Experience Nutrition

Tag: Enjoy Food

  • Experience Nutrition: Gardening: 10 Steps to Plant Your Summer Garden

    Experience Nutrition: Gardening: 10 Steps to Plant Your Summer Garden

    So many people are gardening now with the Coronavirus pandemic. I hope you are inspired to plant and enjoy your own garden this year. Then enjoy the harvesting and cooking of the beautiful food you grow with and for your family and friends.

    Happy to share with you the second phase of planting my little Arizona edible garden. Click to see Gardening Part 1: Earth Day: Slow Down with Home Gardening. Worms!

    10 Step Summer Gardening Experience

    After returning from the Arizona Worm Farm (see more in the Earth Day Blog), I knew I only had a few hours to plant my garden and use the Worm Tea. Thus, I was focused, mindful, and in the moment with these 10 Gardening Steps:

    1. Choose your Plants.
    2. Gardening “Mise en Place.” Get organized with the plants, mulch, worm castings, and worm tea for your garden.
    3. Take out the old (plants) to leave room for the new.
    4. Pull out all old roots and thoroughly mix the soil.
    5. Add mulch and mix it into the old soil.
    6. Plant the transplants.
    7. Sprinkle a layer of nutrient-dense Worm Castings onto the top of the soil.
    8. Drizzle Worm Tea onto the top of the soil, around all of the plants.
    9. Water the garden.
    10. Enjoy!

    Let’s take a quick video look at the Pre-Garden and then get started on our New Summer garden.

    Step 1. Choose Your Plants

    In general, at this time of year, in the Phoenix area and in many different areas across the USA, it’s time to plant warm-weather, hydrating crops. Think tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, watermelon, melons, summer and winter squash, beans, and herbs.

    Top Tips to Choose your Edible Garden Plants

    When purchasing plant-starts (transplants) be sure to purchase:

    • “Organic” or pesticide-herbicide-free.
    • Local crops, that will do well in your area.
    • Seasonal crops, to be planted now for the Summer.
    • Your favorite veggies, fruit, herbs, and edible flowers.

    Although I’ve lived in Arizona, this time for 15 years, I totally rely on the expertise of our local Phoenix area entrepreneurs who grow plant-starts for our community. A quick list of what I’ve purchased so far this season:

    Vilardi Gardens, Phoenix

    Vilardi Gardens is known as one of the best places for high-quality Arizona-grown edible transplants: All-natural, chemical- and pesticide-free. Perfect for growing in our Arizona climate. During the Coronavirus “stay-at-home,” at this point in time, Vilardi Gardens is selling at the Roadrunner Park Farmers Market (Cactus Road & 35th Street) on Saturday mornings and delivering to our homes!

    A few weeks ago, I opted for home delivery of a few summer favorites:

    • Tomatoes
    • Purple tomatillos
    • Peppers
    • Sweet marjoram
    • Italian oregano

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    The Vilardi Organic Transplants.

    The Soil & Seed Garden at The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix

    Thanks so much to Billy Anthony, farmer at the Farm at South Mountain, for my favorites, including edible flowers!

    • Tomatoes
    • Cucumbers
    • Watermelon
    • Lemon balm
    • Peppers
    • Marigolds
    The Farm at South Mountain. Soil & Seed Garden. Plant-Starts.

    Step 2. Gardening “Mise en Place.” Get organized with the plants, mulch, worm castings, and worm tea for your garden.

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    Step 3. Take out the old (plants) to leave room for the new.

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    Step 4. Pull out all old roots and thoroughly mix the soil.

    Step 5. Add mulch and mix it into the old soil.

    Step 6. Sprinkle a layer of nutrient-dense Worm Castings onto the top of the soil.

    Worm Castings onto the Soil.

    Step 7. Plant the transplants from The Soil & Seed Garden at The Farm at South Mountain.

    Step 8. Drizzle Worm Tea onto the top of the soil, around all of the plants.

    Step 9. Water the garden.

    Step 10. Enjoy!

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    Let’s take a video look at the newly planted elevated garden…All ready with Summer plants!

    Stay in touch with us on www.facebook.com/ExperienceNutritionAZ and Instagram @experiencenturitionaz and tag us #experiencenutrition on your edible gardening and 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.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Experience Nutrition: Arizona Farm-to-Table Summer Salad: Get the “Food Art” Steps

    Experience Nutrition: Arizona Farm-to-Table Summer Salad: Get the “Food Art” Steps

    By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking Expert, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author

    During the summer in Arizona, our local farmers work very hard to grow beautiful produce for us in our 100+ degree weather, so I love to create beautiful dishes with it.

    Earlier this week while I was chatting with a friend who reminded me that there are often “behind-the-scenes” steps in creating a beautifully plated dish. So with this Summer dish, I’m sharing with you the full steps from the vision of the dish to the final plate.

    I hope you enjoy this “food art” lesson.

    Step 1: Stop by the farm and farmers markets to see what’s in season. This was especially important to me the last few weeks, as I was traveling in the Boston area, Cocoa Beach, Florida, and Barbados, so I lost track of what would be growing seasonally in Arizona.

    My first stop was The Farm at South Mountain, where Farm Operations Manager, Billy Anthony is growing hundreds of pounds of beautiful heirloom tomatoes.

    The Farm at South Mountain: Beautiful Heirloom Tomatoes

    My next stop was the Downtown Phoenix Public Market, where I often shop and lead cooking demos. I was happy to see that the farmers were growing some of my summer favorites. Thanks Blue Sky Organic Farms for the collard greens and leeks; and thanks to Maya’s Farm for the rainbow carrots.

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    Step 2: Pause and enjoy the beautiful produce from our farmers. Begin to visualize the creation of a beautiful dish. With intuitive cooking, once we learn cooking techniques and practice with recipes, we can intuitively create beautiful, tasty meals.

    Step 3: Pause again and choose a few different types of produce with different colors and textures.

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    Step 4: Cut the veggies and fruit in different shapes.

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    Step 5: Pause, yet again, and intuitively notice if any of the produce “fits” together. Today, for me, it was a simple avocado salsa (or guacamole) with the tomatoes, avocado, colorful carrots, lemon, and sea salt.  And, the fresh peaches and butterscotch melon with a squeeze of lemon seemed to go together nicely.

    Avocado Salsa

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    Peaches & Melon

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    Step 6: Arrange all of the ingredients and components (the Avocado Salsa, Peaches & Melon) in a plating “mise en place.” That is, all ingredients mindfully organized to be ready for plating.

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    Step 7: Looking at the plating “mise en place” begin to visualize how the plate will look. Then, sketch out the plating of the dish, using colored pencils or markers. In the sketch include where the different foods will go onto the plate and the order to plate them.

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    I’ve been mindfully plating for a few years now, and this process does take practice. Once we get into our own rhythm of sketching our dishes and plating, it becomes fluid and fun.  Key is to practice, practice, practice.

    Step 8: Mindfully plate the food, following your plating sketch. Know that this phase is also part of the food art process, so if your plate does not look exactly like your sketch, no worries at all. Enjoy it!

     

    All set to plate.

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    Step 9: Finally, mindfully enjoy eating your plate.

     

    Of course, first pause and enjoy your “food art”.

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    Enjoy…

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    We are only two months away from our Plant-Based Cooking & Self-Care Retreat in Sedona, Arizona September 13-16, 2019. Along with plant-based culinary skills we will also focus on mindfully plating and creating our own style of “food art”.

    Please feel free to call (602.615.2486) or e-mail if you’d like to chat about the retreat and take a look at the information about the retreat on ExperienceNutrition.com/sedona-retreats

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  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Plant-Based Recipes by Melanie Albert: Hummus 3 Ways

    A New View of Healthy Eating: Plant-Based Recipes by Melanie Albert: Hummus 3 Ways

    by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, award-winning author, speaker, retreat host, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC

    Last weekend I had the incredible opportunity to provide healthy plant-based food for my friend, Christina Jordan’s celebration of her cover of Woman’s World magazine. Christina, the founder of Fit Body Weight Loss, has lost 134 pounds and now guides her clients to lose weight the healthy way.

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    A few weeks ago, I had the amazing opportunity to be a segment of Christina’s tv pilot, teaching her clients how to make a massaged raw kale salad, so I was honored to be part of her magazine cover celebration.

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    Honored to be part of Christina Jordan’s magazine cover celebration, sharing the healthy organic farm-to-table culinary creations. Thank you, Christina.

     

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    For Christina’s celebration, I shopped at one of our incredible local Arizona organic farmers, Blue Sky Organic Farms.

