Taking Spa Cuisine Home

Last fall my sister invited me to spend a long weekend at a spa in Ojai. It was a fulfilling experience, a time to refocus, get back on track and relax away from the stresses of the working world. In short, it was what most of us are ready for in January after the holiday push.

Although we were eating only about 1,000 calories a day, we did not feel hungry. Most meals consisted of lots of fresh vegetables and fruits along with small portions of meat or fish.

It occurred to me that some of the weight-loss methods I observed at the spa could easily be adapted for home use. With that in mind, I created some spa-like recipes that are light, clean-tasting and delicious.

For instance, spa menus often rely on soups, mostly based on water, vegetable broths or nonfat stocks. Spa cooks know that a big steamy bowl of soup can be fulfilling and nourishing, but low in fat and calories. With this in mind, I created a simple ginger and Manila clam soup with winter melon. A bonus: If you use seven or eight Manila clams, which are smaller than regular clams, it looks as if you’re getting more to eat than when you have three large ones.

Another Asian-inspired dish I love is steamed daikon greens with soy beans and translucent bean starch noodles. Seasoned only with a bit of sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds, this dish has a very clean taste and looks beautiful on the plate.

Steamed asparagus is a spa standard, and, with a low-fat creamy mustard vinaigrette, it’s a terrific light lunch and makes a wonderful side dish for a small portion of fish or poultry.

Flavored nonfat beverages are good midmorning and midafternoon break foods that don’t have to add fat or many calories. Indian Chai Tea, a soothing, warming drink scented with cardamom and ginger, is great for morning or bedtime (though it does contain caffeine). Cleansing Apple Drink, flavored with lemon and lime and a touch of rosemary, is on the tart side and tastes great lightly iced. Drink it after a meal to aid in digestion or for a morning eye-opener.

Finally, just because you’re watching your fat and calories doesn’t mean you have to give up dessert. Whipped Lemon Pudding--made with low-fat, high-protein tofu, whipped until light and fluffy, and flavored with lemon--is actually good for you.

That’s the secret of great spa food: It tastes great while making your body look and feel better.

Ginger Clam Soup

Active Work Time: 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes *Low-Fat

Winter melon and Manila clams, the smallest clams in the market, can be found in Chinese grocery stores.

1 cup low-sodium nonfat chicken broth

3 cups water

2 tablespoons thinly sliced ginger root plus extra for garnish

1/2 pound peeled winter melon, cut into 2-inch pieces

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 pound Manila clams

Cilantro leaves (optional)

* Heat chicken broth, water and ginger in large saucepan until boiling. Cover and let simmer 10 minutes. Add winter melon and salt. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.

* Meanwhile, clean clam shells of sand and dirt. Rinse well under running water and drain. Set aside.

* Add cleaned clams to broth, cover and simmer 4 to 5 minutes, until clams open. Garnish with few cilantro leaves and sliced ginger.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving: 59 calories; 327 mg sodium; 19 mg cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 0.82 gram fiber.

Steamed Asparagus With Mustard and Caper Vinaigrette

Active Work Time: 7 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 15 minutes * Vegetarian-Adaptable *Low-Fat

12 large asparagus spears

Water

1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon roughly chopped capers

1 teaspoon minced chives

Salt

* Peel lower half of asparagus stems using potato peeler. Steam asparagus spears in steamer over boiling water until asparagus is just tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

* While asparagus steams, whisk together mayonnaise and mustard in small bowl. Whisk in rice vinegar, broth and lemon juice until smooth. Stir in capers and chives. Add salt to taste.

* Drizzle vinaigrette on top of asparagus or serve as dip.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving: 27 calories; 182 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.36 gram fiber.

Cleansing Apple Drink

Active Work Time: 5 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 5 minutes * Vegan

Pink Lady apples work great in this drink, but any tart-sweet apple will do.

1 Pink Lady or Granny Smith apple, cored

1 stalk celery

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon minced rosemary

Crushed ice

* Cut apple in eighths. Put apple and celery through juicer. Stir in lemon and lime juices and rosemary. Pour over crushed ice to serve.

1 cup serving. 1 serving: 89 calories; 35 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 24 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 1.11 grams fiber.

Chinese Vegetables With Bean Curd

Active Work Time: 10 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 40 minutes * Vegan *Low-Fat

Daikon greens and soybean “peas” are available in the frozen food sections of Chinese markets. The green bean starch sheets are sold alongside dry noodles at Chinese markets.

Water

1 green bean starch sheet

1 pound daikon greens

1 cup frozen soybean “peas”

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Salt

* Pour boiling water to cover over bean sheet in large bowl. Let sit 30 minutes.

* Meanwhile, cut ends off daikon stalks. Cut large stalks and leaves lengthwise into 1/2-inch-long pieces. Cut leaf pieces crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide pieces. Steam greens over boiling water 7 to 8 minutes, until greens are crisp-tender and bright green.

* Steam soybean peas over boiling water about 2 minutes, until beans are heated through. Toss together soybean peas and steamed greens.

* Drain water from bean sheet and cut into 1-inch-square pieces. Steam cut bean noodles until heated through, about 5 minutes.

* Toss bean noodles with vegetables, sesame oil and sesame seeds. Add salt to taste.

6 servings. Each serving: 95 calories; 72 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 1.47 grams fiber.

Indian Chai Tea

Active Work Time: 3 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Serve the tea warm or as a lightly iced refreshing beverage.

4 green cardamom pods

1 cup water

1 slice ginger root, about 1/4-inch thick

2 black tea bags

1/2 cup nonfat milk

2 tablespoons honey

* Lightly crush cardamom pods and seeds using side of knife.

* Bring water, crushed cardamom and ginger to boil in small saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add tea bags and let steep 3 minutes. Remove tea bags. Stir in milk and heat tea to simmer. Stir in honey and strain into cup.

Makes 1 (1-cup) serving: 185 calories; 75 mg sodium; 2 mg cholesterol; trace fat; 43 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 0.17 gram fiber.

Whipped Lemon Pudding

Active Work Time: 7 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes *Nonfat

The pudding gets its richness from tofu instead of cream. It can be made up to a day in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator to be ready when you have a sweet-tooth attack. Grate only the yellow part of the lemon peel to get the zest--the inner white pith is bitter. Note that the egg whites are not cooked; to be absolutely safe, use sterilized egg whites instead.

1 (12.3-ounce) package firm low-fat tofu, drained

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, plus extra for optional garnish

2 egg whites or 1/4 cup sterilized egg whites

1/4 cup sugar

* Beat tofu in food processor or electric mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in lemon juice and lemon zest.

* Beat egg whites to soft peaks in large bowl using whisk or electric mixer. Gradually beat in sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.

* Fold tofu mixture into egg whites. Spoon into serving dishes. Garnish with grated lemon zest if desired.

Makes about 3 cups or 4 servings. Each serving: 93 calories; 97 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 0 fiber.

Roasted Beet and Citrus Salad

Active Work Time: 10 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour *Low-Fat

2 bunches (about 6) beets

Nonstick cooking spray

Salt

1 cup Creamy Cucumber Dressing

4 cups shredded red cabbage

3 oranges

2 dill sprigs

Cut tops off beets, leaving about 2 inches of stems.

Spray 13x9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add beets and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Season with salt to taste. Roast at 450 degrees until beets are tender, 45 to 55 minutes.

Meanwhile, make Creamy Cucumber Dressing, shred cabbage if not using preshredded and peel oranges and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Set aside.

Remove beets from oven when tender and let stand sit? until cool enough to handle. Cut off stem and root ends, then peel. Cut beets into 1-inch cubes.

Arrange beets and oranges on bed of shredded red cabbage. Serve with Creamy Cucumber Dressing and garnish with dill.

4 servings. Each serving: 136 calories; 356 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 30 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 2.30 grams fiber.

Creamy Cucumber Dressing

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 7 minutes *Nonfat

The dressing recipe yields about 2 1/2 cups, but you’ll only need about a cup for the Roasted Beet and Citrus Salad. Keep the remainder for other salads.

1 cucumber, peeled

1 (12.3-ounce) package firm low-fat tofu

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon minced fresh dill

Nonfat milk (optional)

* Cut cucumber into 2-inch chunks. Process in food processor or blender until pureed, then blend in tofu until smooth, about 3 minutes. Blend in garlic, lemon juice and salt. Add dill and blend just until mixed, 30 seconds. If dressing thickens upon standing stir in a little nonfat milk.

2 1/2 cups. Each 1/4-cup serving: 20 calories; 266 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.20 gram fiber.

* On cover, clockwise from upper left: Capiz shell condiment bowl and dinner plate from Malibu Colony, Malibu; footed glass and spoon from Geary’s, Beverly Hills; glass tumbler and capiz shell plates and placemats from Magpie, Manhattan Beach; silver leaf tray from Algabar, Los Angeles; and placemats from Tesoro, Beverly Hills.