A Full Day of Spa Cuisine Recipes

There has been a lot of talk about “spa cuisine” in the past year and some people are questioning just exactly what the phrase means. Some assume it’s vegetarian or flavorless or served in tiny qualities. Others wonder if it’s new-age “superfood” or supplemental vitamins. In actual fact, spa cuisine can include meat, it’s delicious and, at Mountain Trek, it’s served in perfect portions at the right times during the day so your body doesn’t crave non-essential foods. From a scientific perspective, spa cuisine utilizes the natural elements, nutrients, and minerals in food to assist the body so that it can function at an optimal level of vitality. In layman’s terms, it looks colorful and tastes delicious! You’ll find little-to-no processed or refined ingredients in spa cuisine, and in many instances, a lot of what you’ll be consuming is locally grown or raised and seasonally appropriate. At Mountain Trek, you’ll discover that every single one of our meals is well-balanced and amazingly tasty. In fact, we have an on-site nutritionist who ensures the ideal amount of protein, carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables are consumed throughout the day, and at specific times of day, while our chef is always discovering new and delicious ways to prepare the dishes. To learn more about meal composition and timings read our Healthy Eating Tips blog. But if you’re looking for a daily sample of delicious spa cuisine, we’ve included three recipes below for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Bon Appétit!

Breakfast

Manna Bread Breakfast

Manna Bread is made with whole sprouted grain berries and pure water – a far cry from the heavily processed bread you find in most supermarkets. Manna bread can come in rye or multigrain or varieties and is available at your local health food store. Loaves tend to be smaller but that’s because Manna Bread is more dense and filling. At Mountain Trek, we’ll typically serve men three half-inch slice in the morning while women receive two slices. Women’s portion – serve with:

2 slices smoked cheese (equaling ½ oz. or 14 grams)
2 slices avocado
3 slices tomato
1 tbsp almond butter
Alfalfa sprouts

Men’s portion – serve with:

3 slices smoked cheese (equaling ¾ oz. or 21 grams)
3 slices avocado
3 slices tomato
1 tbsp almond butter
Alfalfa sprouts

Lunch

Kootenay Mushroom Barley Lentil Soup

This recipe tastes best when you use freshly picked mushrooms from the forest floor, like we do at Mountain Trek. Whatever mushrooms you use, though, this recipe (which serves 4) will be sure to delight and fulfill.

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cup yellow onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp grapeseed oil
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 cup celery, sliced
1 cup carrots, finely chopped
2 cup spinach
1/3 cup barley
2 ½ tbsp red lentils
2 ½ tbsp sherry
¾ tsp fresh rosemary
¼ tsp black pepper
¾ tsp paprika
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp thyme
3 ½ cups veggie stock
1 whole bay leaf
2 ½ tbsp parsley
½ tbsp Bragg’s or tamari sauce
2 tbsp flax oil
1/8 tsp cayenne

Directions:

Heat oil and butter in a large soup pan.
Add onions, celery, carrots, and sauté until translucent.
Add mushrooms and garlic and sauté until translucent.
Add barley, lentils and spices and sauté for 10 minutes.
Add stock and let cook over medium heat for approximately 30 minutes or until the barley is done.
Add Bragg’s, sherry, flax oil, and parsley.
At Mountain Trek, our portions are typically two cups for men and 1.5 cups for women.

Dinner

The Kootenay Bowl

This easy-to-make dish is as colorful as it is delicious. It serves four.

Tofu + Marinade:

1 ½ blocks (600 grams) herbed tofu, cubed. (By freezing, thawing, and then squeezing the excess water from the tofu its texture changes, allowing it to absorb the marinade.)
2½ tbsp tamari
2½ tbsp grapeseed oil
2½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ – ½ tsp. rosemary powder
Blend the above ingredients and marinate cubed tofu in it for at least 2 hours before cooking.
Reserve some marinade for cooking tofu.

Dressing:

2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
2½ tbsp water
2½ tbsp tamari sauce
2½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 tbsp tahini Blend above ingredients and serve on the side.

The Bowl:

½ cup quinoa cooked in 1 ¼ cup water
4 cup mixed greens
½ cup beets, grated
½ cup carrots, grated
½ cup red cabbage, shredded very fine
4 large cherry tomatoes, halved 2 tbsp sunflower seeds, toasted 4 pinches alfalfa sprouts
Rinse quinoa well and cook until tender (about 12-15 minutes).
Sauté tofu in a small amount of the marinade until browned on all sides.
Place greens on the bottom of each bowl, put quinoa on top of that, then add rows of carrots, beets, and red cabbage.
Sprinkle with sunflower seeds; add tofu, sprouts, and tomatoes.
At Mountain Trek we serve the following portions: women receive 7 cubes of tofu, 1/4 cup of cooked quinoa and 1 1/2 tbsp of dressing; men receive 9 cubes of tofu, 1/3 cup cooked quinoa and 2 tbsp of dressing.