    With the fresh, just-harvested organic produce from Blue Sky Organic Farms, I intuitively created several healthy dishes for the event:

    • 2 Salads
      • Arugula, Strawberry, and Figs. Basil Dressing
      • Kale, Heirloom Tomatoes, Golden Beets, Armenian Cucumbers. Lemon Garlic Dressing
    • 2 Tomato Gazpachos
      • Yellow Heirloom Tomatoes, Armenian Cucumbers, Mint
      • Red Heirloom Tomatoes, Red Peppers, Basil
    • Raw Seed Crackers
      • Mediterranean
      • Turmeric
    • Home-made Hummus
      • Classic Cumin Seeds, Coriander, Garlic, Lemon
      • Basil, Garlic
      • Turmeric, Nutmeg

    Simple Hummus Recipe

    Since the event, a few people have requested the culinary process to prepare the hummus. I invite you to learn the simple culinary technique of making the hummus, and then intuitively create your own with your favorite herbs and spices.

    Simple Ingredients

    • 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
    • 1/3 cup chickpea water
    • 2-3 TBSP fresh lemon juice
    • 2 TBSP tahini
    • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
    • Pinch sea salt

    Extra Ingredients

    • Classic: 1/2 tsp ground cumin seeds, ½ tsp ground coriander seeds
    • Basil: 1 cup fresh basil leaves
    • Turmeric: 1 tsp ground turmeric, ¼ tsp nutmeg, Omit garlic

    Simple Steps

    • Place all ingredients (except olive oil) into food processor.
    • Process to desired level of smoothness.
    • Stream in olive oil.

    A look at all three intuitive hummus creations:

    Classic Hummus

    Basil Hummus

    Turmeric Hummus

    The 3 Hummus Creations and Taste Testing

    Hummus with fresh organic veggies at Christina Jordan’s Magazine Cover Celebration.

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    Enjoying a plate of hummus…after the celebration.

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    The Hummus, Kale Salad, and Tomato Gazpacho recipes are all in Melanie Albert’s award-winning cookbook, “A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods.”

    Purchase the book, and Melanie will autograph and gift-wrap for you.

     

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

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

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

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

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

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

     

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

     

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

     

    • Step 4: Calmly and mindfully enjoy your tea.

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

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

    Start with High-quality Tea

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

    Top 6 Reasons Why Green Tea is Good for You

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

    3 Popular Green Teas

    Matcha: Tea of the Japanese tea ceremony

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

    Gyokuro: High-quality Japanese tea

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

    Sencha: Most popular Japanese tea

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

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

     

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  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Sweet & Rich Roasted Roots

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

    A few of my friends have been asking for some of the culinary techniques and recipes in my new book, A New View of Healthy Eating. I’m excited to share one of my very favorite simple techniques to enjoy all kinds of root vegetables. With these simple steps, you can create delicious roasted roots every time you cook them. Have fun with the roots that are in season at farmers’ markets in your area.

    Roasted roots are beautiful, flavorful, and sweet, as well as a rich, colorful complement to any meal. The roasting culinary technique is a dry heat cooking method that intensifies and concentrates the flavor of vegetables. When roasted properly, the natural sugars in the vegetables brown or caramelize to create a deep, rich flavor. When visiting your farmers’ market, buy a few roots even if you don’t recognize them, and roast them with this simple, quick culinary technique. Enjoy roasted roots as a side dish, to create soup, with hummus, or in a raw kale salad or veggie wrap.

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • 10-12 of your favorite roots: carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, golden beets, red beets, and radishes
    • Approximately ¼ cup organic extra virgin olive oil
    • 3 tbsp dry herbs (Choose a few: basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, or thyme)
    • ½ tsp sea salt

    SIMPLE STEPS

    1. Pre-heat oven to 475 degrees F.
    2. Scrub roots under running water to clean the outside.
    3. Let sit for about 10 minutes to dry.
    4. Slice roots into even, bite-size pieces.
    5. Mix olive oil, herbs, and sea salt in a bowl to make the dressing.
    6. Add root vegetables to the bowl and toss to evenly coat with the dressing.
    7. Carefully lay the roots on parchment paper in a heavy-duty flat baking sheet pan. Place roots flat side down in a single layer, making sure the vegetables do not touch.
    8. Place baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven.
    9. Roast roots in the oven for about 20 minutes, then turn vegetables.
    10. Cook another 15 minutes, until fork tender.
    11. Plate vegetables. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
    12. Enjoy!

     

     “In my public and private hands-on cooking classes, I encourage participants to experiment with different herbs and spices for roasted roots. A fun way to intuitively choose herbs is to close your eyes, smell different herbs, and intuitively decide which to use when flavoring the root vegetables. Have fun and be creative.”

    Roots are Good for Us!  Roots are nutrient-dense, grounding, and sweet. Enjoy experimenting with the many different types of roots, such as carrots, celery root, golden beets, red beets, parsnips, sweet potatoes, turnips, and radishes. Root vegetables are:

    • Nutrient-dense with calcium, iron, beta carotene, and vitamins A, C, and E.
    • Energetically grounding, as roots grow in the earth.
    • Naturally sweet when cooked, thus helping reduce sugar cravings.

    Roast a Radish. If you’ve never roasted a radish, try a few and notice the difference between a spicy raw radish and a sweet roasted radish.

    Simple Veggie Stir-fry….from A New View of Healthy Eating

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    ANewViewHealthEating-BookCoverShare your roasted roots photos with us on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating

  • Experience Nutrition: Organic Chia Seed Pudding

    By Melanie Albert, Nutrition & Wellness Expert, Author, Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Instructor Holistic Nutrition Conscious Eating and Whole Food S.O.U.L. Food at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts.

    Chia seeds are the rage today! But some of us remember when they were the green hair that grew on our Chia Pets when we were kids. Who knew that decades later we’d be eating them!

    Chia seeds come from a flowering plant in the mint family that’s native to Mexico and Guatemala, and history suggests it was a very important food crop for the Aztecs.

    Top 5 Benefits of Chia Seeds
    • Good fats. Chia seeds, like hemp seeds and flax seeds are a great ALA omega-3 healthy-fat rich seed, which is important for brain health and reduction of inflammation in the body.
    • High in protein. Great source of protein for vegetarians and vegans
    • Stabilize blood sugar. Important for diabetics
    • Improve heart health. According to the Cleveland Clinic, chia seeds have been shown to improve blood pressure in diabetics, and may also increase healthy cholesterol, whil lowering total, bad LDL and triglyceride cholesterol
    • Good source of calcium. 18% or the recommended daily intake for calcium.

    EXPERIENCE NUTRITION TM Organic Chia Pudding Recipe

    EXPERIENCE NUTRITION Organic Chia Seed Pudding
    EXPERIENCE NUTRITION Organic Chia Seed Pudding

    Ingredients
    • 1/3 cup chia seeds
    • 1 cup soy milk (or coconut water)
    • 2 chopped bananas
    • 1 tsp vanilla
    • 1-2 Medjool dates, if you desire more sweetness
    • Berries, nuts and seeds for toppings

    Simple Steps
    • Mix chia seeds, vanilla and dates into the soy milk or coconut water
    • Fold in the bananas
    • Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight)
    • Enjoy for breakfast, snack, or dessert with your favorite berries, nuts and seeds

    Share your Chia Pudding creations on our Facebook page:  www.facebook.com/experience.nutrition.now

  • A New Way to Reach your 2015 New Year Eating & Weight Goals with Intuitive Eating

    Top 4 Tips to Eat & Cook Intuitively to Reach Your 2015 New Year Eating & Weight Goals

    by Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition

    Every year half of Americans make New Year Resolutions, with weight loss at the top of the list. This year in 2015, rather than going on a diet, eat and cook intuitively to naturally achieve your weight loss goals.

    Intuitive Cooking Experience
    Intuitive Cooking Experience: Shop at a Farmers Market

    1. Shop at a farmers’ market and eat with the season. Eat based on what our Arizona farmers are growing. When you shop, use your intuition. Choose foods based on their beauty, colors and textures. You’ll be shopping mindfully, eating fresher food, and supporting our local farmers and economy.

    2. Listen to your Body. Pay attention to when your body is hungry and when it’s full. Before you eat, pause and notice whether you’re feeling physical hunger, or eating based on emotions such as boredom, eating because it’s a certain time of day, or eating to be social. On the other side, pay attention to your body while eating and stop eating when you’re satisfied. Don’t wait until you’re stuffed to stop eating.

    3. Cook Intuitively. Learn a few basic healthy recipes and cooking techniques (such as roasted, stir-fried, or steamed veggies) to enjoy preparing your meals. In the winter you may roast warming root vegetables with quinoa; and in the summer you may prefer refreshing steamed veggies and a salad.

    4. Eat Mindfully. Take time to really enjoy eating. Plate your food beautifully. Notice the aromas, textures and colors of your meal. Sit at your dining room table to eat. Slow down and really taste the food you are eating.

    Take Action Share your Intuitive Eating & Cooking photos with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/9Ways90Days

  • 9 Ways 90 Days Recipe: Organic Collard Greens with Reed Avocados & Lemon Cucumbers

    By Melanie Albert, Nutrition & Food Expert, Author and Speaker, Certified Health Coach

    Kale is the rage with raw salads, kale chips and smoothies. But, what about collard greens? I’m taking a Professional Plant-based Culinary Certification Course with Rouxbe, where we experimented with different ways to prepare kale. As an option, I decided to use some of the same techniques with collard greens.

    On top of that, Reed avocados were available at Whole Foods Market this week, so I decided to try one. About 90% of the avocados are grown in California and about 90% of those are Hass avocados. The Reed avocado variety generally grows later in the season, are larger and rounder than Hass avocados, have a thick skin, and contain more monounsaturated fat and thus are creamier than Hass avocados.

    Scroll down for the 9 Ways 90 Days Recipe: Organic Collard Greens with Reed Avocados & Lemon Cucumbers

    9 Ways 90 Days Recipe: Organic Collard Greens, Reed Avocados & Lemon Cucumbers
    9 Ways 90 Days Recipe: Organic Collard Greens, Reed Avocados & Lemon Cucumbers

    Organic Collard Greens with Reed Avocados & Lemon Cucumbers Recipe
    This recipe was inspired by the lemon cucumbers from this week’s farmers market in Ahwatukee Arizona, the Reed avocado and collard greens.

    Ingredients
    • 3-4 large collard greens leaves, chopped
    • 1 Reed avocado
    • 1 lemon cucumber
    • 4 small heirloom tomatoes
    • ½ red pepper
    • 3-4 green onions
    • 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
    • 1 garlic clove, finely minced
    • Fresh lemon basil, to taste
    • Fresh lemon thyme, to taste
    • Sea salt

    Simple Steps
    • Chop all the vegetables
    • Squeeze the avocado into a bowl
    • Add collard greens, lemon juice and sea salt to the avocado
    • Massage the collard greens for about 3 minutes
    • Add the fresh garlic, lemon cucumber, red pepper, green onions and gently toss
    • Add the fresh lemon basil and lemon thyme and gently toss
    • Enjoy this delicious & refreshing salad

    Come on over to our Facebook page, and post your avocado & collard greens creations: www.facebook.com/9Ways90Days

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: Favorite Quotes

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    Come on over to our Facebook page, and share how you will take care of your body today?

     

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: New to Me: How to Gently Sweat Organic Veggies

    By Melanie Albert, Nutrition & Wellness Expert, Author and Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition

    To further my cooking expertise for myself and my clients in speaking engagements, cooking classes and writing, I’m enrolled in a Professional Plant-based Cooking Certification with the Rouxbe Cooking School. I am definitely learning amazing skills, such as knife skills, and new ways to prepare simple, healthy, beautiful food.

    This week, I learned something totally new: Sweating vegetables. Why do we even sweat veggies and how do we do it? I learned that sweating veggies is the first step in preparing the flavor profile of a dish, it’s a dry heat method of cooking and a very gentle way to cook. Patience is key.

    EXPERIENCE NUTRITION 9 Ways 90 Days Organic Veggie Sweat Recipe
    The recipe I prepared for my class was local organic veggies with quinoa. Within “9 Ways to Enjoy Food & Life” eating real food, cooking simple meals, and eating local, in-season produce are important. So, this recipe is perfect.

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    EXPERIENCE NUTRITION 9 Ways 90 Days: Sweating Organic Veggies Recipe

    Ingredients
    Approximately ½ cup of each of the following organic veggies:
    • Onion
    • Fresh garlic cloves
    • Carrots
    • Red pepper
    • Celery
    • Squash
    • Quinoa cooked in a home-made veggie broth
    • Plus, Olive oil, sea salt

    Simple Steps
    • Mince all veggies
    • Place olive oil, onion and a pinch of sea salt in sauté pan, turn stove on medium-low and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. It’s important to be very patient, with the gentle slow heat, and do let the pan get hot enough to hear sound (that’s the moisture of the veggies).
    • Add in the carrots, celery and fresh garlic, and again cook until the veggies are a little soft.
    • Add in the red pepper and cook until soft.
    • Add in the squash and cook a little. (I prefer a little crunch in squash, so I only cooked it about a minute).
    • Fold the quinoa into the sauté pan
    • Enjoy!

    Come on over to our 9 Ways 90 Days Facebook page to see more Sweating Veggies photos and to share your sweating veggies photos.

     

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: Why We Need Carbs

    By Melanie Albert,  Nutrition & Wellness Expert, Author & Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition

    Excerpt from book: “Enjoy Food & Life.  9 Ways 90 Days Step-by-step action plan for healthy eating & living.”

    9 Ways 90 Days: Eat Whole Grains
    9 Ways 90 Days: Eat Whole Grains

    Why We Need Carbs

    People are confused about carbs and about whole grains. Many diets are no carb or low carb, but in reality our bodies need about 40-50% carbs every day at every meal. The problem is that people eat low quality carbs, like cookies, cakes, crackers and bread. Other carbohydrate-rich foods, such as whole grains, beans, vegetables are good for us.

     

    Carbs are:

    •  The body’s main source of fuel
    • Easily used by the body for energy
    • Needed for the central nervous system, kidneys, brain and muscles (including the heart) to function properly
    • Stored in the muscles and liver and later used for energy
    •  Vital to intestinal health and waste elimination

    Anatomy of a Grain

    Bran: The outer shell of grain which protects the seed. Contains fiber, B vitamins and minerals.

    Germ: Nourishment for the seed. Contains B vitamins, minerals, vitamin E, and phytonutrients.

    Endosperm: Energy for the seed. Contains carbohydrates, some protein and B vitamins.

     

    What Makes a Grain a Whole Grain?

    •  It has not been processed (made into other food products like flour, cookies, bread or crackers)
    •  It is a whole food and includes the germ and bran
    •  It is considered a “good carb”

    Refined grains: Grains or grain flours that have been significantly modified from their natural composition. Generally involves mechanical removal of bran and germ. Further refining includes mixing, and bleaching.

     

    Enriched grains: Thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and iron are often added back to nutritionally enrich the product. Because the added nutrients represent a fraction of the nutrients removed, refined grains are considered nutritionally inferior to whole grains.

    ACTION

    Go to our Facebook page and share what grains you currently eat and which you will enjoy in the future.

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: 6 Reasons Why Dark Chocolate is a Good for You Superfood

    by Melanie Albert, Nutrition & Food Expert, Author, Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group

     Excerpt from book, “Enjoy Food & Life. 9 Ways 90 Days Step-by-step action plan for healthy eating & living.”

    BOOK PRE-SALE NOW   www.9ways90days.com

    9 Way 90 Days: Why Dark Chocolate is Good for You

     Why Dark Chocolate is Good for You

    1. Good for Your Heart

    • 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%.

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: Simple Organic Sprouted Spelt Flatbread Recipe

    By Melanie Albert, Nutrition and food expert, author, speaker. Founder & CEO, Experience Nutrition Group

     

    A few years ago I discovered that I was sensitive to gluten (the protein in grains like wheat, barley and rye). By exploring different grain flours, I’ve found that I’m not sensitive (no hives, no bloating, no headaches) to the Organic Sprouted Spelt Flour by One Degree Organic Foods. During the last few months, I’ve traveled with this flour and have made organic flat bread with 15 pounds of it. Have fun making your own flatbread.

     

    Organic Sprouted Spelt Flatbread Recipe

    Image

     

    ·         What You Need

    o   ¾ cup hot (not boiling) water

    o   1 TBS dry yeast

    o   ½ TBS honey

    o   2 TBS organic olive oil

    o   2 cups organic spelt flour

    o   ½ tsp sea salt

     

    ·         Simple Steps

    o   Pre-heat oven at 450 degrees

    o   Put 1 TBS dry yeast into ¾ cup hot water, add ½ TBS honey and ½ TBS olive oil. Let it sit for about 10 minutes

    o   Put 2 cups sprouted spelt flour in bowl with ½ tsp sea salt

    o   Add the water with yeast into the flour

    o   Blend with a fork a few minutes, then knead with your hands another few minutes. Only knead for about 4-5 minutes total. Otherwise the flatbread will be tough. If the dough is sticky, add more flour. If it’s dry, add more water

    o   Split the dough in half. Place 2 balls of dough into a bowl which has coated with organic olive oil, and cover for about 2 hours (to rise)

    o   Again, split the dough into 2 sections and spread it onto a pizza brick or silicon sheet with your hands

    o   Bake for 5 minutes, check it, bake for another 5 minutes

    o   Enjoy your flat bread with olive oil and/or balsamic vinegar, or just plain

     

    Come over to Facebook www.facebook.com/9ways90days and post your photos or ask questions.

