Experience Nutrition

Tag: Rhibafarms

Experience Nutrition: Farm-to-Table with Pomegranate Café and Rhibafarms: Arizona Veggie Bowl
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Intuitive Cooking Expert, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author
I was so excited to intuitively create this farm-to-table recipe with the POM BOX with the Pomegranate Café in Ahwatukee and Rhibafarms in San Tan Valley, Arizona.

This recipe is inspired by the range of roots and the fennel in the POM Rhibafarms Box. Veggie Bowls are popular and we can prepare a really quick veggie bowl with a simple roasting technique where we cook all veggies in a pan or two. Cook a whole grain and make your own tasty Veggie Bowl.

Let’s take a look at the POM Rhibafarms Box…

The beauty of the POM Rhibafarms Box

Closer look at the POM Rhibafarms Box

POM Rhibafarms Quick Roasted Veggie Bowl

INGREDIENTS from the POM RHIBAFARMS BOX
- Rhibafarms: Carrots, rainbow radishes, broccoli, fennel, green onions, red beets
- Pomegranate Café: Flaxseed Crackers
QUICK ROASTED VEGGIES

Simple Ingredients
- 2 red beets
- 1 fennel bulb
- 5-7 yellow carrots
- 3-5 green onions
- 5-7 broccoli florets
- 5-7 mini-peppers
- 1 purple sweet potato
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 3 tbsp dried spices: Your choice: Mediterranean Blend, Southwest Blend
Simple Steps
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Slice all veggies into bite-sized pieces.
- Place veggies into baking pan.
- Place purple veggies (sweet potato, beet) into baking pan.
- Place all other veggies into separate pan.
- Drizzle both pans of veggies with olive oil, spices, and sea salt.
- Roast for 15 minutes.
- Mix veggies.
- Roast for another 12 minutes.
- Use veggies in veggie bowl.
Fennel Almond Brown Rice

Simple Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice
- 2-3 fennel bulb slices
- 1/3 cup almonds, sliced
- 2 cups water
Fennel Almond Brown Rice

Simple Steps
- Pour all ingredients into medium pot.
- Bring to a boil.
- Lower to simmer.
- Cook covered for 15-20 minutes, until all liquid has been absorbed.
Fennel Almond Brown Rice ready for the Veggie Bowl.

Plating: Create your Veggie Bowl
- One-by-one place brown rice and veggies into bowl.
- Garnish with the Pomegranate Café Flaxseed Crackers.
POM Rhibafarms Veggie Bowl

A fun video of the creation of the POM Rhibafarms Box Veggie Bowl.

A few more recipes created with the POM Rhibafarms BOX:
INTERESTED IN PLANT-BASED COOKING RETREAT IN SEDONA, September 13-16, 2019. CLICK TO LEARN MORE

Purchase Melanie Albert’s award-winning cookbook, “A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods”

Interested in the POM Rhibafarms BOX. You can purchase it right here.

COOKING CLASSES AT THE FARM AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Purchase Tickets for Raw Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking with Melanie Albert and Soil & Seed Garden Farmer Billy Anthony. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, April 7, 2019, 10:30am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Farm-to-Table Kids Food Art Cooking at The Farm at South Mountain with Melanie Albert, Sunday, March 24, 2019, 11am-noon

Thanks to Natural Awakenings AZ magazine for featuring my Plant-Based Chocolate Pie on the cover and Plant-Based Dessert recipes in the January 2019 issue.

Natural Awakenings Arizona, January 2019

Natural Awakenings Arizona, January 2019. Start the New Year Off Right

Join our Simple Daily Plant-Based Eating Tips Facebook Page

PUBLIC COOKING CLASSES AT THE MARICOPA COUNTY LIBRARIES

I’m honored have been leading hands-on cooking and yoga classes with the Maricopa County Library District since 2016. For the Winter Reading Program, the class focuses on Mediterranean Plant-Based Culinary. We’ll be preparing Hempseed Tabouli, Olive Tapenade, and Herbal Hummus. Classes are Free to the Public. Call the libraries directly to make your reservation.
- Tuesday, March 19, 2019, 5:00-6:30pm: Litchfield Park Branch Library
- More to come in the Summer Reading Program: June & July 2019.
SPRING COOKING CLASSES & EVENTS IN THE PHOENIX ARIZONA AREA
- HUMANA: March 27, 2019, April 24, 2019, May 29, 2019, 12:30-1:30pm: Humana Monthly Healthy Cooking Demo, Humana Mesa. March topic: Plant-Protein.
- PHOENIX MARKET: April 13, May 11, 2019, 10:00-11:00am: Kids Cook at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market. Melanie shops the market and then shares beautiful ways to enjoy food with the kids.
- GRANDFAMILIES PLACE: March 18, April 29, May 30, 2019, 4:30-5:30pm, Grandfamilies Place, Gregory’s Fresh Market. Kids learn how to prepare simple healthy dishes, then plate and serve to their grandparents.
March 12, 2019
Experience Nutrition: Farm-to-Table with Pomegranate Café and Rhibafarms: Arizona Veggie Tacos
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Intuitive Cooking Expert, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author
POM Rhibafarms Make Your Own Veggie Tacos

I was so excited to intuitively create this week’s recipe with the POM BOX with the Pomegranate Café in Ahwatukee and Rhibafarms in San Tan Valley, Arizona.

