Experience Nutrition

Tag: Phoenix

Experience Nutrition: A New View of Healthy Eating: Cooking Challenge Team Building Programs with Melanie Albert
by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, retreat host, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC
I’m excited to announce that we have recently added another fun interactive Cooking Program to Experience Nutrition and A New View of Healthy Eating: Team Building Cooking Challenge.

Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to host a memorable Team Building Cooking Challenge with Visit Phoenix. What an honor to lead such a beautiful event at The Farm at South Mountain in Phoenix, Arizona.

“It was a great event! Thanks for everything. You and the team did an amazing job. Look forward to seeing you again soon!“ Ronnie Collins, Director of Sales, Visit Phoenix

The goals of the team building event:
- Fun, interactive, hands-on Team Building Cooking Challenge
- Tour of The Farm at South Mountain, urban farm right south of the Phoenix airport
- Friendly culinary competition around healthy eating and local Phoenix farmers’ food
- Time for participants to enjoy the beautiful, tasty food created during the Challenge
“Thank you for all your hard work on this. I had a blast with my teammates!” Polly Phelan-Flachman, Director of Member Relations, Visit Phoenix.

Our Team Building Cooking Challenge Menu
- ROUND 1: Massaged Kale Salad with 3-Ingredient Salad Dressing
- ROUND 2: Raw Deconstructed Lasagna. Veggies: beets, carrots, zucchini, radishes. Three sauces: Red Tomato, White Cashew Cream, Green Pesto
- DESSERT: Chocolate Dessert with Superfoods
- - NOTE: All recipes: Plant-based, gluten-free, dairy-free.
Photo highlights of the event, thanks to Travel Blogger & Photographer, Cassie Hepler, Explore with Cassie.

The tables are set with local Arizona farmers’ beautiful produce.

We are Ready: Melanie Albert, Experience Nutrition. Cassie Hepler, Explore with Cassie.

Take a Look at the Amazing Kale Salads the Visit Phoenix teams created. Beautiful, creative, tasty, and delicious.

And, the proud winners of ROUND 1 of the Challenge.

On to ROUND 2: Raw Deconstructed Veggie Lasagna Cooking Challenge. Seriously, take a look at the culinary creations in the Cooking Challenge. Outstanding creativity, lots of passion, and friendly competition.

Time to enjoy the meals in the beauty of The Farm at South Mountain with Visit Phoenix friends.

Finishing the meal with a little chocolate. Of course. Melanie Albert plating the sweet Chocolate Sweet Potato Brownie.

A little Singing Bowl magic.

The Visit Phoenix Team enjoying the Team Building Cooking Challenge and the beauty of the day…

“Thank you so much to my friends at Visit Phoenix for the incredible opportunity to share our Team Building Cooking Challenge with your organization. I am so honored and love being part of our beautiful Phoenix community.” Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC

Ronnie Collins, Director of Sales, Visit Phoenix. Melanie Albert, Experience Nutrition. Lorne Edwards, VP Sales & Services, Visit Phoenix.

Thanks, dear talented friend, Cassie Hepler for capturing the Visit Phoenix Team Building Cooking Challenge in photos.

Cassie Hepler, Explore with Cassie. Melanie Albert, Experience Nutrition. Ronnie Collins, Director of Sales, Visit Phoenix

If your organization is interested in a fun, unique, friendly competitive team building event in Phoenix, across the USA, or even around the world, please let me know and we can collaborate and create a custom cooking team building activity for you.

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If your organization is interested in a cooking workshop, team building or corporate wellness event, or retreat, please let us know your interests. Thanks!

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Thanks, VISIT PHOENIX!
April 10, 2018
A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Arizona Winter Harvest Bowl The Beauty of Local Farmers’ Food
by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, retreat host, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLCs
I am so in awe of our beautiful Arizona farmers’ Winter bounty. Today’s intuitive recipe was inspired by many of the incredible veggies I purchased at the Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market this weekend. Thanks so much to so many of my local farmer friends for all the passion, dedication, and hard work to grow the beautiful produce for all of us to enjoy.

