Experience Nutrition

Tag: superfoods

Experience Nutrition: Chocolate Goji Berry Cream Pie: Delicious Plant-Based Desserts by Melanie Albert, Part 2 of 4
By Melanie Albert, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition, Intuitive Cooking Expert, and Award-Winning Cookbook Author
Continuing to share with you delicious, beautiful, and “healthy” plant-based desserts: Berry Cashew Cream Pie, Chocolate Goji Berry Cream Pie, Aromatic Apple Berry, and Raw Carrot Cake. The desserts feature berries, chocolate, goji berries, and amazing aromatic culinary experiences with hand-grinding spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom.

We created these desserts at our hands-on Holiday cooking class at The Farm at South Mountain and I have to say they were all so created with so much mindfulness and heart. Plus, they were delicious.

Today’s dessert, featured on the cover the the January 2019 issue of Natural Awakenings Arizona, is the Chocolate Goji Berry Cream Pie. Links to the other plant-based dessert recipes:
- Super Berry Cashew Cream Pie
- Aromatic Apple Berry Crisp
- Raw Carrot Cake (coming soon)
Chocolate Goji Berry Cream Pie

Try this simple chocolate dessert recipe for your family and friends. This gourmet-quality pie is so much fun to make and is beautiful and delicious. Learn to quickly and easily melt chocolate chips right in your oven. Enjoy the pie with superfood goji berries. If you have extra chocolate pie, cut it into small pieces and freeze for snacks.

Chocolate Goji Berry Pie

Pecan Crust

Simple Ingredients
- 2 cups raw pecans
- ¼ cup maple sugar
- 1½ tbsp coconut oil
- ½ tsp sea salt
Simple Steps
- Pulse pecans and maple sugar in food processor.
- Add coconut oil and sea salt.
- Pulse to combine well.
- Press and shape mixture into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan.
Thanks to my friend Nathalia, from Brazil for capturing the focus of making the crust for the chocolate pie.

Filling

Simple Ingredients
- 2½ cups vegan dark chocolate chips
- 2 packages organic soft silken tofu (260g packages)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, scraped
- Pinch of sea salt
Simple Steps

Melt Chocolate Chips
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Pour the chocolate chips in a single layer onto a flat baking sheet.
- Place in the oven to melt for no more than 3-4 minutes or until melted. Be careful that you don’t burn them.
Melt Chocolate Chips in the oven.

Blend the Filling
- Place tofu, vanilla, sea salt, and melted chocolate chips into a food processor.
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour mixture into pie crust and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Top with nuts, and fresh fruit or goji berries.
Chocolate Pie Plating Mise en Place

Chocolate Goji Berry Pie Plating Mise en Place

Simplicity of the Chocolate Goji Berry Pie

In awe of the beautiful chocolate pie created at the Dessert Cooking Class at The Farm at South Mountain.

The beauty of the Chocolate Goji Berry Pie prepared during the Dessert Cooking Class at The Farm at South Mountain.

While making this pie for the Arizona edition of the January 2019 issue of Natural Awakenings magazine, I had the fun opportunity to create a “birthday pop-up celebration” for urban farmer, Billy Anthony, of the Soil & Seed Garden at The Farm at South Mountain.

My honor to celebrate Billy Anthony’s Birthday with the Pie Pop-up.

Thanks so much to Billy and Bailey for the Soil & Seed CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).

What fun celebrating Billy’s Birthday…thanks so much for “playing”!

Billy Anthony’s Chocolate Goji Berry Pie is ready to enjoy.

The beauty of food…Chocolate Cream Pie with Persimmons & Berries

Enjoying the Chocolate Goji Pie creations.

Yummm…And, the perfect setting, at The Farm at South Mountain to enjoy…

Thanks Billy Anthony for growing the beautiful produce at the Soil & Seed Garden at The Farm. And, Happy Birthday.

Happy Birthday to you, Billy Anthony…wishing you another wonderful year. Thanks so much for so passionately growing all of the incredible beautiful, tasty food at the Soil & Seed Garden at The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix.

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

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

PUBLIC COOKING CLASSES IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Phoenix friends…hope you or your kids can join us at one of our hands-on intuitive cooking classes this season… Vision Board & Appetizers, Foods for Addiction Recovery, Spring Farm-to-Table, Raw Farm-to-Table, and Kids Food Art.

Purchase Tickets for the Get Clear for the New Year Vision Board & Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Cooking Class at The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, Saturday, January 12, 2019, 1-3pm

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

Happy Cooking!
December 31, 2018
A New View of Healthy Eating: Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Purple Superfood Smoothie: Acai & Maqui Super Berries
by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, retreat host, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC
Like many of us around the world, smoothies are one of my go-to simple easy to prepare healthy breakfast options.

For years, I’ve been making smoothies with a base of home-made nut milk or coconut water with chia seeds. Add-in a banana and frozen fruit, especially raspberries and black cherries. Then I top with goji berries, hemp seeds, and raw cacao, for a quick healthy breakfast.

This month I’m participating in the Plantlab Culinary Superfoods course, so I decided to create a new-to-me smoothie with a few superfoods – Acai and Maqui – which I’ve honestly not experimented with very much. Acai and Maqui both grow in South America, which I’m happy about since I was an exchange student in Brazil for a year many decades ago.

Acai berries are known to be antioxidant-rich and full of omega-3 fatty acids. Maqui berries are deep purple, and is the fruit with the highest level of antioxidants. In addition to the berries, other powerful superfoods in this smoothie: chia seeds and hemp seeds, both rich in protein and good omega-3 fatty acids. Finally, wild Maine blueberries are also full of antioxidants and grow on a low bush and balance sweet and tangy.

Purple Superfood Super Berrie Smoothie

Simple Ingredients
- 1-1.5 cups coconut water
- 3 TBSP chia seeds
- ½ cup wild Maine blueberries
- 1 banana
- 1 TBSP hemp seeds
- ¼ tsp dried acai powder
- ¼ tsp dried maqui
- Chamomile flowers
Simple Steps
- Soak chia seeds in coconut water for about 15-20 minutes.
- Blend all ingredients, except flowers, until smooth.
- Garnish with blueberries and chamomile flowers.
- Enjoy!
Excerpt from Melanie’s cookbook, “A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods”

Smoothies

Smoothies are a perfect way to eat a variety of organic fruit and veggies and a simple morning meal or afternoon snack. Because we drink all of the nutrients and fiber in smoothies, they’re nutritious and slow the digestive process. Make your own smoothies with your intuition using these steps. Have fun mixing and matching the ingredients in your smoothies based on what’s available in season and your own cravings.

No-Recipe Smoothies: 5 Simple Steps to Create an Intuitive Smoothie
1. Pour 1 cup of non-dairy liquid into a high-speed blender.
- Coconut water
- Homemade nut milk (coconut water with almonds, soaked cashews)
- Homemade seed milk (coconut water with hemp seeds or sunflower seeds)
- 1 date for sweetness
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract for smoothness
1. Add a thickening ingredient to liquid and blend.
- Avocado
- Bananas, frozen or fresh
- Chia seeds; use 1 tablespoon of seeds and 3 tablespoons of liquid, pre-soaked for 10 minutes
1. Add about ¼ cup fruit, fresh or frozen.
- Apple, sliced
- Cherries
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
1. Add about ¼ cup vegetables.
- Carrots
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Kale
- Spinach
1. Add other extras.
- Flaxseeds
- Fresh basil
- Ginger root
- Goji berries
- Raw cacao powder
- Turmeric root
Interested in Melanie’s cookbook, “A New View of Healthy Eating” you can purchase here or at her local Arizona events.

Email

What is your top nutrition or cooking issue?
Thanks!

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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So beautiful (and aromatic). Sharing the beautiful wild chamomile that grows at an urban farm less than a mile from my home…

A final look at the Superfood Super Berry Chamomile Smoothie
March 10, 2018
A New View of Healthy Eating: Daily Healthy Recipes by Melanie Albert: Superfood Wild Blueberry Smoothie
by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC
Happy New Year 2018 to you! As we start our New Year 2018, I decided to share with you every day (my goal!) a quick look at the meals I prepare for myself. The goal is to inspire you to enjoy shopping, cooking, and preparing your own meals intuitively. And to enjoy eating your meals mindfully.

