Tag: healthy snacks

  • 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: Simple Steps to Make Your Own Kale Chips

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

    Right now kale is in season here in Arizona. In addition to massaging kale (yes! we massage kale!) and making all kinds of delicious raw kale salads with fresh berries, fruit, and figs, I decided to dehydrate a batch of kale. The simple way to dehydrate kale is to lightly massage (or coat) the kale leaves with organic extra virgin olive oil, add sea salt, and dried herbs, such as basil and oregano.

    I am so fortune to live less than a mile from Maya’s Farm in South Mountain, Arizona, that I had the opportunity to visit the farm this week and see the organic kale growing.

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    SIMPLE STEPS TO MAKE YOUR OWN ORGANIC KALE CHIPS

    Step 1: Gather mise en place: Organic kale, organic extra virgin olive oil, dried herbs (basil, oregano), sea salt. Keep kale leaves as large as possible, as they will shrink when dehydrated or baked in the oven.

    Step 2: Gently massage (toss) organic kale leaves in the organic extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground herbs, and sea salt.

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    Step 3: Mindfully spread the kale leaves onto dehydrator trays, being careful that the leaves do not touch each other.

    Step 4: Slide trays into the dehydrator. I’m so excited to dehydrate kale on all 9 trays of my dehydrator.

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    Step 5: Dehydrate at 115 degrees F for about 7 hours.

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    Step 6: Plate and enjoy the fresh, crispness of your home-dehydrated organic kale chips!

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    Step 7: Place extra organic kale chips in class containers for healthy ready-to-eat healthy snacks.

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    If you enjoy this simple recipe, I invite you to take a look at my new book, A New View of Healthy Eating, which is available now!

    Step 1: Order the Book

     Step 2: Fill out the form and receive Top 5 Recipes & Culinary Tips

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  • 9 Ways 90 Days: What snacks did you love when you were a kid?

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

    Take a Look at the Snacks You Loved as a Kid

    As a kid, I loved ice cream. Now, I really love healthy thick fruit smoothies. And, as a kid I ate red licorice. Now, I enjoy trail mix, goji berries and dark chocolate. I notice that the fruit smoothies I enjoy today are a lot like ice cream; cold and creamy. And, I think one of the reasons I love goji berries is because they are red and chewy, just like the licorice I used to love as a kid.

    Superfood Snack: Organic Goji Berries
    Superfood Snack: Organic Goji Berries

    Come over to Facebook and share your responses to the following 3 questions.

    • What snacks did you love the most when you were a kid? __________
    • What snacks do you now eat as an adult?_________________________________
    • Describe the similarities in these snacks__________________________________