Experience Nutrition

Tag: New Year 2017

  • A New View of Healthy Eating: Chocolate Vegan Pie by Meredith, my 11-Year Old Niece

    A New View of Healthy Eating: Chocolate Vegan Pie by Meredith, my 11-Year Old Niece

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

    New Year’s Day 2017 started with a beautiful yoga practice and commitment to extreme self care in 2017. Then, my 11 year old niece, Meredith, came to my home to visit and cook, which was definitely more self care for me.

    Meredith decided to create the Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie from my new cookbook, A New View of Healthy Eating. This is a very simple-to-prepare, beautiful delicious creamy pie, and perfect for our New Year dessert.

    Enjoy Meredith’s step-by-step photos in creating her pie. By the way her Aunt and parent’s loved the pie!

    Meredith and her mise en place all ready for the Chocolate Pie

    Meredith made the crust for her pie with raw organic pecans (finely pulsed), maple sugar, a little unrefined organic virgin coconut oil, and a dash of Celtic sea salt.

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    Meredith’s next step: Press the crust into a 10-inch springform pan.

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    The chocolate chips were melted in a 350 degree oven for about 3 minutes. So easy.

    Looks like Meredith had fun blending and tasting the melted chocolate chips, tofu, vanilla, and sea salt. 

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    Nearing the end of creating the pie. Meredith adds the chocolate filling to the pie crust.

    Meredith intuitively decided to add some melted chocolate chips to the top of the pie. Looking amazing! Into the freezer for about 30 minutes.

    And, here’s Meredith’s first Vegan Chocolate Pie. Oh my, oh my!!!

    Excerpt from A New View of Healthy Eating: Chocolate Vegan Pie

    Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie

    Try this simple chocolate dessert recipe that everyone enjoys. This gourmet-quality pie is so much fun to make and is beautiful and delicious every time I teach it in my private and group cooking classes. Learn to quickly and easily melt chocolate chips right in your oven. If you have extra chocolate pie, cut it into small pieces and freeze for snacks.

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    Crust

    • 2 cups raw pecans
    • ¼ cup maple sugar
    • 1 ½ tbsp coconut oil
    • ½ tsp sea salt

    Filling

    • 2 ½ cups vegan dark chocolate chips
    • 2 packages organic soft silken tofu (260g packages)
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, scraped
    • Pinch of sea salt

    SIMPLE STEPS

    1. Make the Crust.
    • Pulse pecans and maple sugar in food processor.
    • Add coconut oil and sea salt.
    • Pulse to combine well.
    • Press and shape mixture into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan.
    1. Melt Chocolate Chips.
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
    • Pour the chocolate chips in a single layer onto a flat baking sheet.
    • Place in the oven to melt for no more than 3-4 minutes or until melted. Be careful that you don’t burn them.
    1. Blend the Filling.
    • Place tofu, vanilla, sea salt, and melted chocolate chips into a food processor.
    • Blend until smooth.
    • Pour mixture into pie crust and chill for at least 30 minutes.
    • Top with fresh fruit and nuts.

    For the Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie and more recipes and culinary tips, my new cookbook, A New View of Healthy Eating is available right here. You can purchase and I’ll mail the book to you.

    Happy 2017 to all, with lots of simple intuitive cooking!

     

     

  • 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: New Year 2017 Decadent Chocolate Vegan Dessert

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

    While I’m still on my vacation sitting at my parents’ pool with the view in Cocoa Beach, I am thinking about New Year 2017 celebration, with a decadent chocolate dessert. I hope you enjoy this amazing recipe, which is totally healthy, gluten-free, vegan, and totally delicious, for your New Year celebration.

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    Excerpt from new cookbook, A New View of Healthy Eating: Raw Chocolate Bliss

    Enjoy this rich, intense raw chocolate dessert, created with raw cacao powder, local Arizona dates, fresh raw almond butter, and vanilla bean, on a pecan maple sugar cinnamon crust.

    Raw Pecan Cinnamon Crust

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • 1 ½ cups raw pecans
    • 3 tbsp maple sugar
    • ½ tsp sea salt
    • ½ tbsp cinnamon, freshly ground

    SIMPLE STEPS

    1. Blend all ingredients in food processor until finely minced.
    2. Press crust into 10-inch springform pan using your palms.

    Chocolate Filling

    SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

    • ½ cup raw almond butter
    • ½ cup date paste
    • ¼ cup agave nectar or maple syrup
    • 1 ½ tbsp tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
    • 1 cup raw cacao powder
    • 1 vanilla bean, scraped
    • ½ to 1 cup water

    SIMPLE STEPS

    1. Gather mise en place.
    2. Make almond butter. Place raw almonds in food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
    3. Blend date paste. Soak dates in water for 1-2 hours until soft and pliable. Pour off water. Add to high-speed blender and top with water to cover fruit. Blend starting on low, then moving to high, until smooth.
    4. Blend all ingredients in food processor until smooth and thick.
    5. Add water if difficult to blend.
    6. Pour filling into crust.
    7. To set, freeze for about 20 minutes or refrigerate for an hour.
    8. Use a knife dipped in hot water for a few seconds, wipe water away, then slice.
    9. Plate with fruit or sorbet.

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    A New View of Healthy Eating Book is available now, with shipping from Phoenix or Cocoa Beach.

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    Share your Raw Chocolate Bliss with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating