Experience Nutrition

Category: Drink Green Tea, Root Tea, and No Recipe Smoothies

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Mindfully Drink Green Tea. Try Sencha Today.

    A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Mindfully Drink Green Tea. Try Sencha Today.

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

    While I’m a huge fan of matcha green tea, today I decided to enjoy a pot of Sencha tea while getting settled back into the entrepreneurial routine. For me, preparing all kinds of tea is very mindful and meditative. From looking at the beauty of the dried leaves, to gently pouring almost boiling water over the tea, to quietly enjoying a sip of the tea are all part of the mindfulness of tea. The process is very calming and grounding, plus we get the health benefits of drinking green tea.

    Today’s Sencha Tea: Simple Steps to enjoy your tea!

    • Step 1: Pause and enjoy the beauty of the sencha tea leaves

     

    • Step 2: Pour a few teaspoons of sencha tea leaves into a mesh tea pot strainer.

     

    • Step 3: Bring water to almost a boil, and pour water over the tea leaves. Steep for a few minutes.

     

    • Step 4: Calmly and mindfully enjoy your tea.

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    Your Action: I invite you to buy real tea leaves, rather than teabags and to mindfully enjoy the tea process. Come on over to our Facebook page and share photos of your tea experience with us. www.Facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating

    Excerpt from book, “A New View of Healthy Eating:  Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods”

    Start with High-quality Tea

    To really enjoy tea, be prepared with high-quality tea and the right tea accessories. Purchase a few different high-quality loose green teas. Start with 1-2 ounces of green teas such as Sencha and Gyokuro.

    Top 6 Reasons Why Green Tea is Good for You

    1. The antioxidant ECGC, in green tea, is an anti-inflammatory.
    2. Research has found that green tea benefits heart health and brain health, and helps prevent cancer.
    3. It is full of catechins and polyphenols, which help the brain relax and stimulate dopamine levels.
    4. Theanine in green tea helps improve mood and provides a sense of relaxation.
    5. Green tea has less caffeine than coffee.
    6. It tastes delicious, so enjoy a few cups every day.

    3 Popular Green Teas

    Matcha: Tea of the Japanese tea ceremony

    • High quality Japanese green tea is covered before picking to ac¬centuate its vibrant green color and to increase amino acids, as well as vitamins A and C.
    • The tea leaves are stone-ground, so we actually eat tea leaves when we drink matcha tea and receive the full benefits of green tea.
    • Intense grassy, green taste.

    Gyokuro: High-quality Japanese tea

    • The tea bushes are covered for two weeks prior to harvesting with nets or trellises to reduce the amount of sunlight the plants receive.
    • The emerald leaf takes on a lustrous, splinter-like appearance.
    • Deep, intense, rich green color and grassy, fresh taste.

    Sencha: Most popular Japanese tea

    • An excellent starting point for those just beginning to explore green tea.
    • The splintered green leaf delivers a vegetal, yellow-green cup.
    • In Japan, Sencha is served hot in the cooler months and usually chilled in the summer months.

    My book, “A New View of Healthy Eating:  Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods” is available. I’m happy to mail a copy to you, and hope you enjoy learning some simple culinary skills, intuitive cooking, and of course enjoying green tea.

     

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  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Steps to Make the Perfect Matcha Green Tea

    A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Steps to Make the Perfect Matcha Green Tea

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

    I love, love, love matcha tea and was so excited this week to also enjoy dark chocolate with matcha! I’ve been drinking matcha tea since 2004, 13 years ago, when I started working in branding, marketing, and licensing with Dr. Andrew Weil / Weil Lifestyle. I knew Andy was an advocate of drinking green tea, but honestly, green tea was not (yet) part of my life. I thought it was bitter and I really did not know how to prepare it.

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    Fortunately, I had the great opportunity to attend the World Tea Expo four years and learned more and more about the beauty of tea, the history of tea, and the benefits of tea. 

    In my latest book, “New View of Healthy Eating,” includes a chapter on healthy hydration, including green tea.

    Excerpt from “A New View of Healthy Eating”: Matcha Tea

    Get Ready to Enjoy Green Tea

    I began drinking green tea over a decade ago in 2004 when I started working in marketing and licensing with best-selling author and integrative medicine pioneer, Dr. Andrew Weil, who has been a long-time advocate of drinking green tea.