Philosophies

Before I share my first meals (so far) for 2018, I would like to briefly share my food philosophies with you. A few of the keys are:
- Eat real whole foods. Focus on plants.
- Eat organic.
- Eat with the season.
- Shop intuitively with your local farmers.
- Learn a few simple culinary techniques.
- Intuitively experiment in the kitchen.
- Enjoy food and life.
Superfood Wild Blueberry Smoothie

Today’s smoothie was inspired by a gift of wild Maine organic blueberries and left-over pre-soaked sunflower seeds.

Ingredients
- Sunflower seeds, pre-soaked 6-8 hours
- Coconut water
- Wild organic blueberries
- Banana
- Hempseeds
- Basil
Simple Steps
- Pre-soak sunflower seeds 6-8 hours in room temperature water.
- Rinse sunflower seeds.
- Blend sunflower seeds and coconut water (creates a quick nut milk).
- Add wild blueberries and banana. Blend.
- Pour into cup.
- Top with additional wild blueberries and hemp seeds, and freshly picked basil.
Intuitive Cooking Tip: Create your smoothie with other berries, like raspberries and other nuts, such as cashews or almonds.

My book, “A New View of Healthy Eating,” features 54 plant-based recipes, 3 salmon recipes, and 84 simple culinary techniques.

Email

What is your top nutrition or cooking issue?
Thanks!

If your organization is intereested in a cooking workshop, event, or retreat, please let us know your interests. Thanks!

Δ

Happy New Year 2018 to you…Melanie
January 1, 2018
A New View of Healthy Eating: Chocolate Avocado Smoothie

By Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, and speaker. Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC
About 5 years ago I did not eat avocados; I just didn’t care for them. I think it was because I never tasted a well-prepared avocado. Early this morning I was craving an avocado for breakfast. I’m sure this was a first-time avocado craving. I decided to listen to my body’s cravings and prepared a smoothie. So here it is…

Chocolate Avocado Pudding Mise en Place: Avocado, coconut water, raw cacao powder, goji berries, raw cacao nibs, local Arizona dates, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Two of my favorite superfoods, that I enjoy every week: organic goji berries & raw cacao nibs.

The creamy, “good-fat” avocado, delicious smoothie. Totally satisfied all my cravings.

The next time you create an intuitive smoothie, paying attention to your cravings, come on over to our Facebook page and post your photo: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating

September 28, 2016
A New View of Healthy Eating: Get to Know Goji Berries
By Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, and speaker. Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC
Lately, I have been hooked on goji berries, enjoying them with my morning smoothies and added them to some date balls I made for a client last week. I clearly remember when superfood, raw food expert David Wolfe mentioned goji berries when I was studying at the Institute for Integrative Medicine in New York in 2006. After learning about them, my friends and I literally ran to Whole Foods Market in Columbus Circle to buy goji berries and raw cacao. And, I’ve been enjoy them ever since.

Today’s smoothie, topped with three of my favorite superfoods, goji berries, hempseeds and raw cacao nibs, was so tasty and refreshing.

Superfood Smoothie topped with Goji Berries, Hempseeds, and Raw Cacao Nibs

Goji Berry Date Snacks

Excerpt from A New View of Healthy Eating

Get to Know Goji Berries (Wolfberries)

Antioxidant and protein-rich, with a strong, sweet, bitter taste. Enjoy a handful as a crunchy snack. Blend in smoothies or add as a topping. Cook in a veggie stir-fry. Enjoy as a sweet, earthy, warm tea.
- Used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years
- Traditionally known as a strength-building, longevity, and immune system superfood
- Grown in South America and the Himalayas
- High in protein, with 18 amino acids, including all eight essential amino acids
- Rich in antioxidants and more than 20 trace minerals, and full of fiber
Come over to our Facebook page and share a photo of you enjoying your favorite superfood: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating
September 20, 2016
9 Ways 90 Days: 6 Reasons Why Dark Chocolate is a Good for You Superfood
by Melanie Albert, Nutrition & Food Expert, Author, Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group

Excerpt from book, “Enjoy Food & Life. 9 Ways 90 Days Step-by-step action plan for healthy eating & living.”

