light dining : Today, more restaurants and hotels are serving spa food, meaning food that is not only healthful but light and lovely, like this airy peach-raspberry yogurt mousse served at 400 North Canon in Beverly Hills.

The word spa , named after the Belgian resort city of Spa, once tripped on the lips of only the privileged few willing to pay the price of lolling in mud baths, sipping natural spring water and nibbling on gastronomie dietetique in order to thin down in luxurious settings.

Today, however, more and more restaurants and hotels coast to coast are serving spa food, meaning food that is not only healthful but light and lovely, too.

In New York, such haute restaurants as Four Seasons, which claims credit for and had copyrighted the coined phrase “spa cuisine” in 1983, along with less costly eateries such as Trumpet’s Restaurant at the Grand Hyatt, are featuring special “fitness” or “spa” menus with the emphasis on healthful as well as beautiful food.

On the West Coast, several major hotel restaurants, generally known as bastions of hearty, continental cuisine, have gone spa, among them the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel, the Garden Pavilion at the Century Plaza Hotel and the cafe restaurants at the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel.

Chef Raimund Hofmeister of the Century Plaza Hotel uses an American Heart Assn.-approved menu designed to provide about 55% carbohydrates, 15% protein and 30% fat for each balanced meal. “Most people who eat in restaurants have one meal a day and we want to be sure it’s properly balanced in every way,” Hofmeister said.

A few restaurant operations, such as Geoffrey’s in Malibu, Carbo’s in Newport Beach and 400 North Canon in Beverly Hills, have built their restaurants around the concept of spa food--beautiful food that is also healthful for you.

Definitions of spa food, we discovered, however, differ from restaurant to restaurant.

Some may perceive spa food as dietetic, meant to help the dieter thin down. This notion has lost favor over the idea of spa food as being simply healthful food that is low in calories, fat, cholesterol, salt and sugar, as well as beautiful in appearance and small in portion size.

Others regard the use of fresh ingredients as a measure of spa food.

Still others see the cuisine as a style. One may cheat on calories and use fat and sugar in regular amounts, as long as the food appears low-caloried and aesthetically pleasing.

And to prove it, we have examples of such definitions here.

At the Beverly Hills Hotel Polo Lounge the emphasis is on fitness even though the dishes are presented attractively enough to give pause. The dishes are “prepared with reduced fat, cholesterol and no addition of salt during the cooking process,” states the menu. The offerings are rather simple, geared to the tastes of clients accustomed to uncomplicated but good food.

On the fitness menu there are garden crudites served with low-fat yogurt dressing, a watercress and cucumber sandwich, a vegetable club sandwich made with tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, Japanese mushrooms, alfalfa sprouts, mache and seven-grain bread spread with yogurt. Instead of whole milk, the menu suggests skim milk, low-fat milk or buttermilk, which contain almost half the calories of regular milk. The sandwiches on the fitness menu are particularly appealing, and a recipe for their vegetable club sandwich is found here.

At Neiman-Marcus, a national specialty department store chain, the interpretation of “ haute cuisine without haute calories” is somewhat loose. Calling its menu “Lights,” it features well-designed dishes that appear light in texture and taste.

“To us, ‘Lights’ means beautiful food with a light look,” said Dale Shumate, director of public relations at Neiman-Marcus. The dishes may or may not be low in calories, although they always appear to be. A crab-grapefruit salad, for instance, composed of crab meat with grapefruit, avocado and papaya and a yogurt sauce contains 427 calories. A crab-stuffed avocado with a tomato and olive-cilantro sauce contains a low 277 calories, whereas an olive-crab calzone has 776 calories per serving. A recent promotion of the “Lights” menu featured Alaskan crab, California olives and Mirrasou Pastel wine ice and cocktail.

The spa food menu of 400 North Canon, a small cafe in Beverly Hills, was designed by owners Mark Warwick and Kim Hoffman with the help of the chef, Nicholas Klontz, a native of Spa, Belgium.

“I have been working on this cuisine for years because I believe it is the cuisine of the future,” said Klontz, whose peach mousse, pictured on Page 1, may look rich, but actually contains fewer calories than expected. Klontz’s recipes use fruit juices, cider, wine, vegetable and fish stock, low-fat cheeses and yogurt in place of rich meat stocks and sauces made with butter. The peach mousse is made with yogurt and peach puree using simple syrup to sweeten the dessert, although artificial sweetener may be used as well. Presentation is all-important.

Carbo’s in Newport Beach began as a bicycle stop for sports and health enthusiasts and serves carbohydrates of just-picked vegetables, pasta and potatoes along with seafood, poultry and some lean beef. Its internationally inspired menu includes a chicken with seafood jambalaya.

