Destination Spa Vacations with Michelle

Credible Nutrition Blogs

Are you looking for credible nutrition advice? The American Dietetic Association is a great resource for all things nutrition. Check out their website and more personal internet blog, RDsWeighIn.

Blog entries are written by registered dietitians based on their true-life experiences as parents, spouses, friends and neighbors, spiced up with practical advice on eating well and staying healthy. Recent entries have covered topics like "Books That Offer Sound Nutrition Advice for Parents", "Strawberries in February?" and "Train Your Brain, Change Your Life".

There are many independent dietitians who are also blogging. Here are just a few:

• Eat Right, Stay Fit
• Joy's Healthy Bite
• A Dietitian’s View   
• Healthy Recipe Doctor on WebMDBlog
• Your Personal Nutrition Guide

And of course, Destination Spas have blogs that dietitians are frequent contributors to:

• Canyon Ranch Insider
• Fitness Ridge
• Green Mountain at Fox Run, A Weight Lifted

Spa Cuisine Delivered to Your Door

What exactly is spa cuisine? I think my friend and colleague Cheryl Hartsough describes it best: “It’s fresh, organic, raw and tasty food.”  Yes, tasty - stop thinking “diet”… healthy food can be delicious!

Just check out some of the recipes available on our website – Parmesan Potato Bites from The Heartland Spa, Santa Fe Chicken Rolls from Cal-a-Vie, and Chocolate Cappuccino Pudding Cake from Lake Austin Spa. Is your mouth watering yet?

Destination Spas serve spa cuisine exclusively, so guests enjoy delicious and healthy fare throughout their stay. After a couple of days, almost everyone finds a dish so delicious that they must have the recipe so they can make it at home. Of course the spas share the recipes, and some take it further by offering cooking classes and selling cookbooks filled with the spa’s favorite recipes.

Regency Health Spa in Florida has taken it one step further by offering spa cuisine for home delivery. Some spas sell 1-2 products but as far as I know, this is the first spa to offer a full line of spa cuisine for home delivery. According to Regency's Chef John Nowakowski, "The guests have been asking for this for a long time, so we are thrilled to be able to finally offer Regency Spa Cuisine for home delivery."

I have not tasted the home delivery version, but I have personally visited Regency several times and know that John’s vegetarian cuisine is creative, delicious, and worth a try. One of my all-time favorite Regency recipes is John’s Famous Tahini Salad Dressing and I noticed that it is one of the items available for delivery. And as I suspected, it is one of the best sellers. Other top sellers include: split pea soup, lasagne bolognese, lentil stew with quinoa, 3 bean enchiladas and of course the chocolate chip peanut butter cookies and oatmeal raisin cookies. Sign me up!

To order Regency Spa Cuisine for home delivery send an e-mail to regencyspacuisne@yahoo.com or call 800-373-7718. And if all goes well, you may be able to buy directly at your local grocery store.

If you want to try making one of the recipes first, here is one of John's cookie recipes. For those who prefer the non-vegetarian route, I've listed equivalent substitutions in parenthesis.

Chocolate Chip Cookies 

¼ cup canola oil
¾ cup brown rice syrup (or honey)
3 tablespoons pure or distilled water
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Ener-G egg replacer powder (or 2 eggs)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup wheat germ
½ teaspoon powdered ginger 
1 cup unsweetened carob chips (or chocolate chips)
½ cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or macadamia nuts OR 
½ cup unsweetened unrefined coconut flakes

1. Whip together the liquid ingredients and egg replacer until smooth.
2. Blend in the flour, wheat germ, and ginger.
3. Fold in the carob chips and nuts or coconut until well blended.
4. Preheat the oven to 325° F.
5. Spoon the cookies onto an oiled baking sheet 1 inch apart.
6. Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.

Per Cookie: Calories 109, Protein 3 g, Fat 4 g, Carbohydrate 16 g, Fiber 1 g, Sodium 5 mg

Support Your Farmer - Join a CSA

CSA? You’ve probably seen the signs at Farmer’s Markets, but maybe still aren’t quite sure what it is all about.

CSA is an acronym that stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Very simply, it is a "food" membership at a local farm. Members pay an upfront fee to belong and each week or month (varies by farm), they pick up seasonal food from a local farm. Usually, the farm has convenient pick-up locations, such as the Farmer's Market. Depending on the farm, the basket may include fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, eggs, honey, meats, and/or dairy. It is a great way to support your local farmer and benefit from the fresh, local, and seasonal harvest.

