Happy to share with you Recipe 62 for The Farm at South Mountain CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). I’m so honored to create recipes with the beautiful produce, herbs, and edible flowers our local Arizona farmers grow.
This week’s recipe was inspired by The Farm’s cauliflower and cauliflower greens and peppers. Make a simple, delicious sauté to enjoy with pasta or even brown rice or quinoa. For this dish, I enjoyed the saute with a local Arizona chickpea pasta.
The beauty of edible calendulas growing at The Farm at South Mountain.
Cauliflower Saute Recipe
Steps to Prepare the Dish
Sauté the veggies.
Cook the pasta.
Mindfully plate your dish.
Recipe Serves 2
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
1 cup cauliflower
2-3 cauliflower leaves
3 peppers
3 small tomatoes
½ white onion
1 tbsp garlic, minced
¼ cup Kalamata olives
1 tsp capers
5 spring fresh dill
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Pinch sea salt
Veggie Saute IngredientsChop the Veggies. Mise en Place.
SIMPLE STEPS
Slice all veggies.
Pre-heat saute pan on medium.
Add olive oil to coat bottom of saute pan.
Add onions to pan. Saute 4-5 minutes.
Add garlic. Saute 1 minute.
Add peppers. Saute 2 minutes.
Add tomatoes. Saute 2 minutes.
Add pinch sea salt.
Add cauliflower, olives, and capers. Cover pan. Saute 5-6 minutes.
Add dill. Saute 1 minute.
Add cauliflower greens. Saute 2 minutes.
Mindful Plating
Mise en Place: Cauliflower Saute. Chickpea Pasta.
Enjoy plating the veggie saute with pasta.
Toss pasta with a drizzle of olive oil.
Plate the sautéed veggies with the pasta.
Garnish with fresh dill and calendula flowers.
Enjoy your Cauliflower Saute. Pasta dish!
The Farm at South Mountain CSA Recipoe 62: Cauliflower Saute. Chickpea Pasta.
Hope you are enjoying the recipes intuitively created for the CSA at The Farm at South Mountain, in Phoenix, Arizona.
Please fill in the form if you are interested in a Plant-Based Farm-to-Table Food Art Experience for your organization. Right now we are offering fun, virtual “cook-along” experiences.
It is my pleasure to share with you Recipe 60 created with The Farm at South Mountain CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) for December 26, 2020. Enjoy the Plant-Based Farm-to-Table Winter Arizona Flatbread.
One of our key philosophies with Experience Nutrition and Plant-Based Food Art is to start with local farmers beautiful produce, herbs, and edible flowers. When we cook with our local farmers’ just harvested produce it is fresher, more nutritious, and it has not traveled thousands to arrive at our local grocery stores.
Supporting our local farmers by purchasing a CSA is an easy way to enjoy fresh local produce, while supporting our local farmers.
Let’s take a look at quiet December 2020 beauty of The Farm.
Winter CSA Week 6: 12.26.20
Turnips: Root & Greens
Kale
Swiss Chard
Grapefruit
Lemon Basil
Eggs
The Farm at South Mountain CSA: December 26, 2020The sign of the times…the Coronavirus Pandemic, 2020.
Roasted Roots & Greens Flatbread.
One of my very favorite meals is a beautiful seasonal flatbread with the veggies our local farmers are growing. This flatbread was inspired by the turnips and kale that have been growing at The Soil & Seed Garden at The Farm, along other local root veggies: carrots and sweet potatoes. Hope you enjoy creating a simple no-yeast flatbread along with the roasted roots with turmeric, and hemp seed cream.
Steps to Prepare the Dish
Make the flatbread.
Roast root veggies and kale.
Make the hemp seed cream.
Mindfully plate your flatbread and enjoy.
SIMPLE SPROUTED SPELT YEAST-FREE FLATBREAD CRUST
Enjoy creating this simple flatbread when you don’t have time to wait for yeast to rise.
1 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil (spread on dough prior to baking)
SIMPLE STEPS
Pre-heat Pizza Stone
Place pizza stone into the oven.
Pre-heat oven at 390 degrees F.
Pre-heat the stone for about 5 minutes.
Make the Crust
Pour the flour, baking powder, and sea salt into a large glass bowl.
Mix the dry ingredients with a fork to combine.
To the bowl, add 3/8 cup water and oil.
Gently knead with hands for 3-4 minutes until the dough forms a ball. Add additional water or flour, as needed.
With hands, flatten out the dough on floured parchment paper.
With parchment paper on top of the dough, roll thinly (about ¼ inch) with a rolling pin.
Pre-Bake the Flatbread Crust
With fingers, gently spread 1 tbsp of olive oil onto the flatbread.
Carefully move flatbread crust to the pre-heated pizza stone.
Bake flatbread crust for 5 minutes.
Remove pizza stone from oven.
Top the Flatbread Crust
Spread cashew cream on the top of the flatbread.
Add roasted veggies.
Bake the Flatbread
Place flatbread back onto the pizza stone and place it into the oven.
Bake for about 8 minutes.
Remove flatbread from the oven.
Top with kale.
QUICK ROAST ROOTS
Recipe Serves 2
We’ve previously shared this simple roasted roots culinary technique. It’s a great method to pre-cook veggies for flatbread.
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
2 turnips
4-5 carrots
1 large sweet potato
1 large white onion
1 ½ tsp turmeric powder
¼ ground black pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Pinch sea salt
Simple Roots for Roasting
SIMPLE STEPS
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.
Slice all veggies into small pieces.
Place veggies into roasting pan.
Drizzle veggies with turmeric, pepper, sea salt and olive oil.
Roast 12 minutes.
Toss the veggies.
Roast another 12-15 minutes.
Roasting Roots Mise En Place.Roots in the pan, with turmeric, black pepper, sea salt, and olive oil.Roasted roots. 425 degrees for about 20 minutes.
QUICK ROASTED KALE
Toss kale with drizzle of olive oil and sea salt. Roast on parchment paper for about 6-8 minutes. Toss at about 3 minutes.
HEMP SEED CREAM
Quick seed cream to use for a cheesy-tasting sauce for the flatbread.
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
¼ cup hemp seeds
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp water
Pinch sea salt
Hemp Seed Cream Mise En Place.
SIMPLE STEPS
Place all ingredients into a small blender.
Blend for about a minute or two, until creamy.
Add more water, as needed.
Add additional lemon juice or sea salt to suite your preferred taste.
Hemp Seed Cream: All ingredients into blender. Blend about a minute or two.Simple Hemp Seed Cream.
Mindfully plate your flatbread and enjoy.
First, set you plating Mise en Place: Flatbread, Roasted Roots, Roasted Kale, Hemp Seed Cream.
Flatbread: Mindful Mise En Place. All set to “plate” the flatbread.
Pause and enjoy plating your Flatbread.
Bake for another 8 minutes after plating the flatbread.
Enjoy!
