Experience Nutrition

Tag: Intuitive Cooking Intuitive Cooking Experience

  • Experience Nutrition: Simple Avocado Salsa, as Featured in Natural Awakenings Magazine, Arizona

    Experience Nutrition: Simple Avocado Salsa, as Featured in Natural Awakenings Magazine, Arizona

    It is again such an honor to create recipe articles for the Natural Awakenings Magazine, Phoenix and Northern Arizona during the last few years. And, I am humbled to contribute to the important May 2020 issue during the Coronavirus Pandemic, to bring a little joy to our lives, with beautiful food. –  Melanie Albert

    Recipes in the Natural Awakenings, May 2020 article include: Three Beautiful, Simple Plant-Based Recipes

    Enjoy mindfully and intuitively creating these simple dishes. Take time to appreciate the beauty of the food, the mindfulness of the cooking process, and the final food art of your culinary creations.

    Simple Avocado Salsa

    I hope you are inspired by this simple to-prepare, tasty avocado salsa, along with “food art.”

    Enjoy the video with the steps to prepare and plate your own avocado salsa.

    Serves 1

    Have fun intuitively creating your own avocado salsa with the veggies grown by our local farmers and available right in your own refrigerator. With the avocado as a base, add in your choice of aromatics (onion, garlic), citrus (lemon or lime), favorite veggies, such as carrots, green or red peppers, radishes, cauliflower, tomatoes), and a fresh herb (basil, cilantro, marjoram).

    Thanks to my Arizona farmer friends for the beautiful produce in this Avocado Salsa.

    • Blue Sky Organic Farms, Litchfield Park: Grafitti (purple) Cauliflower, Green Onions
    • Pinnacle Farms Phoenix: Mini-Carrots, Spring Garlic
    • Melanie’s Edible Garden: Fresh Basil, Mini-Tomatoes

    Simple Ingredients

    • 1 soft, ripe avocado
    • 4-5 mini carrots, chopped
    • 1 green onion, chopped
    • 3-4 clove raw garlic, minced
    • 4-5 cauliflower florets, chopped
    • ½ lemon, juiced and zested
    • 4-5 basil leaves, chiffonade
    • Pinch sea salt
    • Garnish: Basil leaves and flowers, mini-tomatoes
    • Pinch sea salt
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    Simple Avocado Salsa: Beautiful Arizona farmers ingredients.

    Simple Steps

    • Chop all ingredients.
    • Place avocado in a bowl and mix with a fork.
    • Add all other ingredients to the bowl and gently mix all ingredients.
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    Simple Avocado Salsa: Mise en Place

    Simple Plating

    • Place ring mold onto plate or bowl.
    • Scoop avocado salsa into the ring mold.
    • OPTION: If you do not have a ring mold, place a mound of the avocado salsa onto the plate.
    • Garnish with basil leaves and mini-tomatoes.
    • Enjoy!

    Stay in touch with us on www.facebook.com/ExperienceNutritionAZ and Instagram @experiencenturitionaz and tag us #experiencenutrition on your plant-based culinary creations.

    I’m feeling that very soon we will ease out of our Coronavirus Stay-at-Home, so if you or your organization is looking for a live in-person hands-on interactive plant-based cooking experience, I’m happy to chat with you to explore opportunities.  Feel free to call (602.615.2486) or e-mail (Mel@MelanieAlbert.com) – Melanie

    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.

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Kids Cooking at The Farm at South Mountain: Recipes! Part 1: Spring Cold Soup

    A New View of Healthy Eating: Kids Cooking at The Farm at South Mountain: Recipes! Part 1: Spring Cold Soup

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

    What a fun kids cooking class at The Farm at South Mountain. First, it is such an honor and so much fun to guide the kids how to prepare amazing, simple dishes with simple local, organic, farmers’ market goodies. Second, thanks so much to The Farm for the honor to teach hands-on intuitive cooking classes in your beautiful venue.

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    In this 1-hour class, the girls and boys aged 9-14, prepared a cold soup with local Arizona tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, fresh lemons, garlic, and salt. Then they prepared their own version of hummus with lots of fresh, locally grown herbs, and made it into a wrap with bamboo steamed collard greens. Finally, the kids had so much fun beautifully, creativity plating their creations.

    Enjoy the fun photos from the class and then have fun creating your own cold soup and hummus with your own seasonal produce.

    The calm…our set for the Kids Cooking at The Farm…all ready for the kids with local, organic goodies from the Old Town Scottsdale Market, Singh Farms, Abby Lee Farms, and fresh herbs from Daddy’s Gourmet.

    I think the kids in the cooking class had the most fun massaging the tomatoes for the cold soup and beautifully plating their culinary creations. They also enjoyed munching on fresh strawberries and refreshing cucumbers.

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    Take a look at these amazing culinary creations and notice the joy of the kids!

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    Excerpt from “A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods,” by Melanie A. Albert

    Summertime Tomato Gazpacho Cold Soup

    A fresh, cold tomato gazpacho is refreshing, especially on warm days. Make this quick cold tomato soup with red, orange, and yellow tomatoes and red, orange, yellow, and green bell peppers for a bright summer side dish. Be sure to try the beautiful (some may think ugly) heirloom tomatoes. If you are fortunate enough to purchase a whole flat of really ripe organic tomatoes, make a big batch of tomato gazpacho for a summertime picnic.

    Simple Ingredients: Soup

    • 10 medium tomatoes, cut into eighths
    • 4 red, orange, yellow, and/or green bell peppers, seeded and rough chopped
    • 3 cucumbers, rough chopped
    • 2 jalapeno or Anaheim peppers, seeded and rough chopped
    • ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
    • ½ cup fresh lime juice
    • 6-8 garlic cloves, minced
    • Up to 2 cups water, if needed
    • Sea salt and pepper, to taste

    Simple Ingredients: Topping

    • 4 tbsp cucumber, small diced
    • 4 tbsp tomato, small diced
    • 4 tsp cilantro leaves

    Simple Steps

    • Place all soup ingredients in a large bowl.
    • Mix well.
    • Puree half of the ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. In the kids class, the kids massaged the tomatoes rather than blending them.
    • Combine pureed soup with chopped veggies.
    • Taste and season with sea salt and/or pepper.
    • Top with diced cucumbers, tomatoes, and cilantro.
    • Enjoy!
    • Refrigerate leftover gazpacho soup and enjoy the next day for an even more flavorful soup.

    If you are interested in learning simple culinary skills, whole foods recipes, and ultimately cooking intuitively, my book, “A New View of Healthy Eating,” is available.

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  • A New View of Healthy Eating: 2016 Year End Reflection: Farmers’ Market & Intuitive Cooking Experience

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

    As I sit here in chilly Phoenix writing my last blog of 2016, I am reflecting that today was the epitome of my year and living my passions. This morning I was very excited to visit the Downtown Phoenix Public Market since I’ve been in Cocoa Beach the last few weeks with my parents. While in Florida really missed “my” local farmers’ markets and farmers, and our amazing local Arizona in season produce.

    Thanks Local Arizona Farmers

    Today I leisurely shopped with some of my favorite local Arizona farmers who are all within a few miles of my home. I’d like to thank my farmer friends and their dedication and hard work to bring organic food to our community and to so many of the cooking classes and events that I teach.

    Thank you Maya Dailey and Maya’s Farm, located just a half mile from my home. I love the care and passion that goes into all of your beautiful food. And, I appreciate the video shoots at your Farm. Your food is beautiful art growing at the farm and displayed with such care at the market.

     

    Thank you Abby Lee Farms, for all the beautiful tomatoes I purchase from you all the time. I especially love using the colorful tomatoes in my version of a cold tomato gazpacho soup.

    Thank you Community Exchange, for your “free hugs” and for all the unique foods your network grows, from dates, to citrus, to greens, to radishes.

    Thank you Golo Family Organic Farm for the variety of all kinds of fruit and veggies every week. This year I especially loved the sweet lemons and the incredible pomegranates.

    Intuitive Cooking Experience

    When I returned home from the farmers’ market, I began my intuitive cooking process. First, I simply took some time appreciating the beauty of all the variety of just-harvested organic veggies and fruit. I mindfully enjoyed the incredible rainbow of colors and the varying textures. I am so happy that we have such incredible local, seasonal food available to us right in the middle of winter.

    After visually enjoying the beauty of the food, I took a few minutes to decide what to cook with my bounty of organic goodies. I decided to prepare a quick veggie saute, sautéed bok choy, spaghetti squash, and brown rice.

    Enjoy the photos of my step-by-step cooking process.

    Spaghetti Squash with Marjoram & Tarragon

    Brown Rice with Fresh Dill & Garlic

    Quick Sauteed Veggies with Farmers’ Market Winter Veggies

    Today’s veggies:

    • Green onions, tomatoes, purple peppers
    • Rainbow carrots
    • Fresh squeezed orange juice & zest
    • Broccoli
    • Olives & capers

    Sauteed Bok Choy with Olive Oil & Fresh Squeezed Lemon

    Plating the layers of colors and flavors.

    Happy New Years Eve 2016…

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    It has been such a  joy for me to share my passion for healthy food, farmers market shopping, simple culinary skills, and intuitive cooking with you this year, 2016.

    Lots of positive, happiness, and health to all in 2017.

    Melanie

    Finally, I am so honored with the incredible response to my book, A New View of Healthy Eating. It is available for purchase and I’m happy to personalize a copy and ship to you.

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    BOOK SALES

     

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Cooking Class Video

    A New View of Healthy Eating: A look at an Intuitive Cooking Experience Cooking Class.

    Thanks to Maya’s Farm, Phoenix Public Market, and The Farm at South Mountain.

    Interested in having Melanie A. Albert speak at your next event?

    Melanie has been speaking to groups and organizations for over a decade. She is an expert in intuitive cooking and nutrition and has spoken to thousands of people in Arizona and across the US.

    Author of A New View of Healthy Eating, Melanie believes that healthy eating begins with the food we choose to eat and extends to our shopping cooking, and eating experiences. The key philosophies are:

    • Eat real whole foods.
    • Shop local and in season.
    • Enjoy intuitive shopping.
    • Cook with intuition.
    • Eat mindfully.
    • Enjoy food and life.

    Clients & Partners

    Melanie has served as a speaker, workshop, cooking classes, and retreat leader for many organizations including the City of Phoenix, Maricopa Library District, NFL Alumni Association, NFL Hall of Fame Players Classic, The First Tee of Phoenix, Future for Kids, Phoenix Suns/Phoenix Mercury Kids Camp, Phoenix Youth Sports Day, Gregory’s Fresh Market, Marquette General Hospital, Parkinson’s Wellness Recovery, Sedona Women’s Retreat, Flores Wealth Management, Whole Foods Market, Chandler, AZ, Earth Day Phoenix, Food Day Phoenix, The Farm at South Mountain, Valley Permaculture Alliance, Phoenix Public Market, Harmony Hotel in Nosara, Costa Rica, Spirt of Yoga, and the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts.

    Speaking Topics

    Melanie’s workshops and cooking classes are fun, interactive and always delicious. In the workshops enjoy interactive cooking experiences, simple culinary techniques, nutrition tips, and mindfully enjoy the organic whole food creations.

    Speaking topics, with intuitive cooking class or demo include:

    • A New View of Healthy Eating
    • Intuitive Cooking with the Season
    • Unique Simple Ways to Enjoy Veggies
    • Avocado Veggie Salsa
    • Organic Raw Kale Salad
    • Roots & Greens Stir-fry
    • Raw Salads, Cold Soup & Hummus
    • Healthy Vegan Desserts
    • Hydration & Smoothies

    For more information, or to hire Melanie for your next event, call 602.615.2486 or e-mail Mel@MelanieAlbert.com

    Visit Melanie online at:

    www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating

    @nutritionauthor.com

    www.EXPNutrition.com

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    A New View of Healthy Eating Book Available NOW!

     

     

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: Favorite Food Quotes: Alice Waters

    Love this quote from author, restauranteer, and activist Alice Waters, who has been a “healthy food” leader and innovator for decades. Her perpective captures the concept of Intutive Eating & Cooking…
    9 Ways 90 Days Favorite Food Quote
    9 Ways 90 Days Favorite Food Quote

    Enjoy your Intuitive shopping, cooking and mindful eating today!

    Click here to learn more about how to intuitively shop, cook & eat to reach your 2015 Goals.