After complaining profusely about the grocery store produce this Spring, I started looking for other options. And after some research and suggestions from several people, I decided to join a local organic CSA. The first week’s bounty included strawberries, asparagus, romaine, and swiss chard. Everything was full of flavor and exceptionally delicious. The following week's basket included greens, bok choy and more strawberries and romaine. Truly, one of the best decisions I’ve made.

Most of the food is so full of flavor, it doesn’t require a lot of preparation or seasoning. My personal favorite way to prepare asparagus is to toss with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill for 4-5 minutes. Strawberries that are picked when ripe, just need a rinse and can be eaten without any sweetener, unlike those bright red grocery store varieties. And the greens have numerous uses. Here is a recipe using Swiss Chard which I enjoyed the first week:

Spanish Chard (provided by Elmwood Stock Farm)

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound chard or other greens
• salt and pepper
• ¼ cup raisins
• 3 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

Heat oil in large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and sauté until golden, about 30 seconds. Discard garlic and add greens to skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and wilt greens for 2 or 3 minutes. Add raisins and nuts. Season again if desired. Makes 2 to 4 servings.

Farmer’s markets are a great way to buy fresh from the farm, but if you really want to help your local farmer and be sure to have fresh, seasonal fruit Spring-Fall, join a CSA. To find out more about Farmer’s markets, co-ops and CSA’s in your area, visit http://www.localharvest.org/.

And while on your spa vacation, you can enjoy local, seasonal food as well. Many Destination Spas have their own organic gardens on property and serve fresh and organic as much as possible. Plus several Destination Spas hold gardening classes to teach you how to create your own organic garden at home.

What to Eat ?

Over the last two days, I attended a conference with topics near and dear to my heart: Land, Food, & Culture. The subtitle tells it all, "Creating Sustainability Where You Live". Thanks to the great cast of speakers assembled by UK Department of Agriculture and the lively discussions, I left the sessions more educated, moved, and inspired.

The keynote speaker was Marion Nestle, PhD from NYU where she is a professor in the Nutrition Department. Her topic, "What to Eat: Personal Responsibility versus Social Responsibility", closely followed two of her book titles (What to Eat & Food Politics) and thus she was a wealth of information as well as a few food jokes.

I found her Personal Responsibilities to be very similar to my own nutrition messages.

1. Eat less.
2. Move more.
3. Eat more fruits and vegetables.
4. Don't overdue the junk foods (remember organic junk food is still junk food).
5. Enjoy food!

Yes, it really is that simple! And now on to Social Responsibilities. What you buy and where you buy it from, sends a message and can make a difference. Marion encouraged everyone to vote with our forks in order to change policy.

1. Shop the perimeter of the grocery stores, avoid the center aisles.
2. Shop at local farmer's markets.
3. Don't bring junk food home - encourages big companies to make more junk.

And my favorite words of advice, don't eat foods that:

• have more than five ingredients (compare oatmeal to a granola bar)
• you can't pronounce the ingredients
• are artificial
• have cartoons on the packaging
• have health claims (think of them as a cover up - most are over-promoting the health benefits. One example is a "smart" cereal which has 5 health claims and 3 healthy food logos on the box but according to the food ingredient label it contains a lot of sugar as it is listed 11 times. How "smart" is that?).

On a similar train of thought, I'd like to suggest that you aim for foods that don't have any packaging and labels (i.e. fruits and vegetables).

There were several other great messages from the conference that I will share with you in future blogs. In the meantime, check out the tidbits of information from my notes that I've listed below.

• Marion Nestle's books What to Eat and Food Politics
• Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv - book about the effects of nature deprivation
• Slow Food USA - non-profit, eco-gastronomic organization that was founded to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world.
• Niman Ranch - all natural, hormone-free meats
• Marin Organic
• Holly Hill Inn - restaurant in Midway, KY that is dedicated to preserving local agriculture, and use as much locally grown meat and produce as possible.
• Honest Farm - nonprofit sustainable farm committed to raising community awareness of holistic farming practices.
• SPRIG.com - website that will be launching soon. Stands for Smart People R into Green
• Books by Richard Olney and Elizabeth David
• Southern Foodways

If you are interested in learning more and making it more experiential, perhaps a visit to one of the Destination Spas is in order. They offer a wealth of information on sustainable living and some hands on experiences. Several have registered dietitians that provide lectures and advice during the week as well as individual counseling sessions and market tours.  A few (Rancho La Puerta, Lake Austin Spa Resort, Red Mountain, Hosteria Las Quintas) offer organic gardening classes - hands on or off. And many offer sustainable ideas for home.

Spa Cuisine - healthy & safe produce

"Eat your vegetables" is a phrase we all heard growing up. However, today that can be a scary proposition. Canteloupe, spinach, egg salad, and peanut butter have all been plagued by food borne illnesses in the past year.  It certainly makes the trek to the grocery store more interesting and challenging. The up-side is that people are conciously thinking more about what they eat. The down-side is that many people are shying away from the produce section which is by far the most nutritious area of the store.

Produce poses special food safety challenges that other foods don’t. Because fresh produce is often consumed uncooked in its raw state, everyone handling the produce (from field to fork) must prevent cross-contamination from raw or undercooked meats, used cutting boards, and even dirty hands that may be carrying bacteria.

So, what can we do to ensure the produce we eat is safe?  Safe produce can only be assured if there are effective multiple overlapping controls in place. The two main control methods are washing -vigorous washing and rinsing of the produce and hand washing. Although these may not always be fail proof, microbiological contamination can be reduced by washing.

Here are some simple precautionary steps that everyone can take:

• Wash your hands for 15 seconds with soap and warm water after using the bathroom, playing with a pet, or shaking hands with someone who has a cold is very effective in preventing disease. It's also a good idea to wash your hands before eating.
• Putting leftovers away immediately and reheat thoroughly.
• Remove food and/or dishes from the counter overnight, as this will attract roaches and other unsavory insects.
• Only eat thoroughly cooked meats and pasteurized dairy products.
• Sterilize sponges and/or use disposable paper towels for cleaning.
• In the restaurant, ask the following questions: where does your produce come from?how do you handle it? do the employees wear gloves when handling fresh produce?

Destination Spas offer spa cuisine classes that cover a wide variety of topics, including food safety. The Heartland Spa provides its guests with a class called, "Keeping Your Family Healthy in the Kitchen". It includes a discussion about the suggestions above and shows participants how to wash produce and according to Mary Quinn, Director, it's a big hit with the guests.  One question I found fascinating -- What is one of the most bacteria filled item in your kitchen?  Answer: potholder. So add, wash your potholders to the list above!

Produce is very important for health and in the large scheme of food safety, produce will remain a very low source of risk for foodborne disease. So take the precautions and do as your mother told you - wash your hands and eat your fruits and vegetables!

Resources/References:

Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration  http://www.fda.gov

Fresh Produce Branch, Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA http://www.usda.gov

National Restaurant Association http://www.restaurant.org

Fight Bac http://fightbac.org/

Super Snacks from the Spas

If you’re throwing a Super Bowl party or any get-together this winter, your chips are crying out to be loaded up with something. Why can’t your dip be healthful as well? Here are a couple of winning recipes from the Destintation Spas that are sure to be a hit at any party!

Rancho La Puerta’s Aztec Guacamole

10-ounces of broccoli flowers

1 medium avocado, pit removed, scooped out and chopped

1 lime, juiced

1/8 teaspoon salt

½ cup cilantro, chopped

½ ripe tomato, seeded and diced

½ small yellow onion, finely diced

½ small jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced

Parboil the broccoli flowers for 7 minutes and then drain under running cold water. In a food processor bowl fitted with a sharp blade, combine the broccoli flowers and avocado. Pulse very briefly. Add the lime juice and salt and pulse again to blend, keeping as chunky as desired. Add the cilantro, tomato, onion and jalapeño and pulse about 3 times. Again, do not over-process the guacamole.

The Heartland Hummus

4 cups dry garbanzo beans

½ cup tahini

¼ cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon garlic

2 cups vegetable stock

¼ teaspoon cumin

Boil the beans in salted water until quite tender, allow to cool. Blend the beans in the vegetable stock until smooth, add the remaining ingredients and blend. Correct seasonings if necessary.

72 servings of ¼ cup; 125 calories and 4.6 grams of fat per serving.

Green Valley Spa Chunky Salsa

1/2 cup tomato, chopped

4 oz. green chilies, chopped

1/2 cup red pepper, chopped

1/2 cup green pepper, chopped

1 red onion, chopped

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp cilantro, minced

juice from 1 lemon

juice from 1 lemon

Mix all ingredients in medium bowl and serve. For spicier salsa, add chopped jalapeno peppers.

Lake Austin's Warm Artichoke & Cheese Dunk

1 cup onion, minced

2 T olive oil

2 c low-fat mayonnaise

1/2 c skim milk

2 T garlic, minced

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp salt

2 T chopped parsley

2 T lemon juice

1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese

2 15oz cans artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, chopped

Sauté the onion in the oil until softened. Add the mayonnaise, milk and garlic and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes. Combine the mixture with the remaining ingredients. Pour all into a sprayed baking dish and bake at 375 degrees until bubbly and slightly browned (15-20 minutes). Serve warm with baguette bread slices and/or raw vegetables for dunking.

Go Bears!

Spa Cuisine Recipe - Salad Dressings

I enjoy every aspect of food - from the gardening to tasting, especially the latter. I especially like to experiment with new recipes and ingredients. In general, I stick to foods that exist in nature. In other words - no macaroni & cheese out of box or frozen pizzas. It is so easy, much less expensive and tastes 10x better to make it yourself. Not to mention the health benefits. Essentially, this is what spa cuisine is all about.

I find myself paging through Destination Spa cookbooks for recipe inspiration and ideas. This past week I came across two salad dressing recipes, that when modified to my tastes became new favorites.  My hope is that you will try them instead of reaching for the bottles of salad dressing in your fridge that are loaded with sugar, salt, fat and additives. Trust me - they will both take less than 5 minutes to make and taste delicious!

Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette - inspired by recipes from The Hills Health Ranch & The Oaks at Ojai

• 1 shallot, minced (or 1/2 small onion)
• 1 T Dijon mustard
• 2 T white wine vinegar
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
• salt & pepper to taste

In a small food processor, combine first 5 ingredients and pulse. Add oil and sour cream and blend until creamy. Taste and season. Serve over a bed of greens and a fillet of salmon. Enjoy!!

Balsamic Vinaigrette - inspired by recipes from The Heartland Spa & Green Mountain at Fox Run

• 3/4 c balsamic vinegar
• 3-4 T. extra virgin olive oil (depends on your taste buds)
• 1 T. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 garlic clove, crushed and minced
• salt & pepper, or chopped herbs to taste (I like chopped basil if available)

To make the vinaigrette, in a medium bowl whisk all the ingredients except the oil until mixed. Gradually whisk in the oil.

Try one or both and let me know what you think. And if you have a favorite healthy spa cuisine creation, please send it. If I agree, I'll share the recipe with everyone.

Visit www.destinationspas.com for more inspiring and delicious spa cuisine recipes.

Think About Your Drink; Tips for Healthy Sips

A new comprehensive analysis of U.S. beverage consumption called "What America Drinks" suggests that making healthier beverage choices could play a key role in the battle against Americans’ widening waistlines. When trying to lose or manage weight, most of us tend to focus on what’s on the plate. The new study suggests that it’s time for Americans to take a closer look at what’s in our glasses, cups, cans and car drink holders, too.

Based on the study, beverage choice may be compromising the nutrition and health of Americans. On average, beverages supplied nearly a quarter (22%) of calories to the diet, with nutrient-poor, sweetened beverages -- such as soft drinks, fruit-flavored drinks and pre-sweetened teas -- as the largest contributor.

What's in your glass?

You may not think twice about what you slurp through your straw or pour into your glass each day (sodas, smoothies, coffee drinks, fruit drinks, etc..). It is easy to overlook the liquid portion of your meals and snacks. And if you're choosing drinks that are sugar-laden your nutritional health and waistline are probably suffering. “Added sugars, especially in drinks, are linked to higher calorie intake,” said registered dietitian Connie Diekman of the American Dietetic Association. “Making small changes in what you drink may help prevent weight gain and may aid in weight loss.”

Destination Spas promote a diet that includes a wide variety of nutrient-rich whole foods (and beverages) in moderation and balance.

Here are some tips to keep your beverage intake in check.