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: Learn to Eat Local

    by Melanie Albert, Nutrition & Wellness Expert, Author, Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition

    Excerpt from book, “Enjoy Food & Life. 9 Ways 90 Day Step-by-step action plan for healthy eating & living.”

    “With farmers’ markets and CSA, I’ve tried new-to-me veggies such as purslane, striped beets, purple carrots and all kinds of leafy greens,” Melanie Albert, Experience Nutrition

    9 Ways 90 Days: Farmers' Market Berkeley, CA
    9 Ways 90 Days: Farmers’ Market Berkeley, CA

    Great Reasons to Eat Local

    • Locally grown produce is fresher, tastes better and lasts longer – It’s farm-fresh, just picked, unlike food in our grocery stores that travels an average of 1,500 miles.
    • Eating local keeps us in touch with the seasons – We eat foods when they are at their peak taste, most abundant and importantly foods that grow where we live are generally what our body needs at time of the year.  For instance, when it’s summer-time, much of the available food, like strawberries and watermelon tends to be light, water-rich and cooling.
    • You can support your local economy.Shop at your local farmers’ market or Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).
    • It’s better for environment – Eating local does means your food is not traveling long distances to reach you.

    Find a Farmers’ Market Near You

    As demand for locally grown fruits and vegetables has increased, so too has the number of farmers’ markets across the nation. After 18 years of steady increases, the number of farmers’ markets across the country now registered with the USDA is 7,864, compared to 1,744 in 1994.

    To find a local farmer’s market, visit the Local Harvest site at www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/.

     

    Join us on Facebook and post a photo of your favorite farmers’ market.

     

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: Hummus Recipe, Just like the hummus we served at the Super Bowl XLIV in Miami

    by Melanie Albert, Nutrition & Wellness Expert, Author, Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition

    Excerpt from book, “Enjoy Food & Life, 9 Ways 90 Days Step-by-step action plan for healthy eating & living.”

    9 Ways 90 Days Organic Hummus Recipe: Just like Super Bowl VIP Party in Miami
    9 Ways 90 Days Organic Hummus Recipe: Just like Super Bowl VIP Party in Miami

    This is the same recipe we made for the Super Bowl XLIV Tailgate Party for the Super Bowl in Miami. Now, you can make it, too.

     

    Blend all ingredients in Vitamix or food processor, until smooth

    • 2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
    • 1 can Eden organic garbanzo beans with kombu
    • Or, If you have time, 1 cup cooked garbanzo beans (soak beans overnight, cook for  about 50 minutes with ½ strip kombu seaweed)
    • 1/3 cup chickpea water
    • 3 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste or sesame seeds)
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
    • ¼ tsp black pepper
    • 1/8 tsp cumin
    • 1/8 tsp coriander (seeds from cilantro)

    After the hummus has been blended, taste and add any more of the ingredients to your taste.

    Add any of the following and blend again: Cilantro, dill, sautéed onions and garlic, sun-dried tomatoes or olives. Remember, you can make hummus with any kind of beans. Once you know how to make this basic hummus, try making it with black beans or navy beans.

     

    Make your own delicious, simple hummus and enjoy the Super Bowl today!

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: 5 Simple Ways to Eat Kale.

    9 Ways 90 Days Eat Kale
    9 Ways 90 Days Eat Kale

    Pre-order NOW: Get the simple ways to prepare kale in our new book, “Enjoy Food & Life, 9 Ways 90 Days step-by-step action plan for healthy eating & living.”

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: Determine How Much Water You Need to Drink

    by Melanie Albert, Nutrition & Wellness Expert, Author, Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition

    Excerpt from book, “Enjoy Food & Life. 90 Ways 90 Days Step-by-step action plan for healthy eating & life.”

    It depends on you. The amount of water you need to drink depends on your size, age, level of physical activity, and where you live. Do you work out a lot? Do you live in a warm, dry climate? Are you older? You should drink more water if you live in a hot dry climate like Arizona or if you work out often. If you are over 65 with medical conditions, it is important to consult your healthcare provider on proper fluid intake, as too much water may be as dangerous as too little.