Let’s take a look at the POM Rhibafarms Box…

This week’s recipe is inspired by the Pomegrante Café’s Guacamole, Enchilada Sauce, and Corn Tortilla. Of course, tacos, with the beautiful Rhibafarms grown broccoli, red cabbage, carrots, and radishes. Mix and match tacos with flavorful roasted and crunchy raw veggies.

INGREDIENTS from the POM RHIBAFARMS BOX
- Pomegranate Café: Guacamole, Enchilada Red Sauce, Corn Tortillas
- Rhibafarms: Broccoli, Red Cabbage, Mookum Carrots, Icicle Radishes.
ROASTED VEGGIES with Chili Spices

Simple Ingredients
- 3-4 broccoli stems, sliced
- 5 carrots, sliced
- 5 radishes, sliced
- ¼ red cabbage, 1” slices
- 7 mini-sweet peppers, sliced
- 2-3 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 3 tbsp chili spices: Your choice: Ancho chili, Smoked paprika, ground cumin, oregano, ground Rhibafarms’chilis, oregano
Simple Steps
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Slice broccoli, carrots, and radishes into bite-sized pieces.
- Grind and mix your choice of chili spices in a small bowl.
- In a bowl, gently coat each veggie with olive oil, mixed spices, & a pinch of sea salt.
- Place veggies on parchment-lined flat sheet pan, flat side down with veggies not touching.
- Roast for 8 minutes.
- Flip veggies.
- Roast for another 8 minutes.
- Use veggies as taco toppings.
PUMPKIN SEED CREAM

Simple Ingredients
- 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds soaked in water overnight
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Pinch sea salt
- ¼ cup water, adjust for desired creaminess.
Simple Steps
- Pour all ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth.
Taco Garnish

Simple Ingredients
- Pomegranate Café: Guacamole, Enchilada Sauce, Corn Tortilla
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 3 radishes, sliced
- 2 mini-sweet peppers, sliced
- ¼ cup red cabbage, sliced
- ¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds
Corn Tortilla
- Pre-heat sauté pan on medium.
- Coat bottom of pan with about 1 tbsp olive oil.
- One by one, heat corn tortilla in pan, turning to cook and crisp on both sides.
Plating: Create your Tacos
- Plate with corn tortilla on flat surface.
- Spoon sauce and pumpkin seed cream onto the top of the taco.
- Add roasted veggies, guacamole, and pumpkin seed cream.
- Garnish with the raw veggies.
Building the Tacos…

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The Amazing Tacos!

Seriously, I think these are my favorite tacos ever. Made with so much love and passion. Passionate Farmer Mark Rhine, Healthy Restaurant Pioneer Cassie Tolman, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author Melanie Albert. What a fun collaboration!

A few more recipes created with the POM Rhibafarms BOX:
Purchase Melanie Albert’s award-winning cookbook, “A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods”

Interested in the POM Rhibafarms BOX. You can purchase it right here.

COOKING CLASSES AT THE FARM AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Purchase Tickets for Spring Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking with Melanie Albert and Soil & Seed Garden Farmer Billy Anthony. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, March 3, 2019, 10:30am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Raw Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking with Melanie Albert and Soil & Seed Garden Farmer Billy Anthony. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, April 7, 2019, 10:30am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Farm-to-Table Kids Food Art Cooking at The Farm at South Mountain with Melanie Albert, Sunday, March 24, 2019, 11am-noon

Thanks to Natural Awakenings AZ magazine for featuring my Plant-Based Chocolate Pie on the cover and Plant-Based Dessert recipes in the January 2019 issue.

Natural Awakenings Arizona, January 2019

Natural Awakenings Arizona, January 2019. Start the New Year Off Right

Join our Simple Daily Plant-Based Eating Tips Facebook Page

INTERESTED IN PLANT-BASED COOKING RETREAT IN SEDONA, September 13-16, 2019. CLICK TO LEARN MORE

PUBLIC COOKING CLASSES AT THE MARICOPA COUNTY LIBRARIES

I’m honored have been leading hands-on cooking and yoga classes with the Maricopa County Library District since 2016. For the Winter Reading Program, the class focuses on Mediterranean Plant-Based Culinary. We’ll be preparing Hempseed Tabouli, Olive Tapenade, and Herbal Hummus. Classes are Free to the Public. Call the libraries directly to make your reservation.
- Tuesday, March 19, 2019, 5:00-6:30pm: Litchfield Park Branch Library
- More to come in the Summer Reading Program: June & July 2019.
WINTER COOKING CLASSES & EVENTS IN THE PHOENIX ARIZONA AREA
- February 18, 2019, 4:30-5:30pm: Grandfamilies Place, Gregory’s Fresh Market. Kids learn to mandoline & marinate veggies and build their own salads.
- February 27, 2019, 12:30-1:30: Monthly Healthy Cooking Demo, Humana Mesa. Melanie’s favorite “Healthy Plate”
- March 2, 2019, 10-11am: National Nutrition Month at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market
- March 19, 2019, 5:00-6:30pm: Litchfield Public Library, Mediterranean Plant-Based Appetizers
- March 27, 2019, 12:30-1:30pm: Humana Monthly Healthy Cooking Demo
February 23, 2019
Experience Nutrition: Farm-to-Table with Pomegranate Café and Rhibafarms: Orange Pepper Pilaf & Greens Radish Salad
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Intuitive Cooking Expert, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author
So honored and excited to create quick, simple, delicious, farm-to-table dishes from the weekly Winter POM Rhibafarms Box with the healthy-eating, vegetarian, vegan Pomegranate Café in Ahwatukee, Arizona and the incredible Rhibafarms and Mark Rhine in San Tan Valley, Arizona.

Let’s take a look at my favorite beauties in the POM Box…

POM Rhibafarms Box. Arizona Winter 2019

Mark Rhine, owner of Rhibafarms dried last Fall’s beautiful chili peppers for us over the last year. What a variety. Big Jim’s, Jalapeno, Habanero, Cayenne, Sweet Bell.

Beautiful Peppers by Rhibafarms.

Rhibafarms Orange Pepper Pilaf & Greens Radish Salad

This week’s recipe is based on intuitively cooking almost all of my favorites in the POM Rhibafarms BOX. It started with being excited with my first fresh thyme of the year, plus the beauty of the dried peppers. You’ll see that I first created a pilaf and extended the meal to a fresh simple salad.

INGREDIENTS from the POM BOX
- Fresh Thyme. Oranges. Dried Peppers. Radishes. Greens. Honey.
COOK GARBANZO BEANS

Simple Ingredients
- 1 cup dried garbanzo beans, soaked in water overnight
- 3-4 bay leaves
Simple Steps
- Pre-soak garbanzo beans in water overnight.
- Rinse beans and then place beans in large soup pot.
- Cover with about twice as much cold water.
- Add bay leaves to tenderize the beans.
- Cover pot and bring to a boil.
- Lower heat and simmer for about 1.5 hours with the lid ajar.
- After about an hour start to test the beans for doneness. They should be creamy on the inside.
- Use the beans in the Pilaf.
ORANGE PEPPER PILAF RECIPE

Simple Ingredients
- 2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup brown rice
- 2 cups garbanzo beans
- 1 orange, juiced (about ½ cup)
- 1 orange, sliced
- 3 peppers
- 2 cups water
Mise en Place: Orange Pepper Pilaf. Greens Radish Salad.

Simple Steps
- Pre-heat sauté pan on low.
- Warm olive oil in pan.
- Add brown rice and toast 2-3 minutes.
- Add garbanzo beans, orange juice, water, orange slices, & peppers.
- Bring to a boil.
- Cover and sauté for about 30 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed.
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Orange Pepper Pilaf. Garbanzo Beans. Thyme.

Orange Pepper Pilaf

ORANGE HONEY DRESSING

Simple Ingredients
- 1 orange, juiced (about ¼ cup)
- ½ cup organic extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp local honey
- Pinch sea salt
Simple Steps
- Squeeze orange juice into small Mason jar.
- Add twice as much olive oil as the orange juice.
- Add honey to the jar.
- Shake and taste. Adjust for desired taste.
- Add pinch sea salt.
GREENS RADISH SALAD

Simple Ingredients
- ¼ cup Orange Honey Dressing
- 3-4 greens leaves, rough chopped
- 5-7 radishes, sliced
Mise en Place: Greens Radish Salad

Simple Steps
- Gently toss greens with dressing and radishes.
En

Greens Radish Salad

FINAL DISH
- Enjoy Pilaf and Greens Salad for a simple meal.
Orange Pepper Pilaf. Greens Radish Salad.

Love to cook? Check out other POM Farm Box recipes created with the beautiful Rhibafarms produce and Pomegranate Cafe goodies.
Purchase Melanie Albert’s award-winning cookbook, “A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods”

Interested in the POM Rhibafarms BOX. You can purchase it right here.

COOKING CLASSES AT THE FARM AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Purchase Tickets for Spring Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking with Melanie Albert and Soil & Seed Garden Farmer Billy Anthony. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, March 3, 2019, 10:30am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Raw Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking with Melanie Albert and Soil & Seed Garden Farmer Billy Anthony. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, April 7, 2019, 10:30am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Farm-to-Table Kids Food Art Cooking at The Farm at South Mountain with Melanie Albert, Sunday, March 24, 2019, 11am-noon

Thanks to Natural Awakenings AZ magazine for featuring my Plant-Based Chocolate Pie on the cover and Plant-Based Dessert recipes in the January 2019 issue.