The dishes served at Geoffrey’s in Malibu focus on low fat, low sodium, low cholesterol and low calories, prepared without preservatives, additives, artificial seasonings or colorings. “It represents our dedication to combining fine dining with healthy eating,” said Robert Grenner, operator-chef of Geoffrey’s.

For those who ask, Geoffrey’s provides a nutritional guide giving calorie, cholesterol, protein and sodium counts. They will discover that grilled Hawaiian ahi contains 238 calories; grilled lamb with mint and ginger salad contains 301 calories on the brunch menu and herb-cured beef appetizer has 127 calories. All of the dishes have been designed for aesthetic appeal, as well.

Christian Rassinoux, executive chef at the Ritz-Carlton, introduced a fitness menu at the hotel’s cafe restaurant featuring such low-fat and low-cholesterol fare as poached chicken using Moroccan-style spices and crab wrapped in spinach, which contains no fat.

Rassinoux, an avid runner and fitness buff himself, makes use of tofu as a salad dressing and ice cream ingredient. Poultry is skinned, sauces undergo reductions and tofu is used to thicken the sauce base.

“I believe that eating well means eating a balanced diet of meat, poultry, vegetables, fruits and grains, with no hard alcohol except wine,” he said.

Although some restaurants, such as the Hotel Bel Air Sands/Terrace Restaurant, have not come out with so-called spa menus, they are actually serving such food. Chef Annie Rousseau, formerly chef-owner of Chere Charlotte in Paris, and one of the few women chefs in town, specializes in light sauces.

“My cooking is deliberately light. I use very little fat and try to keep the calories low without compromising the dish,” Rousseau said. A Stand-Up Chicken, so-called because it is grilled upright on a skewer-rack, is light in calories, yet a glamorous addition to a patio menu.

Here are some of the recipes from each of the restaurants mentioned to give you an idea of how spa-style food can and does combine healthful eating with eye appeal.

NORTH CANON SPA PEACH MOUSSE WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

3/4 cup fresh peach puree

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1 envelope gelatin

1/4 cup cold water

1/4 cup sugar or to taste

1 tablespoon lime juice

4 egg whites

Raspberry Sauce

Seasonal fruit, cut up finely

Combine peach puree and yogurt. Chill. Soften gelatin in cold water, about 5 minutes. Cook sugar and lime juice in small saucepan until syrupy or until candy thermometer reaches 250 degrees.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Pour hot syrup gradually into egg whites, beating constantly. Melt gelatin over hot water until dissolved. Add to egg white mixture, beating until cold. Gently fold together egg white mixture and puree. Spoon into dessert dishes and freeze at least 3 hours.

Mousse will keep up to 1 week in freezer. To serve, pour Raspberry Sauce over mousse and sprinkle with seasonal fruit. Makes 10 servings. Raspberry Sauce

1/2 pint raspberries

2 tablespoons cold water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon sugar, or 1 packet artificial sweetener, optional

Blend raspberries with cold water, lemon juice and sugar at high speed in mixer and pass through fine sieve to remove seeds. Chill. Makes 1 cup sauce.

NORTH CANON PASTA WITH SCALLOPS

1 1/2 cups vegetable stock or water

2 tablespoons sliced shallots

1/2 tablespoon chopped tarragon

Dash white pepper

Dash nutmeg

1 bunch asparagus, stems separated from tops

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons Neufchatel cream cheese

1 teaspoon lime juice

1 pound fresh fettuccine or linguine

12 large sea scallops, sliced in thirds

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Combine vegetable stock, shallots, tarragon, pepper and nutmeg in saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat. Add asparagus stems. Cook 2 minutes. Add asparagus tops and wine, cooking until tender. Remove asparagus tops, slice into small rounds and reserve.

In blender, combine contents of saucepan with mustard, cream cheese and lime juice. Blend 30 to 60 seconds or until smooth. Strain through cheesecloth or metal strainer. (Sauce can be prepared in advance to this point.)

Cook pasta until al dente. Drain well. Return sauce to pan. Add scallops and simmer over medium heat 30 to 45 seconds. Be careful not to overcook. Add pasta and asparagus tips to sauce. Toss lightly. Garnish with chives. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

POLO LOUNGE CALIFORNIA SALAD

2 cups chopped or shredded lettuce

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 cup chopped broccoli, steamed

1 cup chopped green beans, steamed

1 cup chopped Chinese pea pods, steamed

1 cup chopped asparagus, steamed

Yogurt Dressing

Place lettuce in large bowl. Arrange tomatoes, broccoli, green beans, pea pods and asparagus over lettuce. Serve with Yogurt Dressing. Makes 6 servings. Recipe yields 95 calories (without dressing) per 1-cup serving.

Yogurt Dressing

1/2 cup low-fat yogurt

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Dash white pepper

Combine yogurt, sour cream, horseradish, lemon juice and pepper in bowl. Blend well. Makes 1 cup. Recipe yields 120 calories per cup; 30 calories per 1/4-cup serving.

POLO LOUNGE WATERCRESS SANDWICH

3 ounces low-fat cream cheese

1 1/2 ounces chopped watercress

2 slices pumpkernickel bread

Cherry tomatoes

Mix cream cheese with watercress. Spread over pumpernickel bread slices. Arrange open-face on platter. Cut into quarters. Garnish with cherry tomatoes. Makes 1 serving. Recipe yields 240 calories per sandwich.

BEL AIR SANDS STAND-UP CHICKEN

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon paprika

Salt, pepper

1/4 cup thyme, tarragon or cilantro leaves

1 (2 1/2-pound) chicken or 2 Cornish game hens

In small bowl, blend mustard, honey, vinegar, paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Carefully insert herbs under skin of chicken. Place chicken on upright skewer or spit and brush with mustard mixture. Bake at 400 degrees 1 hour, brushing with marinade every 10 minutes. Makes 2 to 3 servings.

Note: Chicken may be baked without spit or rack.

NEIMAN-MARCUS CRAB-GRAPEFRUIT SALAD

2 cups torn or coarsely shredded lettuce

1 pound Alaska King crab meat

24 sections pink grapefruit

2 avocados, peeled, halved and sliced to form decorative fan

1 papaya, peeled, quartered and sliced to form decorative fan

Lime or lemon wedges

Yogurt Sauce

Arrange lettuce in centers of 4 plates. Place row of alternating crab and grapefruit pieces over lettuce. Arrange 1 avocado fan on one side of each plate and 1 papaya fan on other side. Garnish with lime or lemon. Serve with Yogurt Sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Yogurt Sauce

2 cups yogurt

3/4 cup tarragon leaves, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

Blend yogurt, tarragon and grapefruit juice. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

CARBO’S CHICKEN-SEAFOOD JAMBALAYA

12 ounces chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes

6 ounces scallops

6 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined

Marinade

2 1/2 cups brown rice

2 cups any combination of vegetable, sliced or cut into bite-size pieces (onion, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, bean sprouts, celery)

1/2 to 1 cup chicken stock

Cajun Spice

Salt

Marinate chicken, scallops and shrimp in Marinade 3 to 24 hours. Cook brown rice according to package directions. Keep warm.

Parboil vegetables separately, plunge in cold water to prevent further cooking, then combine. Set aside.

Saute marinated chicken-seafood mixture in 2 to 3 tablespoons Marinade about 1 to 2 minutes. Add vegetables and mix well. Add rice and stir to combine. Add 1/2 cup chicken stock. Cover and bake at 375 degrees 20 minutes. Adjust consistency with additional chicken stock. Adjust seasoning with Cajun Spice and salt, if needed. Makes 4 servings.

Marinade

1/4 cup minced onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/3 cup diced sweet red pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped basil

1 tablespoon corn oil, optional

1 teaspoon salt

3 to 4 tablespoons Cajun Spice

Combine onion, garlic, red pepper, basil, corn oil, salt and Cajun Spice. Mix well.

Cajun Spice

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon curry powder

Mix chili powder, cayenne, paprika and curry powder.

GEOFFREY’S CHILLED PRAWNS WITH PAPAYA-CURRY SAUCE

3/4 pound prawns, peeled, deveined and chilled

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 cup low-fat sour cream

1/4 cup low-fat yogurt

1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel

1/2 papaya

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, slightly toasted in oven

Mache, watercress or arugula (or any other soft lettuce)

Cook prawns in water mixed with wine and prawn shells, if desired, until prawns are just pink or opaque. If overcooked, plunge in ice water to inhibit further cooking. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.

Combine sour cream, yogurt, orange peel, papaya and toasted curry powder in blender container or food processor. Process until smooth. Use at once or let stand in refrigerator to meld flavors 2 to 3 hours.

Place 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce on each of 4 salad plates. Evenly divide prawns and arrange prawns on each plate in attractive pattern around sauce. Garnish with mache, watercress or arugula. Serve with remaining sauce. Makes 4 servings.

GEOFFREY’S GRILLED LAMB LOIN WITH MINT-GINGER SALSA

2 pounds lamb loin

Marinade

Mint-Ginger Salsa

Place lamb in Marinade in shallow pan. Let stand at least 4 hours, turning occasionally to marinate uniformly.

Grill or barbecue lamb over medium coals or bake at 450 degrees 20 to 30 minutes, depending on thickness. Slice thinly.

To serve, spoon Mint-Ginger Salsa on bottom of each plate. Arrange slices of lamb over salsa. Serve with sauteed bok choy or spinach, if desired. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Marinade

1 cup plum wine

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Combine plum wine, garlic and pepper.

