Want to feel like you are at a health retreat all year round? Jan Purser shares some spa cuisine secrets.

The joy of staying at a beautiful healthspa retreat is that everything is so delicious. From the peaceful surrounds, the nurturing body treatments to the
carefully prepared food, it is a feast for all the senses. You can relive the feast all year round by preparing fabulous spa cuisine at home.
We uncover the best tips and cooking tricks from several spa cuisine experts to help you. David Hunter, the executive chef at the
Golden Door Health Retreat in Queensland and co-author of Purely Golden Door, recommends you start by buying only unprocessed foods.
Avoid highly processed foods such as packaged foods, those that contain additives and preservatives and foods high in fat, particularly fried foods or
foods containing saturated fat and hydrogenated fat. Heating  oil for frying and the process of hydrogenation changes the molecular structure of the oil,
resulting in trans fatty acids, which are thought to contribute to the risk of heart disease.
Instead of using oils, butter or ghee for frying, Hunter uses stock, vinegar or citrus juice as alternatives for pan or wok frying. He also blanches, steams,
grills and bakes in preference to frying or roasting in fat. As you would expect, he has a strong focus on fresh produce and his favourite meal is pan-seared
snapper with warm Mediterranean salad. “This dish shows people you can pan-fry without using oil or butter. It’s high in protein, low in fat and is excellent
for weight loss,” he says.

Simple, organic, fresh

Todd Cameron, the head chef at Gaia Retreat in Byron Bay, NSW, believes spa food is the way of the future. His focus is on simplicity and he uses only fresh
organic and seasonal produce. He draws inspiration from traditional health systems such as ayurveda, macrobiotic cooking and Chinese medicine.
“If you use fresh, organic produce the flavours are so lovely they stand alone and don’t require much seasoning. Rather than serving lengthy cooked desserts,
I might make a sorbet from pureed fresh fruit sweetened with a little white palm sugar or rapadura,” Cameron says. Deliciousness, he says, is very important for
good digestion. If healthy food doesn’t taste great, then enjoyment is reduced and digestion suffers. He, too, avoids frying in oil and adds cold pressed oils at
the end of cooking to add flavour, rather than use them as a cooking medium. He draws on other cuisines that use spices, herbs and sauces for flavour and for
their lighter style of cooking. Mediterranean, South-East Asian, Japanese and Chinese flavours lend well to spa cuisine.

 

Health and balance

Annah Mirananda, the owner of Samadhi Retreat in Daylesford, Victoria, says its chef uses organic and biodynamic foods, focusing on a blend of vegan and
macrobiotic styles. Being a one-on-one retreat, the menu is tailored for each guest to suit their specific health needs. Mirananda believes food is an integral part
of restoring health and balance to our lives. What stands out is the importance of using fresh produce that is organic and seasonal, replacing less beneficial
cooking methods with healthier styles of cooking and removing processed sugars from the diet. David Hunter uses spelt rather than wheat bread along with
rice milk or soy milk rather than dairy. Todd Cameron goes so far as to make his own sesame milk, while Annah Mirananda avoids all animal-based foods
in a vegan approach.
For adding sweetness to dessert dishes, apple or pear juice concentrate or agave syrup are great sugar substitutes. Agave is the fruit of a cactus native to
Mexico and is very sweet while being a low glycaemic index food. Pure maple syrup also contains minerals and can be used in small quantities.
Some enhancing additions for savoury dishes such as stir-fries, soups, vegetable dishes and dressings are: tamari sauce, a wheat-free soy sauce; Asian
sesame oil which adds a unique nutty flavour; a sprinkle of Celtic sea salt or herb seasoning; or a splash of organic vinegar. Spices and fresh herbs are also a
wonderful way to add exciting flavours to a simple dish.
Creating a spa cuisine kitchen essentially means simplifying your approach to food. Aim for fresh fruit and vegetables, good fish or seafood, legumes,
nuts and seeds, and a good variety of grain foods. Add some essential pantry items and you are well on your way to a fabulous retreat of your own.