
Tag: Melanie Albert
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Experience Nutrition: Yoga Quote: Stop Nibbling
Those that only take a nibble here and nibble there will never attain anything…Those who really want to be yogis must give up, once for all, this nibbling at things. Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. – Swami VivekanandaPause & Stop Nibbling, Melanie Albert -
Experience Nutrition: Organic Sprouted Spelt Flatbread Recipe
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO, Experience Nutrition Group, LLC. Nutrition and food expert, author and speaker. Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Holistic Nutrition and Whole Food Cooking Instructor at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts.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.
What You Need
- ¾ cup hot (not boiling) water
- 1 TBSP dry yeast
- ½ TBSP honey
- 2 TBSP organic olive oil
- 2 cups organic spelt flour
- ½ tsp sea salt
Simple Steps: Make the Dough
- Put 1 TBSP dry yeast into ¾ cup hot water, add ½ TBS honey and ½ TBSP olive oil. Let it sit for about 10 minutes
- Put 2 cups sprouted spelt flour in bowl with ½ tsp sea salt
- Add the water with yeast into the flour
- 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.
Simple Steps: Dough Rises & Into the Oven
- 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)
- Again, split the dough into 2 sections and spread it onto a pizza brick with your hands
Simple Steps: Bake & Enjoy!
- Pre-heat oven at 500 degrees with pizza brick in oven
- Bake for 5 minutes, check it, bake for another 3-5 minutes, as needed
- Enjoy your flatbread with olive oil and/or balsamic vinegar, as a pizza, or just plain
Come over to Facebook www.facebook.com/experience.nutrition.now and post your photos or ask questions.
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Experience Nutrition: Yoga Reflection: Full Cup, Empty Cup
Experience Nutrition: Yoga Reflection: Full Cup, Empty CupBy Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO, Experience Nutrition Group, LLC. Nutrition and food expert, author and speaker. Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Holistic Nutrition and Whole Food Cooking Instructor at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts.
Yoga Reflection: Full Cup, Empty Cup As part of my Yoga Teacher Training journey, this morning I gave myself a simple, reflective private yoga practice with my new Tibetan Bowl, Sun Salutations, a few standing poses (Mountain, Warrior II and Triangle), and the following message from “365 Yoga” by Julie Rappaport.
I invite you to sit quietly, center, perhaps, listening quietly to your own breath and then read this beautiful story.
A popular Zen story tells of a disciple who embarks on a long journey in search of a master teacher. When the teacher finally appears, the student becomes excited and begins asking many questions hoping to gain wisdom. Eager to have her questions answered, the student persists but the teacher refuses to answer directly. Instead she requests that the student pour a cup of tea. The teacher tells the student to keep pouring until instructed to stop. The student pours. The master says nothing. The cup begins to overflow, and still the master remains silent. Upset, the student exclaims:
“Master, look at this tea cup! It is full and overflowing!”
The master replies: “Yes. Just as your mind is already full. None of this teaching will be of benefit until you empty your cup.”
The disciple learned the first lesson of spiritual teaching: to be empty of preconceptions and receptive to new knowledge.
Namaste.
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Experience Nutrition: A New Yoga Journey, Beginning with the Tree in Sedona
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO, Experience Nutrition Group, LLC. Nutrition and food expert, author and speaker. Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Holistic Nutrition and Whole Food Cooking Instructor at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts.It’s important for all of us to reflect on where we’ve been and to celebrate our personal and business accomplishments. It’s also important to strategically plan and take action for our future.
Most importantly, it’s vital for us to take time to live in the moment, to stand tall like a tree and to enjoy life.
For the last 12 years, my yoga practice, beginning in Santa Fe and Florida, and continuing for a decade in Phoenix, has given me the place and space to be still in my mind and to live in the moment.
I’m excited to share that I am now taking my yoga to a different place with a new yoga journey this summer. Beginning on June 8, 2015, I’ll become the student in the Yoga Teacher Training, YTT, 200 hour program for 4 full months at the Spirit of Yoga studio of the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts.
As I begin my Yoga Teacher Training journey, I resonate with the tall tree, with deep roots, reaching high, and swaying with flexibility.
This was evident a few weeks ago when I participated in a retreat in Sedona, where I guided an intuitive cooking experience with farmers’ market fresh whole foods, and the retreat guests created a beautiful, amazing, tasty meal. After we mindfully enjoyed our meal, we all traveled to the beautiful and powerful Cathedral Rock for a photo shoot and to enjoy nature. Immediately I went into Tree Pose within the trees at alongside Oak Creek at Cathedral Rock.
“This is my time to be, to get rooted down, to lift up into the sky, and to enjoy and embrace the moment.” – Melanie Albert
Melanie Albert: Tree Pose in Sedona, Arizona PHOTO CREDIT: Melissa Corter Photography -
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 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 toppingsSimple 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 seedsShare your Chia Pudding creations on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/experience.nutrition.now
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Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 9 Days: Make Your Own Organic Almond Milk Blueberry Smoothie
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO, Experience Nutrition. Nutrition and food expert, author and speaker. Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Holistic Nutrition and Whole Food Cooking Instructor at Southwest Institute of Healing ArtsSo many people are now enjoying smoothies made with nut milks. You can make your own fresh organic nut milk with raw almonds, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds or your own favorite nuts & seeds.
Simple Steps to Make Your Own Nut Milk
It is simple to make your own nut milks which are quick and easy to prepare, and only have a few ingredients. Pre-soak the nuts & seeds if you prefer smoother nut milk. It is not necessary to pre-soak the nuts and seeds.Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Make Your Own Organic Almond Milk Blueberry Smoothie Nut Milk Ingredients
- Handful of raw organic nuts &/or seeds
- 1-1.5 cups coconut water
- 1 Medjool date
- Splash of vanilla
- Fresh nutmeg & cinnamon
Smoothie Ingredients
- Handful of frozen blueberries
- Frozen banana
Simple Steps: Nut Milk
- Put nut milk ingredients (except nutmeg and cinnamon) in high-speed blender
- Blend, starting at low and increasing to high speed
- Blend for about 2 minutes
- Taste, add an additional date if you prefer a sweeter nut milk
- Enjoy with fresh ground nutmeg or use the nut milk in your smoothie
Simple Steps: Blueberry Smoothie
- Pour nut milk into blender
- Add frozen blueberries and bananas to blender
- Blend for about 2 minutes
- Enjoy!
Share your nut milk and smoothie photos with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/9Ways90Days
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Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Top 10 Super Bowl Healthy Recipes 10 Have Fun!
by Melanie Albert, Nutrition & food expert, author, speaker; Integrative Nutrition Health Coach; Holistic Nutrition & Whole Food Cooking Instructor Southwest Institute of Healing Arts; Founder & CEO Experience NutritionOur final #10 healthy recipe to enjoy Super Bowl 49 with the New England Patriots vs the Seattle Seahawks, is to HAVE FUN!
Enjoy the game, have fun with your friend and family, and enjoy some great (healthy) food!
Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Top 10 Super Bowl Healthy Recipes 10 HAVE FUN! Our Experience Nutrition; 9 Ways 90 Days; Top 10 Super Bowl Healthy Recipes
4. Grilled Wild Alaskan Salmon
10. Have Fun!
Share your Super Bowl 49 Party photos with us at www.facebook.com/9Ways90Days The top 10 healthy recipe photos will receive e-book, “Enjoy Food & Life,” featuring nutrition tips and recipes by former NFL players and their familiies.
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Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Top 10 Super Bowl Healthy Recipes: 9 Organic Trail Mix
by Melanie Albert, Nutrition & Food Expert, Author and Speaker, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Holistic Nutrition & Whole Food Cooking Instructor Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, Founder & CEO Experience NutritionCreate your own Trail Mix full of nuts, seeds, dried fruit & berries. A perfect snack for Super Bowl day.
Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Top 10 Super Bowl Healthy Recipes: 9 Organic Trail Mix We first started creating organic trail mix for the Super Bowl XLIII VIP Tailgate Party at the Super Bowl in Tampa.
Over the years we’ve been honored to serve custom trail mix at numerous Super Bowl events & golf tournaments with NFL Alumni & NFL Hall of Fame Players.
For custom trail mix for your events or golf tournaments, contact us, EN@9Ways90Days.com
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Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Top 10 Super Bowl Healthy Recipes: 8: Hemp Seed Energy Balls
Try this simple, quick snack for an energy boost, full of protein and omega-3 rich nuts. Enjoy these during your Super Bowl party!Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Top 10 Super Bowl Healthy Recipes: 8 Hemp Seed Energy Balls Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh or soaked dried organic Medjool dates
- 1/2 cup almonds
- ½ cup hemp seeds
- 1/8 cup chia seeds
- 3 TBS cocao powder
Simple Steps
- Take seeds out of dates
- Place dates, hemp seeds, almonds and chia seeds in high speed blender
- Mix on high for about a minute until the mixture becomes soft and warm
- Roll the mixture into small balls
- Roll the balls into hemp seeds
- Roll a few of the balls into cocao powder and hand mix it into the balls
Enjoy!
Share your Hemp Seed Energy Balls on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/9Ways90Days Top 10 photos this weekend will win a free e-book, “Enjoy Food & Life,” featuring nutrition tips and recipes by former NFL players.
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Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Top 10 Super Bowl Healthy Recipes: 7 Vegan Avocado Chocolate Pudding
by Melanie Albert, Nutrition & food expert, author & speaker, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Holistic Nutrition and Whole Food Cooking Instructor Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, Founder & CEO, Experience NutritionSurprise your family and friends with this super delicious dessert for your Super Bowl Party. This recipe may sound a little odd, but just try it. Everyone I know who has tasted this, even at some of my cooking classes, loves it.
Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Top 10 Super Bowl Healthy Recipes: 7 Vegan Avocado Chocolate Pudding Ingredients
• 1 ripe good-fat avocado
• 4 Medjool dates
– Energy for athletes
– Great for sugar cravings
– Full of fiber
– Sweet, soft, rich, caramel taste
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 TBS cocao powder
• ½ cup waterSimple Steps
• Blend on high
• Refrigerate for a few hours
• Enjoy -
Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Top 10 Super Bowl Healthy Recipes: 6 Kale Chips
by Melanie Albert, Nutrition & Food Expert, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Holistic Nutrition & Whole Food Cooking Instructor Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, Founder & CEO, Experience Nutrition.Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Top 10 Super Bowl Healthy Recipes: 6 Organic Kale Chips Make your own simple, tasty kale chips in just a few minutes. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1-2 bunches of organic kale
- 3-4 TBSP organic extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt
Simple Steps
- Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees
- Wash and dry kale
- Tear out the stems
- Massage with olive oil
- Drizzle sea salt
- Spread thinly on baking sheet
- Bake, checking every 5 minutes
- Ready in about 15 minutes
Enjoy!
Share your Kale Chip photos on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/9Ways90Days Top 10 photos this weekend will win a free e-book, “Enjoy Food & Life,” featuring nutrition tips and recipes by former NFL players and their wives.
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Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Top 10 Super Bowl Healthy Recipes: 5 Hemp Seed Tabouli
by Melanie Albert, Nutrition & Food Expert, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Holistic Nutrition & Whole Food Cooking Instructor Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, Founder & CEO, Experience Nutrition.Gluten-free tabouli. For those of us who are sensitive to gluten or have Celiac disease, hemp seeds are a great alternative to the typical bulgur wheat in tabouli.
Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Top 10 Super Bowl Healthy Recipes: 5: Hemp Seed Tabouli Ingredients
2 bunches of parsley
¼ cup fresh mint
½ cup hemp seeds
1 large tomato, diced
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 TBSP organic extra virgin olive oil
2 TBSP onions, chopped
1 tsp sea salt
Simple Steps
Place parsley and mint in food processor and pulse several times until well chopped
Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the hemp seeds, tomato, lemon juice, olive oil, onion, and salt
Toss and serve
Enjoy!Post your Hemp Seed Tabouli recipes on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/9Ways90Days Top 10 photos will win free e-book, “Enjoy Food & Life,” featuring nutrition tips and recipes by former NFL players.
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Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Top 10 Super Bowl Healthy Recipes: 4 Wild Salmon on the Grill
by Melanie Albert, Nutrition & Food Expert, Author, Speaker; Integrative Nutrition Health Coach; Instructor Holistic Nutrition & Whole Food Cooking, Southwest Institute of Healing ArtsOur 4th healthy Super Bowl Recipe is wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon on the grill. Full of the good-fat, omega-3 fatty acids, we served this at several Super Bowl XLV weekend events in Dallas with the NFL Alumni Association. This salmon is so delicious, it will melt in your mouth.
Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: 4 Grilled Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon Ingredients
• 4 Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon filets (4-6 ounces per person)
• 1/4 cup organic extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons salmon marinade, made with garlic granules, onion granules, dried dill, lemon peel, fennel, black pepper and sea saltFor the best salmon (after Super Bowl Week), try the salmon from our friends at Vital Choice Seafood.
Simple Steps
1. Defrost salmon filets in refrigerator for a few hours or under cold running water
2. Make salmon marinate by mixing olive oil and salmon marinade
3. Pre-heat grill on medium high for 15 minutes before you are ready to grill your salmon
4. Place filets on grill
5. Cook each side about 5 minutes
6. Take off grill right before salmon is completely cooked, as it will continue to cook when taken off grill
7. Let salmon sit for about 5 minutes
8. Enjoy with steamed veggies or a raw kale salad, with a whole grain, such as quinoaPost photos of your grilled salmon on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/9Ways90Days. Top 10 photos will win a free e-book, “Enjoy Food & Life,”featuring nutrition tips and recipes by former NFL players and their wives.
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Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Top 10 Super Bowl Healthy Recipes: 3. Raw Kale Salad
by Melanie Albert, Nutrition & Food Expert, Author, Speaker; Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Holistic Nutrition & Whole Food Cooking Instructor, Southwest Institute of Healing ArtsRaw kale salad is definitely trendy in restaurants across the country. Now, you can make your own raw kale salad for Super Bowl Sunday.
Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Super Bowl Healthy Recipe: Raw Kale Salad Raw Organic Kale Salad Simple Steps
- Finely chop a few handfuls of dinosaur kale
- Add 2 TBSP organic extra virgin olive oil
- Squeeze ½ fresh lemon
- Sprinkle sea salt (to your taste)
- Massage the kale for about 3-4 minutes
- Let the kale sit for 10-15 minutes
- Add some fresh veggies, such as tomatoes, cucumbers or carrots
Visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/9Ways90Days and share your Raw Kale Salad. Top 10 recipes this week on our Facebook page will receive a free e-book, “Enjoy Food & Life” featuring nutrition tips & recipes with former NFL players.
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Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Top 10 Super Bowl Healthy Recipes: 2: Organic Hummus
by Melanie Albert, Nutrition Expert, Author & Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Holistic Nutrition Instructor, Southwest Institute of Healing ArtsThis 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.
Experience Nutrition: 9 Ways 90 Days: Top 10 Super Bowl Healthy Recipes: 2 Organic Hummus Blend all ingredients in Vitamix or food processor, until smooth
- 2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or 1 can Eden organic garbanzo beans with kombu
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.Enjoy!
Share your Super Bowl Hummus Photos with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/9ways90days. Top 10 photos this weekend win free download of new book, “Enjoy Food & Life” featuring nutrition tips and recipes by former NFL players.
- 2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or 1 can Eden organic garbanzo beans with kombu