(Top)
Sorbets such as this White Peach Citrus version at Golden Door are
popular spa dessert offerings.
(Above Left to Right) Chef Scott Uehlein cooks up spa cuisine with
global influences at Canyon Ranch.
Golden Door Grilled Fish.
Chef Steve Pernetti
tends the ranges and the gardens at Cal-a-Vie.
Asian Marinated Tempeh Stir-Fry is dressed up with grilled asparagus and
couscous at Westglow Spa.
Pampering
during a spa vacation doesn’t usually end when a guest steps out of a
treatment room—it usually extends into the dining room at mealtimes.
Some people even think that dining on healthy and delicious spa cuisine
is a highlight of the total spa experience. So, I asked the chefs of
several renowned American spa resorts to share their cooking secrets
that can easily be duplicated in home kitchens.
Chef
Dean Thomas Rucker, of Golden Door in California, thinks that spa
cuisine is often misunderstood. He says, “Spa cuisine has the
reputation of being based on all the foods you can’t have such as
butter, cream and oil. To me, it’s all about what you can have:
fresh seasonal produce and lean proteins.
Portion
control is extremely important—eat small portions of the
calorie-dense foods you crave and fill your plate up with salad
and fresh vegetables to sate your hunger.”
Out
of an on-site three-acre organic garden, Rucker harvests most of the
fresh produce served to the 39 guests Golden Door hosts each week. He
says, “There are many ways to incorporate fresh vegetables into your
diet. Instead of serving plain rice or grains, I fold in finely diced
and lightly sautéed vegetables. This adds vivid colors and flavors to
the rice and makes it more nutritionally dense.”
Rucker
also cooks vegetables and purées them to make thick soups and sauces.
To create a creamy corn soup, he simmers fresh, sweet corn kernels with
carrots, onion and celery in corn stock until everything is tender, then
he simply purées and strains the mixture. This same technique is used
to create thick vegetable-based sauces. He says, “The vegetable is the
star—you don’t need any cream, butter or cheese to make a rich
creamy soup or sauce.”
“To
keep the flavor of fresh vegetables vibrant, don’t overcook them
and use simple cooking techniques.” – Chef Rucker
Pesto
is another staple in Rucker’s larder. He suggests, “Since pesto is
high in flavor, you don’t need a lot of it for impact. For example, I
use it as a finishing sauce by drizzling just a couple teaspoons of it
over a grilled veggie pizza.”
At
Westglow Spa in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, Executive Chef Eban Carter
advocates eating sensibly, controlling the intake of fat, sugar and
salt, while boosting intake of fiber, complex carbohydrates and protein
from vegetable and grain sources. He calls his cooking style “cuisine
naturelle,” meaning animal proteins are antibiotic and hormone free,
and food products are sourced close to home.
Carter
says, “I like to trick the palate into thinking it’s tasting
something more indulgent than it actually is.” He demonstrates this
with aplomb in salad dressing recipes, some of which could double for
marinades. By reversing the 3-1 ratio of oil to vinegar in a traditional
vinaigrette, Carter creates salad dressings packed with flavor but low
in fat. Considering himself a vinegar enthusiast, he starts with
flavorful, low-acid vinegars such as ice wine vinegar, champagne
vinegar, fig vinegar, sherry vinegar, raspberry vinegar or balsamic
vinegar.
“Use
flavorful oils with restraint when making salad dressings.” –
Chef Carter
Carter
adds small amounts of intensely flavored oils such as walnut (high in
beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids), sesame (promotes heart health by
raising HDL cholesterol levels), or fruity, cold-pressed, extra-virgin
olive oil (also raises HDL cholesterol levels) to emulsify the
dressings. To balance out any acidic overtones, Carter will add a small
amount of honey. This cooking technique demonstrates how the use of
restraint and good quality ingredients can create an indulgent dressing
that fits spa cuisine standards.
At
Cal-a-Vie in southern California, Chef Steve Pernetti believes that
proper nutrition is fundamental to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, so
he makes it his mission to provide guests with a dietary program that
energizes the body through flavorful, calorie-conscious meals.
Pernetti’s
style of cuisine is a low-fat, low-sodium adaptation of classic gourmet
fare. He incorporates natural complex carbohydrates (whole grains,
legumes, fresh vegetables and fruit) with modest amounts of lean animal
proteins (dairy, egg whites, poultry and fish) and sparing amounts of
natural cold-pressed oils. When he is developing a reduced fat recipe,
one of his tricks is to replace the flavor and pizzazz that fats
normally contribute to food by creatively adding the robust flavors of
fresh herbs, pepper and lemon juice.
For
example, Cal-a-Vie-style hamburger patties are formed from lean turkey
instead of fattier beef, and they are generously seasoned with
shallots, garlic, scallions and fresh tarragon. Topping them off is a
heady sauce whipped up from chipotle peppers, non-fat mayonnaise and
silken tofu.
“Replace
the flavor that fats normally contribute to food by creatively
adding the robust flavors of fresh herbs, pepper and lemon juice.”
– Chef Pernetti
The
Asian Marinated Duck Salad at Canyon Ranch is peaked with the
pronounced flavors of garlic, ginger, jalapeño pepper, lime and
honey.
“Dining
on spa cuisine at the Canyon Ranch Health Resorts and SpaClubs® is a
total sensory experience,” says Corporate Chef Scott Uehlein.
“Following specific guidelines developed by our nutritionists, I
design meals with visual appeal based on the fresh, bold, vibrant
flavors of quality ingredients, while incorporating the flavor elements
of sweet, sour, salty and bitter."