    My green tea experience grew from bitter to mindful. When I first started drinking loose green tea, I found it to be very bitter tasting, but I kept experimenting with different teas and even attended The World Tea Expo for a few years. Importantly, I learned the proper way to brew green tea for an enjoyable, smooth taste. Today I love the smooth, grassy taste, along with the mindful experience of brewing and enjoying tea.

    Top 6 Reasons Why Green Tea is Good for You

    1. The antioxidant ECGC, in green tea, is an anti-inflammatory.
    2. Research has found that green tea benefits heart health and brain health, and helps prevent cancer.
    3. It is full of catechins and polyphenols, which help the brain relax and stimulate dopamine levels.
    4. Theanine in green tea helps improve mood and provides a sense of relaxation.
    5. Green tea has less caffeine than coffee.
    6. It tastes delicious, so enjoy a few cups every day.

    Matcha: Tea of the Japanese tea ceremony

    • High quality Japanese green tea is covered before picking to ac¬centuate its vibrant green color and to increase amino acids, as well as vitamins A and C.
    • The tea leaves are stone-ground, so we actually eat tea leaves when we drink matcha tea and receive the full benefits of green tea.
    • Intense grassy, green taste.

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    4 Simple Steps to Prepare Matcha Tea

    1. Place ¼ tsp matcha in matcha bowl.
    2. Add nearly boiled water.
    3. Whisk with a bamboo whisk.
    4. Enjoy the ritual and ceremony.

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    I invite you to experience matcha green tea. Enjoy the mindful process of preparing it and it’s delicious fresh, green taste. Post your photos of your matcha on  our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating

    If you are interested in purchasing “A New View of Healthy Eating”, you can buy it here and I’ll ship an autographed (if you wish) copy to you.

    Or, stop by one of my cooking classes or demos this month. Would be great to see you!

    • April 15, 2017, 9am, Downtown Phoenix Market: Demo Bamboo Steamer Spring Veggies, 721 N. Central Ave, Phoenix
    • April 19, 2017, 6-8pm, Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, Tempe, AZ; Anti-inflammatory Cooking Class: Seasonal Veggie Stir-fry. 2125 E Broadway Road, Tempe, AZ Learn more. Call to register: 480.222.9620.
    • April 22, 2017, 10:30-11:30am, Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market, Demo Cooking with the Aromatherapy of Fresh Herbs, 3806 N Brown Ave, Scottsdale
    • April 22, 2017, 5-8pm, Peoria Earth Day Planetpalooza Celebration, Westwing Park, 27100 Westwing Parkway, Demo Raw Kale Salad with Fresh Fruit
    • April 23, 2017, 11am-1pm, The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Intuitive Cooking Class: Farm-to-Table: 3 New Ways to Cook Local Spring Veggies. 32nd Street & Southern, Phoenix, Click to purchase tickets.
    • April 24, 2017, 4:30-5:30pm, Grandfamiles with Gregory’s Fresh Marketplace (private event)

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    Join our E-mail list and please let me know if you have any questions or would like to book a cooking event with your organization.

     

     

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Pomegranate Smoothie Recipe

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

    Pomegranates are in season here in Arizona and I am so happy. I totally remember picking out the pomegranate seeds when I was a kid and absolutely loving them. Fortunately, now I know an easy way to get the seeds out of a pomegranate without making a mess, which you can find in the following Pomegranate Smoothie Recipe.

    Last year at this time, I created this very intuitive pomegranate smoothie and have been enjoying it this week as well.  If you’re in Arizona, go to a farmers’ market and buy a few pomegranates and enjoy this  creamy eat with the season smoothie.

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    Excerpt from A New View of Healthy Eating:  Pomegranate Smoothie with Homemade Almond Milk (pages 144-145)

    Inspired by pomegranates sitting on my kitchen counter, I decided to create a smoothie. I wanted this smoothie to be special because I’ve loved sweet, juicy pomegranates since I was a young kid having fun mindfully picking the seeds out of the fruit like crabmeat, with the deep, red juice dripping down my arms.

    Intuitively, I created the pomegranate smoothie with homemade almond milk, which is delicious even by itself. Enjoy the process of creating this thick, creamy, sweet smoothie.