Mint-Ginger Salsa

1 large tomato, peeled and finely chopped

1 tablespoon minced mint leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger root

1/4 teaspoon minced shallot

1/4 teaspoon minced cilantro

1/2 teaspoon minced jalapeno chile

1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons plum wine

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 cup tamari or low-sodium soy sauce

Combine tomato, mint, ginger, shallot, cilantro, jalapeno, vinegar, plum wine, sesame oil and tamari. Let stand at least 1 hour.

GEOFFREY’S HERB-CURED FILLET OF BEEF

1 whole fillet of beef

1 cup lavender flowers

1 cup cracked black pepper

Rub beef with lavender and pepper. Let marinate in dry herbs 24 hours in refrigerator.

In large, hot, dry pan, sear beef fillet on all sides. Inside will be pink. If further cooking is desired, bake fillet at 400 degrees 30 minutes or until done as desired. Cool and slice paper thin to serve with creamed horseradish, if desired. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

GEOFFREY’S PINEAPPLE-MARINATED HAWAIIAN AHI

1 cup fresh or canned pineapple juice

1 bunch cilantro, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 3/4 pounds ahi (or other fresh tuna), thinly sliced

Combine pineapple juice, cilantro and garlic in shallow pan. Place tuna slices over marinade, turning to coat well. Marinate 30 minutes.

Grill fish over coals or under broiler 3 inches from source of heat until just done. Do not overcook. Serve over wilted mustard greens or spinach, if desired. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

RITZ-CARLTON CALIFORNIA CHICKEN TAJINE

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 ounce ginger root, peeled and minced

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon cumin powder

Dash saffron threads

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 onion, minced

1 large lemon, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced

3 quarts chicken broth (low-sodium natural chicken stock preferred)

6 boneless chicken breasts halves, skin removed

1/2 carrot, cut into julienne strips

1 stalk celery, cut into julienne strips

1/3 leek, cut into julienne strips

Salt, pepper

Add garlic, ginger, paprika, cumin, saffron, coriander seeds, onion and lemon slices to chicken broth in saucepan. Bring to boil. Continue to cook 25 minutes at boiling point. Cool stock. Flatten chicken breasts slightly with mallet and place in shallow pan. Pour 1 cup reduced broth mixture over chicken breasts. Marinate 15 minutes to 24 hours.

Remove chicken breasts from marinade. Remove lemon peel and onion from marinade. Place small amount of lemon-onion mixture in center of each chicken breast and roll, jellyroll fashion. Wrap firmly in plastic wrap.

Place wrapped chicken in boiling water to barely cover and simmer 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, strain remaining stock into saucepan and bring to boil. Add carrot, celery and leek. Cook until done as desired, about 10 to 15 minutes.

When chicken is done, unwrap and cut into 6 or 7 slices. Place vegetables on platter. Arrange chicken slices on top of vegetables. Season marinade with salt and pepper, if desired, and serve with chicken. Makes 6 servings.

CENTURY PLAZA LOW-CALORIE SOUR CREAM DRESSING

3 cups low-fat cottage cheese

1 1/2 cups buttermilk, about

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons minced green onions

2 tablespoons snipped parsley

Place cottage cheese, buttermilk and lemon juice in blender container. Blend until smooth. If too thick add more buttermilk. Stir in green onions and parsley. Makes about 1 quart.

RITZ-CARLTON CRAB IN SPINACH WITH ALMOND SAUCE

12 medium spinach leaves

12 paper-thin slices peeled white or yellow turnip

10 ounces crab meat

4 teaspoons diced carrot

4 teaspoons diced cucumber

Almond Sauce

Blanch spinach leaves and turnip by plunging into boiling water in skillet 10 seconds. Cool immediately by adding ice cubes to skillet. Dry spinach and turnip with paper towel. Drain liquid from pan.

Overlap 3 spinach leaves and 3 turnip slices in alternating spoke pattern design to form circle. Repeat with remaining spinach and turnip slices to form 4 circles. Top each with 1/4 of crab meat. Top each with 1 teaspoon carrot and 1 teaspoon cucumber. Place in center of plate. Pour Almond Sauce over crab bundles. Makes 4 servings.

Almond Sauce

2 tablespoons white wine

1 small white onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup blanched almonds, pulverized to powder

2 teaspoons lemon basil, minced

2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup water, about, optional

Salt substitute, optional

Place wine in saucepan. Bring to boil. Add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is transparent, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add almond powder, basil, tomatoes and cayenne. Cook 3 to 4 minutes. If mixture becomes too dry, stir in water while cooking. Season to taste with salt substitute, if desired. Pour tomato mixture in blender container. Using metal blade, blend until mixture is pureed. Set aside to cool.