Experience Nutrition

Category: NEW BOOK

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Reader’s Digest: How to Get Started on a Raw Diet this Summer

    A New View of Healthy Eating: Reader’s Digest: How to Get Started on a Raw Diet this Summer

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

    A few months ago, The Farm at South Mountain and I had the honor to host a fun hands-on Intuitive Cooking Class for Visit Phoenix, Visit Mesa, travel and food bloggers, and the media.

    As a result of this memorable cooking class, blogger and writer, Fiona Tapp featured our class and my thoughts on Raw Food in the Reader’s Digest article: 9 Things to Know If You’re Thinking About Starting a Raw Food Diet This Summer.

    Get tips to Go Raw this Summer in the article.

    Reader’s Digest: Raw Food this Summer

    Enjoy a few photos from our fun cooking class at The Farm.

     

     

     

    Purchase Today!    “A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods.”

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  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Sprouted Spelt Flatbread: Cooked & Raw Cuisine

    A New View of Healthy Eating: Sprouted Spelt Flatbread: Cooked & Raw Cuisine

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

    I’m excited to share my favorite cooked flatbread, Sprouted Spelt Flatbread, paired with Raw Pistachio Pesto and Fresh Tomatoes.

    As many of you are aware, I’ve been teaching whole foods cooking for several years, and am now learning more about gourmet raw culinary with Matthew Kenney Culinary. The flatbread really brings together these two ways of cooking. Enjoy!

    Organic Sprouted Spelt Flatbread

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

    A few years ago I discovered that I was sensitive to gluten (the protein in grains like wheat, barley, and rye). By exploring different grain flours, I’ve found that I’m not sensitive (no hives, no bloating, no headaches) to the Organic Sprouted Spelt Flour by One Degree Organic Foods. Have fun making your own flatbread with this simple recipe.

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • ¾ cup hot (not boiling) water
    • 1 tbsp dry yeast
    • ½ tbsp honey
    • 2 tbsp organic olive oil
    • 2 cups organic sprouted spelt flour
    • ½ tsp sea salt

    SIMPLE STEPS

    1. Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees F with pizza brick in the oven.
    2. Put dry yeast, honey, and olive oil into a cup with hot water.
    3. Let it sit for about 10 minutes.
    4. Pour sprouted spelt flour and sea salt in a bowl.
    5. Add the water with yeast into the flour mixture.
    6. Blend with a fork for a few minutes, then knead with your hands for another few minutes. Only knead for about 3-4 minutes total; otherwise, the flatbread will be tough. If the dough is sticky, add more flour. If it’s dry, add more water.
    7. Coat a large bowl with olive oil. Place dough in bowl, cover with a towel, and rest for about 15 minutes. Any additional water in the dough will soak into the flour.
    8. Split the dough in half. Place 2 balls of dough into the bowl coated with olive oil, and cover for about 2 hours (to rise).
    9. Again, split the dough into 2 sections and spread it onto a pizza brick using your hands.
    10. Bake for 5 minutes, then check for doneness (crispy on outside and soft on inside). Bake for another 3-5 minutes if needed.
    11. Enjoy.

    “This Organic Sprouted Spelt Flatbread has become a staple in my home and when I travel. This year I made the flatbread with 15 pounds of the flour and my family and friends from Florida to Arizona all enjoyed its simplicity.”

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    Quick Pistachio Basil Pesto and Quick Marinated Tomatoes

    Quick Pistachio Basil Pesto

    INGREDIENTS

    • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
    • ¼ cup pistachios, rough chopped
    • 1 TBSP organic extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
    • Pinch Celtic sea salt

    SIMPLE STEPS

    • Rough chop basil and pistachios
    • Gently mix basil and pistachios with a fork in a small bowl
    • Squeeze in lemon juice
    • Drizzle in olive oil
    • Add sea salt
    • Stir
    • Add extra olive oil, lemon, or sea salt, as needed for your taste

    Quick Marinated Tomatoes

    INGREDIENTS

    • ¼ cup tomatoes (variety of small heirloom, if available)
    • 1 TBSP organic extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
    • Pinch sea salt

    SIMPLE STEPS

    • Rough chop tomatoes and place in a small bowl
    • Add lemon juice, olive oil, and sea salt to tomatoes
    • Gently mix with a fork
    • Add extra olive oil, lemon or sea salt, as needed for your taste

    PLATING PRESENTATION

    • Place three slices of flatbread on plate
    • Spoon pesto to half of each flatbread slice
    • Spoon tomatoes to the other half of each flatbread slice
    • Garnish with micro greens
    • Enjoy!

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    If you are interested in purchasing in my book, “A New View of Healthy Eating,” stop by one of my cooking events in the Phoenix area. Or, if you are out-of-town, I’m happy to mail a copy to you.

     

     

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Quick Organic Tomato-Lemon Sauce Step-by-Step Videos

    A New View of Healthy Eating: Quick Organic Tomato-Lemon Sauce Step-by-Step Videos

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

    This week I purchased 20 pounds of organic tomatoes for only $20 from McClendon’s Select at the Uptown Farmer’s Market in Phoenix. Every time I have the opportunity to purchase these goodies I get so excited and then I immediately realize that I’ve just given myself a cooking project to squeeze into the week.

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    Last night I made four different batches of tomato sauce, 3 on the stove-top and one roasted in the oven. The lemon tomato sauce was so incredible that I decided to cook another batch today and took some videos to show you the process. The sauce is still on my stove and my home is full of the lemon aromatherapy.

    A quick look at the fresh ingredients in the 4 different tomato sauces.

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    The cooked tomato sauces.

    The first batch of tomato lemon sauce with capers, marjoram, and brown rice. This delicious and fresh dish inspired the big batch of tomato sauce that you’ll see in the step-by-step videos in today’s blog.

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    With these videos, learn the simple steps to make your own tomato sauce. Go out to a farmers’ market in your area, buy some fresh organic tomatoes and have fun creating your own tomato sauces.

