”

    Mise en Place: Be Organized When You Cook

    Mise en Place (French pronunciation: [mi zɑ̃ ˈplas]) is a French phrase that means “putting in place,” as in “setting up.”

    Mise en Place is used in the kitchen to “set up” all the ingredients needed to prepare a dish before we start cooking. The purpose is to be organized when we cook, with everything ready so that it’s easier to cook. Mise en Place is a useful cooking technique to incorporate when you are cooking in your kitchen for both complex and simple recipes.

    With the Mise en Place concept, before we start cooking we get all the ingredients ready, sliced, diced, measured, and organized. To be super organized, we can even set up our ingredients in order of use in the cooking process, which is especially beneficial when cooking a fast-paced meal like a stir-fry or a recipe with a lot of ingredients.

    4 Reasons to Love Mise en Place 

    1. Be prepared and calm. You will not be scrambling around your kitchen during the middle of the cooking process, looking for that one ingredient you really need. Also, you will be so organized that you won’t need to rush out to purchase a missing ingredient.
    2. Cook when cooking. You will not need to quickly chop food you might have forgotten about right in the middle of the cooking process. You will mindfully enjoy cooking your meal.
    3. Save time. As an example, if you are mincing onions or garlic for several dishes, you can mince them at the same time while setting up your Mise en Place.
    4. Cook mindfully and clutter-free. Cooking is much more enjoyable in a neat, clutter-free environment. Your cooking process will be mindful and beautiful when you cook in an organized fashion.

    ACTION: I invite you to use the Mise en Place process when you cook to bring more mindfulness, organization, and calm to your cooking. Would love to see your Mise en Place photos on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating

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  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: 4 Great Ways to Cook 20 Pounds of Organic Tomatoes: Part 2: Slow Roast Tomatoes

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC

    Continuing the recipe blog with this week’s 20 pounds of organic tomatoes, today’s recipe guide to roast tomatoes is a simple way to very easily cook tomatoes. Chop a few veggies and roast for in the oven with tomatoes for about 1 ½ -2 hours.

    This batch of tomatoes was cooked intuitively with a few ingredients from this week’s farmers’ market. And, while the tomatoes were cooking, I really enjoyed the natural sweet aromatherapy of the sauce that reminded me of an authentic Italian restaurant.

    Simple Ingredients

    • Tomatoes
    • Red peppers
    • Orange carrots
    • Green onions
    • Parsley
    • Extra virgin olive oil
    • Sea salt

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    Simple Steps

    • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • Slice peppers, carrots, and green onions.

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    • Place all veggies in a large baking pan.
    • Drizzle with olive oil.
    • Add a few pinches of sea salt.
    • Lightly toss the veggies.

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    • Roast for about 1 ½ – 2 hours, stirring and breaking down tomatoes occasionally.

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    This tomato sauce was so rich I enjoyed it on flatbread, and topped it with arugula, dehydrated tomatoes, and goat cheese. Enjoy your tomato sauce with flatbread, quinoa, or spiralized veggies.

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    The next time you roast tomatoes, please share your creations with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating