Spa food - once known for carrot juice as tart as pickles and breads dense enough to double as door stoppers - has evolved into easy-to-prepare, ethnically diverse meals known for their nutritious ingredients.

"You no longer have to go to a spa to eat like being at one. Spa food is actually very easy to make at home as long as you understand that the cuisine is about healthy eating, not dieting," says Barbara Fenzl, a Phoenix cooking-school owner who now teaches spa-cooking classes at the Rancho La Puerta in Mexico and at Lake Austin Spa in Texas.

Coincidentally, Fenzl's spa classes mirror the Southwestern cooking she has taught at Les Gourmettes Cooking School in her home for more than 25 years.

"You use spices instead of butter, other bad fats and salt," she says. "Healthy food should not be punishment, and if prepared right, with plenty of flavor, you won't miss the fat or the calories."

Her spice of choice: chilies. Widely available in grocery stores, chilies need not pack explosive spice. Cooked properly, they can add flavor without the heat. And these colorful, disease-fighting veggies perk up everything from eggs to fruit salads.

"Those at the spas want to leave with more than just memories of the meals, but with the ability to replicate the food at home," says Fenzl, author of cookbooks including Southwest the Beautiful and Savor the Southwest (for which she hosted a public-television series in 1999).

"Once I take the mystery out of chilies and share their many flavors, from chocolate to tobacco undertones, the guests can go home and still eat like they are at the spa."

The first step toward spa cooking at home is to embrace fresh - and preferably organic - fruits, vegetables and lean proteins.

Follow that and these other tricks of the trade to eat spa style at home:

Eat healthful portions. One serving of protein should be about the size of your palm. One serving of veggies should be the size of two fists. Starchy items such as cooked pasta, rice or potatoes should be the size of a tightly clenched fist. Use small plates to make the portions look larger.

Eat slowly and, when possible, eat multiple courses. Your stomach needs about 20 minutes to tell your brain that you are full. Serve an appetizer, salad or soup so that your brain is getting the "I'm getting full" message at about the time the entree is finished.

Looks matter. Arrange the food artistically on the plate. Edible garnishes, from parsley to fruit slices to fresh herbs, are a must. And set a pleasant table. Why save the crystal and china for the holidays?

Start small. Set aside one day or one meal a week for spa cuisine, gradually increasing the number as months pass.

At Rancho La Puerta, guests who pack the spa's cooking classes learn more than how to dice peppers and puree squash.

"I think what our guests learn first is that spa food is not fussy, not hard to prepare," Rancho La Puerta spokeswoman Aida Alibegouvic says. "It's all about healthy ingredients, and not masking food. Fresh food already has flavor, so who needs butter, sugar or salt?"

STRAWBERRY, CHICKEN AND SPINACH SALAD WITH STRAWBERRY VINEGAR
Strawberry vinegar

One-half cup mashed strawberries

1 teaspoon sugar

One-fourth cup white vinegar

Salad:

Salt and pepper to taste

One-fourth cup olive oil

1 pint strawberries, stemmed and cut into slices

1 bag (5 ounces) baby spinach

One-half cup pecan halves, toasted

2 cups sliced cooked chicken breasts

In a small bowl, mix together the strawberries, sugar and vinegar. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to a week. Strain and set liquid aside; discard strawberries. Measure 2 tablespoons to use for the salad dressing; cover and refrigerate the remainder for another use. It will keep for up to 2 weeks.

In a small bowl, mix together the 2 tablespoons of strawberry vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil.

In a large bowl, toss together the strawberries, spinach and pecans. Drizzle some of the dressing and toss; the leaves of the spinach should be just lightly coated with the dressing. Divide evenly among 6 dinner plates and arrange chicken on top. Pass around any remaining dressing. Makes 6 servings.

Source: Cookbook author and teacher Barbara Fenzl, Les Gourmettes Cooking School in Phoenix.

SANTA FE SLAW
Dressing:

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

One-half teaspoon chipotle chile powder

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

Slaw:

4 cups shredded green cabbage

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced

One-half cup diced red onion

2 carrots, grated

One-fourth cup julienned radishes

1 small jicama, peeled and julienned

One-fourth cup chopped cilantro

For dressing, whisk together in a medium bowl the garlic, chile powder, lime juice, vinegar, sugar and salt. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Set aside and allow the flavors to blend.

For slaw, stir together in a large bowl the cabbage, bell pepper, onion, carrots, radishes and jicama. Toss with the dressing. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro. Serve immediately. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Source: Cookbook author and teacher Barbara Fenzl, Les Gourmettes Cooking School in Phoenix.

FRESH PEACHES WITH RASPBERRY CHIPOTLE SAUCE
4 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted, sliced lengthwise, slices cut crosswise in half

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Sauce:

1 package (12 ounces) frozen raspberries, thawed

2 tablespoons raspberry jam

One-fourth cup port wine

1 small chipotle chili in adobo sauce, coarsely chopped

For sauce, put all the sauce ingredients in a blender and puree. Strain into a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate, if not using right away.

Gently toss sliced peaches, brown sugar and lemon juice in a large bowl to blend. Let stand at room temperature until juices form, about an hour.

Divide peaches among 4 plates and drizzle with raspberry chipotle sauce. Pass any remaining sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Source: Cookbook author and teacher Barbara Fenzl, Les Gourmettes Cooking School in Phoenix.

Article Source:  The Arizona Republic • September 13, 2009
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