This intimidatingly beautiful book on low-fat spa cooking takes the chi-chi out of spa food and actually makes it accessible to the average cook. Although the easy-to-prepare recipes in Canyon Ranch Cooking rely mostly on fresh produce and meats, Cook It Light expert Jeanne Jones offers alternatives to and substitutes for ingredients you might not find during certain times of the year (such as frozen berries and vegetables in place of their fresh counterparts). Also, many of the recipes incorporate carbohydrates and grains such as pastas, white and brown rice, couscous, and bulgur, which are easier to find year-round. The tone of the book is not restrictive or didactic--Jones really wishes to make the food accessible and friendly, as well as healthful--and the language used is positive and intended to empower the cook both in building a low-fat pantry and in trying new cooking methods. In addition, calorie and nutrient analyses of each dish are provided with portion sizes that are realistic and possible to visualize.
Jones suggests using spices to add dimension to dishes and, from cooking a number of them, we would have to agree--main courses such as Turkey Meatloaf and Polenta Crusted Sea Bass were a little bland. However, the corn salsa that accompanied the sea bass jazzed it up a bit and made it taste both fresh and healthy. The Banana Bread and Fruit Muffins, both of which used whole-wheat flour and minimal oil, were low-fat hits with office tasters. Garbanzo Nuts, or oven-baked, spiced garbanzo beans, are the perfect mid-afternoon snack fix. The salad and dressing ideas are all zesty and quick to make, but finding the fresh ingredients could prove challenging for most of the year. With more than 200 wonderful recipe and menu ideas, the book could end up paying for itself in more healthful and flavorful meals than one could get dining out. The "Canyon Ranch Weekend at Home" ideas in the back of the book will inspire more than a weekend of pampering oneself and eating with ones health in mind. --Gilia Angell
Review for
Canyon Ranch Cooking : Bringing the Spa Home
A beautifully designed cookbook with really tasty recipes. (
User Rating :
50 /50 )
I know people who go to spas, and they have mixed reactions about the food at Canyon Ranch. Some say that they starve to death because the portions are so small, and others claim that the entire eating experience is out of this world. Although Ive not been to Canyon Ranch, I must say that this cookb
Guide to healthful, delicious cooking (
User Rating :
50 /50 )
I recently purchased this book and have been very happy with the recipes I have made. Over the holidays, I cooked corn bisque and teriyaki steak and they were big hits. It was great my family did not know how healthy they were! The Corn Bisque, for example, uses pureed potatoes to give its smooth te
Fabulous, delicious (
User Rating :
50 /50 )
I have thoroughly enjoyed every recipe I have tried from this beautiful book, and I have tried several. The baked fish and chips impressed some of my non-healthy eating guests so much they wanted the recipe and plan to never deep fry again. The price may seem high, but was worth it for some of th
Lean Star Cuisine
Price not available
Easy to follow recipes = delicious low cal/low fat choices (
User
Rating
: 40/50
)
The author is an excellent chef at the Lake Austin Spa and Resort. In his cookbook, he details low fat/low cal recipes he has created and served to the patrons of the resort. He stresses the use of the freshest ingredients (having an extensive kitchen garden at the spa) to enhance the flavor of the ..
Thai Spa Book: Natural Asian Way to Health and Beauty
for $
15.37
A great gift for anyone interested in spas and well-being (
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Rating
: 50/50
)
I got this book as a present and really loved it. I love getting massages and am interested in herbal remedies and this book is very informative and useful, especially the section with do-it-at-home beauty treatments. I also find the book to be very pretty and and pleasant to look at. I highly recom..
Pools & Spas : Ideas for Planning, Designing, and Landscaping
for $
13.97
Great info, great pictures, recommended resource (
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Rating
: 50/50
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There are a lot of pretty home design books out there that have very little information tucked between the pictures. This book is full of information but also has a number of handsome photos of pools, spas, and water gardens which will give you ideas if you are planning a custom designed pool or tub..
