Experience Nutrition

Tag: cauliflower

Experience Nutrition Farm-to-Table Recipes: Roasted Purple Cauliflower, Romanesco, and Carrots. Hemp Seed Tabouli
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Intuitive Cooking Expert, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author
It’s been such a beautiful Spring in Arizona, that this weekend I took time to enjoy self care, soaking in the beauty of our Arizona sky and visiting the Gilbert Farmers’ Market in Gilbert, Arizona, about 15 miles from my home.

In the Phoenix area we have many different farmers markets throughout the Valley of the Sun and it’s fun to explore the different markets. At the Gilbert market I saw a few friends and “walked my talk” by shopping for my produce with intuition. With this way of shopping, we purchase veggies that we get excited about or are attracted to…the colors, the textures, or the beauty.

Enjoy the Community at Farmers Markets.

It was so much fun to chat with some of my friends at the market…

Crooked Sky Farms. Fun to catch up with Farmer Frank, who I first met when I auditioned for Master Chef about 6 years ago. Farmer Frank, long-time farmer with Crooked Sky Farms, has been farming since 1999. Frank has farms in Phoenix and Duncan, Arizona, with different climates and different growing seasons.

Blue Sky Organic Farms. So happy to have the opportunity to meet in person for the first time, one of my plant-based culinary teachers, Don Maloney who is now having fun working with Blue Sky Organic Farms, in Litchfield Park, Arizona. Blue Sky has been farming in Arizona since 1995, and is well-known for their salad mix. Don is now “growing his own.”

Steadfast Organic Farm. I absolutely love the carrots grown by farmer, Erich Schultz of Blue Sky Organic Farms, a two acre bio-intensive farm in Mesa, Arizona. I love Erich’s dedication to always continuing to learn and to share his farming knowledge with other urban farmers.

Genuine Fresche. So happy to see my long-time entrepreneur friend, Marcy Olsen and her Genuine Fresche Food Truck. Fresche offers delicious, healthy Acai Bowls (which I enjoyed for breakfast at the market) and freshly blended smoothies. I love Marcy’s passion for healthy eating!

Farm-to-Table Recipe: Roasted Cauliflower, Romanesco, and Carrots

Simple roasted veggies culinary method to prepare and enjoy fresh local cauliflower and carrots. Roast the veggies with onions, sweet peppers, and garlic for a flavorful side dish.

Simple Ingredients
- 6-8 Romanesco florets (Blue Sky Organic Farms)
- 6-8 Purple Cauliflower florets (Blue Sky Organic Farms)
- 2 Green Onions (Blue Sky Organic Farms)
- 8-10 Carrots, sliced (Steadfast Farms)
- 1 Purple sweet potato, sliced
- 3 Lunchbox yellow, orange, or red sweet peppers
- 2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch sea salt
Simple Steps
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Slice veggies.
- Place veggies in baking pan (enamel or stainless steel).
- Drizzle with olive oil and sea salt.
- Toss veggies to coat with the oil and salt.
- Roast for 10 minutes.
- Toss veggies.
- Roast for 10 minutes.
- Enjoy with Hemp Seed Tabouli and Edible Flowers.
Recipe: Hemp Seed Tabouli

Inspired by the fresh parsley, this easy-to-prepare gluten-free tabouli pairs nicely with the richness of roasted veggies.

Simple Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh parsley, rough chopped (Blue Sky Organic Farm)
- 1 tomato, rough chopped
- ¼ cup hemp seeds
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2-3 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch sea salt
Simple Steps
- Chop parsley, tomato, onion, and garlic.
- With a fork, mix veggies, hemp seeds, lime juice, olive oil, and sea salt.
- Add lime juice, olive oil, or sea salt to suit your taste.
Plate and Enjoy
- Plate the Roasted Veggies with the Parsley Tabouli and Edible Flowers and enjoy.
A few fun plates, starting with dramatic.

Enjoy roasted veggies in the pansy garden.

Fun Roasted Veggie Bowl…

Interested in learning simple, easy plant-based cooking techniques and enjoy self-care in Fall 2019 in the beauty of Sedona? Click to learn more.

To learn more, feel free to call 602.615.2486 or e-mail Mel@MelanieAlbert.com
April 1, 2019
Experience Nutrition: Farm-to-Table with Pomegranate Café and Rhibafarms: Broccoli Cauliflower Fig Salad
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Intuitive Cooking Expert, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author
In awe of another week of beautiful, vibrant veggies in the Winter POM Rhibafarms Box with Pomegranate Café in Ahwatukee, Arizona and grown by Rhibafarms in San Tan Valley, Arizona. I am so honored to create beautiful, tasty dishes with the food from the CSA each week. It’s fun to receive seasonal food grown by our local farmers, and to intuitively create dishes with food we have not previously cooked, while also experimenting with various culinary techniques.

For those of you who are supporting your local farms CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture), I invite you to have fun experimenting with the different foods your farmers are growing. Try the new veggies and new culinary methods.

In this week’s Broccoli Cauliflower Fig Salad we focus on the simple culinary technique of steaming veggies in a bamboo steamer and making a simple 3-ingredient salad dressing.

Love and heart…at the Pomegrante Cafe, this Valentine’s Week…so much love and heart at this amazing vegetarian/vegan healthy restaurant.

Rhibafarms Broccoli Cauliflower Fig Salad Recipe

The beauty of Rhibafarms broccoli and cauliflower inspired this very simple refreshing, beautiful salad. Steamed broccoli and cauliflower, dressed with a simple lemon dressing with parsley, almonds, and dried figs.

INGREDIENTS from the POM BOX
- Broccoli
- Purple Cauliflower
- Purple Cabbage Leaf
STEAM BROCCOLI & CAULIFLOWER

Simple Ingredients
- 2 cups broccoli florets, sliced
- 2 cups cauliflower florets, sliced
Simple Steps
- Slice broccoli and cauliflower.
- Place broccoli and cauliflower in bamboo steamer.
- Bring several inches of water to boil in large soup pot.
- Once the water is boiling, place bamboo steamer on top of the pot.
- Steam for about 8-10 minutes.
- Check broccoli and cauliflower with fork to desired tenderness.
Lemon Finishing Dressing

Simple Ingredients
- 1 lemon, juiced (approximately 1/4 cup)
- Twice as much olive oil as lemon, approximately ½ cup
- Pinch sea salt
Simple Steps
- Squeeze lemon juice into small Mason jar.
- Pour in twice as much olive oil.
- Shake.
- Taste to test for desired oil / lemon ratio.
- Add additional oil or lemon, as needed.
- Add pinch of salt to jar.
- Shake.
Broccoli Cauliflower Fig Salad

Simple Ingredients

Mise en Place: Broccoli Cauliflower Fig Salad
- 2 cups steamed broccoli florets
- 2 cups steamed cauliflower florets
- ½ cup Lemon Finishing Dressing
- 1 cup fresh parsley, rough chopped
- ¼ cup raw almonds, rough chopped
- 5 dried Mission figs, sliced
- 1 purple cabbage leaf
- 3-5 edible flowers
Simple Steps
- Place broccoli into a small bowl, drizzle dressing onto broccoli, and lightly toss.
- Place cauliflower into a small bowl, drizzle dressing onto cauliflower, and lightly toss.
Lightly coat broccoli with Lemon Finishing Dressing
- Place parsley, figs, and almonds into a bowl. Drizzle dressing onto the ingredients. Lightly toss.
- Place all ingredients into a bowl and lightly toss.
- Plate all ingredients on purple cabbage leaf.
- Garnish with edible flowers.
- Enjoy.
Broccoli Cauliflower Fig Salad

Love to cook? Check out other POM Farm Box recipes created with the beautiful Rhibafarms produce and Pomegranate Cafe goodies.
Purchase Melanie Albert’s award-winning cookbook, “A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods”

Interested in the POM Rhibafarms BOX. You can purchase it right here.

COOKING CLASSES AT THE FARM AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Purchase Tickets for Spring Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking with Melanie Albert and Soil & Seed Garden Farmer Billy Anthony. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, March 3, 2019, 10:30am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Raw Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking with Melanie Albert and Soil & Seed Garden Farmer Billy Anthony. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, April 7, 2019, 10:30am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Farm-to-Table Kids Food Art Cooking at The Farm at South Mountain with Melanie Albert, Sunday, March 24, 2019, 11am-noon

Thanks to Natural Awakenings AZ magazine for featuring my Plant-Based Chocolate Pie on the cover and Plant-Based Dessert recipes in the January 2019 issue.

Natural Awakenings Arizona, January 2019

Natural Awakenings Arizona, January 2019. Start the New Year Off Right

Join our Simple Daily Plant-Based Eating Tips Facebook Page

PUBLIC COOKING CLASSES AT THE MARICOPA COUNTY LIBRARIES

I’m honored have been leading hands-on cooking and yoga classes with the Maricopa County Library District since 2016. For the Winter Reading Program, the class focuses on Mediterranean Plant-Based Culinary. We’ll be preparing Hempseed Tabouli, Olive Tapenade, and Herbal Hummus. Classes are Free to the Public. Call the libraries directly to make your reservation.
- Tuesday, March 19, 2019, 5:00-6:30pm: Litchfield Park Branch Library
- More to come in the Summer Reading Program: June & July 2019.
WINTER COOKING CLASSES & EVENTS IN THE PHOENIX ARIZONA AREA
- February 18, 2019, 4:30-5:30pm: Grandfamilies Place, Gregory’s Fresh Market. Kids learn to mandoline & marinate veggies and build their own salads.
- February 27, 2019, 12:30-1:30: Monthly Healthy Cooking Demo, Humana Mesa. Melanie’s favorite “Healthy Plate”
- March 2, 2019, 10-11am: National Nutrition Month at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market
- March 19, 2019, 5:00-6:30pm: Litchfield Public Library, Mediterranean Plant-Based Appetizers
- March 27, 2019, 12:30-1:30pm: Humana Monthly Healthy Cooking Demo
HOLD THE DATE: September 13-16, 2019: Plant-based Cooking Retreat in Sedona!

During the retreat in beautiful Sedona, Arizona, you’ll be learning and practicing simple plant-based culinary skills for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. We’ll also enjoy Sedona hiking, yoga, massage, and special Sedona experiences. Please send me a note, Mel@MelanieAlbert.com, and I’ll keep you posted on the details.

Retreat House Beautiful Salt Water Pool
February 16, 2019
Experience Nutrition: Farm-to-Table with Pomegranate Café and Rhibafarms: Broccoli & Cauliflower Flatbread
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Intuitive Cooking Expert, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author
I absolutely love beautiful local Arizona farmers’ food and feel so humbled and honored to cook with it. I am so honored to intuitively prepare one of my favorite meals – flatbread – inspired by the POM Rhibafarms Box, with produce grown by farmer Mark Rhine at Rhibafarms in San Tan Valley, Arizona and in collaboration with the Pomegranate Café, in Ahwatukee, Arizona owned by Cassie and Marlene Tolman.

This week (2.8.19) with the POM Rhibafarms Box I am especially in awe of the fresh broccoli and cauliflower. Since the beginning of January 2019, I’ve been creating a new seasonal flatbread each week. Naturally, the plant-based flatbread features these beautiful veggies.

Made a quick stop at Pomegranate Cafe to pick up this week’s POM Rhibafarms Box…

The healthy, welcoming Pomegranate Cafe, Ahwatukee, Arizona.

The POM Rhibafarm Box 2.8.19…”Especially grown for Pome/Rhiba Family”…I feel special. Thanks so much to Mark Rhine.

The POM Box 2.8.19 Winter Arizona goodness.

The beautiful ingredients in this week’s POMBox.

Mark, thanks so much for your dedication in growing the beautiful food for our community. And, Cassie, thanks so much for sharing your yummy walnut taco and pico with us this week. My mouth is watering.

POM Rhibafarms 020819: Trio Broccoli, Galaxy Caulflower, Purple Cabbage

Rhibafarms Broccoli & Cauliflower Flatbread Recipe

The beauty of Rhibafarms broccoli and cauliflower were the inspiration for my weekly flatbread. Since these veggies were so fresh, I roasted them lightly and simply with olive oil and sea salt.

INGREDIENTS from the POM BOX
- 1 head broccoli
- 1 head cauliflower
Rhibafarms Cauliflower. Simple Beauty.

Rhibafarms Broccoli. So fresh.

Rhibafarms Cauliflower & Broccoli

ROASTED BROCCOLI & CAULIFLOWER

Simple Ingredients
- 1 head broccoli, sliced and leaves
- 1 head cauliflower, sliced and leaves
- 2-3 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
Roasted Broccoli & Cauliflower Mise en Place. All set.

Simple Steps
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Slice broccoli and cauliflower into bite-sized pieces.
- In a bowl, gently coat broccoli and cauliflower with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt.
Gently toss cauliflower and broccoli with olive oil and sea salt.
- Place broccoli and cauliflower on parchment-lined flat sheet pan, flat side down with veggies not touching.
Cauliflower and broccoli on parchment-lined sheet pan.
- Roast for 8 minutes.
- Flip veggies.
- Roast for another 8 minutes.
- Use veggies as flatbread toppings.
The lightly roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli

CASHEW CREAM

Simple Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water 2-4 hours
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Pinch sea salt
- ¼ cup water, adjust for desired creaminess.
Cashew Cream: Pre-soaked cashews, lemon, nutritional yeast, sea salt.

Simple Steps
- Pour all ingredients into a blender.
- Blend to desired smoothness.
EXPERIENCE NUTRITIONTM Yeast-Free Quick Flatbread

Simple Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups sprouted spelt flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 ½ tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil (dough)
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil (spread on dough prior to baking)
- OPTIONAL: ¼ cup Kalamata olives, ¼ cup capers, ¼ cup dehydrated tomato slices.
Simple Steps
- Place pizza stone into oven. Pre-heat oven to 390 degrees F. Pre-bake the stone for about 5 minutes.
- In large glass bowl, with a fork mix dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt.
- Add 3/8 cup water and oil until dough forms a ball. Add additional water, as needed.
- Knead on a lightly floured surface for 3-4 minutes.
- Flatten out the dough on floured parchment-paper.
- With parchment paper on top of the dough, roll thinly with a rolling pin.
- Carefully move flatbread to pre-heated pizza stone.
- Spread 1 tbsp of olive oil onto the flatbread.
- Bake flatbread for 5 minutes.
- Remove stone from oven.
- Spread cashew cream on the top of the flatbread.
- Add broccoli, cauliflower, olives, and capers to the top of the flatbread.
- Cook for about 8 minutes.
- Garnish with dehydrated tomatoes.
- Enjoy!
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Yummmm…the baked beautiful POM Rhibafarms Box Roasted Cauliflower Broccoli Flatbread

Baked beautiful POM Rhibafarms Box Roasted Cauliflower Broccoli Flatbread

A perfect slice…

Perfect slice. Cauliflower Broccoli Flatbread & Leaves.

Love to cook? Check out other POM Farm Box recipes created with the beautiful Rhibafarms produce and Pomegranate Cafe goodies.
- Arizona Winter Greens Saute Recipe
- Cabbage: Two Ways
Purchase Melanie Albert’s award-winning cookbook, “A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods”

Interested in the POM Rhibafarms BOX. You can purchase it right here.

COOKING CLASSES AT THE FARM AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Purchase Tickets for Whole Foods for Addiction Recovery with New York “Spiritual Adrenaline” Author Tom Shanahan and Phoenix cookbook author Melanie Albert. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, February 17, 2019, 11am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Spring Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking with Melanie Albert and Soil & Seed Garden Farmer Billy Anthony. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, March 3, 2019, 10:30am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Raw Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking with Melanie Albert and Soil & Seed Garden Farmer Billy Anthony. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, April 7, 2019, 10:30am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Farm-to-Table Kids Food Art Cooking at The Farm at South Mountain with Melanie Albert, Sunday, February 10, 2019, 11am-noon

Purchase Tickets for Farm-to-Table Kids Food Art Cooking at The Farm at South Mountain with Melanie Albert, Sunday, March 24, 2019, 11am-noon

Thanks to Natural Awakenings AZ magazine for featuring my Plant-Based Chocolate Pie on the cover and Plant-Based Dessert recipes in the January 2019 issue.

Natural Awakenings Arizona, January 2019

Natural Awakenings Arizona, January 2019. Start the New Year Off Right

Join our Simple Daily Plant-Based Eating Tips Facebook Page

PUBLIC COOKING CLASSES AT THE MARICOPA COUNTY LIBRARIES

I’m honored have been leading hands-on cooking and yoga classes with the Maricopa County Library District since 2016. For the Winter Reading Program, the class focuses on Mediterranean Plant-Based Culinary. We’ll be preparing Hempseed Tabouli, Olive Tapenade, and Herbal Hummus. Classes are Free to the Public. Call the libraries directly to make your reservation.
- Tuesday, March 19, 2019, 5:00-6:30pm: Litchfield Park Branch Library
- More to come in the Summer Reading Program: June & July 2019.
FREE PUBLIC KIDS COOK CLASS AT THE DOWNTOWN PHOENIX PUBLIC MARKET
- Saturday, February 9, 2019, 10-11am: Kids Cook at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market (14 E Pierce Street, Phoenix)
February 8, 2019