Recipe and article created by Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO of Experience Nutrition in Phoenix, Arizona; Speaker; Award-winning Cookbook Author; Creator of the Plant-Based Food Art Movement.
If you are interested in a virtual (or future in-person) Plant-Based Farm-to-Table Cooking Food Art Experience for your organization, please fill out the form and Melanie Albert will be in touch with you.
I am so honored to intuitively create recipes for The Farm at South Mountain CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) members. And, I’m happy to share this week’s Winter Arizona recipe with you, which was inspired by the beautiful beets and the incredible herbs: Thai Basil & Kaffir Lime Leaves.
Hope you enjoy roasting the beets and using them in my, now favorite hummus. Make a small batch of the pesto for contrast to the hummus.
The plant-based cooking video shows you step-by-step to prepare this incredible, tasty, healthy dish.
Steps to Prepare the Dish
Soak the garbanzo beans the night before you plan to create the beet hummus.
Cook the garbanzo beans for the hummus.
While the beans are cooking, roast the beets.
Next, toast the pine nuts.
Make the pesto.
Make the hummus.
Mindfully plate the beet hummus and pesto with the CSA Swiss chard and sweet peppers.
All Recipes Serve 2
THAI BASIL & KAFFIR LEAVES PESTO
Create a simple, delicious pesto with this week’s Thai basil and kaffir lime leaves.
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
1 cup Thai basil leaves
1 tbsp Kaffir leaves, minced
¼ cup pine nuts, dry toasted
2 tbsp olive oil
Pinch sea salt
SIMPLE STEPS
Toast pine nuts in dry pan on stove for about 2 minutes.
Place all ingredients, except olive oil, into a small blender.
Blend for about a minute.
Add the olive oil to the blender and blend another minute.
ROASTED BEETS
Use this Quick Roasted Veggie method to easily cook roots.
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
2 beet roots, sliced
2 tbsp fresh Kaffir lime leaves, minced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Pinch sea salt
SIMPLE STEPS
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut beet roots into slices.
Mince Kaffir lime leaves, taking out the stem.
Place beets into roasting pan.
Drizzle with olive oil, Kaffir lime leaves, and sea salt.
Roast for 10 minutes.
Toss the beets.
Roast another 10-12 minutes.
ROASTED BEET HUMMUS
Create this simple, delicious, beautiful hummus with The Farm’s beets.
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
2 beets, roasted
2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
¼ cup tahini
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp minced garlic
Pinch sea salt
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
SIMPLE STEPS
Place beets into food processor and process for about a minute.
Add all other ingredients, except olive oil.
Process for 2-3 minutes.
Stream in olive oil and process another 1-2 minutes.
Enjoy with CSA sweet peppers.
Plant-based farm-to-table recipe intuitively created by Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Award-winning cookbook author, Creator of the Plant-Based Food Art Movement.
Happy to share with you this week’s recipe video for the Winter 2020 CSA at The Farm at South Mountain, right in my neighborhood in Phoenix, Arizona.
The recipe was inspired by the beautiful beets, scarlet queen turnips, and rosemary. And, of course, the pecans that grow right at The Farm.
Enjoy this video of the Roasted Beet & Turnip Bowl, and use it as a guide to create your own Roots Bowl with beets, turnips, tossed salad greens, and a few of your favorite salad extras, such as cashew cream, figs, and blackberries for a fresh Winter dish.
Steps to Prepare the Dish
Roast the beets and turnips with the quick roast method.
Prepare the Simple Cashew Cream.
Crack the pecans.
Make the simple acid, fat, salt salad dressing and toss with the greens.
Mindfully plate the roasted roots, salad greens, pecans, Cashew Cream, and your favorite extras.
Enjoy Cooking!!!!
Recipe intuitively created by Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO of Experience Nutrition, Award-winning cookbook author, creator of the Plant-Based Food Art Movement. Leader in wellness, integrative nutrition, and culinary for 15 years.
I am so honored to intuitively create recipes for The Farm at South Mountain CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) members, And, I’m happy to share this week’s Winter Arizona recipe with you.
As many of you are aware, I live in a wonderful area of Phoenix, Arizona with incredible urban farms right in my neighborhood, including The Farm at South Mountain. For four years I’ve been teaching hands-on plant-based farm-to-table cooking experiences at The Farm and have been intuitively creating recipes with the weekly CSA box. This week is actually Recipe #55!
Excited to meet the new farmers at The Farm…Olive, DJ, Nicole, Meredith, with Melanie Albert.
The Farm at South Mountain…Olive, DJ, Melanie, Nicole, Meredith
The Winter CSA for November 21, 2020 includes:
Detroit Red Beets
Purple Daikon Radishes
Rainbow Swiss Chard
Curly Leaf Lettuce
Lemon Basil
Eggs
The Farm at South Mountain CSA: 11.21.20
BEETS & DAIKON RADISH BOWL
This week’s recipe was inspired by the beautiful beets and purple daikon radishes. Create your Veggie Bowl with the beet roots and greens, daikon radishes, Lemon Basil Cashew Cream, quinoa and walnuts for a beautiful Winter dish.
Steps to Prepare the Dish
Roast the beets, daikon radishes, and green onions.
Prepare the Lemon Basil Cashew Cream
Sauté the Beet Greens.
Plate the roasted roots, sautéed greens, Lemon Basil Cashew Cream, and walnuts.
Enjoy the Beets Bowl video for step-by-step visuals of the cooking process. Scroll down for the recipes.
All Recipes Serve 2
ROASTED BEETS, DAIKON RADISHES & GREEN ONIONS
Roasted Beets & Daikon Radishes
Roast the Winter roots for your simple-to-prepare, tasty farm-to-table veggie bowl.
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
2 beet roots
2 daikon radishes
3-4 green onions, sliced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp dried herbs, such as Herbs de Provence
Pinch sea salt
SIMPLE STEPS
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut beet roots, daikon radishes into unique shapes and sizes.
Place roots (beets and radishes separately) and onions into a small bowl. Coat with olive oil, dried herbs, and sea salt.
Place roots, not touching, on parchment-lined sheet pan.
Layer onions on parchment-lined sheet pan.
Roast for 12 minutes.
Flip the veggies.
Roast another 12-15 minutes.
SIMPLE LEMON BASIL CASHEW CREAM
Create this simple plant-based cream with the lemon basil to enjoy with roasted roots.
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
1 cup raw cashews, pre-soaked in water for 2-4 hours
¼ cup lemon basil leaves
2 green onions
2 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup nutritional yeast
Pinch sea salt
2 tbsp olive oil
SIMPLE STEPS
Place all ingredients into food processor.
Process until chunky.
Stream in olive oil while processing.
Process to desired level of creaminess.
SAUTEED BEET GREENS
Create this quick sauteed beet green side to enjoy with the Roasted Beets and Radishes Bowl.
