by Melanie A. Albert, Intuitive Cooking Expert, Author, Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC
We are getting very close to completing the design of my new book, A New View of Healthy Eating. This weekend while completing the design of the Desserts, Snacks, and Superfood section, I got re-excited about some of the healthy, simple, mouthwatering recipes. I’m happy to share with you, for the first time, the raw carrot cake recipe in the book, which I initially prepared while visiting my parents in Cocoa Beach. Enjoy!
Excerpt from A New View of Healthy Eating
Carrot cake has been a favorite of mine for decades. As much as I love the aromatherapy of cooking raisins with cinnamon and nutmeg for a baked carrot cake, I love the simplicity and freshness of a raw version of carrot cake.
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
1 cup dates, pitted and soaked for 1 hour in water, then rough chopped
2 cups carrots, shredded
1 ½ cups apple, minced
1 ½ cups raw cashews or pecans, ground into a fine meal
½ tsp cinnamon, freshly ground
½ tsp nutmeg, freshly ground
½ tsp sea salt
SIMPLE STEPS
Gather mise en place.
Soak dates.
Place all ingredients into mixing bowl and combine gently unit the mixture forms a ball.
Press dough into springform pan or bowl.
Refrigerate for an hour.
Serve with sorbet, fresh fruit, or herbs.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
The Raw Carrot Cake Recipe with 6 Favorite Natural Sweeteners
I ‘m placing the first order for A New View of Healthy Eating this week. Pre-order today if you’d like to order a copy and be one of the first to experiment with the culinary skills and recipes in the book. You’ll also receive my Top 5 Favorite Recipes & Culinary Tips.
Step 1: Buy the Book
Step 2: Join our list to receive the Top 5 Favorite Recipes & Culinary Tips
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO, Experience Nutrition Group, LLC, Phoenix, AZ. Nutrition and food expert, author and speaker. Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Holistic Nutrition and Whole Food Cooking Instructor at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts.
These intuitive culinary creations were all inspired by the little 7 foot tall organic kumquat tree in my backyard, which was full of bright orange ripe kumquats when I returned to Arizona from Florida, after the Christmas holiday.
A New View of Healthy Eating: Arizona Organic Kumquat Tree
Very excited, I challenged myself to create different dishes with the kumquats, rather than getting stuck in the rut. And, I was inspired by the card in my new “A New View of Healthy Eating, A 55-Card Deck”: Commit to Intuitive Shopping & Cooking.
A New View of Healthy Eating: Commit to Intuitive Shopping & Cooking
“All of the creations with the kumquats were intuitively created with local Arizona organic farmers’ market produce. These kumquat creations are definitely a “new view,” as this was the first time I have ever created these dishes and smoothie. The point is, when we shop and cook intuitively, with a few basic cooking techniques and a few fresh whole foods, we can create quick delicious drinks, salads and breakfast meals.” Melanie Albert
Kumquats are a little tangy, sweet and spicy at the same time and remind me of a little sour orange. Since kumquats are so small, about the size of a large olive, and do not have a lot of juice, I slice them thin and eat the skin.
A New View of Healthy Eating: Arizona Citrus Fruit Salad
Kumquat Challenge: Day 1: Arizona Citrus Fruit Salad. Inspired by the kumquats, along with our Arizona in season sweet cara cara oranges, this fruit salad was built layer by layer, first with the cara cara orange, then the local Arizona apple, the kumquats, a few sprinkles of fresh pomegranate seeds, and topped with freshly ground cinnamon and nutmeg.
A New View of Healthy Eating: Kasha & Kumquats. Perfect Warm Breakfast.
Kumquat Challenge: Day 2: Kasha & Kumquats. Perfect Warm Breakfast.Perfect for a chilly day, kasha (or buckwheat), which is a gluten-free pseudograin, topped with apples, kumquat, walnuts, raw Arizona honey and the aromatherapy of ground cinnamon and nutmeg.
A New View of Healthy Eating: Kumquat & Raspberry Smoothie
Kumquat Challenge: Day 3: Kumquat & Raspberry Smoothie:Blended raspberries, bananas, and slices of kumquat with coconut water and topped with goji berries and this week’s signature kumquats. Love the fresh, refreshing sharp taste of the kumquats.
A New View of Healthy Eating: Avocado Kale Kumquat Salad
Kumquat Challenge: Day 4: Avocado Kale Kumquat Salad: Dinosaur kale massaged with avocado, fresh squeezed lemon and sea salt, tossed with kumquats and Arizona tomatoes and celery for a fresh, crunchy lunch salad.
There are still plenty of kumquats on my little tree, so next on my Kumquat Challenge are dehydrated kumquats and kumquat sorbet. I invite you to join us on Facebookand share your intuitive cooking creations.
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO, Experience Nutrition. Nutrition and food expert, author and speaker. Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Holistic Nutrition and Whole Food Cooking Instructor at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts
So many people are now enjoying smoothies made with nut milks. You can make your own fresh organic nut milk with raw almonds, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds or your own favorite nuts & seeds.
Simple Steps to Make Your Own Nut Milk
It is simple to make your own nut milks which are quick and easy to prepare, and only have a few ingredients. Pre-soak the nuts & seeds if you prefer smoother nut milk. It is not necessary to pre-soak the nuts and seeds.
Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Make Your Own Organic Almond Milk Blueberry Smoothie
Nut Milk Ingredients
Handful of raw organic nuts &/or seeds
1-1.5 cups coconut water
1 Medjool date
Splash of vanilla
Fresh nutmeg & cinnamon
Smoothie Ingredients
Handful of frozen blueberries
Frozen banana
Simple Steps: Nut Milk
Put nut milk ingredients (except nutmeg and cinnamon) in high-speed blender
Blend, starting at low and increasing to high speed
Blend for about 2 minutes
Taste, add an additional date if you prefer a sweeter nut milk
Enjoy with fresh ground nutmeg or use the nut milk in your smoothie
by Melanie Albert, Nutrition & food expert, author & speaker, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Holistic Nutrition and Whole Food Cooking Instructor Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, Founder & CEO, Experience Nutrition
Surprise your family and friends with this super delicious dessert for your Super Bowl Party. This recipe may sound a little odd, but just try it. Everyone I know who has tasted this, even at some of my cooking classes, loves it.
Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Top 10 Super Bowl Healthy Recipes: 7 Vegan Avocado Chocolate Pudding
Ingredients
• 1 ripe good-fat avocado
• 4 Medjool dates
– Energy for athletes
– Great for sugar cravings
– Full of fiber
– Sweet, soft, rich, caramel taste
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 TBS cocao powder
• ½ cup water
Simple Steps
• Blend on high
• Refrigerate for a few hours
• Enjoy
by Melanie Albert, Nutrition & Food Expert, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Holistic Nutrition & Whole Food Cooking Instructor Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, Founder & CEO, Experience Nutrition.
Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Top 10 Super Bowl Healthy Recipes: 6 Organic Kale Chips
Make your own simple, tasty kale chips in just a few minutes. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1-2 bunches of organic kale
3-4 TBSP organic extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Simple Steps
Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees
Wash and dry kale
Tear out the stems
Massage with olive oil
Drizzle sea salt
Spread thinly on baking sheet
Bake, checking every 5 minutes
Ready in about 15 minutes
Enjoy!
Share your Kale Chip photos on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/9Ways90Days Top 10 photos this weekend will win a free e-book, “Enjoy Food & Life,” featuring nutrition tips and recipes by former NFL players and their wives.
Studies show that eating a small amount of dark chocolate two or three times each week can help lower your blood pressure.
Dark chocolate improves blood flow and may help prevent the formation of blood clots.
Eating dark chocolate may prevent arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
2. Good for Your Brain
Dark chocolate increases blood flow to the brain, so it can help improve cognitive function. Dark chocolate also helps reduce risk of stroke.
Dark chocolate also contains several chemical compounds that have a positive effect on your mood and cognitive health. Chocolate contains phenylethylamine (PEA), which encourages your brain to release endorphins, as a result eating dark chocolate may make you feel happier.
Dark chocolate contains caffeine, a mild stimulant. However, dark chocolate contains much less caffeine than coffee. A 1.5 ounce bar of dark chocolate contains 27 mg of caffeine, compared to the 200 mg found in an eight ounce cup of coffee.
3. Helps Control Blood Sugar
Dark chocolate helps keep your blood vessels healthy and your circulation unimpaired to protect against type 2 diabetes.
Flavonoids in dark chocolate help reduce insulin resistance by helping your cells to function normally and regain the ability to use your body’s insulin efficiently.
Dark chocolate also has a low glycemic index and glycemic load, meaning it won’t cause huge spikes in blood sugar levels.
4. Full of Antioxidants
Antioxidants help free your body of free radicals, which cause oxidative damage to cells. Free radicals are implicated in the aging process and may be a cause of cancer, so eating antioxidant rich foods like dark chocolate can protect you from many types of cancer and slow the signs of aging.
5. Contains Theobromine
Theobromine, which has been shown to harden tooth enamel.
That means that dark chocolate, unlike most other sweets, lowers your risk of getting cavities if you practice proper dental hygiene.
6. Dark Chocolate is High in Vitamins and Minerals
The copper and potassium in dark chocolate help prevent against stroke and cardiovascular ailments.
Iron in chocolate protects against iron deficiency anemia
Magnesium in chocolate helps prevent type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
ACTION: Eat some good organic dark chocolate with 72% cocao. If dark chocolate is new to you, try it with 55%.
by Melanie Albert, Nutrition Expert, Author, Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition
Sugar is addictive. Eating a small amount creates a desire for more. And, when people suddenly stop eating sugar, they get withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, mood swings, cravings and fatigue.
9 Ways 90 Days: Pile of Sugar
Sugar is Everywhere in Snack Foods
Here is a list of some of the possible code words for “sugar” which may appear on a label. The words “syrup”, “sweetener”, and anything ending in “ose” can usually be assumed to be “sugar”. If the label says “no added sugars”, it should not contain any of the following, although the food could contain naturally-occurring sugars (such as lactose in milk).
by Melanie Albert, Nutrition Expert, Author and Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition
Take a Look at the Snacks You Loved as a Kid
As a kid, I loved ice cream. Now, I really love healthy thick fruit smoothies. And, as a kid I ate red licorice. Now, I enjoy trail mix, goji berries and dark chocolate. I notice that the fruit smoothies I enjoy today are a lot like ice cream; cold and creamy. And, I think one of the reasons I love goji berries is because they are red and chewy, just like the licorice I used to love as a kid.
Superfood Snack: Organic Goji Berries
Come over to Facebook and share your responses to the following 3 questions.
• What snacks did you love the most when you were a kid? __________
• What snacks do you now eat as an adult?_________________________________
• Describe the similarities in these snacks__________________________________
