Cuisine Focus – Spa – Natural and Organic

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In today’s modern times, it can be said that life in the culinary world presents a diverse range of opportunities. Every professional chef’s ability to produce great food lies in his perspective of what is truly good for the mind and body. This concept is fairly presented in a multitude of ways, from the selection of finest ingredients to the complexity of cooking techniques.

Spa cuisine, on the other hand, presents such opportunity. True enough, we have heard of juice bars gaining much attention so to speak. The same interest is also given to quaint dining places, serving light snacks and freshly-made fruit juices. Seemingly, spa cuisine is gradually making a mark in the culinary scene.

Spa cuisine is all about serving balanced and natural foods. Every ingredient has to be clean and fresh. The utilization of plant-based food is also a major element of spa cuisine. In addition, the cuisine involves using the freshest produce such as vegetables and fruits.

On the contrary, the following elements are basically excluded in spa cuisine. Items such as tinned or chemically-treated foods are not welcome in this type of cooking. The use of supplements is also minimal, as practitioners believe in the true essence of spa cuisine- natural, fresh and clean.

Ingredients Utilized in Spa Cuisine

Substitutes:

Sugar- Fructose, Dried Fruit, Stevia

Salt/Sodium- Sea salt, Sea weed, Soy Sauce, Dried Herbs

Fat- Vegetable Stock, Canola Oil, Peanut Oil, Olive Oil, Sunflower Oil

Remember though that these items are used in line with other fresh foods including fruits and vegetables. Moreover, the use of the above-mentioned substitutes has its clear purpose in spa cuisine- to come up with natural and organic food choices. There are also relative explanations for each given substitute.

Sugars are basically used because of its sweetening properties. When it comes to Spa cuisine, great alternatives come in the form of Stevia, which is a non-caloric herb. Anyone who has tasted this item recognizes its effectiveness as a sweetener. In fact, this herb has been used in Paraguay as a flavor enhancer for years.

The idea is to mainly reduce the consumption of sugar in one’s diet. This is of course in line with spa cuisine’s stand against artificial sweeteners.

Fats, on the contrary, are neither essentials nor prime components in spa cuisine. However, since many chefs tend to incorporate fats and oils in their cooking, the practitioners of this cuisine opted to go for other food items. Aside from peanut and olive oils, you can also make use of safflower oil and corn oil as viable alternatives.

Sodium or salt, meanwhile, comes in various forms. In spa cuisine, the use of items like table salt is discouraged due to its inorganic nature. Spa cuisine, as we all know, relies heavily on organic items and instead of using table salt, choices such as herbs, spices, soy sauce and sea salt are utilized as great replacements.

In spa cuisine, it is best to remember that the cooking methods are as important as the chosen ingredients. For followers of said cooking, much significance is being given on how the food is cooked and prepared. The cooking equipment and material preferences are also important as well. In fact, some of the popular choices include grillers, steamers, convection ovens and centrifugal juicers. Also, items such as copper pots, glass pans and stainless utensils are very much preferred, much more than microwaves and deep fryers.

Authentic Spa Recipes

Tarragon Chicken Salad in Cantaloupe Boat

Recipe Source: spaindex.com

Courtesy of Green Mountain at Fox Run, Vermont. Visit the site to print recipes of the month.

Ingredients:

1 pound grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut up*
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup red or green seedless grapes (optional)
1/3 cup toasted almonds
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Salt
Pepper
Cantaloupe

Methods:

Toss chicken celery, grapes and nuts in large bowl. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, mayonnaise and tarragon; add to chicken mixture and mix lightly. Season with salt and pepper. Serve on cantaloupe wedge.

*You can use left over grilled chicken breast or follow recipe below for Grilled Tarragon Chicken Breasts.

Grilled Tarragon Chicken Breasts
(makes 4 servings)

1 1/4pounds raw boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon.

Combine lemon, oil, and tarragon. Rub into chicken breasts, grill to desired doneness, chill, and dice.

Balsamic Strawberry and Spinach Salad

Recipe Source: destinationspagroup.com

Ingredients:
1 Pint Fresh Strawberries
1 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tsps Ground Black Pepper
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Leek, White Portion Only
10 Ounces Spinach, Trimmed Leaves

Instructions:
Rinse and slice strawberries. Combine balsamic vinegar, black pepper and brown sugar. Marinate strawberries in vinegar up to an hour.
Slice leek in half lengthwise and then chop. Soak in cold water for a few minutes to remove any sand. Drain and set aside.
Drain strawberries and reserve the liquid.
Place spinach in salad bowl. Arrange the strawberries over the top of the spinach.
Garnish with leeks.
Just before serving, pour the reserved liquid over the salad.