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
Tops of 2 beets, sliced (greens and stems sliced separately)
2 green onions sliced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Pinch sea salt
SIMPLE STEPS
Pre-heat sauté pan on medium.
Pour olive oil into pan.
Add onions.
Sauté for 3 minutes.
Add beets stems.
Sauté for 1 minute.
Add beet greens.
Add pinch sea salt.
Sauté for 3 minutes.
NEW Online Plant-Based Food Art Program
Interested in learning more about plant-based cooking and creating beautiful dishes, I invite you to register for our new 3-Day Food Art course. Learn how to prepare the recipes and create beautiful dishes: Avocado Tartare, Roasted Veggie Bowl, and Raw Carrot Cake. CLICK TO REGISTER.
What an honor to intuitively create recipes with the beautiful produce grown by hard-working, passionate farmer Billy Anthony at the Soil & Seed Garden at The Farm at South Mountain in Phoenix, Arizona.
This is the final CSA recipe of the season, Recipe #54, and I’m so happy to share a Summer recipe with you, inspired by the peaches and apricots growing at The Farm. At this point, the farmers are focusing on summer crops, including tomatoes, which I’m really looking forward to.
Self care at The Farm. While picking up the CSA to create this week’s recipe, I was mesmerized by the breath-talking Autumn Beauty Sunflowers.
For the CSA Members, the May 16, 2020 Share includes:
Roots: Beets, Carrots
Greens: Salad Greens, Swiss Chard
Veggies: Zucchini
Fruit: Grapefruit, Peaches, Apricot
Herbs: Lemon Basil, Mint, Lemon Thyme, Rosemary
Eggs
The Farm at South Mountain CSA: May 16, 2020
Recipe: Simple Peach Apricot Salsa
This week’s recipe was inspired by the peaches and apricots. It’s a simple, fresh recipe to enjoy with hummus, or as a topping for fish or chicken.
The Farm at South Mountain: Arizona Peaches
Serves 2
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
5-6 peaches
5-6 apricots
¼ cup grapefruit juice
1 tbsp grapefruit zest
4-5 mint leaves, minced
Not from The Farm CSA
¼ cup white onion
2 mini red peppers
Pinch sea salt
Ingredients: Peach Apricot SalsaMise En Place: Peach Apricot Salsa
SIMPLE STEPS
Mince all fruit and veggies into small pieces.
Gently toss all ingredients.
Taste and adjust with additional grapefruit juice and sea salt to suit your taste preferences.
Peach Apricot Salsa: Mix Ingredients
SIMPLE PLATING
Enjoy with hummus, or as a side salad.
Peach Apricot Salsa. Classic Hummus.
Stay in touch with us on www.facebook.com/ExperienceNutritionAZ and Instagram @experiencenutritionaz and tag us #experiencenutrition on your plant-based culinary creations.
Sedona Plant-Based Cooking Retreats.At this point, we are planning on hosting the Plant-Based Farm-to-Table Cooking Retreat in Sedona, September 18-21, 2020 and also customizing for small groups “when the time is right” in the next few months. Please let me know if you’re interested in learning more about the retreats. Click for information about the retreats and beautiful photos from our September 2019 retreat.
By Melanie Albert, Plant-Based Culinary Leader, Founder & CEO, Experience Nutrition in Phoenix, Arizona. Award-winning cookbook author, speaker, corporate wellness, team building, retreat leader, and caterer.
As always, it is my honor to create recipes with the produce grown for the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) by passionate farmer Billy Anthony at the Soil & Seed Garden, at The Farm at South Mountain in Phoenix, Arizona.
It is especially touching this week, during the Coronavirus Pandemic while we are all staying at home, and cooking more. And, in Arizona we are transitioning from the Spring to the Summer crops, so we still have roots, along with summer crops, such as zucchini. – Melanie Albert
When I picked up my CSA this week, The Farm felt very still and calm, in align with the quietness of our Earth…a little video capture:
For the CSA Members, the items in the May 9, 2020 CSA include:
This week’s recipe was inspired by the peaches, and paired with beets, carrots, and grapefruit. Since grapefruits are still available, enjoy a simple dressing with a few extras: honey, mustard, and mint.
Serves 2
Roasted Roots & Fruit
Enjoy creating this dish, inspired by The Farm’s sweet fruit and roots: peaches, grapefruit, beets, and carrots.
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
1 peach
1 grapefruit
1 golden beet
1 red beet
5-6 small carrots
Not from The Farm CSA: ½ red onion
3 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP honey
Pinch sea salt
SIMPLE STEPS
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.
Chop all veggies in small bite-size pieces.
Veggie-by-veggie toss in olive oil and sea salt.
Place veggies, spread apart on parchment-paper lined sheet pan.
Place grapefruit and peaches on parchment-lined sheet pan. Drizzle with ¼ tsp of honey.
Cook for 12 minutes.
Flip the veggies and fruit.
Cook another 10-12 minutes.
Honey Grapefruit Dressing
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
2 TBSP grapefruit juice
1 ½ tsp honey
1 ½ tsp stone ground mustard
1 tsp red wine vinegar
3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
6-8 mint leaves, rough chopped
Pinch sea salt
SIMPLE STEPS
Into bowl, place grapefruit juice, mustard, vinegar.
Whisk until blended.
Add olive oil.
Whisk until blended.
Add more acid (grapefruit juice) or fat (olive oil) to balance.
Add sea salt. Whisk.
Add honey. Whisk.
Add mint. Whisk.
SIMPLE PLATING
Mindfully plate.
Place grapefruit slices on plate.
Layer veggies and fruit on top of the grapefruit slices.
Dressing Options: Drizzle dressing on top of the veggies. Or, when eating, use dressing as dipping sauce.
Plating Mise en Place…
Plating…
The beautiful, tasty Arizona Spring Roots & Fruit Dish
Stay in touch with us on www.facebook.com/ExperienceNutritionAZ and Instagram @experiencenturitionaz and tag us #experiencenutrition on your plant-based culinary creations.
We are now beginning to think about Plant-Based Farm-to-Table Experiences for Fall 2020…hands-on cooking, team building, catering. Please reach out to me to brainstorm ideas for your organization. Contact Melanie Albert at 602.615.2486 or Mel@MelanieAlbert.com
By Melanie Albert, Plant-Based Culinary Leader, Founder & CEO, Experience Nutrition in Phoenix, Arizona. Award-winning cookbook author, speaker, corporate wellness, team building, retreat leader, and caterer.
So beautiful…one more view of the Arizona Roasted Roots & Fruit and our incredible sunset.
Again this week, I’d like to honor our local farmers and farmers’ markets in Phoenix, Arizona who are continuing to bring our “essential” beautiful food to us during the Coronavirus Pandemic. We truly appreciate you.
As always, I am so honored to create recipes for the CSA at The Farm at South Mountain, a small urban farm about half a mile from my home in Phoenix, Arizona. In early May our farmers are transitioning from the “cooler” to “warmer” weather crops. So this week, many farmers are harvesting end of the Spring root veggies (carrots, beets), along with the early Summer veggies, like zucchini.
This week I was totally inspired by the beautiful 2 pound 5 ounce (yes, I weighed it) Costada Romanesco Zucchini. I intuitively created a simple Zucchini Salad with Cashew Cream featuring The Farm’s grapefruit and fresh mint and lemon basil. I invite you to use this recipe as a guide to create your own Zucchini Salad with a nut cream prepared with fresh herbs and citrus available at your local farmers’ market, farmers, or grocery stores. – Melanie Albert
Enjoy the video that showcases the steps to prepare the salad including how to:
Prepare a refreshing Raw Cashew Cream.
Spiralize zucchini.
Peel carrots for salads.
Mindfully plate with fresh veggies and edible flowers.
Let’s take a look at The Farm at South Mountain CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)
The May 2, 2020 CSA, with the transition from Spring to Summer:
The Farm at South Mountain. Soil & Seed Garden CSA, May 1, 2020.
RECIPE: Raw Cashew Salad. Cashew Cream.
Ingredients: Zucchini Salad. Cashew Cream.
Serves 2
Cashew Herbal Cream
Inspired by The Farm’s grapefruit and fresh mint and lemon basil.
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water, 2-4 hours
2 TBSP grapefruit juice
1 TBSP grapefruit zest
¼ cup olive oil
2-3 stems of mint and lemon basil
2-3 onion green onions, sliced
Pinch sea salt
Mise en Place: Cashew Cream.
SIMPLE STEPS
Pre-soak cashews in water; rinse the cashews prior to using in the recipe.
Place all ingredients into food processor.
Process until smooth.
Spiralized Zucchini
Spiralize the zucchini and peel the carrots for the salad.
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
¼ zucchini, spiralized
1 carrot
SIMPLE STEPS
Spiralize the zucchini with a spiralizer.
If you do not have a spiralizer, use a veggie peeler to thinly slice the zucchini.
Slice the carrots with veggie peeler.
Costada Romanesco Zucchini. Spiralized.
Zucchini Salad
SIMPLE STEPS
Toss the zucchini and carrots with the Cashew Cream.
SIMPLE PLATING
Ingredients
Zucchini Salad
1 Swiss chard leaf
3-4 fresh herb leaves: mint, lemon basil
3-4 mini-tomatoes
1-2 green onions
Zucchini Salad: Plating Mise en Place.
Simple Steps
Mindfully plate.
Place Swiss chard onto the plate.
Layer the tossed zucchini onto the Swiss chard.
Add the garnish ingredients.
Enjoy.
Enjoy a few plating views of this simple, delicious, beautiful “summer salad.”
Zucchini Salad. Sunflowers.Zucchini Salad. In the Garden.Zucchini Salad. On the Video Set.
Stay in Touch. Stay in touch with us on www.facebook.com/ExperienceNutritionAZ and Instagram @experiencenturitionaz and tag us #experiencenutrition on your plant-based culinary creations.
By Melanie Albert, Plant-Based Culinary Leader, Founder & CEO, Experience Nutrition in Phoenix, Arizona. Award-winning cookbook author, speaker, corporate wellness, team building, retreat leader, and caterer.
Please reach out if you are interested in future plant-based farm-to-table cooking experiences, or catering. Look forward to collaborating when “the time is right.”
Honored and happy to create the Recipe #51 for the CSA at The Farm at South Mountain, right here in my neighborhood. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to create new recipes for the CSA members, with ideas on how to prepare the veggies, fruit, and herbs in their weekly CSA.
During our Coronavirus Stay-at-Home, with everyone cooking more at home, I am happy that our farmers are still working so hard to bring great food to our community. I’m also grateful that our Arizona farmers’ markets are still operating as “essential grocery stores.”
Yesterday (Friday) afternoon, when I picked up this week’s CSA at The Farm, it was 99 degrees in Phoenix, and my AC was not working, so I decided to create a Raw Dish with the CSA veggies. Although, not at all planned, I then wanted to experiment with a cooked dish with those veggies as a base.
I hope you enjoy creating a simple Raw or Cooked Zucchini Lasagna, along with a Raw Hempseed Cream.
Enjoy the video for a glimpse of The Farm at South Mountain, where we are transitioning into our Summer growing season, along with the Raw and Baked Lasagna recipes.
Spring CSA Week 7: 4.25.20
For the CSA members, items in the CSA include:
Roots: Beets, Carrots, Purple Daikon Radishes
Greens; Glacier Lettuce, Salad Greens
Veggies: Zucchini
Citrus: Grapefruit
Herbs: Basil & Dill
Aromatics: Green Onions
The Farm Eggs
The Farm at South Mountain. Soil & Seed Garden. CSA 4.25.20
Raw Zucchini Lasagna
This week’s recipe was inspired by our warm Arizona weekend and the Soil & Seed Garden zucchini. The Raw Lasagna recipe features the end-of-season purple daikon radish and carrots. Enjoy with a Grapefruit Hempseed Herbal Cream.
Lasagna & Hempseed Cream Ingredients
Ingredients: Zucchini Lasagna. Hempseed Grapefruit Herb Cream.
Lasagna Veggies
Prep the zucchini, carrot, and daikon radish, and enjoy Raw Lasagna with Grapefruit Hempseed Cream.
Serves 2
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
¼ zucchini
1 carrot
1 daikon radish
2 tbsp olive oil
Pinch sea salt
SIMPLE STEPS
Thinly slice veggies with a mandoline or veggie peeler.
Place veggies, not touching, on parchment paper.
Drizzle veggies with olive oil and sea salt.
Let the veggies sit for 10-15 minutes.
Save the veggies to create the veggie lasagna.
Hempseed Grapefruit Herb Cream
This raw hempseed cream was inspired by The Farm’s grapefruit and fresh dill, lemon basil, and green onions. This Hempseed Cream can be made very quickly since we do not need to pre-soak hempseeds, and you can add flavor with whatever herbs you have in your kitchen or garden right now.
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
½ cup hempseeds
¼ cup grapefruit juice
1 TBSP grapefruit zest
¼ cup olive oil
3-4 stems of dill, lemon basil
2-3 onion green onions
Pinch sea salt
Mise en Place: Hempseed Cream
SIMPLE STEPS
Place all ingredients into food processor.
Process until smooth.
Add water, as needed, for creamier sauce.
Raw Hempseed Grapefruit Herb Cream
SIMPLE PLATING
Layer the zucchini, carrot, daikon radish and the cream.
Garnish with Glacier Lettuce and fresh dill and lemon basil.
BONUS RECIPE: Baked Zucchini Lasagna
Since I ended up with extra ingredients from the Raw Lasagna, I decided to cook a really quick and easy baked version of the lasagna. Hope you enjoy this version, as well.