1. Think about your drink - be conscious about how you are fueling your body versus mindlessly drinking.
2. Drink water at meals - the study concluded that people who drink calorie-rich beverages with their meals, including soda and fruit juices, fail to "compensate" for the added calories (~150) by eating less food.
3. Watch your portions. Most beverage portions are 6-8 ounces, yet most pre-packaged beverages are 20-24 ounces and can include 2-4 portions per container.
4. Switch your glass - Research suggests that serving beverages in tall, skinny glasses may give the appearance of more volume. This might help you trick yourself into thinking you had a full portion and make you less likely to go back for seconds.
5. Stick to 100% juice with no sugar added. If you like, dilute with water or club soda.
6. If you like juice, enjoy a small glass of juice, with your vitamins in the morning versus with breakfast.
7. When it comes to coffee drinks, stick to black or those with skim milk and no sugar added (i.e. small skinny latte vs. extra large caramel mocha choca latte). It is best if you add the ingredients yourself so you know what is going into your drink.
8. Start drinking tea. Not only is tea soothing and delicious, but, throughout its history, it has been associated with important health benefits. While all tea is healthy to drink, Green tea contains the highest level of polyphenols (flavonoids), which are known for their antioxidant activity. Besides antioxidants, tea contains vitamins, minerals, and two mild stimulants, caffeine and theophylline.
9. Hydrate with water during exercise, as well as before and after. Don't worry about sports drinks unless you are engaging in more strenuous exercise. Water is sufficient for most physical activities under 60 minutes. 
10. If you enjoy sodas, try switching to diet or other alternatives. If that is not a reality for you, try limiting to 1 small can and be sure to account for those extra calories.
11. Include a calcium-rich beverage, such as soy or skim milk. Children, teenagers and adults who consumed lower amounts of milk and higher amounts of sweetened beverages had diets that were significantly lower in several essential nutrients, particularly calcium. Only those with high milk intakes and low intakes of sweetened beverages met their calcium recommendations.
12. If you don't drink wine already, don't start. And if you drink wine, do so in moderation. While red wine does have some heart health benefits, studies have shown that alcohol drinking may increase triglycerides and result in weight gain due to its empty calories. Other studies also suggested that alcohol consumption is associated with cancer risk.

Try this healthy beverage recipe from Cal-a-Vie Spa in Vista, California:

Apple Cranberry Tea

• 2 cups unfiltered apple juice
• 2 cups unsweetened cranberry juice
• 4 cups filtered hot water
• 4 bags cranberry tea
• 4 bags hibiscus or red zinger tea
• 2 whole cloves

Combine all ingredients in a stainless steel sauce pan and heat over a low flame until flavors blend. Do not boil. Serve and enjoy! Serves 8 and provides 55 calories per 8 ounce serving. Cranberries and hibiscus are excellent sources of vitamin C.

Additional Destination Spa beverage recipes can be found at www.destinationspas.com   

Healthy Holiday Party Strategies

The Holidays are upon us and that means the party season has begun. Friends, relatives, and co-workers are all hosting special gatherings and events and you are invited. Food is often the centerpiece of such holiday festivities, but it doesn’t mean you have to gain extra party pounds. All foods — even traditional holiday treats — can fit into a healthful eating plan. Of course, balance and moderation are key. The American Dietetic Association has developed these simple and smart tips to keep in mind this holiday season and the rest of the year:

• Be realistic. Don't try to lose weight during the holidays. Instead, strive to maintain your weight by balancing party eating with other meals. Eat small lower-calorie meals during the day so you can enjoy celebration foods without overdoing your calorie intake for the day.
• Take the edge off your hunger before a party. Eat a small, low-fat snack, such as fruit or yogurt, before you head out the door. This will help you avoid rushing to the buffet table when you arrive.
• Meet and greet. Conversation is calorie-free. Get a beverage and settle into the festivities before eating. Try sparkling water and a lime twist rather than alcohol.
• Choose lower-calorie party foods. Have some raw vegetables with a small amount of dip, load up on fruit and other healthful buffet options. To help ensure there will be healthful treats, bring a low-calorie dish to the party.
• Incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. Balance calorie intake by incorporating physical activity into your holiday plans. Activities the whole family can do include walking, ice-skating, shoveling snow or hockey.

One other tip that I like to share is to enjoy the "special " holiday items, such as ginerbread cookies or egg nog, and skip the foods that you can get any other time of year. Most of all remember to have fun! Enjoy traditional holiday meals and party foods with family and friends while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Let me know what your your healthy holiday strategies are!