Thanks, Farmers!
- Blue Sky Organic Farm: beautiful Romanesco
- Maya’s Farm: unique purple and white cauliflower, edible flowers
- Steadfast Farm: fresh sunflower sprouts, Iitois onions and amazing rainbow of purple, yellow, and white carrots
- Rhiba Farms: wild arugula
- Golo Family Farms: sweet lime
In addition to showcasing the beautiful Arizona Winter veggies, I also wanted to share a simple way to cook the veggies in a bamboo steamer to keep them vibrant and colorful. Once we’ve gently steamed the veggies, we can finish them with a simple dressing.

I invite you to Intuitively create your dish using these recipe steps as a guide. When you choose your vegetables consider their different colors, different textures, and different flavors. Also, use your intuition to determine how much of the veggies you’d like to cook. For me, I like to cook a small batch so I can enjoy a meal one day and then eat the left-overs for lunch the next day.

SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

Bamboo Steamer
- Romanesco
- Purple cauliflower
- Yellow and purple carrots
- Wild arugula
- Iitoi onions, cut on bias
- Sunflower sprouts
Dressing
- Sweet lime
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Coriander seeds
- Sea salt
Extras
- Rose brown rice
- Edible flowers
SIMPLE STEPS: Arugula Saute
- Pre-heat saute pan on low-medium heat.
- Add olive oil to pan.
- Sweat onions for a few minutes.
- Add arugula and cook for a few minutes.
- Add Sunflower sprout and cook for about a minute.
SIMPLE STEPS: Dry Toast Coriander
- Pre-heat small sauce pan or pot on low heat.
- Add coriander to pan and toast for a few minutes.
- Remove from heat and save for the dressing.
SIMPLE STEPS: Bamboo Steamer
- Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a large stock pot.
- Cut all vegetables into bite-sizes pieces.
- Place vegetables on steamer, with space between each, to allow steam to rise and cook the veggies.
- Sprinkle a few pinches of sea salt on the veggies.
- Cover the steamer.
- Steam for 5-7 minutes until the veggies easily fall off the fork.
- Drizzle lemon, olive oil, and sea salt, and coriander seeds on the veggies to create a dressing.
- Gently hand toss the veggies in the dressing.
- Adjust flavors. Add more olive oil, lemon, or salt to suit your personal taste.
- Gather your plating mise en place.
- Plate the veggies with brown rice.
- Garnish with edible flowers.
Two Cooking Events this Weekend in Phoenix, February 17 and 18, 2018

Taste of the Market, Downtown Phoenix Market, Saturday, February 17, 2018, 10am. If you’re in the Phoenix area, I’ll be hosting the Taste of the Market Cooking demo at the Downtown Phoenix Market on Saturday, February 17, 2018 at 10am. I’ll be shopping the market and then will create a bamboo steamer and sautéed greens dish. Stop by to learn these culinary techniques and taste the amazing food from our local farmers. Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market, Central & McKinley, 14 E Pierce Street, Phoenix, AZ (Central Ave & McKinley)

Intuitive Cooking Experience: Winter Farm-to-Table Cooking Class at the Farm at South Mountain, Sunday, February 18, 2018, 11am-1pm. Full hands-on intuitive cooking class at The Farm at South Mountain. Cost $45 per person + tax.

I’ll intuitively shop the Saturday farmers’ markets for local, Phoenix fresh, justharvested produce the day before the class. During the hands-on cooking experience you’ll learn culinary skills and dishes from my book, “A New View of Healthy Eating.” You will create:
- A beautiful, unique Asian-inspired salad with ginger dressing
- Seasonal chickpea hummus with fresh herbs
- Colorful veggie stir-fry with lots of greens
You’ll learn a few simple key culinary skills:
- 3-Ingredient salad dressing, as the foundation for the perfect dressing
- A basic hummus that you can adapt with all kinds of herbs and spices
- The proper steps and process to make a veggie stir-fry
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
February 13, 2018
A New View of Healthy Eating: Reader’s Digest: How to Get Started on a Raw Diet this Summer

By Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, and speaker. Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC
A few months ago, The Farm at South Mountain and I had the honor to host a fun hands-on Intuitive Cooking Class for Visit Phoenix, Visit Mesa, travel and food bloggers, and the media.

As a result of this memorable cooking class, blogger and writer, Fiona Tapp featured our class and my thoughts on Raw Food in the Reader’s Digest article: 9 Things to Know If You’re Thinking About Starting a Raw Food Diet This Summer.

Get tips to Go Raw this Summer in the article.

Reader’s Digest: Raw Food this Summer

Enjoy a few photos from our fun cooking class at The Farm.