SIMPLE EXTRA INGREDIENTS
All ingredients from the Raw Zucchini Lasagna
1 tomato, sliced
2 small sweet peppers, sliced
SIMPLE STEPS
Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Layer all ingredients into a baking pan.
Cook for 20-30 minutes.
Enjoy!
Stay in touch with us on www.facebook.com/ExperienceNutritionAZ and Instagram @experiencenturitionaz and tag us #experiencenutritionaz on your Raw and Cooked Zucchini Lasagna dishes and other plant-based culinary creations.
By Melanie Albert, Plant-Based Cooking Leader, Founder & CEO, Experience Nutrition in Phoenix, Arizona. Award-winning cookbook author, speaker, corporate wellness, team building, retreat leader, and caterer.
By Melanie Albert, Plant-Based Farm-to-Table Leader, Award-Winning Cookbook Author and Speaker, Founder & CEO, Experience Nutrition
It has been such an honor to intuitively create recipes for the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) for The Farm at South Mountain, in Phoenix, Arizona, an urban farm located less than a mile from my home since October 2018. The Farm at South Mountain Soil & Seed Garden farmer, Billy Anthony, passionately grows and harvests beautiful, incredible tasting produce, herbs, and edible flowers. Billy and his team harvest on Friday, I stop by the farm Friday evening to pick up my CSA, and then I intuitively create a recipe for the CSA members, which they receive Saturday morning with their CSA.
This is Week 1 of the Spring 2020 CSA. After seeing the Sugar Snap Peas growing at The Farm the last month or so, I was very excited to prepare a simple dish with them. Also, The Farm has a Pecan Orchard on the property, so I was looking forward to include them in the dish.
Prior to sharing the recipe, a look at The Farm this week.
Let’s take a look at all of the products in the CSA.
The Farm at South Mountain. Soil & Seed Garden. CSA March 14, 2020.
Love the Sugar Snap Peas growing at the Soil & Seed Garden.
RECIPE: Simple Sugar Snap Pea Sauté
Simply sautéing Sugar Snap Peas are a great way to enjoy this fresh veggie. Along with this week’s dill, grapefruit, and pecans, create this tasty side dish.
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
2 cups sugar snap peas
1 tbsp grapefruit zest
3-4 sprigs of fresh dill
6-7 pecans, cracked
1 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
Pinch sea salt
Mise en Place: Sugar Snap Peas. Dill. Saute.
SIMPLE STEPS
Mise en Place
Zest the grapefruit.
Crack the pecans.
If desire, remove the stems and pod strings from the snap peas pods.
All set to quickly saute the Sugar Snap Peas.
Cook
Pre-heat a sauté pan on medium for about a minute.
Add olive oil to coat bottom of the pan.
When the oil is warm, add the sugar snap peas and sea salt to the pan. Continuously toss the snap peas with tongs.
Cook for about 2 minutes.
Add the grapefruit zest and dill to the pan.
Toss the snap peas with the zest and dill for about 2 minutes.
Plate
Plate the sugar snap peas with the pecans.
Enjoy.
Sugar Snap Pea Plating Mise en PlaceThe Soil & Seed Garden Sugar Snap Pea Saute.
2020 Sedona Plant-Based Cooking & Self Care Retreats
Interested in a weekend of Plant-based Cooking, Self Care, Hiking and Special Sedona Ceremonies?
2020 Retreat Dates: June 12-15, 2020; September 18-21, 2010
Getting started with our mindful chopping for our fresh Tomato Gazpacho and Avocado Tartare.Beautiful Plant-Based Lunch Creation: Avocado TartareYoga at one of my very favorite spots in the world: Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona.
2020 Authentic Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Cooking Experiences at The Farm with Lead Grower Billy Anthony and award-winning cookbook author, Melanie Albert.
Classes held at The Farm at South Mountain, 6101 S. 32nd Street, Phoenix, Arizona
by Melanie Albert, Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking Expert, Award-winning Cookbook Author, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition
I’m honored to intuitively create recipes from the produce in The Farm at South Mountain CSA grown at the Soil & Seed Garden.
Farm-to-Table Intuitive Cooking. Each week, right after Lead Grower Billy Anthony and Grower Michael Schultz, have their ideas for the crops that they’ll be harvesting, they text the list to me and my creativity begins. With farm-to-table and intuitive cooking, we really do first see what’s available from our local farmers, then taking into account simple cooking techniques, begin to develop a recipe direction for the CSA.
Creativity Flows.After picking up the CSA at The Farm (less than a mile from my home) the creativity begins. First, I look at all the goodies. Then, I begin to organize the food to create the dish. this is when my creativity begins. Sometimes, or I should say, many times, there are produce which I have not previously prepared, and I get really excited.
Pesto Inspiration.This week, when I saw the green herbs and greens, I immediately decided to create a simple pesto. I was inspired by the combination of the aromatherapy of the lemon basil, the “good for us” omega-3 rich purslane (a weed that grows naturally here in Phoenix), and the sage (which I have never used in a pesto) as the base of the pesto.With the addition of a nut (almonds) for crunch, and an “acid, fat, salt” dressing, the pesto came to life in my mind.
Soil & Seed Garden, Fall Week 2 CSA. October 26, 2019
Enjoying our beautiful Phoenix evening at The Farm at South Mountain, while picking up the second week of the Fall CSA…
Now, the beauty of our Fall Week 2 CSA.
The Farm at South Mountain: Soil & Seed Garden: Fall 2019 Week 2 CSA: 10.26.19The Greens and Herbs: Chard, Lavender, Lemon Basil, Purslane, Eggplant, Radishes.The Soil & Seed Salad Box.
Fall CSA Week 2: 10.26.19
Farm eggs
French breakfast radish
Soil & Seed Salad Box
Ichiban eggplant
Lemon basil
Northern lights chard
Autumn sage
Goldbergs purslane
Spanish eyes lavender
Decorative pumpkin / gourd
Soil & Seed Garden Fall Green Pesto
A pesto is a quick, delicious dish to create with the Soil & Seed Garden fresh herbs and greens. This week’s pesto inspired by the lemon basil is perfect in a Chard Wrap. I’ll also use is as my “green sauce” in a Raw Deconstructed Lasagna.
Simple Ingredients
1 cup lemon basil leaves
1 cup purslane leaves, chopped
5-6 sage leaves
¼ cup almonds, rough chopped
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp lemon zest
2 tbsp olive oil
Pinch sea salt
Garnish: Radishes, Chard
Fall Green Pesto Mise en Place. Simple. Beautiful. Fresh.
Simple Steps
Gather mise en place (get all ingredients organized)
All ingredients are ready for the Fall Green Pesto.
Place lemon basil leaves, purslane, sage, almonds, lemon juice, and lemon zest into food processor.
All ingredients, except olive oil, into the food processor. Pulse 8-10 times.
Pulse 8-10 times, until desired level of chunkiness
Stream in olive oil and pulse a few more times.