BOOK PRE-SALE NOW www.9ways90days.com

9 Way 90 Days: Why Dark Chocolate is Good for You

Why Dark Chocolate is Good for You

1. Good for Your Heart
- Studies show that eating a small amount of dark chocolate two or three times each week can help lower your blood pressure.
- Dark chocolate improves blood flow and may help prevent the formation of blood clots.
- Eating dark chocolate may prevent arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
2. Good for Your Brain
- Dark chocolate increases blood flow to the brain, so it can help improve cognitive function. Dark chocolate also helps reduce risk of stroke.
- Dark chocolate also contains several chemical compounds that have a positive effect on your mood and cognitive health. Chocolate contains phenylethylamine (PEA), which encourages your brain to release endorphins, as a result eating dark chocolate may make you feel happier.
- Dark chocolate contains caffeine, a mild stimulant. However, dark chocolate contains much less caffeine than coffee. A 1.5 ounce bar of dark chocolate contains 27 mg of caffeine, compared to the 200 mg found in an eight ounce cup of coffee.
3. Helps Control Blood Sugar
- Dark chocolate helps keep your blood vessels healthy and your circulation unimpaired to protect against type 2 diabetes.
- Flavonoids in dark chocolate help reduce insulin resistance by helping your cells to function normally and regain the ability to use your body’s insulin efficiently.
- Dark chocolate also has a low glycemic index and glycemic load, meaning it won’t cause huge spikes in blood sugar levels.
4. Full of Antioxidants
- Antioxidants help free your body of free radicals, which cause oxidative damage to cells. Free radicals are implicated in the aging process and may be a cause of cancer, so eating antioxidant rich foods like dark chocolate can protect you from many types of cancer and slow the signs of aging.
5. Contains Theobromine
- Theobromine, which has been shown to harden tooth enamel.
- That means that dark chocolate, unlike most other sweets, lowers your risk of getting cavities if you practice proper dental hygiene.
6. Dark Chocolate is High in Vitamins and Minerals
- The copper and potassium in dark chocolate help prevent against stroke and cardiovascular ailments.
- Iron in chocolate protects against iron deficiency anemia
- Magnesium in chocolate helps prevent type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
ACTION: Eat some good organic dark chocolate with 72% cocao. If dark chocolate is new to you, try it with 55%.
February 27, 2014
9 Ways 90 Days: What snacks did you love when you were a kid?

by Melanie Albert, Nutrition Expert, Author and Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition
Take a Look at the Snacks You Loved as a Kid

As a kid, I loved ice cream. Now, I really love healthy thick fruit smoothies. And, as a kid I ate red licorice. Now, I enjoy trail mix, goji berries and dark chocolate. I notice that the fruit smoothies I enjoy today are a lot like ice cream; cold and creamy. And, I think one of the reasons I love goji berries is because they are red and chewy, just like the licorice I used to love as a kid.

Superfood Snack: Organic Goji Berries

Come over to Facebook and share your responses to the following 3 questions.

• What snacks did you love the most when you were a kid? __________
• What snacks do you now eat as an adult?_________________________________
• Describe the similarities in these snacks__________________________________

January 5, 2014
9 Ways to Enjoy Food & Life

The 9 Ways to Enjoy Food & Life
1. Hydration
2. Organic Roots & Greens
3. Snacks, Superfoods & Smoothies
4. Right Fats
5. Plant Protein
6. Whole Grains
7. Be Active
8. Self Care & Relationships
9. Live your Passion

December 20, 2013
Enjoy Food & Life: 9 Ways 90 Days Step-by-step Action Plan for Healthy Eating & Living

9 Ways 90 Days Step-by-step Action Plan for Healthy Eating & Living, by nutrition and food expert, Melanie Albert, featuring former NFL players.
NEW BOOK: January 2014

9 Ways 90 Days Step-by-step action plan for healthy eating & living

9 Ways 90 Days Action Plan is based on the successful program which positively affects the health and nutrition of former NFL players and their families. The book offers nutrition education with a simple step-by-step action plan to integrate good nutrition with a healthy lifestyle into life. The program is designed to help you achieve good nutrition and health to reach your personal goals, including reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes, weight loss, reducing joint pain, increasing energy and reducing stress.

Our country is sick and people are confused. They are confused about what to eat, how to shop and how to prepare healthy food. The 9 Ways 90 Days Action Plan, created from sound science and a variety of nutrition theories with hands-on interactive learning and cooking experiences, is a solution to these problems. It also includes simple ways to prepare easy meals with recipes, nutritionrecommendations, and the 9 Ways 90 Days Action Plan to incorporate learning into life.

December 20, 2013