Purchase Today! “A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods.”

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What is your top nutrition or cooking issue?
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If your organization is interested in a cooking workshop, event, or retreat, please let us know your interests. Thanks!

Δ

July 6, 2017
A New View of Healthy Eating: 5 Phoenix Farmers’ Markets & 5 Ways to Shop for Real Whole Foods
By Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, and speaker. Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC
The Fall is such an incredible time in Arizona as our local farmers’ bounty is growing and it’s so beautiful to enjoy local in-season produce at our farmers’ markets around town. At this time of year, we have many different farmers’ markets. In addition to purchasing real whole foods at farmers’ markets you can commit to a CSA, join a community garden, plant your own, and visit local farms. Enjoy shopping and enjoy your food!

5 Favorite Farmers’ Markets
- Downtown Phoenix Openair Market, Saturday, 8am-1pm, Central and Pierce Street
- Uptown Market, Saturday & Wednesday, 9am-apm, Central and Bethany Home
- Ahwatukee Market, Sunday, 9am-1pm, Warner & 48^th Street
- Mesa Community Market, Friday, 9am-1pm, 20 E. Main Street
- Old Towne Scottsdale Market, Saturday, 8am-1pm, 3806 N. Brown Avenue
EXCERPT from A New View of Healthy Eating

5 Best Ways to Shop for Real Whole Foods

1. Shop at Farmers’ Markets in Your Area

As demand for locally grown fruit and vegetables has increased, farmers’ markets have steadily grown in number throughout the last few decades. According to the USDA Farmers Market Directory, in June 2015 there were 8,260 registered farmers’ markets as compared to 1,744 in 1994—an increase of more than 6,000 in 21 years. In addition to the USDA Farmers Market Database, another source to find farmers’ markets in your area is www.localharvest.org.

2. Commit to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Share

Developed in the 1960’s in Japan, CSA programs are designed to build a relationship between the farmer and the community. At the beginning of each season, farmers sell CSA memberships to consumers. Each week, customers receive a sampling of produce that is available from one farmer or a group of local farmers. CSAs cost $25 to $35 per week for six to eight weeks and are perfect for those of us who wish to experiment with unique, interesting, locally grown food. Farmers distribute CSA’s at farms, farmers’ markets, and convenient pick-up locations, such as yoga studios. Some farms even deliver CSA’s right to your home.

For the winter 2016 season in Arizona, I committed to a 12-week CSA share from Maya’s Farm, just a mile from my home in Phoenix. I love knowing that the produce is fresh since it is harvested the day before I pick it up at The Farm at South Mountain. Each week the interesting variety of goodies in my CSA encourages me to create new, intuitive dishes with different combinations of food. While writing this week, I’m creating a stir-fry with cauliflower, fresh peas, white icicle radish, green garlic, onions, and dill. Fresh flowers are a nice bonus I receive in my CSA. I’m enjoying the incredible natural aromatherapy of chamomile in my home. I’m steeping sun-dried tea, and I will dehydrate some of the chamomile flowers for tea.

3. Join a Community Garden

The National Garden Association estimates that there are three million community gardens in the United States. Community gardens are fun, as you can learn from other do-it-yourself gardeners, enjoy friendships, and experience the mindful meditation of gardening in a beautiful, close-to-the-earth setting.

4. Grow Your Own

Gardening is a big trend. As more and more people eat real whole foods, they are taking their food literally into their hands. The National Garden Association estimates that 42 million households in the United States garden, an increase of 17 percent over 2008 numbers, and 37 million households are home gardening. Gardening takes us back to the basics of eating fresh whole foods.

5. Visit Local Farms

It’s a lot of fun to visit farms in your area to get to know the farmers and to see where your local produce grows. I am so fortunate that there are many outstanding farms in the Phoenix area, where I live. Farms today are reaching consumers in exciting ways: stores at farms, farmers’ markets at farms, pick-your-own produce, and even “honor system” farm stands.

Many of the recipes and culinary creations in my book, A New View of Heathy Eating are inspired by and created with local, in-season Arizona veggies. The book is now available to ship to you!
October 19, 2016
A New View of Healthy Eating: Fall 2016 Intuitive Cooking Classes & Book Signings
By Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, and speaker. Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC
Fall is such a beautiful time in Arizona, with our “cooler” weather (less than 100 degrees!), beautiful fresh air, and Fall farmers’ markets opening for the season.