Enjoy on a raw cracker, wrapped in chard leaves, or with other dishes, such as a Raw Deconstructed Lasagna.
The simple, fresh Arizona Fall Green Pesto.Enjoy the Fall Green Pesto as a wrap with the Northern Lights Chard.Enjoy the Fall Green Pesto as a snack on a Raw Cracker (this one Pumpkin Seed Turmeric) with French Breakfast Radish.
The Radish inspired salad with the radishes at the Soil & Seed Garden at The Farm at South Mountain.
FARM-TO-TABLE PLANT-BASED COOKING CLASSES AT THE FARM with Melanie Albert and Farm Operations Manager/ Lead Grower Billy Anthony
I am so honored to be leading hands-on intuitive cooking classes at The Farm at South Mountain for the 4th year. For the classes this season, Lead Grower Billy and I will be walking the Soil & Seed Garden the week prior to each class to develop the food strategy for the classes. Billy will harvest the morning of the classes, and you’ll have the opportunity to intuitively prepare dishes, guided by Melanie.
SEDONA PLANT-BASED COOKING RETREAT: November 15-18, 2019
In September 2019, I hosted the first Sedona Plant-Based Cooking Retreat. Based on the life-changing retreat with incredible cooking, hiking in Sedona, and friendships, I decided to host the next retreat in November. Learn more on www.ExperienceNutrition.com/sedona-retreats/
Or, to answer your questions about the retreats, please feel free to contact me (Melanie Albert): 602.615.2486 or Mel@MelanieAlbert.com
by Melanie Albert, Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking Expert, Award-winning Cookbook Author, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition
After our long hot summer, our local Arizona farmers are harvesting the early Fall crops. Billy Anthony, Lead Grower at the Soil & Seed Garden, located at The Farm at South Mountain in Phoenix, harvested fresh veggies, herbs, and hibiscus roselle for the first week of the Fall 2019 CSA.
Soil & Seed Garden, Fall Week 1 CSA. October 19, 2019
Late beauty at The Farm at South Mountain picking up the first week of the CSA…
The Farm at South Mountain. Fall 2019 CSA. Week 1: October 19, 2019.What a beautiful Fall Salad Box. Love the edible flowers.
1 salad box
4 oz lemon basil
1 bunch Sora radish
1 bunch French breakfast radish
½ quart rosemary
¼ quart hibiscus roselle
2-3 eggplant
1 bunch rainbow chard
1 lime
6 pullet eggs
Radish. Purslane. Swiss Chard Stem Chopped Salad.
I intuitively created a simple, quick salad inspired by the Soil & Seed Garden early harvest of radishes & Swiss Chard, with the juicy fresh lime.
Taste and adjust lime and oil, for balance of acid and fat.
Add lemon basil and pinch of sea salt.
Shake and use in salad.
Simple “Acid Fat Salt” Salad Dressing
Salad
Chop all ingredients.
Mise en place…All ingredients in place…for the Radish Purslane Salad.
Place radishes, Swiss chard, and purslane into bowl.
Mindfully place chopped ingredients into small bowl.
Gently toss.
Add dressing over the veggies and toss.
Gently toss the veggies with the salad dressing.
Garnish with edible flowers, radishes, lemon basil leaves.
Enjoy!
Yum. The simple Chopped Salad.Mindfully enjoying the visual brightness of the salad.The Radish inspired salad with the radishes at the Soil & Seed Garden at The Farm at South Mountain.Thanks so much to Farmer Michael for all the passion and hard working in growing the beautiful food at the Soil & Seed Garden.
FARM-TO-TABLE PLANT-BASED COOKING CLASSES AT THE FARM with Melanie Albert and Farm Operations Manager Billy Anthony
I am so honored to be leading hands-on intuitive cooking classes at The Farm at South Mountain for the 4th year. For the classes this season, Lead Grower Billy and I will be walking the Soil & Seed Garden the week prior to each class to develop the food strategy for the classes. Billy will harvest the morning of the classes, and you’ll have the opportunity to intuitively prepare dishes, guided by Melanie.
The beauty and food art during our Plant-Based Cooking Events at The Farm at South Mountain.
SEDONA PLANT-BASED COOKING RETREAT: November 15-18, 2019
In September 2019, I hosted the first Sedona Plant-Based Cooking Retreat. Based on the life-changing retreat with incredible cooking, hiking in Sedona, and friendships, I decided to host the next retreat in November. Learn more on www.ExperienceNutrition.com/sedona-retreats/
Or, to answer your questions about the retreats, please feel free to contact me (Melanie Albert): 602.615.2486 or Mel@MelanieAlbert.com
Permelia and Melanie enjoying our Avocado Tartare!Getting started with our mindful chopping for our fresh Tomato Gazpacho and Avocado Tartare.
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Intuitive Cooking Expert, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author
I was so excited to intuitively create this farm-to-table recipe with the POM BOX with the Pomegranate Café in Ahwatukee and Rhibafarms in San Tan Valley, Arizona.
This recipe is inspired by the range of roots and the fennel in the POM Rhibafarms Box. Veggie Bowls are popular and we can prepare a really quick veggie bowl with a simple roasting technique where we cook all veggies in a pan or two. Cook a whole grain and make your own tasty Veggie Bowl.
Let’s take a look at the POM Rhibafarms Box…
The beauty of the POM Rhibafarms Box
Closer look at the POM Rhibafarms Box
POM Rhibafarms Quick Roasted Veggie Bowl
INGREDIENTS from the POM RHIBAFARMS BOX
Rhibafarms: Carrots, rainbow radishes, broccoli, fennel, green onions, red beets
Pomegranate Café: Flaxseed Crackers
QUICK ROASTED VEGGIES
Simple Ingredients
2 red beets
1 fennel bulb
5-7 yellow carrots
3-5 green onions
5-7 broccoli florets
5-7 mini-peppers
1 purple sweet potato
1 tsp sea salt
3 tbsp dried spices: Your choice: Mediterranean Blend, Southwest Blend
Simple Steps
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.
Slice all veggies into bite-sized pieces.
Place veggies into baking pan.
Place purple veggies (sweet potato, beet) into baking pan.
Place all other veggies into separate pan.
Drizzle both pans of veggies with olive oil, spices, and sea salt.
Roast for 15 minutes.
Mix veggies.
Roast for another 12 minutes.
Use veggies in veggie bowl.
Fennel Almond Brown Rice
Simple Ingredients
1 cup brown rice
2-3 fennel bulb slices
1/3 cup almonds, sliced
2 cups water
Fennel Almond Brown Rice
Simple Steps
Pour all ingredients into medium pot.
Bring to a boil.
Lower to simmer.
Cook covered for 15-20 minutes, until all liquid has been absorbed.
Fennel Almond Brown Rice ready for the Veggie Bowl.
Plating: Create your Veggie Bowl
One-by-one place brown rice and veggies into bowl.