Natural Awakenings Arizona, January 2019

Natural Awakenings Arizona, January 2019. Start the New Year Off Right

Join our Simple Daily Plant-Based Eating Tips Facebook Page

INTERESTED IN PLANT-BASED COOKING RETREAT IN SEDONA, September 13-16, 2019. CLICK TO LEARN MORE

PUBLIC COOKING CLASSES AT THE MARICOPA COUNTY LIBRARIES

I’m honored have been leading hands-on cooking and yoga classes with the Maricopa County Library District since 2016. For the Winter Reading Program, the class focuses on Mediterranean Plant-Based Culinary. We’ll be preparing Hempseed Tabouli, Olive Tapenade, and Herbal Hummus. Classes are Free to the Public. Call the libraries directly to make your reservation.
- Tuesday, March 19, 2019, 5:00-6:30pm: Litchfield Park Branch Library
- More to come in the Summer Reading Program: June & July 2019.
WINTER COOKING CLASSES & EVENTS IN THE PHOENIX ARIZONA AREA
- February 18, 2019, 4:30-5:30pm: Grandfamilies Place, Gregory’s Fresh Market. Kids learn to mandoline & marinate veggies and build their own salads.
- February 27, 2019, 12:30-1:30: Monthly Healthy Cooking Demo, Humana Mesa. Melanie’s favorite “Healthy Plate”
- March 2, 2019, 10-11am: National Nutrition Month at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market
- March 19, 2019, 5:00-6:30pm: Litchfield Public Library, Mediterranean Plant-Based Appetizers
- March 27, 2019, 12:30-1:30pm: Humana Monthly Healthy Cooking Demo
HOLD THE DATE: September 13-16, 2019: Plant-based Cooking Retreat in Sedona!

During the retreat in beautiful Sedona, Arizona, you’ll be learning and practicing simple plant-based culinary skills for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. We’ll also enjoy Sedona hiking, yoga, massage, and special Sedona experiences. Please send me a note, Mel@MelanieAlbert.com, and I’ll keep you posted on the details.

Retreat House Beautiful Salt Water Pool
February 21, 2019
Experience Nutrition: Farm-to-Table with Pomegranate Café and Rhibafarms: Broccoli Cauliflower Fig Salad
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Intuitive Cooking Expert, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author
In awe of another week of beautiful, vibrant veggies in the Winter POM Rhibafarms Box with Pomegranate Café in Ahwatukee, Arizona and grown by Rhibafarms in San Tan Valley, Arizona. I am so honored to create beautiful, tasty dishes with the food from the CSA each week. It’s fun to receive seasonal food grown by our local farmers, and to intuitively create dishes with food we have not previously cooked, while also experimenting with various culinary techniques.

For those of you who are supporting your local farms CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture), I invite you to have fun experimenting with the different foods your farmers are growing. Try the new veggies and new culinary methods.

In this week’s Broccoli Cauliflower Fig Salad we focus on the simple culinary technique of steaming veggies in a bamboo steamer and making a simple 3-ingredient salad dressing.

Love and heart…at the Pomegrante Cafe, this Valentine’s Week…so much love and heart at this amazing vegetarian/vegan healthy restaurant.

Rhibafarms Broccoli Cauliflower Fig Salad Recipe

The beauty of Rhibafarms broccoli and cauliflower inspired this very simple refreshing, beautiful salad. Steamed broccoli and cauliflower, dressed with a simple lemon dressing with parsley, almonds, and dried figs.

INGREDIENTS from the POM BOX
- Broccoli
- Purple Cauliflower
- Purple Cabbage Leaf
STEAM BROCCOLI & CAULIFLOWER

Simple Ingredients
- 2 cups broccoli florets, sliced
- 2 cups cauliflower florets, sliced
Simple Steps
- Slice broccoli and cauliflower.
- Place broccoli and cauliflower in bamboo steamer.
- Bring several inches of water to boil in large soup pot.
- Once the water is boiling, place bamboo steamer on top of the pot.
- Steam for about 8-10 minutes.
- Check broccoli and cauliflower with fork to desired tenderness.
Lemon Finishing Dressing

Simple Ingredients
- 1 lemon, juiced (approximately 1/4 cup)
- Twice as much olive oil as lemon, approximately ½ cup
- Pinch sea salt
Simple Steps
- Squeeze lemon juice into small Mason jar.
- Pour in twice as much olive oil.
- Shake.
- Taste to test for desired oil / lemon ratio.
- Add additional oil or lemon, as needed.
- Add pinch of salt to jar.
- Shake.
Broccoli Cauliflower Fig Salad

Simple Ingredients

Mise en Place: Broccoli Cauliflower Fig Salad
- 2 cups steamed broccoli florets
- 2 cups steamed cauliflower florets
- ½ cup Lemon Finishing Dressing
- 1 cup fresh parsley, rough chopped
- ¼ cup raw almonds, rough chopped
- 5 dried Mission figs, sliced
- 1 purple cabbage leaf
- 3-5 edible flowers
Simple Steps
- Place broccoli into a small bowl, drizzle dressing onto broccoli, and lightly toss.
- Place cauliflower into a small bowl, drizzle dressing onto cauliflower, and lightly toss.
Lightly coat broccoli with Lemon Finishing Dressing
- Place parsley, figs, and almonds into a bowl. Drizzle dressing onto the ingredients. Lightly toss.
- Place all ingredients into a bowl and lightly toss.
- Plate all ingredients on purple cabbage leaf.
- Garnish with edible flowers.
- Enjoy.
Broccoli Cauliflower Fig Salad

Love to cook? Check out other POM Farm Box recipes created with the beautiful Rhibafarms produce and Pomegranate Cafe goodies.
Purchase Melanie Albert’s award-winning cookbook, “A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods”

Interested in the POM Rhibafarms BOX. You can purchase it right here.