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • 1 pomegranate, seeded
    • 1 cup coconut water
    • ½ cup almonds
    • 1 Medjool date
    • 1 frozen banana

    SIMPLE STEPS

    1. Simple Steps to Get the Seeds Out of a Pomegranate, Without All the Mess!
    • Cut pomegranate in half.
    • Place pomegranate in a bowl of cold water.
    • Tear apart the pomegranate with your hands. Seeds will float to the bottom of the bowl, and the tan membrane will rise to the top.
    • Mindfully examine the seeds and take out any small pieces of membrane.
    1. Fresh Homemade Almond Milk
    • Blend coconut water, almonds, and date in a high-speed blender for 1-2 minutes.
    • Enjoy a taste.
    1. My First-Ever Pomegranate Smoothie
    • Add banana to the almond milk in the blender and blend for about a minute.
    • Enjoy another taste.
    • Sprinkle in pomegranate seeds and blend for another minute.
    • Pour smoothie into a glass.
    • Top with a few pomegranate seeds and almonds to add crunch to the smoothie.
    • Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!

    “I previously thought nut milk was hard to make. Once learning how quick and easy it is to make nut milk, especially for my morning smoothies, I no longer buy store-bought milk. Since I’m such an advocate for eating and drinking real whole foods, this fits perfectly with my philosophy.”

    A New View of Healthy Eating is a great gift for yourself, your family, and friends. You can now purchase it right here and I’ll gift wrap and ship it to you.

    If you would like to stay up-to-date on upcoming events and new recipes, join our e-mail list.

    Join us on our Facebook page and share your Fall Smoothie creations: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Make your own Turmeric Tea

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

    First, I would like to send warm wishes to everyone and their families who were touched by the recent Hurricane Matthew. I have been away from blogging for the last week or so, as my 87- and 90-year old Mom and Dad evacuated from their Cocoa Beach, Florida home of 28 years. Fortunately, they and their home are doing fine now, with a month or more of clean-up of trees, boat dock, and boats.

    Today, the blog is about making your own turmeric tea. Turmeric is becoming more and more popular as a beverage in the US. With these simple steps, you can make your own turmeric tea (or drink) and enjoy it hot or cold. This is how my turmeric tea looked this week, with fresh turmeric from a grower at the Ahwatukee Farmers Market, right on the south side of South Mountain, here in Phoenix.

    Step 1: Slice a few pieces of fresh turmeric root.

    Step 2: Place turmeric root into pot with water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

    Step 3: Enjoy your turmeric root tea, hot or cold.

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    Excerpt from A New View of Healthy Eating: Experience Root Tea

    Ginger and turmeric herbs are tropical plants whose roots are used medicinally and as beverages. Ginger and turmeric tea have been popular in Asia for centuries. Ginger tea is very common in China. Turmeric tea is an everyday drink in Okinawa, Japan, home to the world’s highest known concentration of centenarians.

    Ginger Root

    • Natural anti-inflammatory
    • Reduces nausea and helps digestion
    • Beneficial for colds and the flu

    Turmeric Root

    • Used medicinally in India and China for centuries
    • Contains curcumin, an anti-inflammatory known to alleviate arthritis and reduce muscle pain and joint inflammation
    • Thermogenic properties that increase metabolism and fat burning, which aid in the increasing of energy and weight loss

    6 Steps to Make Root Tea

    1. Slice ginger or turmeric root into thin slices without skin.
    2. Place into a small pot of water.
    3. Add black pepper to turmeric to enhance its healing properties.
    4. Bring water to boil.
    5. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
    6. If desired, add honey for sweetness.

    A New View of Healthy Eating is now available and a great gift idea for the holidays. Yes, a few people have already purchased the book for gifts. Thanks so much!

    My nephew, Jack from North Carolina, asked me to “autograph” my book for him. So sweet. a-mel-jack-img_2257

     Join our e-newsletter to get recipes, culinary tips, and stay up-to-date on events.

     

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Chia Seeds in a Quick Smoothie

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

    Yesterday, I posted a quick smoothie with homemade sunflower seed milk as the base. Today, I created a similar smoothie with chia seeds and coconut water as the base. 

    Both smoothies were made with coconut water, raspberries, and a banana. The only difference being the sunflower seeds yesterday and the chia seeds today, as a thickener and source of protein and healthy fats.

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    CULINARY TIP: Be sure to soak chia seeds before you use them in a recipe, as they will expand about 12 times their size with soaking.

    SIMPLE SMOOTHIE: Blend coconut water chia seed liquid, with frozen raspberries and a banana for a quick, delicious smoothie.

    Have fun creating your own smoothies with different bases, and share your creations with us on our Facebook: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating