We are all so excited to share our passions with you during the Sedona Plant-Based Cooking & Self Care Retreats in 2020.
Retreat dates: February 7-10, 2020; June 12-15, 2020; September 18-21, 2020
Melanie Albert,Retreat Host, Plant-Based Culinary
Muzique Broadnax, Massage Therapy
Gary Henderickson, Feng Shui
June Rettinger de Arballo, Ceremony and Hand Readings
Daniel Posney,Kiva Ceremony and Ceremonial Vortex Hike
Patricia Fonseca,Ayurvedic Yoga Hike
Melanie Albert, Retreat Host and Plant-Based Farm-to-Table Cooking Guide
Melanie Albert, Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking Expert, author, and speaker, Melanie is Founder and CEO of Experience Nutrition Group, LLC, in Phoenix, Arizona, and award-winning cookbook author of “A New View of Healthy Eating.” She regularly contributes recipe articles to “Natural Awakenings” and appears on The List tv show.
Melanie’s passion is local Arizona food. She loves intuitively creating and guiding others to enjoy healthy eating and prepare simple beautiful farm-to-table plant-based meals with our local Arizona farmers’ produce.
A leader in wellness, nutrition, and whole foods cooking for over 15 years, Melanie is a 2007 graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, worked in marketing with Weil Lifestyle/Andrew Weil, MD for 9 years, and has completed 610 hours of plant-based culinary training. Through hundreds of cooking classes, events, corporate wellness, team building, media, and retreats Melanie has taught thousands of people — former NFL players, MDs, holistic practitioners, business professionals, kids, and media — simple ways to cook delicious meals with plant-based food from our local Arizona farmers.
Muzique Broadnax, Therapeutic Massage
Muzique Broadnax, Certified Massage Therapist, Founder of Balenchino Massage in Arizona and Minnesota, is a charismatic and passionate deep tissue specialist with an abundance of formal and hands on experience and training. Who loves to heal, rejuvenate and motivate her customers! Working with intention to delve into muscle tension and create deep releases and detoxification in your body. Muzique was implanted in Phoenix by way of Minnesota since June 2019 that has been practicing the art of massage for over 12 years.
In her spare time she is an avid yogi and loves to travel the world. Open communication within her business directly applying the wants and needs of her customer into her business practices in turn creating meaningful and lasting relationships with her loyal customer.
During the retreat, you’ll receive one 1-hour therapeutic massage with Muzique, right in the comfort of our retreat house.
Gary Henderickson, Feng Shui
Founder & CEO of Feng Shui Design International, in Sedona, Arizona, Gary has over 42 years of study and practice with Feng Shui, architecture, interior design and community design as his professional background. He has developed an integral approach to feng shui, drawing from 12 different techniques of feng shui. He designs community developments, homes, offices, healing retreat centers, and industrial complexes. He lectures, teaches and consults throughout the United States and overseas to developers, city planning departments, architects, interior designers, design institutions, corporations, individuals, and homeowners.
Gary’s Feng Shui readings focus on how this ancient science can help you to increase your effectiveness and efficiency in your work and increase your income, discover your lucky direction, find which partners would be most compatible with you, enjoy more harmony in your relations with family, friends and business associates, and improve your sleep.
During the retreat, you will receive a private 30-minute Feng Shui Reading with Gary.
June Rettinger de Arballo, Ceremony and Hand Readings
June Rettinger de Arballo, Ceremony at 2019 Sedona Retreat
Melanie & June enjoying our Retreat House
June Rettinger de Arballo and her organization, Meaningful Thing, in Sedona, Arizona, has been specializing in the Spiritual Journey since 1979, focusing on Personal, Home & Land Clearings, Readings, Workshops, Healing Energy Work, and Medium to Deep Tissue Massage.
June is a dual citizen of the United States and Mexico and follows her spiritual practice from her mother’s heritage of Apache and Mexican. She comes from a family of seers and uses her gifts as a psychic/medium and offers readings, clearings, ceremonies and blessings as well as group experiences.
June has also been a massage therapist since 1979 specializing in medium to deep tissue massage and cupping. Over many years she has worked closely with Indigenous Elders from around the world including the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers to bring their messages to our communities. Her private practice is in a historic stone house located in the heart of Sedona, Arizona.
During our retreats, June offers unique hand readings and special spiritual blessings — ceremony preformed asking (God/Creator/Universal energies/Spirits/Angels/Ancestors/Spiritual Guides) for good things and protection to come to an individual or a venture.
Daniel Posney, Kiva Ceremony and Ceremonial Vortex Hike
Daniel Posney, Kiva Ceremony during 2019 Sedona Plant-Based Cooking & Self Care Retreat
Daniel Posney, Founder of Shamystic in Sedona, Arizona, Daniel provides life transformation, energetic and shamanic healing, intuitive guidance, initiation into higher consciousness, and soul activation.
Introduced to native traditions and ceremonies while on childhood trips to Africa, Europe and later to Tahiti and Hawaii, Daniel discovered his Soul connection with shamanism and mystic wisdom. After several traumatizing life events, Daniel initiated a spiritual awakening and transformation. Living for 3 years in a 200-sq ft cabin on a 4000-acre Self-Realization ashram (spiritual community), Daniel continued his self-discovery and native experiences, which led to release of all possessions and a 2000-mile bicycle journey.
For over 10 years, Daniel is a recognized practitioner, healer, guide, and teacher who offers practical tools to create and attract more of what you want in your life, significantly reduce physical pain, discover new perspectives and experience more clarity about your life.
During our retreats Daniel guides us in a memorable kiva ceremony on the retreat house property, along with a ceremonial Sedona Vortex hike.
Patricia Fonseca, Ayurvedic Yoga Hike
Patricia Fonseca, Ayurvedic Yoga Hike at Cathedral Rock, Sedona, AZ
Co-founder of Back to Earth Sedona Tours, Patricia Fonseca grew up in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York, and moved to Sedona in 2001. While her original career was that of attorney and legal author, she found new balance and purpose in her life through working with mentors in meditation, yoga, and the ancient Ayurvedic traditions.
Gradually, her new understanding led her to transition her own life to teaching meditation, yoga, fitness and Ayurvedic lifestyle at the world renowned Mi Amo Spa at Enchantment Resort. She is also a Reiki master with 7 years of hiking and nature guide experience. Patricia brings an innate compassion to every consult she leads, and her enthusiasm is contagious. Her own experiences in the high-stress world of law make her an ideal guide for anyone who has become worn by business stress, and for those seeking to incorporate more balance and meaning into their busy lives.
During our retreats, Patricia leads meaningful, unique Ayurvedic yoga with hiking in the magical Sedona vortex.
I’ll continue to post additional blogs, photos, experiences, and recipes from our September 2019 Sedona Plant-Based Cooking & Self Care Retreat. Meanwhile, please reach out to me if you’re interested in one of our 2020 retreats or a custom retreat for your organization or group of friends in 2020. – Melanie Albert
If you’re ready to reserve your spot for one of the 2020 Retreats, click here for the $500 initial deposit.
by Melanie Albert, Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking Expert, Award-winning Cookbook Author, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition
After our long hot summer, our local Arizona farmers are harvesting the early Fall crops. Billy Anthony, Lead Grower at the Soil & Seed Garden, located at The Farm at South Mountain in Phoenix, harvested fresh veggies, herbs, and hibiscus roselle for the first week of the Fall 2019 CSA.
Soil & Seed Garden, Fall Week 1 CSA. October 19, 2019
Late beauty at The Farm at South Mountain picking up the first week of the CSA…
The Farm at South Mountain. Fall 2019 CSA. Week 1: October 19, 2019.What a beautiful Fall Salad Box. Love the edible flowers.
1 salad box
4 oz lemon basil
1 bunch Sora radish
1 bunch French breakfast radish
½ quart rosemary
¼ quart hibiscus roselle
2-3 eggplant
1 bunch rainbow chard
1 lime
6 pullet eggs
Radish. Purslane. Swiss Chard Stem Chopped Salad.
I intuitively created a simple, quick salad inspired by the Soil & Seed Garden early harvest of radishes & Swiss Chard, with the juicy fresh lime.
Taste and adjust lime and oil, for balance of acid and fat.
Add lemon basil and pinch of sea salt.
Shake and use in salad.
Simple “Acid Fat Salt” Salad Dressing
Salad
Chop all ingredients.
Mise en place…All ingredients in place…for the Radish Purslane Salad.
Place radishes, Swiss chard, and purslane into bowl.
Mindfully place chopped ingredients into small bowl.
Gently toss.
Add dressing over the veggies and toss.
Gently toss the veggies with the salad dressing.
Garnish with edible flowers, radishes, lemon basil leaves.
Enjoy!
Yum. The simple Chopped Salad.Mindfully enjoying the visual brightness of the salad.The Radish inspired salad with the radishes at the Soil & Seed Garden at The Farm at South Mountain.Thanks so much to Farmer Michael for all the passion and hard working in growing the beautiful food at the Soil & Seed Garden.
FARM-TO-TABLE PLANT-BASED COOKING CLASSES AT THE FARM with Melanie Albert and Farm Operations Manager Billy Anthony
I am so honored to be leading hands-on intuitive cooking classes at The Farm at South Mountain for the 4th year. For the classes this season, Lead Grower Billy and I will be walking the Soil & Seed Garden the week prior to each class to develop the food strategy for the classes. Billy will harvest the morning of the classes, and you’ll have the opportunity to intuitively prepare dishes, guided by Melanie.
The beauty and food art during our Plant-Based Cooking Events at The Farm at South Mountain.
SEDONA PLANT-BASED COOKING RETREAT: November 15-18, 2019
In September 2019, I hosted the first Sedona Plant-Based Cooking Retreat. Based on the life-changing retreat with incredible cooking, hiking in Sedona, and friendships, I decided to host the next retreat in November. Learn more on www.ExperienceNutrition.com/sedona-retreats/
Or, to answer your questions about the retreats, please feel free to contact me (Melanie Albert): 602.615.2486 or Mel@MelanieAlbert.com
Permelia and Melanie enjoying our Avocado Tartare!Getting started with our mindful chopping for our fresh Tomato Gazpacho and Avocado Tartare.
Yoga, Hiking, and Meditation in the Beauty of Sedona
In addition to lots of hands-on plant-based intuitive cooking at our Sedona retreats, we enjoy hiking, yoga, meditation, and self-care in the beauty of the Sedona red rocks and vortex energy. – Melanie Albert, Experience Nutrition
During our September 2019 retreat, we explored three different magical areas in Sedona.
Cathedral Rock.One of my very favorite places in the world.
Medicine Wheel and the Amitabha Stupa at Peace Park. Spiritual energy.
WOW! Yoga at Cathedral Rock. Dreams come true!
During our September 2019, we enjoyed hiking at the Seven Sacred Pools, Ayurvedic yoga and meditation with Back to Earth Sedona Tours at one of my very favorite places in the world, Cathedral Rock. Finally, to close out our retreat, during a beautiful hail storm, Wendi and I enjoyed an incredible ceremony at the Medicine Wheel at Peace Park and the Amitabha Stupa.
Enjoy a few favorite photos by my Brazilian photographer friend, Nathalia Rocha, and a few of my personal out-takes during the beautiful hail storm at the Medicine Wheel.
Seven Sacred Pools
The hike to the Seven Sacred Pools takes us through a beautiful, quiet winding path and the deep Devil’s Sinkhole. During the hike, we enjoy the beauty of nature and the feminine energy of the sacred pools, and simple quiet time with the red rocks.
What a magical spot on our Earth: The Seven Sacred Pools in Sedona, Arizona.
Cathedral Rock, Sedona, Arizona
One of my very favorite places on our Earth. Cathedral Rock is my go-to visit, even when I take a day trip from Phoenix to Sedona.
In awe. Stunning beauty. Majestic.
Calming and energizing. Grounding and uplifting. Simply Beautiful.
Cathedral Rock. Sedona, Arizona. Bold & Beautiful.Balancing our Bodies. Ayurvedic Yoga, with Patricia Fonseca of Back to Earth Sedona Tours.One of my very favorite special places on Earth. More than excited to enjoy the water energy at Buddha Beach at Cathedral Rock.
Mediation. Breathwork. Awe….Omm…at Cathedral Rock. With Patricia Fonseca of Back to Earth Sedona Tours.
Medicine Wheel and so much more at the Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park in Sedona, Arizona.
The final morning of our retreat, Wendi and I enjoyed a magical experience at the Medicine Wheel at the Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park. The 14-acre Peace Park is juxtaposed between Chimney Rock and one of Sedona’s most massive mountains, Thunder Mountain.
Thanks to the beautiful experience, guided by Patricia Fonseca and Sharon Day of Back to Earth Sedona Tours. Photos from Melanie’s Cell phone.
Prayer Flags.Upon our first glimpse of the Stupa, we are greeted by prayer flags that hang from trees and are strung from the top of the Stupa, fluttering out in every direction.
Pause and enjoy the first glimpse of the Amitabha Stupa in Sedona, Arizona.
Meditative Walk. The Stupa architecture is filled with hundreds of millions of prayers for peace, sacred relics, and ritual objects. Upon arrival, we experienced a beautiful meditative, grounding walk around the sacred Stupa three times offering our intentions for ourselves and others around the world.
Meditatively walk the Stupa three times, with intention.
Then, we offered our prayers to the beautiful Buddha.
Prayers to the Buddha.
Time for Cleansing. As soon as we arrived at the Medicine Wheel, we experienced magnificent cleansing (literally) with a hail and rainstorm. Wendi and I huddled under a Jupiter tree and Wendi’s wide rim hat in an attempt to stay dry. Enjoy the video…
The Medicine Wheel.After the beautiful hail and rain storm, it was our time to walk the Medicine Wheel with indigenous teachings from each direction (North, East, South, West) and life in four segments of 25 years, while Patricia guided us with the beat of Sharon’s drumming. What fun!
Melanie Albert enjoying the Medicine Wheel ceremony!
East & West.During the ceremony, I intuitively gravitated to the East, symbolizing for me, New Beginnings and Growth. Wendi gravitated to the West energy. Definitely looking forward to learning more wisdom from the Medicine Wheel.
Tara Stupa. So much to experience at the Stupa including the first Stupa build in Arizona, a smaller one, dedicated to Tara, the mother of all Buddhas.
Stupa dedicated to Tara, the mother of all Buddhas.
Spin the Prayer Wheels.As you leave Peace Park spin the prayer wheels that are filled with thousands of mantras, to amplify your experience at the Park.
When you visit Sedona, or come to one of our Plant-Based Cooking Retreats, be sure to spend time at the Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park.
I’ll continue to post additional blogs, photos, experiences, and recipes from our September 2019 Sedona Plant-Based Cooking & Self Care Retreat. Meanwhile, please reach out to me if you’re interested in our November 15-18, 2019 retreat or a custom retreat for your organization or group of friends in 2020. – Melanie Albert
If you’re ready to reserve your spot for the November 15-18, 2019 Retreat, click here for the $500 initial deposit.
Top 11 Reasons to Go on a Plant-Based Cooking Retreat
by Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO of Experience Nutrition Group, LLC in Phoenix, Arizona, Award-winning Cookbook Author, and Plant-Based Intuitive Cooking Expert
If you’re still curious…
During our Sedona Plant-Based Cooking Fall 2019 Retreat, September 13-16, you’ll experience several days of hands-on, simple plant-based cooking, mindfulness in the kitchen and eating. We’ll enjoy a farm-to-table cooking experience at a local urban farm. You’ll experience self-care with hiking and yoga in the beauty of Sedona.
In the memorable life-changing retreat, our intention is for you to enjoy the cooking and self-care experiences during the retreat and then most importantly take home the experiences and plant-based cooking learning from the retreat to make positive lifestyle changes in your lives.
LEARN TO COOK SIMPLE, BEAUTIFUL PLANT-BASED MEALS
Have fun with hands-on interactive cooking with Plant-Based Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. With hands-on interactive cooking you’ll learn culinary techniques to prepare a variety of plant-based breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.
ONE: Learn How to Prepare Simple Delicious Healthy Breakfasts
Learn the basic culinary techniques to prepare plant-based breakfast options and when you return home intuitively create your own breakfasts with your favorite whole grains, nuts, seeds, and fruit.
Whole Grains (gluten-free)
Quick, easy, and tasty nut and seed milk
Superfood Smoothies
Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding
TWO: Learn to Cook a Variety of Plant-Based Lunches
For lunch, our focus is preparing beautiful, tasty raw salads, raw taco, and cold soup.
Raw Massaged Kale Salad with fruit, berries, nuts, and seeds. 3-ingredient salad dressing.
Avocado Tartare with fresh veggies
Raw Almond Walnut Taco with Quick Pickled Veggies
Cold Veggie Soup
Raw Dehydrated Crackers
THREE: Learn how to prepare tasty, healthy plant-based Appetizers, Meals, and Dessert for Plant-Based Dinners
For dinner, we’ll cook complete plant-based meals with delicious Mediterranean appetizers, Veggie Main Dishes, and beautiful, tasty desserts.
Mediterranean Appetizers
Hummus, Hempseed Tabouli, Olive Tapenade
Meals
Veggie Sautés (Roots & Greens)
Roasted Veggie Flatbread
Turmeric Lentil Soup
Veggie Brown Rice Pilaf
Raw Deconstructed Lasagna
Deconstructed Lasagna
Desserts
Raw Superfood Pie
Raw Cacao Berry Pie
Aromatic Apple Crisp
Raw Cacao Berry Pie
FOUR: Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Cooking Class at an Arizona Organic Farm
Enjoy a true farm-to-table experience. Tour a local organic farm with an Arizona urban farmer. Have fun cooking your dinner right at the farm with just-harvested produce from the farm and local farmers markets. Enjoy your culinary creations in the beauty of the farm.
Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition. Getting set for a farm-to-table cooking experience.
FIVE: Enjoy an afternoon Snack at a Local Sedona Plant-Based Restaurant
After hiking in Sedona, we’ll stop by a popular organic vegetarian Sedona restaurant to enjoy their delicious plant-based creations and chocolate treats.
MINDFUL COOKING & EATING
SIX: Practice Mindfulness while Cooking, Plating, and Eating
During the retreat, we’ll focus on mindfulness and being present throughout the cooking process. We’ll practice mindfulness while cooking our meals, beautifully plating our food, and enjoying our meals together.
Mindful Cooking. During the retreat, we will focus on mindfulness and being present while cooking, as part of the cooking process and a form of self-care. We will:
Mindfully choose the ingredients (beautiful veggies) and herbs and spices for our dishes.
Mindfully chop our food. (Learn basic knife skills).
Enjoy the beauty, the colors, the textures, the shapes, and the aromatherapy of our food.
Mindfully set up our mise en place. That is, get all of our ingredients in place before we start cooking for mindfulness and organization.
Learn to plate your foods beautifully. Since we eat with our eyes first, you will learn skills to plate foods beautifully. You’ll learn fundamental principles in the art of plating. You’ll have the opportunity to practice plating skills every time we cook and begin to develop your own plating style. We’ll use edible garnishes, herbs, and flowers in our plating to elevate the eye-appeal of our meals.
Mindful Eating.We’ll mindfully enjoy our meals in the beautiful Sedona environment with our retreat community. We’ll enjoy meals in the beauty of the retreat house and in the beauty of the Sedona Red Rocks. We’ll pause, slow down, and really enjoy the beauty and flavors of the food we prepare.
SELF CARE IN THE MAGIC OF SEDONA
SEVEN: Take time for your own self-care, relaxing in the beauty of the retreat house. Get away from day-to-day life. Retreats are the perfect place to really take time for you. Away from work, responsibilities, and technology. During your Sedona retreat, unplug and allow yourself to settle into quiet, to relax, recharge and reflect.
Relax at our Retreat House
EIGHT: Enjoy hiking and nature in beautiful, magical Sedona, Arizona. In Sedona, we can immerse ourselves in nature by hiking with the grounding red rock and expansive big sky environment which provides the perfect place to exercise and unwind. In Sedona, we’ll hike in the Vortex energy, breath in the fresh air, and enjoy the magnificent sunsets.
Cathedral Rock: Melanie Albert’s very favorite spot in Sedona.Hike at the Sedona Airport Vortex
NINE: Practice yoga on the Sedona Rocks and our private yoga studio at the retreat house. Participate in a yoga class or practice on your own for self-care, quiet, and meditation during the retreat.
Retreat House Private Yoga Studio
Enjoy One-of-A Kind Sedona Experiences
TEN: Enjoy Memorable One-of-A-Kind Sedona Experiences.Only in Sedona experiences. During the retreat, you’ll experience the Sedona magic with Spiritual Reading, and a private Kiva Ceremony.
ELEVEN: Visit Magnificent Antelope Canyon. As a special add-on to the retreat, visit one of the most magnificent spots in Arizona on our adventure day to the Antelope Canyon, one of the most beautiful, mesmerizing, photographic locations in the world. A photographer’s dream, the canyon is known for its wave-like structure and the light beams that shine directly down into the openings of the canyon, creating a supernatural appearance.
If you and your friends are interested in our Fall 2019 Plant-Based Cooking & Self-Care Retreat, September 13-16, 2019 in Sedona, Arizona, please fill out the form and I’m happy to share more and answer your questions. – Melanie Albert
View food differently with mindful cooking and eating.
Enjoy urban farm-to-table cooking experience.
Experience self-care with hiking and yoga.
Take home retreat experiences to be healthier & make positive long-term lifestyle changes.
During our Sedona Plant-Based Cooking Fall 2019 Retreat, you’ll experience several days of hands-on, simple plant-based cooking with organic food, mindfulness in the kitchen and eating. We’ll enjoy a farm-to-table cooking experience at a local urban farm. You’ll experience self-care with hiking and yoga in the beauty of Sedona.
In the memorable life-changing retreat, our intention is for you to enjoy the cooking and self-care experiences during the retreat and then most importantly take home the experiences and plant-based cooking learning from the retreat to make positive lifestyle changes in your lives.
Learn Simple Ways to Cook Healthy Plant-Based Organic Food
During the Sedona retreat, our key focus is simple, beautiful, healthy plant-based cooking. We’ll enjoy cooking and eating beautiful, fresh, delicious farm-to-table plant-based meals. Alongside award-winning cookbook author, Melanie Albert from Phoenix, Arizona, you’ll learn simple culinary skills for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
With interactive, hands-on cooking with local Arizona farmers organic produce, you’ll learn simple plant-based culinary techniques. We’ll focus on learning the cooking methods and guiding you to be intuitive with your cooking so you will be able to cook intuitively at home with seasonal produce grown by your local farmers.
All of the cooking is based on the anti-inflammatory way of eating, Mediterranean way of eating, and inspired by the Blue Zones, where people live the longest and healthiest lives. Learn during the retreat and feel confident to prepare the foods when you return home.
Award-Winning Cookbook Author, Melanie Albert at the Sedona Retreat House
Key Plant-Based Foods
During the retreat, you’ll learn simple plant-based culinary methods to cook key healthy plant-based foods. Our organic retreat meals feature as much local Arizona farmers food, as possible.
Roots & Greens
Whole Grains
Beans
Nuts & Seeds
Superfoods
Plant-Based Culinary Techniques
During all of the meals, you’ll learn a variety of cooking techniques to use when you return home. The culinary techniques during the retreat:
Proper steps to sauté veggies with flavor layering.
Steps to roast veggies for crispiness on the outside and a soft inside.
The process to cook flavorful veggie soups.
Simple steps to prepare whole grains perfectly every time.
Steps to create a 3-ingredient salad dressing.
Ways to create beautiful raw salads with what your local farmers are growing in season.
Steps to make raw dehydrated crackers.
Techniques to create simple raw sauces.
Plant-based dessert techniques with nuts, fruit, raw cacao, and superfoods.
Organic, Local Arizona Farmers Produce
RETREAT HIGHLIGHTS: Sedona Plant-Based Cooking Retreat with Award-Winning Cookbook Author, Melanie Albert
Sedona Eco-Retreat House: 3-Days and 3-nights at eco-retreat house in the beauty of Sedona, Arizona.
Noon-3:00pm Drive from Sedona to Phoenix for flights
ADD-ON TO RETREAT: ANTELOPE CANYON EXCURSION
Monday, September 16, 2019
6:00-7:00am Early Breakfast at Retreat House
7:00-8:00am Drive to Flagstaff
8:30-5:00pm Drive and Tour Antelope Canyon
5:30-7:30pm Dinner in Flagstaff
7:30pm+ Hotel in Flagstaff
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
8:00am-1:00pm Drive to Phoenix
To learn more about the retreat and to chat with retreat host, Melanie Albert, please fill out the form, or give me a call at 602.615.2486 or e-mail: Mel@MelanieAlbert.com
I look forward to connecting for both of us to get to know each other and to answer any questions about the retreat. — Melanie
ABOUT OUR LIGHT HOUSE Retreat House
Eco-Home. We are thrilled to hold our retreat at the Light House in Sedona, a truly eco-home with a collection of indoor and outdoor spaces created with a complimentary merging of Indonesian, Japanese, Moroccan and East Indian cultures. The Light House offers a full natural sensory environment with comforting courtyards, peaceful meditation gardens, hanging lounges, tranquil pools, and restful waterfalls.
Sedona Eco-Home Retreat House
Feng Shui.The Light House incorporates the principles of Feng Shui to create an environment that is energetically aligned promoting harmony, serenity, creativity, and vitality. An impressive cleansing crystal is strategically placed in the center of the house to ensure a healthy environment and numerous Feng Shui essentials are found throughout this landmark home. The Light House is the perfect environment to relax, reduce stress, and rejuvenate.