    Step 1: Mise en place. All set with the ingredients for the tomato lemon sauce.

    Step 2: Getting started with the tomatoes, lemons, organic extra virgin olive oil, and Himalayan sea salt into the saute pan.

    Step 3: Tomatoes are beginning to break-down in the saute pan and the lemon aromatherapy is already infusing my kitchen.

    Step 4: Breakdown tomatoes with your bamboo spoon.

    Step 5: Simmer the sauce for about 20-25 minutes.

    Step 6: Tomatoes and lemons are simmering. So simple.

    Step 7: The simple beauty of food. Today’s organic tomato lemon sauce.

    Have fun shopping at your local farmers’ markets. Buy some organic tomatoes. Create your own sauces. And, share your culinary dishes with us on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating

    Interested in additional simple culinary skills and recipes? “A New View of Healthy Eating” book is available right here.

    The beauty of simple food.

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  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Bamboo Steamer Veggies

    A New View of Healthy Eating: Bamboo Steamer Veggies

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

    During the last few weeks, we’ve been steaming quite a few veggies with a bamboo steamer at cooking classes and demos in the Phoenix area. Some of the venues include The Farm at South Mountain, the Downtown Phoenix Public Market, the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (tomorrow, April 19), and with my 12-year old niece Meredith, while working on our Kids Cookbook.

    To me, steaming veggies in a bamboo steamer has become part of my everyday life over the last few years, but I’ve learned that so many people have never used a bamboo steamer. Thus, this blog focuses on the process of a cooking with a bamboo steamer and some of the different creations people have had fun making during recent classes.

    Take a look at the bamboo steamer veggies from recent cooking classes and events. We have 2 more hands-on Intuitive Cooking Experience classes at The Farm this season: April 23. 11am-1pm and May 21, 10am-noon. You can call me at 602.615.2486 to register for the May class.

    Spring Farm-to-Table Intuitive Cooking Class at The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, AZ

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    For the upcoming Kids Cookbook: Created by Meredith, my 12-year old niece.Will post a separate blog on her creating and finishing process. By the way, the next Kids Cooking Class at The Farm at South Mountain (the last class of the season) is May 6, 2017, 11:30am-12:30pm. Not yet on the calendar, so you can register by calling me directly: 602.615.2486 

    Excerpt from “A New View of Healthy Eating”

    Bamboo Steamer Carrots with Cumin Seed Lemon Dressing

    Bamboo Steamer Carrots

    A bamboo steamer is key to the new view of the year-round healthy eating kitchen. First, learn to steam carrots with the mindful process of steaming. Once you learn how to steam carrots, use your bamboo steamer to steam all kinds of veggies. Try a rustic medley of roots such as carrots, sweet potatoes, and golden beets. Or quickly cook butternut squash and pumpkin as the base for a warm fall soup. Also, experiment with steaming a mix of spring veggies like asparagus, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, and kale.

    Bamboo Steamer Carrots with Cumin Seed Lemon Dressing

    Finishing carrots with a simple herb and citrus dressing adds richness to the simple carrot. Enjoy creating a cumin seed lemon dressing by toasting cumin seeds for added flavor and aromatherapy, lightly tossing the carrots by hand with the dressing and mindfully plating your carrots. Enjoy!

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • 6-8 large carrots, rainbow if available, sliced
    • ½ tsp cumin seeds
    • Pinch sea salt
    • 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley
    • ½ fresh lemon
    • 2-3 tbsp walnut oil (or extra virgin olive oil)

    SIMPLE STEPS

    1. Steam Carrots
    • To set up the bamboo steamer, fill a large (6- to 8-quart) soup pot with 3-4 inches of water, place over high heat, and bring to a boil.
    • Place sliced carrots into the bamboo steamer. Spread out the carrots so that they do not touch each other to allow the steam to rise and cook the carrots. Sprinkle carrots with a pinch of sea salt.
    • Place bamboo steamer on top of the pot with steaming water. Cover with lid and let steam for about 5-7 minutes or until just cooked.
    • Test the carrots for doneness. When carrots easily come off a fork, they’re ready.
    • Once the carrots have finished cooking, pour them into a large bowl.
    1. Cumin Seed Lemon Finishing Dressing
    • While the carrots are steaming, prepare the finishing dressing.
    • To toast the cumin seeds, heat a small sauté pan over low heat. Add the seeds to the pan and cook lightly until fragrant. Once done, remove the seeds from the pan.
    • To make the dressing, gather the lemon and oil, and roughly chop the parsley.
    • Squeeze the lemon juice on the carrots and drizzle with the oil. Gently toss with your hands to coat. Add the toasted cumin seeds and sprinkle with a little salt. Add the parsley and toss again.
    • Mindfully plate and enjoy.

    Learn more about simple intuitive cooking in my new book, “A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods”

  • 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: Kids Cooking at The Farm at South Mountain: Recipes! Part 2: Simple Organic Hummus

    A New View of Healthy Eating: Kids Cooking at The Farm at South Mountain: Recipes! Part 2: Simple Organic Hummus

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

    This week at the Kids Cooking Class at The Farm at South Mountain, the kids made their own hummus with fresh herbs and wrapped it with a bamboo steamed collard green. Loved seeing the kids’ creativity. One of the hummus batches was full of cilantro and lots of fresh squeezed lemon, and the other one was made with a lot of dill.

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    The timing for the herbal hummus was perfect. This week while shopping at the Old Town Scottsdale Market for the Kids Cooking Class I met Dewayne Frelix of DaddysGourmet.com in Mesa, Arizona, who grows the most intense fresh organic herbs, such as Mexican oregano, chives, marjoram, and basil.

    Before I share the hummus recipe, enjoy my creation inspired by the Kids Cooking Class and the intensity of the Daddy’s Gourmet fresh herbs.  Beautiful, delicious, creamy hummus with fresh oregano and marjoram, and lots of tahini.

    The simple, beautiful marjoram oregano hummus with the edible pansy!

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    Excerpt from A New View of Healthy Eating

    Make Your Own Hummus: EXPERIENCE NUTRITIONTM Super Simple Organic Hummus

    I’m excited to share with you the same recipe we made for the Super Bowl XLIV VIP Tailgate Party for the Super Bowl in Miami. Now you can make it, too.

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • 2 cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
    • ⅓ cup chickpea water
    • 3 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste or sesame seeds)
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
    • ¼ tsp black pepper
    • ⅛ tsp cumin seeds, ground
    • ⅛ tsp coriander seeds, ground (seeds from cilantro)

    SIMPLE STEPS

    1. Place all ingredients into high-speed blender (such as Vitamix) or food processor.
    2. Blend until smooth.
    3. After the hummus has been blended, taste and add more of any of the ingredients to suit your taste.

    Interested in a fun hands-on interactive cooking class at your organization, contact Melanie Albert at 602.615.2486 or Mel@MelanieAlbert.com

    “A New View of Healthy Eating” book is available now

    OR

    Stop by the Downtown Phoenix Market on Saturday, April 15, 2017, 9-10am or the Old Town Scottsdale Market on Saturday, April 22, 2017, 10:30-11:30am.  I’ll be doing cooking demos with the local Arizona goodies from these markets and I’m happy to autograph a book for you.

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  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Kids Cooking at The Farm at South Mountain: Recipes! Part 1: Spring Cold Soup

    A New View of Healthy Eating: Kids Cooking at The Farm at South Mountain: Recipes! Part 1: Spring Cold Soup

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

    What a fun kids cooking class at The Farm at South Mountain. First, it is such an honor and so much fun to guide the kids how to prepare amazing, simple dishes with simple local, organic, farmers’ market goodies. Second, thanks so much to The Farm for the honor to teach hands-on intuitive cooking classes in your beautiful venue.

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    In this 1-hour class, the girls and boys aged 9-14, prepared a cold soup with local Arizona tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, fresh lemons, garlic, and salt. Then they prepared their own version of hummus with lots of fresh, locally grown herbs, and made it into a wrap with bamboo steamed collard greens. Finally, the kids had so much fun beautifully, creativity plating their creations.

    Enjoy the fun photos from the class and then have fun creating your own cold soup and hummus with your own seasonal produce.

    The calm…our set for the Kids Cooking at The Farm…all ready for the kids with local, organic goodies from the Old Town Scottsdale Market, Singh Farms, Abby Lee Farms, and fresh herbs from Daddy’s Gourmet.

    I think the kids in the cooking class had the most fun massaging the tomatoes for the cold soup and beautifully plating their culinary creations. They also enjoyed munching on fresh strawberries and refreshing cucumbers.

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    Take a look at these amazing culinary creations and notice the joy of the kids!

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    Excerpt from “A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods,” by Melanie A. Albert

    Summertime Tomato Gazpacho Cold Soup

    A fresh, cold tomato gazpacho is refreshing, especially on warm days. Make this quick cold tomato soup with red, orange, and yellow tomatoes and red, orange, yellow, and green bell peppers for a bright summer side dish. Be sure to try the beautiful (some may think ugly) heirloom tomatoes. If you are fortunate enough to purchase a whole flat of really ripe organic tomatoes, make a big batch of tomato gazpacho for a summertime picnic.

    Simple Ingredients: Soup

    • 10 medium tomatoes, cut into eighths
    • 4 red, orange, yellow, and/or green bell peppers, seeded and rough chopped
    • 3 cucumbers, rough chopped
    • 2 jalapeno or Anaheim peppers, seeded and rough chopped
    • ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
    • ½ cup fresh lime juice
    • 6-8 garlic cloves, minced
    • Up to 2 cups water, if needed
    • Sea salt and pepper, to taste

    Simple Ingredients: Topping

    • 4 tbsp cucumber, small diced
    • 4 tbsp tomato, small diced
    • 4 tsp cilantro leaves

    Simple Steps

    • Place all soup ingredients in a large bowl.
    • Mix well.
    • Puree half of the ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. In the kids class, the kids massaged the tomatoes rather than blending them.
    • Combine pureed soup with chopped veggies.
    • Taste and season with sea salt and/or pepper.
    • Top with diced cucumbers, tomatoes, and cilantro.
    • Enjoy!
    • Refrigerate leftover gazpacho soup and enjoy the next day for an even more flavorful soup.

    If you are interested in learning simple culinary skills, whole foods recipes, and ultimately cooking intuitively, my book, “A New View of Healthy Eating,” is available.

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  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Roast Romanesco Cauliflower Intuitive Cooking Recipe

    A New View of Healthy Eating: Roast Romanesco Cauliflower Intuitive Cooking Recipe

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

    Right now in Phoenix, there are all kinds of beautiful cauliflower at our local farmers’ markets: white, yellow, purple, and Romanesco, which is a cross between cauliflower and broccoli.

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    Because the Romanesco cauliflower is so incredibly beautiful, I love to cook it whole to enjoy its beauty when served. My latest cookbook,” A New View of Healthy Eating,” includes the culinary technique of roasting veggies. You can use these same simple steps to roast Romanesco cauliflower. When roasted, cauliflower becomes earthy and so delicious.

    Enjoy cooking!

    Simple Ingredients

    • Romanesco cauliflower
    • Organic extra virgin olive oil
    • A few of your favorite dried herbs (such as basil, oregano, marjoram)
    • Sea salt or Himalayan salt

    Simple Steps

    • Hand grind dried herbs and sea salt with mortar and pestle.
    • Add dried herbs to bowl with organic extra virgin olive oil.
    • Toss and coat cauliflower with the olive oil and dried herbs.
    • Roast in oven for about 15 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Mindfully enjoy the process of hand-grinding dried herbs with salt.

    Roast the Romanesco cauliflower on unbleached parchment paper, along with rainbow carrots.

    Enjoy Romanesco cauliflower with tri-color organic quinoa and roasted rainbow carrots.

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    Come over to Facebook www.facebook.com/NewViewHealhyEating and share photos of your roasted cauliflower with us.

    For more ways to enjoy cooking whole foods, my new cookbook, “A New View of Heathy Eating” is now available for purchase:

     

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  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Top Super Bowl Healthy Recipes: Wild Salmon & Avocado Salsa

    A New View of Healthy Eating: Top Super Bowl Healthy Recipes: Wild Salmon & Avocado Salsa

    by Melanie A. Albert, Intuitive Cooking Expert, Author, Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC

    As a continuation of yesterday’s post of my top 3 favorite healthy Super Bowl recipes, today’s recipes are wild sockeye salmon on the grill and avocado salsa.

    Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon on the Grill

    Wild salmon is a rich source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, a good source of protein, and rich in Vitamin D, which is important for bone health, the immune system, and brain health.

    In 2011, as an Official Health & Wellness Partner of the NFL Association, my organization Experience Nutrition Group, LLC had the honor of serving this simple Wild Alaskan Salmon recipe at several Super Bowl XLV weekend events in Dallas. Former NFL players kept coming back for more salmon, so apparently they enjoyed it. The recipe is very easy to prepare and delicious every time. Grill or broil the wild salmon with a few spices and olive oil to create a restaurant-quality meal quickly in your home.

    Grill or broil wild Alaskan salmon using this simple recipe as a guide. Then, be creative and intuitively prepare the salmon with your favorite dried spices and herbs.

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • 4 wild Alaskan sockeye salmon fillets (4-6 oz. per person), sliced into ½-inch strips
    • ¼ cup organic extra virgin olive oil
    • 3 tbsp dried herbs and spices

    SIMPLE STEPS

    1. Defrost salmon fillets in a refrigerator for a few hours or under cold running water.
    2. Slice wild salmon into thin strips, about ½ inch wide and 1-2 inches long.
    3. Prepare salmon marinade by mixing olive oil and spices and herbs.
    4. Marinate salmon with spices and herbs in a refrigerator for 20-30 minutes, or overnight.
    5. Pre-heat grill on medium high for 15 minutes before you are ready to cook the salmon. If broiling, preheat broiler for 15 minutes.
    6. Place fillets directly on the grill or on a flat baking sheet with parchment paper for broiling.
    7. Cook each side 3-5 minutes.
    8. Remove salmon from grill right before it has completely cooked, as it will continue to cook when removed from the heat of the grill.
    9. Let salmon rest for 5 minutes.
    10. Enjoy with a veggie stir-fry, steamed vegetables, or a raw kale salad, with a side of whole grains such as quinoa or brown rice.

    Former NFL player, John Bronson, learning the simple way to grill wild Alaskan sockeye salmon.

    Basic Avocado Salsa

    Have fun intuitively creating your own avocado salsa with the veggies available right in your own refrigerator.

    This simple-to-make avocado salsa (or guacamole) is the best. Make it for lunch, as a snack, or for tailgating parties. It’s so easy to prepare and it’s so delicious that you’ll want to eat it a few times a week. With good monounsaturated fats, fresh veggies, and a squeeze of lemon, enjoy your avocado salsa with your favorite crunchy fresh organic raw veggies.

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    Simple Ingredients

    • 4 soft, ripe avocados
    • 2-3 heirloom tomatoes or 6-8 cherry tomatoes
    • 3-5 green onions
    • Handful fresh cilantro or basil
    • 2-3 cloves raw garlic, minced
    • Fresh squeezed lemon juice, to taste
    • Sea salt to taste

    Simple Steps

    • Chop and gently mix all ingredients.
    • Enjoy as a salad or in a wrap.

    These recipes and more are in my new book, A New View of Healthy Eating.

    Purchase today and I’ll personalize and mail a copy to you.

    Join our e-newsletter to receive culinary tips, simple recipes, and upcoming classes and events.

    Enjoy the Super Bowl!!! And, come over to our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating,  and share your Super Bowl snacks.

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  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Top 3 Super Bowl Healthy Snacks: Hummus, Wild Sockeye Salmon & Avocado Salsa

    A New View of Healthy Eating: Top 3 Super Bowl Healthy Snacks: Hummus, Wild Sockeye Salmon & Avocado Salsa

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

    Many of you are aware, I have been active with numerous Super Bowls and guiding former NFL players and their families to enjoy cooking healthy foods.

    As a little background, my very first experience was in 2008 when Super Bowl XLII was right here in Phoenix. My company created 3 healthy lifestyle products with the Super Bowl logo: a Zen Clock, Soy Candle Collection, and Matcha Tea kit. And, I had a lot of fun talking to football fans at the NFL Experience.

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    For a few years, we catered at the VIP Tailgate party at the Super Bowls in Tampa and Miami and attended numerous charity events networking with former NFL players. During Super Bowl XLIII week in Tampa, we learned about the serious health issues, such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease,  of the former players and then started teaching several former players how to cook simple healthy foods.

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    In 2011, my company, Experience Nutrition Group, LLC, was honored to be an Official Health & Wellness Partner of the NFL Alumni and participated in 9 events in 4 days during Super Bowl Week in Dallas.

    Since the Super Bowl and many former NFL players are still dear to my heart, I am sharing my favorite Super Bowl snack recipes with you:  Experience Nutrition Hummus, Quick Salmon on the Grill, and Avocado Salsa.

    Today’s recipe is hummus. Tomorrow I will post the salmon and avocado salsa recipes.

    EXPERIENCE NUTRITIONTM Super Simple Organic Hummus (Excerpt from book, A New View of Healthy Eating)

    I’m excited to share with you the same recipe we made for the Super Bowl XLIV VIP Tailgate Party for the Super Bowl in Miami. Now you can make it, too.

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • 2 cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
    • ⅓ cup chickpea water
    • 3 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste or sesame seeds)
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
    • ¼ tsp black pepper
    • ⅛ tsp cumin seeds, ground
    • ⅛ tsp coriander seeds, ground (seeds from cilantro)

    SIMPLE STEPS

    1. Place all ingredients into high-speed blender (such as Vitamix) or food processor.
    2. Blend until smooth.
    3. After the hummus has been blended, taste and add more of any of the ingredients to suit your taste.

    Come on over to our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating) and share your Super Bowl Hummus creations with us!

    Enjoy the Super Bowl weekend!

    Purchase A New View of Healthy Eating today and I’m happy to mail a personalized copy to you.

    Join our e-newsletter for simple culinary tips, delicious & healthy recipes, and to stay up-to-date with events.

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  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Chocolate Vegan Pie by Meredith, my 11-Year Old Niece

    A New View of Healthy Eating: Chocolate Vegan Pie by Meredith, my 11-Year Old Niece

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

    New Year’s Day 2017 started with a beautiful yoga practice and commitment to extreme self care in 2017. Then, my 11 year old niece, Meredith, came to my home to visit and cook, which was definitely more self care for me.

    Meredith decided to create the Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie from my new cookbook, A New View of Healthy Eating. This is a very simple-to-prepare, beautiful delicious creamy pie, and perfect for our New Year dessert.

    Enjoy Meredith’s step-by-step photos in creating her pie. By the way her Aunt and parent’s loved the pie!

    Meredith and her mise en place all ready for the Chocolate Pie

    Meredith made the crust for her pie with raw organic pecans (finely pulsed), maple sugar, a little unrefined organic virgin coconut oil, and a dash of Celtic sea salt.

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    Meredith’s next step: Press the crust into a 10-inch springform pan.

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    The chocolate chips were melted in a 350 degree oven for about 3 minutes. So easy.

    Looks like Meredith had fun blending and tasting the melted chocolate chips, tofu, vanilla, and sea salt. 

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    Nearing the end of creating the pie. Meredith adds the chocolate filling to the pie crust.

    Meredith intuitively decided to add some melted chocolate chips to the top of the pie. Looking amazing! Into the freezer for about 30 minutes.

    And, here’s Meredith’s first Vegan Chocolate Pie. Oh my, oh my!!!

    Excerpt from A New View of Healthy Eating: Chocolate Vegan Pie

    Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie

    Try this simple chocolate dessert recipe that everyone enjoys. This gourmet-quality pie is so much fun to make and is beautiful and delicious every time I teach it in my private and group cooking classes. Learn to quickly and easily melt chocolate chips right in your oven. If you have extra chocolate pie, cut it into small pieces and freeze for snacks.

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    Crust

    • 2 cups raw pecans
    • ¼ cup maple sugar
    • 1 ½ tbsp coconut oil
    • ½ tsp sea salt

    Filling

    • 2 ½ cups vegan dark chocolate chips
    • 2 packages organic soft silken tofu (260g packages)
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, scraped
    • Pinch of sea salt

    SIMPLE STEPS

    1. Make the Crust.
    • Pulse pecans and maple sugar in food processor.
    • Add coconut oil and sea salt.
    • Pulse to combine well.
    • Press and shape mixture into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan.
    1. Melt Chocolate Chips.
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
    • Pour the chocolate chips in a single layer onto a flat baking sheet.
    • Place in the oven to melt for no more than 3-4 minutes or until melted. Be careful that you don’t burn them.
    1. Blend the Filling.
    • Place tofu, vanilla, sea salt, and melted chocolate chips into a food processor.
    • Blend until smooth.
    • Pour mixture into pie crust and chill for at least 30 minutes.
    • Top with fresh fruit and nuts.

    For the Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie and more recipes and culinary tips, my new cookbook, A New View of Healthy Eating is available right here. You can purchase and I’ll mail the book to you.

    Happy 2017 to all, with lots of simple intuitive cooking!

     

     

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: 2016 Year End Reflection: Farmers’ Market & Intuitive Cooking Experience

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

    As I sit here in chilly Phoenix writing my last blog of 2016, I am reflecting that today was the epitome of my year and living my passions. This morning I was very excited to visit the Downtown Phoenix Public Market since I’ve been in Cocoa Beach the last few weeks with my parents. While in Florida really missed “my” local farmers’ markets and farmers, and our amazing local Arizona in season produce.

    Thanks Local Arizona Farmers

    Today I leisurely shopped with some of my favorite local Arizona farmers who are all within a few miles of my home. I’d like to thank my farmer friends and their dedication and hard work to bring organic food to our community and to so many of the cooking classes and events that I teach.

    Thank you Maya Dailey and Maya’s Farm, located just a half mile from my home. I love the care and passion that goes into all of your beautiful food. And, I appreciate the video shoots at your Farm. Your food is beautiful art growing at the farm and displayed with such care at the market.

     

    Thank you Abby Lee Farms, for all the beautiful tomatoes I purchase from you all the time. I especially love using the colorful tomatoes in my version of a cold tomato gazpacho soup.

    Thank you Community Exchange, for your “free hugs” and for all the unique foods your network grows, from dates, to citrus, to greens, to radishes.

    Thank you Golo Family Organic Farm for the variety of all kinds of fruit and veggies every week. This year I especially loved the sweet lemons and the incredible pomegranates.

    Intuitive Cooking Experience

    When I returned home from the farmers’ market, I began my intuitive cooking process. First, I simply took some time appreciating the beauty of all the variety of just-harvested organic veggies and fruit. I mindfully enjoyed the incredible rainbow of colors and the varying textures. I am so happy that we have such incredible local, seasonal food available to us right in the middle of winter.

    After visually enjoying the beauty of the food, I took a few minutes to decide what to cook with my bounty of organic goodies. I decided to prepare a quick veggie saute, sautéed bok choy, spaghetti squash, and brown rice.

    Enjoy the photos of my step-by-step cooking process.

    Spaghetti Squash with Marjoram & Tarragon

    Brown Rice with Fresh Dill & Garlic

    Quick Sauteed Veggies with Farmers’ Market Winter Veggies

    Today’s veggies:

    • Green onions, tomatoes, purple peppers
    • Rainbow carrots
    • Fresh squeezed orange juice & zest
    • Broccoli
    • Olives & capers

    Sauteed Bok Choy with Olive Oil & Fresh Squeezed Lemon

    Plating the layers of colors and flavors.

    Happy New Years Eve 2016…

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    It has been such a  joy for me to share my passion for healthy food, farmers market shopping, simple culinary skills, and intuitive cooking with you this year, 2016.

    Lots of positive, happiness, and health to all in 2017.

    Melanie

    Finally, I am so honored with the incredible response to my book, A New View of Healthy Eating. It is available for purchase and I’m happy to personalize a copy and ship to you.

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    BOOK SALES

     

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: New Year 2017 Decadent Chocolate Vegan Dessert

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

    While I’m still on my vacation sitting at my parents’ pool with the view in Cocoa Beach, I am thinking about New Year 2017 celebration, with a decadent chocolate dessert. I hope you enjoy this amazing recipe, which is totally healthy, gluten-free, vegan, and totally delicious, for your New Year celebration.

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    Excerpt from new cookbook, A New View of Healthy Eating: Raw Chocolate Bliss

    Enjoy this rich, intense raw chocolate dessert, created with raw cacao powder, local Arizona dates, fresh raw almond butter, and vanilla bean, on a pecan maple sugar cinnamon crust.

    Raw Pecan Cinnamon Crust

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • 1 ½ cups raw pecans
    • 3 tbsp maple sugar
    • ½ tsp sea salt
    • ½ tbsp cinnamon, freshly ground

    SIMPLE STEPS

    1. Blend all ingredients in food processor until finely minced.
    2. Press crust into 10-inch springform pan using your palms.

    Chocolate Filling

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • ½ cup raw almond butter
    • ½ cup date paste
    • ¼ cup agave nectar or maple syrup
    • 1 ½ tbsp tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
    • 1 cup raw cacao powder
    • 1 vanilla bean, scraped
    • ½ to 1 cup water

    SIMPLE STEPS

    1. Gather mise en place.
    2. Make almond butter. Place raw almonds in food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
    3. Blend date paste. Soak dates in water for 1-2 hours until soft and pliable. Pour off water. Add to high-speed blender and top with water to cover fruit. Blend starting on low, then moving to high, until smooth.
    4. Blend all ingredients in food processor until smooth and thick.
    5. Add water if difficult to blend.
    6. Pour filling into crust.
    7. To set, freeze for about 20 minutes or refrigerate for an hour.
    8. Use a knife dipped in hot water for a few seconds, wipe water away, then slice.
    9. Plate with fruit or sorbet.

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    A New View of Healthy Eating Book is available now, with shipping from Phoenix or Cocoa Beach.

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    Share your Raw Chocolate Bliss with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Veggie Stir-fry with Roots & In-season Produce

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

    I decided to blog about a stir-fry as I will be teaching the simple steps to prepare a stir-fry (really a saute). this weekend, Sunday, December 11, 2016, in a Holiday Intuitive Cooking Class at The Farm at South Mountain.

    Stir-fries are so simple and can be cooked year-round with different veggies, creating a variety of seasonal textures, colors, and flavors. This week I created a simple saute of local Arizona tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, and added olives and capers, to create a sauce for my flatbread.

    Excerpt from A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Veggie Stir-Fry with Roots and In-Season Produce

    One of my favorite ways to cook all kinds of vegetables, including roots, is a simple stir-fry (really a simple sauté) with what’s seasonally available from local farmers. The beautiful veggies available during the first week of my winter 2016 CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) from Maya’s Farm at the Farm at South Mountain, only a mile from my Phoenix home, inspired this intuitive stir-fry.

    To create a simple veggie stir-fry, chose a few local in-season veggies, some roots and some greens. This stir-fry was inspired by the baby bok choy and fresh green garlic in my CSA. Added to the stir-fry were other veggies from local farmers, along with sun-dried tomatoes and capers. During the middle of the stir-fry, I decided to de-glaze the pan with fresh lemon and to add local Arizona citrus to the dish.

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • Organic extra virgin olive oil
    • Green garlic
    • Brussels sprouts
    • Carrots
    • Cauliflower
    • Sun-dried tomatoes
    • Capers
    • Asparagus
    • Baby bok choy
    • Sea salt
    • Fresh lemon

    SIMPLE STEPS

    1. Gather your mise en place.
    2. Pre-heat sauté pan on medium-high.
    3. Pour organic extra virgin olive oil into the pan.
    4. Add the aromatics (green garlic) and cook a few minutes.
    5. Toss in veggies you’d like to brown a little (Brussels sprouts).
    6. Add dense vegetables that need to cook a bit longer (carrots, cauliflower).
    7. Toss in extras (sun-dried tomatoes, capers).
    8. Add vegetables that do not need to cook very long (asparagus, bok choy).
    9. Enjoy!

    What’s the Difference: Sauté vs. Stir-fry

    Sautéing and stir-frying are similar dry-heat cooking methods to cook food quickly. Small, bite-size pieces of food are stirred or tossed and quickly cooked over high heat. With sautéing, usually a pan or skillet is used; with a stir-fry, traditionally a wok is used.  With stir-frying, the heat is higher and the action is faster with the food continuously tossed and stirred.

    “Have fun preparing quick, delicious veggie stir-fries with a few simple steps. The key is to be organized. Pre-chop all your ingredients and set up your mise en place (all ingredients in place) for your cooking before you start stir-frying.”

    SPECIAL HOLIDAY GIFT:  Purchase from November 25, 2016 – January 1, 2017

    $75 Healthy Cooking Gift Certificate: Local First Arizona

    A New View of Healthy Eating new cookbook, by Intuitive Cooking Expert, Melanie A. Albert, and one 2-hour Intuitive Cooking Experience Cooking Class.

    • Book gift-wrapped and mailed (free shipping) to your family or friends.
    • Unique hands-on interactive plant-based cooking class features local Arizona farmers’ organic produce. Learn natural culinary skills and enjoy mindfully eating your creations with community.
    • Your choice of 5 monthly cooking classes held in the South Mountain area January through May 2017.
    • Gift Certificate expires May 31, 2017.

    Purchase $75 Holiday Gift Certificate Today!

     Gift Certificate Details

    3 Steps to Redeem Healthy Cooking Gift Certificate

    Step 1: Healthy Cooking Gift Certificate

    • Gift Certificate will be mailed to purchaser address in PayPal receipt.

    Step 2: Fill out the following information for A New View of Healthy Eating book, to be shipped to your family or friend.

    Step 3: Gift Certificate Recipient makes their reservation for the Intuitive Experience Cooking Class.

    • Choose your date for one of the 5 monthly classes (January – May 2017) in the South Mountain, Arizona area.
    • Classes will be held at The Farm at South Mountain, 11am-1pm on January 22, February 19 and March 19. (6106 South 32nd Street, Phoenix; Between Southern and Baseline)
    • Stay up-to-date on class dates and locations for April and May here at www.EXPNutrition.com
    • Confirm your class selection by e-mailing Mel@MelanieAlbert.com. Thanks so much!

    Thank you so much and I look forward to seeing you at the Intuitive Cooking Experience class!  Melanie Albert

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  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Special Holiday Gift Certificate: Book & Intuitive Cooking Experience in Arizona

    SPECIAL HOLIDAY GIFT:  Purchase from November 25, 2016 – January 1, 2017

    $75 Healthy Cooking Gift Certificate: Local First Arizona

    A New View of Healthy Eating new cookbook, by Intuitive Cooking Expert, Melanie A. Albert, and one 2-hour Intuitive Cooking Experience Cooking Class.

    • Book gift-wrapped and mailed (free shipping) to your family or friends.
    • Unique hands-on interactive plant-based cooking class features local Arizona farmers’ organic produce. Learn natural culinary skills and enjoy mindfully eating your creations with community.
    • Your choice of 5 monthly cooking classes held in the South Mountain area January through May 2017.
    • Gift Certificate expires May 31, 2017.

    Purchase $75 Holiday Gift Certificate Today!

    • Scroll down for details about the Gift Certificate

    lfa-logo

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    Gift Certificate Details

    3 Steps to Redeem Healthy Cooking Gift Certificate

    Step 1: Healthy Cooking Gift Certificate

    • Gift Certificate will be mailed to purchaser address in PayPal receipt.

    Step 2: Fill out the following information for A New View of Healthy Eating book, to be shipped to your family or friend.

    Step 3: Gift Certificate Recipient makes their reservation for the Intuitive Experience Cooking Class.

    • Choose your date for one of the 5 monthly classes (January – May 2017) in the South Mountain, Arizona area.
    • Classes will be held at The Farm at South Mountain from 11am-1pm on January 22, February 19, and March 19, 2017. (6106 South 32nd Street, Phoenix; Between Southern and Baseline)
    • Stay up-to-date on additional class dates and locations for April and May here at www.EXPNutrition.com
    • Confirm your class selection by e-mailing Mel@MelanieAlbert.com. Thanks so much!

    Thank you so much and I look forward to seeing you at the Intuitive Cooking Experience class!  Melanie Albert

  • A New View of Healthy Eating Recipes: Spiritual Adrenaline Holiday Dessert Guide: Fruit Sorbet

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

    Thanks so much to Tom Shanahan and Spiritual Adrenaline for inviting me to be part of the Spiritual Adrenaline Holiday Dessert Guide. I am honored to share my ideas for healthy holiday desserts with you and hope you and your family enjoy creating and eating the delicious “good-for-us” desserts. The Raspberry Cara Cara Orange Sorbet is absolutely one of my very favorite refreshing desserts and is a perfect light dessert for the holidays. Have fun experimenting with making your own sorbet.

    Excerpt from A New View of Healthy Eating: Raspberry Cara Cara Orange Sorbet

    For most of my life I ate refreshing sorbet only at restaurants. Now with this simple sorbet process, I enjoy making it at home with local, seasonal fruit. I especially love sorbet with freshly harvested Arizona oranges. Intuitively create sorbet with fruits that are local and in season and experiment with different fruit, spices, and herbs to create sorbet year-round.

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    Sweet, refreshing sorbet features organic raspberries, local Arizona Cara Cara navel oranges, and a touch of nutmeg. Cara Cara oranges are one of my favorites, with their rosy interior and sweet taste. Pair this refreshing sorbet with shaved organic dark chocolate.

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • 4 cups fresh organic raspberries
    • 5 tbsp agave nectar
    • ½ Cara Cara navel orange, juiced
    • Pinch sea salt
    • Pinch freshly ground nutmeg
    • 70% organic dark chocolate bar, shaved

     SIMPLE STEPS

    1. Blend all ingredients in high-speed blender.
    2. Pour into frozen sorbet maker and process for about 15-20 minutes until thickened, soft, and creamy.
    3. Sprinkle shaved dark chocolate on sorbet.
    4. Serve and enjoy.

     5 Tips to Make Your Own Unique, Delicious Sorbet

    1. Peak sweetness. Use high-quality, fresh organic fruits at their peak of sweetness. The freezing process in making sorbet reduces the sweetness of fruit.
    2. Experiment. Have fun making sorbet with all types of in-season fruit. Berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries), stone fruit (cherries, peaches, plums), bananas, grapes, pears, oranges, and pineapple.
    3. Natural sweetener. If the fruit tastes tart, add a sweetener such as agave nectar or coconut sugar.
    4. Citrus. Add a squeeze of citrus to balance flavor or add acidity.
    5. Accent. Experiment with spices such as freshly ground cinnamon or nutmeg, fresh herbs such as basil or mint, citrus zest, or vanilla.

    A New View of Healthy Eating Book is available now, with 54 simple recipes and 84 simple culinary techniques in 9 delicious whole food categories.

    Join our e-mail list to stay in touch with recipes, culinary methods, and events.

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    Share your sorbet creations with us on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating

  • A New View of Healthy Eating Recipes: Spiritual Adrenaline Holiday Dessert Guide: Chocolate Avocado Pudding

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

    It is such an honor to be part of the Spiritual Adrenaline Holiday Dessert Guide. I appreciate Tom Shanahan for the opportunity to share my simple, healthy desserts with you. This Chocolate Avocado Pudding was one of the first “good-for-us” desserts I learned to make with “healthy ingredients.”  I invite you to experiment with this pudding and I have a feeling you might enjoy it long after the holidays.

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    Excerpt from A New View of Healthy Eating: Chocolate Avocado Pudding (page 166)

    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.

    A New View of Healthy Eating Book is available now. I’m happy to gift-wrap for you and your friends.

     Join our e-mail list and receive simple recipes and culinary techniques for simple intuitive cooking. 

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    Share your healthy holiday desserts with us on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating

  • A New View of Healthy Eating Recipes: Spiritual Adrenaline Holiday Dessert Guide: Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie

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

    It is my honor and pleasure to be part of the Spiritual Adrenaline Holiday Dessert Guide. Thanks so much to Tom Shanahan for coming out to Arizona to enjoy these delicious, healthy desserts with me. The Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie (with Soy) is a favorite for people of all ages. It is so decadent. And, the best thing is that is a really healthy dessert that is simple to prepare and perfect for the holidays.

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    Excerpt from A New View of Healthy Eating: Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie (pages 162-163)

    Enjoy creating vegan, gluten-free chocolate recipes with fruit, raw cacao powder, nuts, natural sweeteners, and even sweet potatoes. If you are a chocolate lover or have a sweet tooth, try these “good-for-us” chocolate desserts.

    Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie

    Try this simple chocolate dessert recipe that everyone enjoys. This gourmet-quality pie is so much fun to make and is beautiful and delicious every time I teach it in my private and group cooking classes. Learn to quickly and easily melt chocolate chips right in your oven. If you have extra chocolate pie, cut it into small pieces and freeze for snacks.

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    Crust

    • 2 cups raw pecans
    • ¼ cup maple sugar
    • 1 ½ tbsp coconut oil
    • ½ tsp sea salt

    Filling

    • 2 ½ cups vegan dark chocolate chips
    • 2 packages organic soft silken tofu (260g packages)
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, scraped
    • Pinch of sea salt

     

     SIMPLE STEPS

    Make the Crust.

    • Pulse pecans and maple sugar in food processor.
    • Add coconut oil and sea salt.
    • Pulse to combine well.
    • Press and shape mixture into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan.

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    Melt Chocolate Chips.

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
    • Pour the chocolate chips in a single layer onto a flat baking sheet.
    • Place in the oven to melt for no more than 3-4 minutes or until melted. Be careful that you don’t burn them.

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    Blend the Filling.

    • Place tofu, vanilla, sea salt, and melted chocolate chips into a food processor.
    • Blend until smooth.
    • Pour mixture into pie crust and chill for at least 30 minutes.
    • Top with fresh fruit and nuts.
    • Enjoy!

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    If you enjoy this recipe, there are 54 simple whole food, plant-based, gluten-free recipes in A New View of Healthy Eating book.

    Join our e-mail list for recipes, culinary tips, and events.

    Visit us on our Facebook page, and share your healthy holiday desserts: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating

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  • A New View of Healthy Eating Recipes: Spiritual Adrenaline Holiday Dessert Guide: Chocolate Sweet Potato Brownie

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

    I am so honored to be part of the Spiritual Adrenaline Dessert Guide and would like to thank the inspiring Tom Shanahan for inviting me to share my healthy recipes for the holidays with you. If you have never cooked a brownie with sweet potatoes, I invite you to give it a try. It is sweet, chocolatey and a perfect complement to your holiday celebrations. Enjoy!

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    Excerpt from A New View of Healthy Eating: Chocolate Sweet Potato Brownie (pages 164-165)

    Delicious vegan, gluten-free chocolate dessert made with a sweet root veggie, the sweet potato. This brownie is always a favorite at kids’ and adults’ cooking classes. It’s one of those desserts we can even eat for breakfast!

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • 2 medium to large sweet potatoes
    • 12 Medjool dates, pitted
    • ⅔ cup raw almonds, ground
    • ½ cup brown rice flour
    • 4 tbsp raw cacao
    • 3 tbsp maple sugar
    • Pinch sea salt

    SIMPLE STEPS   

    • Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
    • Peel sweet potatoes, cut into chunks, and steam in a bamboo steamer for about 20 minutes until they become really soft.
    • Once sweet potatoes are soft and beginning to fall apart, remove from steamer.
    • Mix sweet potatoes and pitted dates into food processor and blend.

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    • Put remaining ingredients into a large bowl and stir to combine.

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    • Add sweet potato/date mixture to other ingredients and stir well.
    • Place mixture into 8-inch by 8-inch parchment-paper-lined baking dish.
    • Cook for about 20 minutes.
    • Test doneness by pushing a toothpick into the brownie. The brownie is ready when a toothpick comes out dry.
    • Allow baking dish to cool for about 10 minutes.

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    • Remove the brownies from baking dish.
    • Cool for a few minutes and cut into squares.
    • Enjoy!

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    A New View of Healthy Eating book is available NOW! Buy your copy today and I’ll gift wrap and ship it to you or your friends.

    Join our e-mail list and stay up-to-date on events, classes, culinary techniques, and recipes.

    Share your version of the Sweet Potato Brownie with us on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating
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  • 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.

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