Garnish with the Pomegranate Café Flaxseed Crackers.
POM Rhibafarms Veggie Bowl
A fun video of the creation of the POM Rhibafarms Box Veggie Bowl.
A few more recipes created with the POM Rhibafarms BOX:
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
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.
SPRING COOKING CLASSES & EVENTS IN THE PHOENIX ARIZONA AREA
HUMANA:March 27, 2019, April 24, 2019, May 29, 2019, 12:30-1:30pm: Humana Monthly Healthy Cooking Demo, Humana Mesa. March topic: Plant-Protein.
PHOENIX MARKET:April 13, May 11, 2019, 10:00-11:00am: Kids Cook at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market. Melanie shops the market and then shares beautiful ways to enjoy food with the kids.
GRANDFAMILIES PLACE: March 18, April 29, May 30, 2019, 4:30-5:30pm, Grandfamilies Place, Gregory’s Fresh Market. Kids learn how to prepare simple healthy dishes, then plate and serve to their grandparents.
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Intuitive Cooking Expert, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author
POM Rhibafarms Make Your Own Veggie Tacos
I was so excited to intuitively create this week’s recipe with the POM BOX with the Pomegranate Café in Ahwatukee and Rhibafarms in San Tan Valley, Arizona.
Let’s take a look at the POM Rhibafarms Box…
This week’s recipe is inspired by the Pomegrante Café’s Guacamole, Enchilada Sauce, and Corn Tortilla. Of course, tacos, with the beautiful Rhibafarms grown broccoli, red cabbage, carrots, and radishes. Mix and match tacos with flavorful roasted and crunchy raw veggies.
INGREDIENTS from the POM RHIBAFARMS BOX
Pomegranate Café: Guacamole, Enchilada Red Sauce, Corn Tortillas
Rhibafarms: Broccoli, Red Cabbage, Mookum Carrots, Icicle Radishes.
ROASTED VEGGIES with Chili Spices
Simple Ingredients
3-4 broccoli stems, sliced
5 carrots, sliced
5 radishes, sliced
¼ red cabbage, 1” slices
7 mini-sweet peppers, sliced
2-3 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
3 tbsp chili spices: Your choice: Ancho chili, Smoked paprika, ground cumin, oregano, ground Rhibafarms’chilis, oregano
Simple Steps
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.
Slice broccoli, carrots, and radishes into bite-sized pieces.
Grind and mix your choice of chili spices in a small bowl.
In a bowl, gently coat each veggie with olive oil, mixed spices, & a pinch of sea salt.
Place veggies on parchment-lined flat sheet pan, flat side down with veggies not touching.
Roast for 8 minutes.
Flip veggies.
Roast for another 8 minutes.
Use veggies as taco toppings.
PUMPKIN SEED CREAM
Simple Ingredients
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds soaked in water overnight
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Pinch sea salt
¼ cup water, adjust for desired creaminess.
Simple Steps
Pour all ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth.
One by one, heat corn tortilla in pan, turning to cook and crisp on both sides.
Plating: Create your Tacos
Plate with corn tortilla on flat surface.
Spoon sauce and pumpkin seed cream onto the top of the taco.
Add roasted veggies, guacamole, and pumpkin seed cream.
Garnish with the raw veggies.
Building the Tacos…
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The Amazing Tacos!
Seriously, I think these are my favorite tacos ever. Made with so much love and passion. Passionate Farmer Mark Rhine, Healthy Restaurant Pioneer Cassie Tolman, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author Melanie Albert. What a fun collaboration!
A few more recipes created with the POM Rhibafarms BOX:
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
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
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Intuitive Cooking Expert, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author
So honored and excited to create quick, simple, delicious, farm-to-table dishes from the weekly Winter POM Rhibafarms Box with the healthy-eating, vegetarian, vegan Pomegranate Café in Ahwatukee, Arizona and the incredible Rhibafarms and Mark Rhine in San Tan Valley, Arizona.
Let’s take a look at my favorite beauties in the POM Box…
POM Rhibafarms Box. Arizona Winter 2019
Mark Rhine, owner of Rhibafarms dried last Fall’s beautiful chili peppers for us over the last year. What a variety. Big Jim’s, Jalapeno, Habanero, Cayenne, Sweet Bell.
This week’s recipe is based on intuitively cooking almost all of my favorites in the POM Rhibafarms BOX. It started with being excited with my first fresh thyme of the year, plus the beauty of the dried peppers. You’ll see that I first created a pilaf and extended the meal to a fresh simple salad.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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)
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Intuitive Cooking Expert, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author
I’m excited to share recipes each week for the POM Farm Box. The weekly box features just harvested produce from Rhibafarms and farmer Mark Rhine in the San Tan Valley along with tasty specialty items from healthy-eating cafe Pomegranate Café in Ahwatukee, Arizona, founded in 2010 by Cassie and Marlene Tolman.
Let’s take a look at some of my favorites from this week’s Winter 2019 POM Farm Box. Thanks so much Mark for growing your beautiful food for our community.
POM Rhibafarms Box 2.01.19 My favorites: Green Cabbage. Galaxy Cauliflower. Broccoli. Dino Kale. Swiss Chard
Made a quick stop at Pomegranate Cafe to pick up this week’s POM Rhibafarms Box…
Winter Arizona POM Rhibafarms Box, February 1, 2019
This week, I am absolutely in awe of the fresh, just-harvested beautiful green cabbage. When I first saw the cabbage, I knew I wanted to make quick pickled cabbage. Afterwards, since that dish was so quick to prepare, I also made another quick dish with a simple cabbage saute.
POM Rhibafarms Green Cabbage
Rhibafarms Green Cabbage: Two Ways
Two simple ways to quickly prepare and enjoy cabbage. One raw. One cooked.
Raw Quick Pickled Cabbage
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
From the POM BOX
1 large green cabbage (1/2 for each recipe)
Other Ingredients
1 tsp sea salt
½ cup water
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp agave
2 bay leaves
2-3 garlic cloves, smashed with side of knife.
2 tsp caraway seeds
Optional: 2-3 radishes, sliced
1 12-ounce wide-mouth glass Mason Jar
SIMPLE STEPS
Cabbage
Slice cabbage in half.
Cut out the core.
Slice one-half of the cabbage into ¼” strips.
Place cabbage in a large glass bowl.
Sprinkle sea salt onto the cabbage.
Gently massage the cabbage for 2-3 minutes.
Add caraway seeds, garlic, and bay leaves, and radishes to the cabbage and toss.
Liquid
Pour water, vinegar, and agave into a small bowl and whisk to dissolve the agave.
Jar
Place the cabbage mixture into a Mason jar.
Press down to fill the jar.
Pour the liquid into the jar to fully cover the cabbage.
Cover the jar with a lid.
Allow the jar to sit on the counter 3-4 hours.
Place jar into refrigerator for 3-4 hours or overnight.