Welcome to our Retreat House
Salt-water Pool. Light House features a beautiful salt-water pool and Jacuzzi to unwind.
Retreat House Beautiful Salt Water Pool
Sedona Beauty. The natural outdoor beauty of Sedona is just out the back door with the beautiful Oak Creek and a glimpse of Cathedral Rock.
Our Retreat Home View of Cathedral Rock
Our Retreat Bedrooms
The Light House Retreat features 6 unique bedrooms, with a variety of beds and accommodates couples or singles. We welcome a group of friends or couples to attend the retreat
ONE: Downstairs Master with King and sitting room. Unique custom ‘pebble’ master bathtub and large glass steam shower.
TWO: Downstairs Off-Master with Queen. Private bedroom off Master. Shares master bathroom with ‘pebble’ bathtub and large glass steam shower.
Downstairs Master. King.
Master Bathroom
Downstairs Queen, off Master.
THREE: Downstairs Asia Room with King.Outdoor hallway to room with lounging sofa, desk and glass window views.
FOUR: Downstairs Bali Room with 2 Queens.Screen door access to outside lounging and garden areas.
FIVE: Upstairs Private King. Private outdoor patio with view of pool and Cathedral Rock. Shares bathroom with Sunrise Room.
SIX: Sunrise Room Upstairs Loft with Queen and Double. Fun loft. Shares bathroom with Private King.
ABOUT SEDONA
Beautiful, magical Sedona is a true oasis, a paradise in the middle of the northern Arizona desert. In Sedona, enjoy canyons, green forest, azure skies, and the dramatic red rock formations that glow in brilliant orange and red when illuminated by the rising or setting sun. Sedona offers adventures including red rock jeep tours, hiking, Slide Rock, and Oak Creek Canyon, as well spiritual healing, psychic readings, and energy vortexes. Sedona will have your senses buzzing for days! Sedona offers a unique, one-of-a- kind culture and is an experience of a lifetime.
To learn more about the retreat and to chat with retreat host, Melanie Albert, please fill out the form, or give me a call at 602.615.2486 or e-mail: Mel@MelanieAlbert.com
I look forward to connecting for both of us to get to know each other and to answer any questions about the retreat. — Melanie
Top 11 Reasons to Go on a Plant-Based Cooking Retreat
During our Sedona Plant-Based Cooking Fall 2019 Retreat, you’ll experience several days of hands-on, simple plant-based cooking, mindfulness in the kitchen and eating. We’ll enjoy a farm-to-table cooking experience at a local urban farm. You’ll experience self-care with hiking and yoga in the beauty of Sedona.
In the memorable life-changing retreat, our intention is for you to enjoy the cooking and self-care experiences during the retreat and then most importantly take home the experiences and plant-based cooking learning from the retreat to make positive lifestyle changes in your lives.
LEARN TO COOK SIMPLE, BEAUTIFUL PLANT-BASED MEALS
Have fun with hands-on interactive cooking with Plant-Based Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. With hands-on interactive cooking you’ll learn culinary techniques to prepare a variety of plant-based breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.
ONE: Learn How to Prepare Simple Delicious Healthy Breakfasts
Learn the basic culinary techniques to prepare plant-based breakfast options and when you return home intuitively create your own breakfasts with your favorite whole grains, nuts, seeds, and fruit.
Whole Grains (gluten-free)
Quick, easy, and tasty nut and seed milk
Superfood Smoothies
Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding
TWO: Learn to Cook a Variety of Plant-Based Lunches
For lunch, our focus is preparing beautiful, tasty raw salads, raw taco, and cold soup.
Raw Massaged Kale Salad with fruit, berries, nuts, and seeds. 3-ingredient salad dressing.
Avocado Tartare with fresh veggies
Raw Almond Walnut Taco with Quick Pickled Veggies
Cold Veggie Soup
Raw Dehydrated Crackers
THREE: Learn how to prepare tasty, healthy plant-based Appetizers, Meals, and Dessert for Plant-Based Dinners
For dinner, we’ll cook complete plant-based meals with delicious Mediterranean appetizers, Veggie Main Dishes, and beautiful, tasty desserts.
Mediterranean Appetizers
Hummus, Hempseed Tabouli, Olive Tapenade
Meals
Veggie Sautés (Roots & Greens)
Roasted Veggie Flatbread
Turmeric Lentil Soup
Veggie Brown Rice Pilaf
Raw Deconstructed Lasagna
Deconstructed Lasagna
Desserts
Raw Superfood Pie
Raw Cacao Berry Pie
Aromatic Apple Crisp
Raw Cacao Berry Pie
FOUR: Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Cooking Class at an Arizona Organic Farm
Enjoy a true farm-to-table experience. Tour a local organic farm with an Arizona urban farmer. Have fun cooking your dinner right at the farm with just-harvested produce from the farm and local farmers markets. Enjoy your culinary creations in the beauty of the farm.
Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition. Getting set for a farm-to-table cooking experience.
FIVE: Enjoy an afternoon Snack at a Local Sedona Plant-Based Restaurant
After hiking in Sedona, we’ll stop by a popular organic vegetarian Sedona restaurant to enjoy their delicious plant-based creations and chocolate treats.
MINDFUL COOKING & EATING
SIX: Practice Mindfulness while Cooking, Plating, and Eating
During the retreat, we’ll focus on mindfulness and being present throughout the cooking process. We’ll practice mindfulness while cooking our meals, beautifully plating our food, and enjoying our meals together.
Mindful Cooking. During the retreat, we will focus on mindfulness and being present while cooking, as part of the cooking process and a form of self-care. We will:
Mindfully choose the ingredients (beautiful veggies) and herbs and spices for our dishes.
Mindfully chop our food. (Learn basic knife skills).
Enjoy the beauty, the colors, the textures, the shapes, and the aromatherapy of our food.
Mindfully set up our mise en place. That is, get all of our ingredients in place before we start cooking for mindfulness and organization.
Learn to plate your foods beautifully. Since we eat with our eyes first, you will learn skills to plate foods beautifully. You’ll learn fundamental principles in the art of plating. You’ll have the opportunity to practice plating skills every time we cook and begin to develop your own plating style. We’ll use edible garnishes, herbs, and flowers in our plating to elevate the eye-appeal of our meals.
Mindful Eating. We’ll mindfully enjoy our meals in the beautiful Sedona environment with our retreat community. We’ll enjoy meals in the beauty of the retreat house and in the beauty of the Sedona Red Rocks. We’ll pause, slow down, and really enjoy the beauty and flavors of the food we prepare.
SELF CARE IN THE MAGIC OF SEDONA
SEVEN: Take time for your own self-care, relaxing in the beauty of the retreat house. Get away from day-to-day life. Retreats are the perfect place to really take time for you. Away from work, responsibilities, and technology. During your Sedona retreat, unplug and allow yourself to settle into quiet, to relax, recharge and reflect.
Relax at our Retreat House
EIGHT: Enjoy hiking and nature in beautiful, magical Sedona, Arizona. In Sedona, we can immerse ourselves in nature by hiking with the grounding red rock and expansive big sky environment which provides the perfect place to exercise and unwind. In Sedona, we’ll hike in the Vortex energy, breath in the fresh air, and enjoy the magnificent sunsets.
Cathedral Rock: Melanie Albert’s very favorite spot in Sedona.Hike at the Sedona Airport Vortex
NINE: Practice yoga on the Sedona Rocks and our private yoga studio at the retreat house. Participate in a yoga class or practice on your own for self-care, quiet, and meditation during the retreat.
Retreat House Private Yoga Studio
Enjoy One-of-A Kind Sedona Experiences
TEN: Enjoy Memorable One-of-A-Kind Sedona Experiences. Only in Sedona experiences. During the retreat, you’ll experience the Sedona magic with Spiritual Reading, and a private Kiva Ceremony.
ELEVEN: Visit Magnificent Antelope Canyon.As a special add-on to the retreat, visit one of the most magnificent spots in Arizona on our adventure day to the Antelope Canyon, one of the most beautiful, mesmerizing, photographic locations in the world. A photographer’s dream, the canyon is known for its wave-like structure and the light beams that shine directly down into the openings of the canyon, creating a supernatural appearance.
Muzique Broadnax, Certified Massage Therapist, Founder of Balenchino Massage in Arizona and Minnesota, is a charismatic and passionate deep tissue specialist with an abundance of formal and hands on experience and training. Who loves to heal, rejuvenate and motivate her customers! Working with intention to delve into muscle tension and create deep releases and detoxification in your body. Muzique was implanted in Phoenix by way of Minnesota since June 2019 that has been practicing the art of massage for over 12 years.