COOKING CLASSES AT THE FARM AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Purchase Tickets for Spring Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking with Melanie Albert and Soil & Seed Garden Farmer Billy Anthony. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, March 3, 2019, 10:30am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Raw Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking with Melanie Albert and Soil & Seed Garden Farmer Billy Anthony. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, April 7, 2019, 10:30am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Farm-to-Table Kids Food Art Cooking at The Farm at South Mountain with Melanie Albert, Sunday, March 24, 2019, 11am-noon

Thanks to Natural Awakenings AZ magazine for featuring my Plant-Based Chocolate Pie on the cover and Plant-Based Dessert recipes in the January 2019 issue.

Natural Awakenings Arizona, January 2019

Natural Awakenings Arizona, January 2019. Start the New Year Off Right

Join our Simple Daily Plant-Based Eating Tips Facebook Page

PUBLIC COOKING CLASSES AT THE MARICOPA COUNTY LIBRARIES

I’m honored have been leading hands-on cooking and yoga classes with the Maricopa County Library District since 2016. For the Winter Reading Program, the class focuses on Mediterranean Plant-Based Culinary. We’ll be preparing Hempseed Tabouli, Olive Tapenade, and Herbal Hummus. Classes are Free to the Public. Call the libraries directly to make your reservation.
- Tuesday, March 19, 2019, 5:00-6:30pm: Litchfield Park Branch Library
- More to come in the Summer Reading Program: June & July 2019.
WINTER COOKING CLASSES & EVENTS IN THE PHOENIX ARIZONA AREA
- February 18, 2019, 4:30-5:30pm: Grandfamilies Place, Gregory’s Fresh Market. Kids learn to mandoline & marinate veggies and build their own salads.
- February 27, 2019, 12:30-1:30: Monthly Healthy Cooking Demo, Humana Mesa. Melanie’s favorite “Healthy Plate”
- March 2, 2019, 10-11am: National Nutrition Month at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market
- March 19, 2019, 5:00-6:30pm: Litchfield Public Library, Mediterranean Plant-Based Appetizers
- March 27, 2019, 12:30-1:30pm: Humana Monthly Healthy Cooking Demo
HOLD THE DATE: September 13-16, 2019: Plant-based Cooking Retreat in Sedona!

During the retreat in beautiful Sedona, Arizona, you’ll be learning and practicing simple plant-based culinary skills for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. We’ll also enjoy Sedona hiking, yoga, massage, and special Sedona experiences. Please send me a note, Mel@MelanieAlbert.com, and I’ll keep you posted on the details.

Retreat House Beautiful Salt Water Pool
February 16, 2019
Experience Nutrition: Farm-to-Table with Pomegranate Café and Rhibafarms: Broccoli & Cauliflower Flatbread
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Intuitive Cooking Expert, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author
I absolutely love beautiful local Arizona farmers’ food and feel so humbled and honored to cook with it. I am so honored to intuitively prepare one of my favorite meals – flatbread – inspired by the POM Rhibafarms Box, with produce grown by farmer Mark Rhine at Rhibafarms in San Tan Valley, Arizona and in collaboration with the Pomegranate Café, in Ahwatukee, Arizona owned by Cassie and Marlene Tolman.

This week (2.8.19) with the POM Rhibafarms Box I am especially in awe of the fresh broccoli and cauliflower. Since the beginning of January 2019, I’ve been creating a new seasonal flatbread each week. Naturally, the plant-based flatbread features these beautiful veggies.

Made a quick stop at Pomegranate Cafe to pick up this week’s POM Rhibafarms Box…

The healthy, welcoming Pomegranate Cafe, Ahwatukee, Arizona.

The POM Rhibafarm Box 2.8.19…”Especially grown for Pome/Rhiba Family”…I feel special. Thanks so much to Mark Rhine.

The POM Box 2.8.19 Winter Arizona goodness.

The beautiful ingredients in this week’s POMBox.

Mark, thanks so much for your dedication in growing the beautiful food for our community. And, Cassie, thanks so much for sharing your yummy walnut taco and pico with us this week. My mouth is watering.

POM Rhibafarms 020819: Trio Broccoli, Galaxy Caulflower, Purple Cabbage

Rhibafarms Broccoli & Cauliflower Flatbread Recipe

The beauty of Rhibafarms broccoli and cauliflower were the inspiration for my weekly flatbread. Since these veggies were so fresh, I roasted them lightly and simply with olive oil and sea salt.

INGREDIENTS from the POM BOX
- 1 head broccoli
- 1 head cauliflower
Rhibafarms Cauliflower. Simple Beauty.

Rhibafarms Broccoli. So fresh.

Rhibafarms Cauliflower & Broccoli

ROASTED BROCCOLI & CAULIFLOWER

Simple Ingredients
- 1 head broccoli, sliced and leaves
- 1 head cauliflower, sliced and leaves
- 2-3 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
Roasted Broccoli & Cauliflower Mise en Place. All set.