    9 Ways 90 Days: How Much Water do You Need to Drink?
    9 Ways 90 Days: How Much Water do You Need to Drink?

     Action

    • Find out how much water you should be drinking. Take your weight in pounds and divide it by 2 to get the number of ounces you should drink daily.
    • Add in extra ounces, if you work out often or live in a hot, dry climate.
    • Come over to Facebook and commit today to drinking the right amount of water for you.

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: Why Protein is Essential

    By Melanie Albert, Nutrition and Wellness Expert, Author and Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition

    Excerpt from book, “Enjoy Food & Life. 9 Ways 90 Days step-by-step action plan for healthy eating and living.”

    No Meat for 25 Years. I stopped eating red meat 30 years ago because my body could not digest it. I was a runner and felt like the meat made me sluggish. Then 18 years ago when my Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, I learned about antibiotics in poultry and stopped eating chicken and turkey, which I loved at the time. My family was worried for years that I was not eating enough protein, but while I was studying at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I learned so much about good plant protein, and now I’m honestly not worried about eating enough protein. Today, I love educating people about good sources of plant protein, including beans, whole grains and even some vegetables.

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    9 Ways 90 Days: Protein is Essential

     

    Why Protein is Essential

    • It is a macro-nutrition, which we must eat every day, with very meal
    • Builds and repairs tissues
    • Makes enzymes, hormones and other body chemicals

     How Much Protein Do We Need?

    • About 25% of our daily diet should come from protein
    • Eat protein at every meal
    • Average serving size of protein should fit in the palm of your hand

    Why Protein is Important for Athletes

    • Stimulates metabolism
    • Improves muscle mass and recovery
    • Reduces body fat

     Tips for Post Workout Meals for Athletes

    • Eat soon after intense exercise
    • Eat approximately 50% protein with good carbs, and minimal fat

     Action. Visit us on Facebook and share: Based on your knowledge of protein, right now, which and how much protein-rich foods do you eat in a typical week?


  • 9 Ways 90 Days Food Quote

    “The evidence is overwhelming at this point. You eat more plants, you don’t eat other stuff, you live longer.” – Mark Bittman

    9 Ways 90 Days Food Quote
    9 Ways 90 Days Food Quote

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: Quick Simple Organic Collard Stir-fry with Hemp Seeds Recipe

    by Melanie Albert, Nutrition and Wellness Expert, Author and Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition

    Excerpt from new book, “Enjoy Food & Life: 9 Ways 90 Days Step-by-step action plan for healthy eating and living.”  PRE-SALE Available NOW

    If you only know collard greens cooked in lots of pork all day, this is a new way of cooking delicious collards in a few minutes. Learn how to cook stir-fry collards and you can cook any type of greens.

    Greens are missing from the SAD. Greens are one of the most absent foods from the Standard American Diet (SAD). We typically eat plain iceberg lettuce which has no nutritional value. Many people only know greens as the décor around a salad bar. I started eating greens 6 years ago while a student at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Little did I know that the green stuff I remember seeing around salad bars would become one of my favorite foods. Or, that I’d be eating weeds (dandelion greens).

    Greens are important to add to your diet as they are mineral-rich with calcium, iron, vitamin-rich with A, C, and K, and have a lot of fiber.

    Other Reasons Why You Should Eat Greens:

    • Cleanse and detoxify
    • Strengthen bones
    • Cancer-protective
    • Boost immune system
    • Energetically uplifting, since they grow upward
    • Easy to cook
    • Taste great

    Organic Collard Stir-Fry with Hemp Seeds Recipe

    9 Ways 90 Days Collard Stir-fry with Hemp Seeds
    9 Ways 90 Days Collard Stir-fry with Hemp Seeds
    • Chop about 5-6 large collard greens or kale and mince a few fresh garlic cloves and green onions
    • Pre-heat saute pan on low or wok on medium-high. Thanks to Chantal Cookware for the beautiful Copper Fusion Saute Pan; The veggies cook perfectly, with bright vibrancy
    • Turn saute pan heat to medium-high
    • Add organic extra virgin olive oil and then garlic and onions, and stir-fry a little
    • Add collards and about ¼ cup water
    • Stir and steam
    • Enjoy with pizza, wild Alaskan salmon, goat cheese or nuts and seeds, like hemp seeds

     Action. Make your simple, quick stir-fry with collard greens, garlic and onions. Take note of all the wonderful flavors and post your photos on our Facebook page.