Destination Spa Vacations

Healthy Recipe - Chocolate Fondue - Red Mountain Resort and Spa

The day of love is almost here! Perhaps no other ingredient says love like chocolate. There's even more amore when the chocolate dish is low-cal. We fell in love with this Fondue recipe from Red Mountain Resort Spa in Utah. Cheers!

Chocolate Fondue with Strawberry, Banana and Pineapple

• 2 oz. sweetened condensed milk
• 2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 oz. whipping cream
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Combine all items in a microwave safe container.
2. Heat until chips are melted stirring occasionally.
3. Divide into four ramekins (serve warm with fruit).
Fruit per serving: 2 banana chunks, cut in 1" pieces; 2 strawberries; 4 pineapple chunks

Healthy Living at and away from Destination Spas

Having recently spent three weeks on a Destination Spa trek, I picked up a slew of healthy living tips along the way. In the amazing surroundings of Rancho La Puerta, The Oaks at Ojai and Red Mountain Resort & Spa, it became second nature for me and my fellow spa-goers to live healthy from morning to bedtime.

But, what happens when it’s time to go home? I am going to the Farmers’ Market, walking daily, drinking fresh coconut milk and putting pots of fresh herbs in my kitchen. I found more tips when I read an article this week by Jen Adkins of About.com. Jen wrote, “Every once in a while it seems we take stock of where we stand when it comes to healthy living. Are we taking care of our bodies? Are we doing our best to take care of our earth? Or are we stuck in a rut and need a little help digging out?”

It’s true that we can all use a healthy nudge every now and then, and this article makes it simple with seven healthy living tips. Shameless plug, I am quoted in the tip on detoxing your body along with Sue Donnellan of BodyVerde Naturals. Sue recommends drinking warm water and lemon every morning to help your body eliminate toxins and give skin a healthy glow.

Jen goes on to cover how to make your own body lotion and organic shampoo, waste not with your products, and keeping chemicals out of your hair. The piece is a great read - http://skincare.about.com/od/insiderinterviews/a/7-Tips-For-Healthy-Living.htm

What are your healthy living tips? I’d love to post them. Let’s chat, Debra

Healthy Recipe - Trilogy of Grains - Red Mountain Spa

From following my postings, you know that I just spent three weeks on a Destination Spa Journey. I spent a week each at Rancho La Puerta, The Oaks at Ojai and Red Mountain Resort & Spa . Thoughout my trek, I managed to lose eight pounds. Considering how amazing and filling the food was, I thought this weight loss was impressive.

A recipe that I definitely plan to recreate is the Trilogy of Grains from Red Mountain. I hope you'll try it too!

 

Trilogy of Grains
-1 Cup Kamut, dry
-1 Cup Quinoa, dry
-1 Cup Wheat Berries, dry
-Water or fruit juice

In a volume of water (or fruit juice) equal to that of the grain, simmer as follows *Note: It is important to cook grains separately, as they have different cooking times:

• Kamut: Simmer in 4 Cups Water for 1 hour
• Quinoa: Simmer in 1 2/3 Cups Water for 30 minutes
• Wheat berries: Simmer in 2 Cups Water for 1 hour

Mix the cooked grains and serve. Other grains may be substituted, but usually need to be cooked separately to maintain integrity of texture.

My Week at Red Mountain Resort and Spa...

My time at Red Mountain Resort and Spa was amazing and I can’t even begin to describe the incredible environment where the spa is located. The pictures and descriptions do not even begin to capture the beauty of the brick-colored mountains. 

I began most days with a hike and as the week progressed, ventured into the more challenging hikes. My confidence soared as I walked thin ledges, crab-crawled vertical inclines and slid down steep embankments. You cannot visit this location and not venture out into the amazing hills for the morning hikes.

Being in the massage industry, I am a pretty good judge of massage sessions and I have to say I had one of the best massages. Jennifer was not only excellent at the technique part of doing a massage, but excelled in the soft skills. We break a massage into sections and there are key things which are important within each section.  She delivered in every area:

• The greeting: We encourage all therapists to make eye contact, state their name and shake the hand of the guest.
• The intake: This is the time to see what the guest is looking for in their massage and if there are any concerns to be aware. It is also a time when the therapist can offer to customize the massage based on the feedback the guest has provided, making the guest massage meet the guest's current needs.
• The first part of the session: Very quickly a therapist should check in on pressure and ensure they are working at the right depth.  Pressure is subjective and should always be gauged by asking, “For the pressure, would you like me to go deeper, come out or stay here?” This forces the guest to choose what pressure they desire.
• Customization during the massage: Mid-massage, I asked for her to skip my arms and work extra with my feet. She was more than happy to accommodate this “in the moment” request.
• Presence during the massage: Often I have found that therapists check-out during the massage.  I could tell my therapist was staying present with me and the strokes she was applying. This makes a huge difference in the quality of touch delivered.

Great Job Jennifer! Love, a very relaxed Debra

More from my Week at The Oaks at Ojai...

The Oaks at Ojai draws a very loyal and long-term guest. During my week there, I was able to meet many great people who had been coming for years and viewed the Oaks as part of their family. Many shared wonderful stories of weight loss and health. One guest visits at least four times each year so she can stay on track and not gain back any of the 60 lbs the Oaks helped her lose. She loves the feeling of returning to a comfortable place and being greeted by people who know and love her.

I was very happy to see how active Oaks' founder Sheila Cluff (pictured with me) is with the spa. Sheila is the 75-year old mother of four and grandmother of four who lives the lifestyle she teaches. A former star and host of her own fitness talk shows on NBC and KABC, Cluff began her career as a Sonja Henie professional figure skater. She introduced “Cardiovascular Dance” to the world in the l950’s which today is known simply as “aerobics”.

At the Oaks, she continues to teach fitness classes, lead walks and share educational information to the attending guests.  I participated in her morning walks, stretch classes and art tours and honestly, had a hard time keeping up.  Her energy and positive attitude is infectious and encourages me to take the right steps so I can age with grace, beauty and strength.

All in All, I had a fabulous week and am leaving feeling inspired, detoxed and ready to dance! On to the next amazing Destination Spa, Debra

My Week at The Oaks at Ojai...

Dancing my heart out, hearing amazing stories and being inspired by fitness goddess Sheila Cluff (pictured) are just a few of the memories I carry from my week at The Oaks at Ojai.

Nestled in the beautiful Ojai Valley of California I arrived late in the evening and was greeted by Christine the Executive Chef with a hot and healthy meal. Being totally honest, I had been nervous about the 1,200 calorie diet plan most guests adhere to. My concerns were immediately put to rest when I saw the dinner waiting for me (pictured). Not only was it flavorful and delicious, but it was a lot of food for only 350 calories. In fact, for the entire week I felt completely satisfied and didn’t miss anything. And…I never snuck down the road to the tamale stand to gobble up some contraband food!

Looking at the weekly schedule, I was very excited by the variety of dance classes offered. For a long time I have wanted to take some fitness dance classes, but shied away from trying them because I was having visions of the class being filled with perfect J. Lo Barbie dolls who knew every dance move. To my relief, the classes were filled with beginners like me.

Starting out with a cardio dance class, taught by the amazing Elizabeth, I quickly realized that not only was I having a blast, I was sweating a lot and burning some serious calories. (Me pictured post-dance). Even when I woke up in the middle of the night with shooting pain in my hips, I didn’t care because I was so excited my hips could still move after a decade or so of sleeping. Yay, they woke up! I think I’ll be finding a Zumba class when I get home.

To be continued... Debra

More from my week at Rancho La Puerta...

And the food at the Rancho La Puerta … oh my. I quickly realized that simple is often better. Meal after meal, I continued to be amazed at how incredible the food tasted and how close to the Earth they kept the meals (there is little added that is not natural.) 

Herbs and spices easily replace all the artificial flavors, sweeteners & salts we so eagerly add to our own cooking. While seafood was served occasionally, we relied primarily on a fruit and vegetable diet. I didn’t feel like I missed a thing.  

The Ranch also afforded me the opportunity to create space within my day to read, reflect and journal. I had set the intention to go inward and spend time waiting for some moments of clarity to naturally arise.  By the third day I was seeing things that are masked within my often busy life. I discovered being alone is actually cool, that I do not have to label and categorize everything in my life in order to understand it and that sometimes it is ok to wait for the dust to settle before making decisions. I found a place of deep appreciation not only for where I am at in my life, but for all the people who have shown up to share their love with me over the past couple years.  

Ending on a note of gratitude, I am extremely grateful for being in a position to visit this place of miracles and I eagerly await my next journey here.

Hasta que nos volvamos a encontrar, Debra

My Week at Rancho La Puerta...

Discovering a hidden artist begging to come out, acknowledging the introvert in me and loving the amazing low-fat, low-sugar and low-salt meals straight from the Organic gardens are just a few of the highlights from my week at Rancho La Puerta. Edmond and Deborah Szekely created this beautiful sanctuary in 1940 with the intention to transform their guests’ understanding of their role in the care and feeding of their bodies, and to appreciate and protect nature.

As I eagerly counted the minutes until I arrived, I set my intentions for the week, including a strong desire to not over-schedule so there would be opportunity to go inward and find insights on current life situations. I also wanted to spend time purposefully visualizing what the second half of my life could be like. With about 50 exciting classes offered each day, this was a little challenging, but I held true to my commitment.

The magnificent property rests on 3,000 acres, much of which is a nature preserve and I often found myself walking property paths to find hidden landscaping treasures and sculptures. One of my favorite spots to hang out after a class was my back patio. There was an amazing view of the mountain and a solitary tree at the top crest. As I gazed upon the tree and let my mind clear, many personal insights unfolded.

More insights unfolded during Jose’s sculpting class. This is where I met my artist within. I’ve always had a passing interest in sketching, but have never taken the time to explore anything beyond an introductory class. Deciding to take the sculpting class with Jose’ (a fabulous sculptor and teacher), I found myself completely immersed in creating a woman’s head from the clay. When she was done, I named her Free.

Hmmm, maybe there are some art classes in my home town. To be continued.... Debra

Healthy Recipe - Marinated Shrimp on Rosemary Brochettes - Rancho La Puerta

Hola! My week at Rancho La Puerta is amazing! I have eaten some of the most flavorful, creative and healthy dishes in my 40+ years. One of the main reasons the food at the Ranch is so fresh is the guy pictured here: Salvador, the Chief of Organic Gardens.

I have not tried the Marinated Shrimp yet, though hope to do so before I leave in a few days. Enjoy!

Marinated Shrimp on Rosemary Brochettes

• 6 4-inch sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 18 large shrimp (either 12 OR 16 shrimp to the pound), shelled and de-veined

Marinade:

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium shallot, medium dice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/3 teaspoon dried
• 1-2 teaspoons paprika
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Grated zest from 1 lemon or lime

1. Trim rosemary leaves from sprigs, leaving the top 1-inch intact.
2. In a baking sheet, mix marinade ingredients. Place cleaned shrimp in the pan and coat all sides with the marinade.
3. Place 3 shrimp on each rosemary skewer.
4. Return skewers to the baking tray. Cover and refrigerate at least 1/2 hour to allow flavors to meld.
5. To cook, place skewers on a flat grill or in a large pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cook shrimp over medium heat for 2 – 3 minutes per side, or until cooked through.

My Week at Rancho La Puerta

Hello everyone from beautiful Rancho La Puerta! I arrived on Saturday and am thoroughly enjoying every minute at this amazing Destination Spa. As you'll see, I set 10 intentions when I arrived at the Ranch. "Be authentic, bring myself to the present moment more, reflect on the first half of my life"... yes, gang, I am being quite deep!

I'm halfway though my week and I am happy to report that those intentions are the perfect pairing for this experience. I'm having plenty of alone time in my casita at night, coupled with lively interactions during dinner and plenty of amazing classes with my fellow spa-goers throughout the day. I'm learning a lot about myself on this Journey into Wellbeing.

Take a glance at my list (above) and then I hope you'll think about your intentions for 2012. I'd love to hear what you are planning. In the meantime, I'm off to participate in a few of the 50 or so amazing classes at Rancho La Puerta... or maybe I'll just lie in a hammock and reflect some more! From a happy place, Debra