To keep you up-to-date, I’ll be teaching a few intuitive cooking classes (at The Farm at South Mountain and the Downtown Phoenix Public Market), and will be at Food Day Phoenix and several yoga (Yoga Rocks the Park) and holistic (Southwest Institute of Healing Arts) events, featuring culinary demos and book signings of A New View of Healthy Eating. Look forward to seeing you soon!

Fall 2016 Events (Scroll down for more details and to register)

Intuitive Cooking Experience Classes
- Sunday, October 9, 2016, 11am-1pm, Intuitive Cooking Experience at The Farm at South Mountain
- Saturday, October 15, 2016, 9-11am, A New Look at Shopping & Cooking at the Phoenix Public Market, Fall 2016
Farmers’ Market Fresh Culinary Demos & Book Signings
- Sunday, October 16 & 30, 2106, 9am-noon, Yoga Rocks the Park, Indiana School Park, Phoenix 2016
- Sunday, October 23, 2016, noon-6pm, Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, 20^th Annual Holistic Health Gathering: A Celebration of Mind, Body & Spirit
- Saturday, October 29, 2016, 9am-2pm, 5^th Annual Food Day Phoenix 2016
- Sunday, November 6, 2016, Yoga Rocks the Park, A New View of Healthy Eating Book Signing, Spirit of Yoga
Sunday, October 9, 2016, 11am-1pm, Intuitive Cooking Experience at The Farm at South Mountain

Want to learn how to cook with different farmer-fresh organic ingredients? Do you receive your produce from your CSA or the farmers’ market and are puzzled on how to cook with them?

Learn how to cook with any kind of local, seasonal veggies with the skill of intuitive cooking. During the experience you will learn culinary skills such as making simple lentil veggie soup, unique salad with what’s in season, a perfect herbal salad dressing, and a quick hummus to enjoy with farm fresh organic veggies. Once you intuitively create your dishes, you’ll enjoy mindfully eating your beautiful creations with community in the beauty of The Farm.

After your intuitive cooking experience, head to Maya’s Farm Stand to buy your own organic produce to create your own meals.

6106 S. 32^nd Street, Phoenix, AZ

Click Here to Purchas your Ticket Price $45 per person

Saturday, October 15, 2016, 9-11am, A New Look at Shopping & Cooking at the Phoenix Public Market, Fall 2016

Enjoy hands-on interactive cooking demonstrations with farmers’ market fresh produce. Learn what to look for while shopping at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market. Learn simple culinary skills, the intuitive cooking method, and enjoy dining on the food you prepared with friends and community.

721 N. Central Ave, Phoenix (Central and McKinley)

$10 fee to cover the cost of materials for each class. CLICK TO REGISTER

Sunday, October 16 & 30, 2106, 9am-noon, Yoga Rocks the Park, Indiana School Park, Phoenix

A New View of Healthy Eating book signing and farmers’ market cooking demo with culinary tips.
- 300 E Indian School Road, Donation-based event.
- 9:00am Registration and Vendor Village Opens
- 9:20am: AcroBody Demo
- 10:00am Yoga Practice
Sunday, October 23, 2016, noon-6pm, Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, 20^th Annual Holistic Health Gathering: A Celebration of Mind, Body & Spirit

1100 East Apache Blvd, Tempe, AZ, Free event!

Culinary Demos with farmer’s market fresh produce. Book signing with my new book, “A New View of Healthy Eating.”

Saturday, October 29, 2016, 9am-2pm, 5^th Annual Food Day Phoenix 2016

Eastlake Park and Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, 15^th Street and Jefferson Street

Free event!

Honored to be participating in the 5^th Annual Food Day Phoenix celebrating healthy, natural and sustainable food. Enjoy food, fun and live music in a family-oriented atmosphere. I’ll be showcasing local, organic food with simple culinary techniques. Plus, book signing.

Sunday, November 6, 2016, Yoga Rocks the Park, A New View of Healthy Eating Book Signing

Spirit of Yoga, Tempe City Center, 1420 E. Southern Ave, Tempe, AZ

Donation-based event.
- 9:00am Registration and Vendor Village Opens
- 9:20am: AcroBody Demo
- 10:00am Yoga Practice
If you’d like to pre-order A New View of Healthy Eating prior to attending the events, you can purchase right here.

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September 29, 2016