(Above
Right) Canyon Ranch desserts such as Apple Strudel include no more
than 2 to 3 teaspoons of added sugar per serving.
Rather
than creating healthy cuisine by adapting existing recipes, Uehlein
builds his dishes from the ground up to surprise his audience with new
flavor combinations. He likes using innovative cooking methods to
enhance the natural flavors of his ingredients. For example, rather than
preparing asparagus, Brussels sprouts or green beans by steaming them
(an acceptable healthy-cooking method), Uehlein prefers to spritz these
vegetables with extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle them with sea salt and
ground black pepper, and then roast them at 425° for about 25 minutes
until they are golden in color and crunchy.
Cooked
this way, they display a salty element from the salt, a bitter element
from the crispy exteriors, a sweetness developed by the roasting
process, and a sour element if sprinkled with a garnish of lemon zest.
Combined with the crunchy exterior and soft interior textural elements,
this simple presentation is completely satisfying.
“Microgreens
and herb salads are very versatile and can serve as intensely flavored
garnishes.” – Chef Uehlein
Like
other chefs producing healthy-style cuisine, Uehlein carefully watches
his use of fats. He keeps expeller-pressed canola oil and extra-virgin
olive oil in spray bottles to control the portions that are used to film
pans for sautés. But, what he thinks is more important than the kind of
fat, is the cookware into which the fats are applied. Unlike many home
cooks who reach for their Teflon pans, Uehlein chooses heavy stainless
steel cookware with 1/2-inch thick bottoms for high-heat cooking.
He
says, “In addition to being non-reactive vessels, the thick bottoms
distribute heat evenly so I am able to use less oil when I sauté. Plus,
food cooked in contact with stainless steel will develop a fond (bits of
food and drippings left in the pan that can be used to flavor a sauce
created in the same pan), which doesn’t happen in nonstick pans. I use
nonstick pans only for low-heat cooking such as egg preparations.”
WHITE
BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE
from
Westglow Spa Cookbook, by Eban Carter
In
addition to being a salad dressing, this recipe works well as a marinade
for poultry, fish and grilled vegetables.
½
tablespoon minced garlic
1 ¼ tablespoons sugar
1 ¼ tablespoons kosher salt
1 ¼ cups champagne vinegar
¼ cup white wine
¾ teaspoon ground white pepper
1 ½ tablespoons minced shallots
¾ teaspoon herbes de Provence
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
(Yield: 2 cups)
Combine
all the ingredients in a blender. Mix until puréed and well
incorporated.
GRILLED
FISH WITH MEYER LEMON-GARDEN HERB MARINADE AND HEIRLOOM TOMATO SALAD
If
you wish, use just one of the herbs mentioned if you don’t have all of
them. If Meyer lemons are not available in your area, regular lemons
will be fine. For the tomato salad, choose a variety of vine-ripe
heirloom tomatoes from your local farmers’ market.
Tomato
Salad:
1 ½
teaspoons minced fresh garlic
1 ½ tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound heirloom tomatoes, stems removed, sliced into wedges
1 ½ tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
Fish:
1 ¼
pounds fresh bass, halibut or snapper
juice and zest from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
(Yield:
4 servings)
For
the Tomato Salad: Combine
the garlic, vinegar, mustard and oregano in a mixing bowl. Drizzle in
olive oil while whisking to combine. Season to taste with salt and
pepper. Toss dressing with tomato wedges, cover and chill at least one
hour.
Remove
from refrigerator and toss in the chopped parsley. Adjust the seasonings
if necessary.
For
the Fish: Remove
bones and skin if applicable and cut the fish into 4 portions.
In
a mixing bowl, combine lemon juice, zest, olive oil and herbs; pour over
fish, cover and marinate in the refrigerator 1-3 hours. Remove fish from
marinade and season with salt and pepper. Grill the fish over high heat
about 3 minutes per side or until just opaque in center.
TARRAG0N
GRILLED TURKEY BURGERS WITH CHIPOTLE MAYONNAISE from
Cal-a-Vie's Gourmet Spa Cookery, by Yvonne Nienstad
At
Cal-a-Vie, these burgers are served with lettuce, tomato and pickles on
whole wheat buns studded with sun-dried tomatoes.
Chipotle
Mayonnaise:
2
chipotle peppers
3 ounces silken tofu
3 tablespoons non-fat mayonnaise
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Turkey
Burgers:
1 pound
ground turkey (if wet, add 1/4 cup wheat germ)
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1 tablespoon chopped scallions
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg (or 2 egg whites)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
(Yield: 4 servings)
For
the Chipotle Mayonnaise: Combine
all the ingredients in a food processor bowl and blend well. Store in
the refrigerator.
For
the Turkey Burgers:
Mix all the ingredients together well, then form into burgers. Grill
burgers over medium-high heat until cooked through and juices run clear.
LAMB
CHOPS WITH POMEGRANATE MOLASSES
from
Canyon Ranch Cooks, by Scott Uehlein
The
ground sumac and pomegranate molasses called for in the recipe can be
found at Middle Eastern markets or ordered online.
1
tablespoon ground sumac
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
6 4-ounce lamb chops, trimmed of all fat
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (or pomegranate syrup)
(Yield: 6 servings)
Preheat
the grill or broiler.
In
a small bowl, mix the sumac, salt and pepper. Dust the lamb chops on
each side with the sumac mixture. Grill or broil the lamb chops until
cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Serve each lamb chop with
1 teaspoon of the pomegranate molasses.