Simple Steps
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Slice broccoli and cauliflower into bite-sized pieces.
- In a bowl, gently coat broccoli and cauliflower with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt.
Gently toss cauliflower and broccoli with olive oil and sea salt.
- Place broccoli and cauliflower on parchment-lined flat sheet pan, flat side down with veggies not touching.
Cauliflower and broccoli on parchment-lined sheet pan.
- Roast for 8 minutes.
- Flip veggies.
- Roast for another 8 minutes.
- Use veggies as flatbread toppings.
The lightly roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli

CASHEW CREAM

Simple Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water 2-4 hours
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Pinch sea salt
- ¼ cup water, adjust for desired creaminess.
Cashew Cream: Pre-soaked cashews, lemon, nutritional yeast, sea salt.

Simple Steps
- Pour all ingredients into a blender.
- Blend to desired smoothness.
EXPERIENCE NUTRITIONTM Yeast-Free Quick Flatbread

Simple Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups sprouted spelt flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 ½ tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil (dough)
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil (spread on dough prior to baking)
- OPTIONAL: ¼ cup Kalamata olives, ¼ cup capers, ¼ cup dehydrated tomato slices.
Simple Steps
- Place pizza stone into oven. Pre-heat oven to 390 degrees F. Pre-bake the stone for about 5 minutes.
- In large glass bowl, with a fork mix dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt.
- Add 3/8 cup water and oil until dough forms a ball. Add additional water, as needed.
- Knead on a lightly floured surface for 3-4 minutes.
- Flatten out the dough on floured parchment-paper.
- With parchment paper on top of the dough, roll thinly with a rolling pin.
- Carefully move flatbread to pre-heated pizza stone.
- Spread 1 tbsp of olive oil onto the flatbread.
- Bake flatbread for 5 minutes.
- Remove stone from oven.
- Spread cashew cream on the top of the flatbread.
- Add broccoli, cauliflower, olives, and capers to the top of the flatbread.
- Cook for about 8 minutes.
- Garnish with dehydrated tomatoes.
- Enjoy!
This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Yummmm…the baked beautiful POM Rhibafarms Box Roasted Cauliflower Broccoli Flatbread

Baked beautiful POM Rhibafarms Box Roasted Cauliflower Broccoli Flatbread

A perfect slice…

Perfect slice. Cauliflower Broccoli Flatbread & Leaves.

Love to cook? Check out other POM Farm Box recipes created with the beautiful Rhibafarms produce and Pomegranate Cafe goodies.
- Arizona Winter Greens Saute Recipe
- Cabbage: Two Ways
Purchase Melanie Albert’s award-winning cookbook, “A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods”

Interested in the POM Rhibafarms BOX. You can purchase it right here.

COOKING CLASSES AT THE FARM AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Purchase Tickets for Whole Foods for Addiction Recovery with New York “Spiritual Adrenaline” Author Tom Shanahan and Phoenix cookbook author Melanie Albert. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, February 17, 2019, 11am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Spring Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking with Melanie Albert and Soil & Seed Garden Farmer Billy Anthony. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, March 3, 2019, 10:30am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Raw Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking with Melanie Albert and Soil & Seed Garden Farmer Billy Anthony. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, April 7, 2019, 10:30am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Farm-to-Table Kids Food Art Cooking at The Farm at South Mountain with Melanie Albert, Sunday, February 10, 2019, 11am-noon

Purchase Tickets for Farm-to-Table Kids Food Art Cooking at The Farm at South Mountain with Melanie Albert, Sunday, March 24, 2019, 11am-noon

Thanks to Natural Awakenings AZ magazine for featuring my Plant-Based Chocolate Pie on the cover and Plant-Based Dessert recipes in the January 2019 issue.

Natural Awakenings Arizona, January 2019

Natural Awakenings Arizona, January 2019. Start the New Year Off Right

Join our Simple Daily Plant-Based Eating Tips Facebook Page

PUBLIC COOKING CLASSES AT THE MARICOPA COUNTY LIBRARIES

I’m honored have been leading hands-on cooking and yoga classes with the Maricopa County Library District since 2016. For the Winter Reading Program, the class focuses on Mediterranean Plant-Based Culinary. We’ll be preparing Hempseed Tabouli, Olive Tapenade, and Herbal Hummus. Classes are Free to the Public. Call the libraries directly to make your reservation.
- Tuesday, March 19, 2019, 5:00-6:30pm: Litchfield Park Branch Library
- More to come in the Summer Reading Program: June & July 2019.
FREE PUBLIC KIDS COOK CLASS AT THE DOWNTOWN PHOENIX PUBLIC MARKET
- Saturday, February 9, 2019, 10-11am: Kids Cook at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market (14 E Pierce Street, Phoenix)
February 8, 2019
Experience Nutrition: Farm-to-Table with Pomegranate Café and Rhibafarms: Cabbage Two Ways
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Intuitive Cooking Expert, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author
I’m excited to share recipes each week for the POM Farm Box. The weekly box features just harvested produce from Rhibafarms and farmer Mark Rhine in the San Tan Valley along with tasty specialty items from healthy-eating cafe Pomegranate Café in Ahwatukee, Arizona, founded in 2010 by Cassie and Marlene Tolman.

Let’s take a look at some of my favorites from this week’s Winter 2019 POM Farm Box. Thanks so much Mark for growing your beautiful food for our community.

POM Rhibafarms Box 2.01.19 My favorites: Green Cabbage. Galaxy Cauliflower. Broccoli. Dino Kale. Swiss Chard

Made a quick stop at Pomegranate Cafe to pick up this week’s POM Rhibafarms Box…

Winter Arizona POM Rhibafarms Box, February 1, 2019

This week, I am absolutely in awe of the fresh, just-harvested beautiful green cabbage. When I first saw the cabbage, I knew I wanted to make quick pickled cabbage. Afterwards, since that dish was so quick to prepare, I also made another quick dish with a simple cabbage saute.

POM Rhibafarms Green Cabbage

Rhibafarms Green Cabbage: Two Ways

Two simple ways to quickly prepare and enjoy cabbage. One raw. One cooked.

Raw Quick Pickled Cabbage

SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

From the POM BOX
- 1 large green cabbage (1/2 for each recipe)
Other Ingredients
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp agave
- 2 bay leaves
- 2-3 garlic cloves, smashed with side of knife.
- 2 tsp caraway seeds
- Optional: 2-3 radishes, sliced
- 1 12-ounce wide-mouth glass Mason Jar
SIMPLE STEPS

Cabbage
- Slice cabbage in half.
- Cut out the core.
- Slice one-half of the cabbage into ¼” strips.
- Place cabbage in a large glass bowl.
- Sprinkle sea salt onto the cabbage.
- Gently massage the cabbage for 2-3 minutes.
- Add caraway seeds, garlic, and bay leaves, and radishes to the cabbage and toss.
Liquid
- Pour water, vinegar, and agave into a small bowl and whisk to dissolve the agave.
Jar
- Place the cabbage mixture into a Mason jar.
- Press down to fill the jar.
- Pour the liquid into the jar to fully cover the cabbage.
- Cover the jar with a lid.
- Allow the jar to sit on the counter 3-4 hours.
- Place jar into refrigerator for 3-4 hours or overnight.
- Enjoy for 3-4 days as a condiment.
Quick Sautéed Cabbage

Tasty cabbage side dish in 5 minutes! Chop your cabbage. Quick saute. And, that’s it.

SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cabbage
- 2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch sea salt
SIMPLE STEPS
- Slice cabbage in half.
- Cut out the core.
- Slice one-half of the cabbage into ¼” strips.
- Pre-heat sauté pan on medium for 3-4 minutes.
- Add olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Once the olive oil is warm, about 1 minute, add the cabbage and a pinch of salt to the pan.
- Increase the heat to medium high.
- Gently toss with tongs for about 3 minutes.
- Plate with a few fresh greens and enjoy as a side dish.
Love to cook? Check out other POM Farm Box recipes created with the beautiful Rhibafarms produce and Pomegranate Cafe goodies.
- Arizona Winter Greens Saute Recipe
Purchase Melanie Albert’s award-winning cookbook, “A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods”

Interested in the POM Rhibafarms BOX. You can purchase it right here.

COOKING CLASSES AT THE FARM AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Purchase Tickets for Whole Foods for Addiction Recovery with New York “Spiritual Adrenaline” Author Tom Shanahan and Phoenix cookbook author Melanie Albert. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, February 17, 2019, 11am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Spring Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking with Melanie Albert and Soil & Seed Garden Farmer Billy Anthony. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, March 3, 2019, 10:30am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Raw Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking with Melanie Albert and Soil & Seed Garden Farmer Billy Anthony. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, April 7, 2019, 10:30am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Farm-to-Table Kids Food Art Cooking at The Farm at South Mountain with Melanie Albert, Sunday, February 10, 2019, 11am-noon

Purchase Tickets for Farm-to-Table Kids Food Art Cooking at The Farm at South Mountain with Melanie Albert, Sunday, March 24, 2019, 11am-noon

Thanks to Natural Awakenings AZ magazine for featuring my Plant-Based Chocolate Pie on the cover and Plant-Based Dessert recipes in the January 2019 issue.

Natural Awakenings Arizona, January 2019

Natural Awakenings Arizona, January 2019. Start the New Year Off Right

Join our Simple Daily Plant-Based Eating Tips Facebook Page

PUBLIC COOKING CLASSES AT THE MARICOPA COUNTY LIBRARIES

I’m honored have been leading hands-on cooking and yoga classes with the Maricopa County Library District since 2016. For the Winter Reading Program, the class focuses on Mediterranean Plant-Based Culinary. We’ll be preparing Hempseed Tabouli, Olive Tapenade, and Herbal Hummus. Classes are Free to the Public. Call the libraries directly to make your reservation.
- Thursday, February 7, 2019, 10:00-11:30am: El Mirage Branch Library
- Tuesday, March 19, 2019, 5:00-6:30pm: Litchfield Park Branch Library
February 1, 2019
Experience Nutrition: Farm-to-Table with Pomegranate Café and Rhibafarms: Arizona Winter Greens Sauté Recipe
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Intuitive Cooking Expert, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author
I’m so excited and honored to prepare simple to cook recipes for the new POM Farm Box CSA Program. The beautiful weekly box features just harvested produce and mushrooms from Rhibafarms and farmer Mark Rhine in the San Tan Valley along with tasty specialty items from healthy-eating cafe Pomegranate Café in Ahwatukee, Arizona, owned by Cassie and Marlene Tolman since 2010.