Enjoy for 3-4 days as a condiment.
Quick Sautéed Cabbage
Tasty cabbage side dish in 5 minutes! Chop your cabbage. Quick saute. And, that’s it.
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
1/2 cabbage
2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
Pinch sea salt
SIMPLE STEPS
Slice cabbage in half.
Cut out the core.
Slice one-half of the cabbage into ¼” strips.
Pre-heat sauté pan on medium for 3-4 minutes.
Add olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
Once the olive oil is warm, about 1 minute, add the cabbage and a pinch of salt to the pan.
Increase the heat to medium high.
Gently toss with tongs for about 3 minutes.
Plate with a few fresh greens and enjoy as a side dish.
Love to cook? Check out other POM Farm Box recipes created with the beautiful Rhibafarms produce and Pomegranate Cafe goodies.
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
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.
Thursday, February 7, 2019, 10:00-11:30am: El Mirage Branch Library
Tuesday, March 19, 2019, 5:00-6:30pm: Litchfield Park Branch Library
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Intuitive Cooking Expert, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author
More than kale chips. We can dehydrate all kinds of leafy greens to make chips.
This week I experimented with 5 different beautiful greens from this week’s CSA at The Farm at South Mountain in Phoenix, grown by urban farm Billy Anthony at the Soil & Seed Garden.
When leafy greens are in season, I invite you to experiment with dehyrating them and notice which you prefer. I absolutely love shungiku (chrysanthemum) and loved this floral green dehydrated.
Simple Recipe: Leafy Green Chips: More Than Kale Chips
1 cup raw cashews, pre-soaked in water for 2-4 hours
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp roasted garlic powder
½ tsp dry basil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Pinch sea salt
2-4 tbsp water, for desired creaminess
Cashew Cream: Mise en Place
SIMPLE STEPS
Cashew Cream
Blend all ingredients in blender or processor.
Add water, as needed for desired creaminess.
Dehydrated Leafy Greens
Tear out any large stems in the leafy greens.
One variety of greens at a time, place leaves into a large bowl.
Add a few tablespoons of cashew cream to the greens.
Place greens and cashew cream into a small bowl.
Gently massage cashew cream into the leafy greens.
Lightly massage the cashew cream into the greens.
Spread greens onto dehydrator screen.
Mindfully spread greens onto dehydrator screens.
Dehydrate at 125 degrees F for about 3 hours.
Dehydrate greens at 125 degrees F for about 3 hours.
Test for desired crunchiness.
Dehydrate longer to suit your taste.
Enjoy as a snack.
More than Kale Chips. Enjoy all kinds of leafy green chips.
The Five Winter Greens
Shungiku, often known as edible chrysanthemum, is one of my favorite flavorful greens. These greens, popular in Japan, are aromatic and floral tasting. Shungiku are generally eaten raw or gently cooked to enjoy their crunchy texture and flavor.
Shungiku: The Soil & Seed Garden, The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona.
Mizuna, another Japanese green is a member of the mustard family, a little peppery, yet milder than arugula. These are growing in the Learning Garden at The Farm.
Mizuna: The Soil & Seed Garden, The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona.
Roquette Arugula, one of my favorite greens, a little spicy, nutty, and sweet, adds exciting flavor to all dishes. Arugula is enjoyed both as salad greens, as an herb, and now as a dehydrated chip.
Spigarello, technically in the broccoli family, looks like a spiral kale. Enjoy spigarello gently sauted or massaged with a simple acid-fat-salt dressing in a salad.
Cauliflower greens. Yes, there are the edible greens that grow on cauliflower. Enjoy!
Cauliflower Greens: The Soil & Seed Garden, The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona.
Purchase Melanie Albert’s award-winning cookbook,“A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods”
COOKING CLASSES AT THE FARM AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA
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
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Intuitive Cooking Expert, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author
I’m so excited and honored to prepare simple to cook recipes for the new POM Farm Box CSA Program. The beautiful weekly box features just harvested produce and mushrooms from Rhibafarms and farmer Mark Rhine in the San Tan Valley along with tasty specialty items from healthy-eating cafe Pomegranate Café in Ahwatukee, Arizona, owned by Cassie and Marlene Tolman since 2010.
Behind the scenes. To get ready to create the recipe, farmer Josh Sundberg personally delivered my POM BOX and I made a quick stop at Pomegranate Café in Ahwatukee to pick up goodies from Cassie Tolman.
Let’s take a look at the POM Box produce. So beautiful! Thanks Rhibafarms.
POM Rhibafarms BOX: 1.25.19
Let’s see…what is all that beautiful local Arizona produce…
One simple way to enjoy the bounty of greens is a very quick sauté. Choose a few of your favorite greens, broccoli stalks, and delicate Japanese Hakurei turnips from your POM Box and create this quick and easy spicy sauté.
Veggie Saute: Getting set with the food.
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
From the POM BOX
3-4 leaves of 3 different greens, sliced
Red Cabbage, Red Mizuna, Collards
3-4 broccoli stalks
1 large Hakurei turnip, sliced
3 I’itoi onions, sliced
3-4 sprigs fresh cilantro
¼ cup POM Sweet Chile Tamari Sauce
Other Ingredients
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp white sesame seeds
SIMPLE STEPS
Slice all produce.
Mindfully chop all the veggies.
Pre-heat sauté pan to medium.
Add 2 tbsp olive oil to coat bottom of pan.
Place onions in pan and gently sauté for 3 minutes.
Add garlic to pan. Gently sauté for 30 seconds.
Add turnips to pan, drizzle with about 3 tbsp tamari sauce and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add broccoli stalks to pan, drizzle with 1 tbsp tamari sauce. Sauté for 4 minutes.
Add greens to pan, drizzle with sauce, and sauté for 3 minutes.
Take a quick look at the sauté sizzle video…one of my favorite cooking sounds…
Plate with greens, fresh cilantro, white sesame seeds, and enjoy with Turmeric Quinoa.
Winter Greens Saute. Take time to mindfully plate.
Quick Turmeric Quinoa
Make a batch of quinoa as a side for your sautéed greens. Be sure to add black pepper with the turmeric to enhance the bio-availability of the nutrients in the turmeric.
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 tbsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp black pepper
2 cups water
Quinoa. Turmeric Powder. Black pepper. Plus, water.
SIMPLE STEPS
Place all ingredients into a small pot
Bring to a boil.
Lower to simmer.
Simmer for about 12-15 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed.
Rest the quinoa for 10 minutes.
Fluff the edges of the quinoa. Rest for another 10 minutes.
Enjoy the quinoa with sautéed greens.
Purchase Melanie Albert’s award-winning cookbook,“A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods”
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
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.
Thursday, February 7, 2019, 10:00-11:30am: El Mirage Branch Library
Tuesday, March 19, 2019, 5:00-6:30pm: Litchfield Park Brand Library