Behind the scenes. To get ready to create the recipe, farmer Josh Sundberg personally delivered my POM BOX and I made a quick stop at Pomegranate Café in Ahwatukee to pick up goodies from Cassie Tolman.

Let’s take a look at the POM Box produce. So beautiful! Thanks Rhibafarms.

POM Rhibafarms BOX: 1.25.19

Let’s see…what is all that beautiful local Arizona produce…

POM BOX 1.25.19

RECIPE: Arizona Winter Greens & Hakurei Turnip Sauté with POM Sweet Chile Tamari Sauce

One simple way to enjoy the bounty of greens is a very quick sauté. Choose a few of your favorite greens, broccoli stalks, and delicate Japanese Hakurei turnips from your POM Box and create this quick and easy spicy sauté.

Veggie Saute: Getting set with the food.

SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

From the POM BOX
- 3-4 leaves of 3 different greens, sliced
  - Red Cabbage, Red Mizuna, Collards
- 3-4 broccoli stalks
- 1 large Hakurei turnip, sliced
- 3 I’itoi onions, sliced
- 3-4 sprigs fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup POM Sweet Chile Tamari Sauce
Other Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
SIMPLE STEPS
- Slice all produce.
Mindfully chop all the veggies.
- Pre-heat sauté pan to medium.
- Add 2 tbsp olive oil to coat bottom of pan.
- Place onions in pan and gently sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add garlic to pan. Gently sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add turnips to pan, drizzle with about 3 tbsp tamari sauce and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add broccoli stalks to pan, drizzle with 1 tbsp tamari sauce. Sauté for 4 minutes.
- Add greens to pan, drizzle with sauce, and sauté for 3 minutes.
Take a quick look at the sauté sizzle video…one of my favorite cooking sounds…
https://experiencenutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_1139.mov
Ready to plate with the Greens Saute and Turmeric Quinoa.
- Plate with greens, fresh cilantro, white sesame seeds, and enjoy with Turmeric Quinoa.
Winter Greens Saute. Take time to mindfully plate.

Quick Turmeric Quinoa

Make a batch of quinoa as a side for your sautéed greens. Be sure to add black pepper with the turmeric to enhance the bio-availability of the nutrients in the turmeric.

SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 cups water
Quinoa. Turmeric Powder. Black pepper. Plus, water.

SIMPLE STEPS
- Place all ingredients into a small pot
- Bring to a boil.
- Lower to simmer.
- Simmer for about 12-15 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed.
- Rest the quinoa for 10 minutes.
- Fluff the edges of the quinoa. Rest for another 10 minutes.
- Enjoy the quinoa with sautéed greens.
Purchase Melanie Albert’s award-winning cookbook, “A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods”

Interested in the POM Rhibafarms BOX. You can purchase it right here.

COOKING CLASSES AT THE FARM AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Purchase Tickets for Whole Foods for Addiction Recovery with New York “Spiritual Adrenaline” Author Tom Shanahan and Phoenix cookbook author Melanie Albert. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, February 17, 2019, 11am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Spring Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking with Melanie Albert and Soil & Seed Garden Farmer Billy Anthony. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, March 3, 2019, 10:30am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Raw Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking with Melanie Albert and Soil & Seed Garden Farmer Billy Anthony. The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, April 7, 2019, 10:30am-1pm

Purchase Tickets for Farm-to-Table Kids Food Art Cooking at The Farm at South Mountain with Melanie Albert, Sunday, February 10, 2019, 11am-noon

Purchase Tickets for Farm-to-Table Kids Food Art Cooking at The Farm at South Mountain with Melanie Albert, Sunday, March 24, 2019, 11am-noon

Thanks to Natural Awakenings AZ magazine for featuring my Plant-Based Chocolate Pie on the cover and Plant-Based Dessert recipes in the January 2019 issue.

Natural Awakenings Arizona, January 2019

Natural Awakenings Arizona, January 2019. Start the New Year Off Right

Join our Simple Daily Plant-Based Eating Tips Facebook Page

PUBLIC COOKING CLASSES AT THE MARICOPA COUNTY LIBRARIES

I’m honored have been leading hands-on cooking and yoga classes with the Maricopa County Library District since 2016. For the Winter Reading Program, the class focuses on Mediterranean Plant-Based Culinary. We’ll be preparing Hempseed Tabouli, Olive Tapenade, and Herbal Hummus. Classes are Free to the Public. Call the libraries directly to make your reservation.
- Thursday, February 7, 2019, 10:00-11:30am: El Mirage Branch Library
- Tuesday, March 19, 2019, 5:00-6:30pm: Litchfield Park Brand Library
January 25, 2019