Healthy Easy Entertaining: Resort Style

Canyon Ranch inspired healthy easy entertaining with Chicken or Shrimp Kale Peanut Salad, Crème Brulee a la Orange, Watermelon Mint Lemonade Healthy Recipes

Everyone is talking about eating healthy and getting fit right now. January is the month of increased gym memberships and optimistic diet plans. After all the parties and indulgences of the holidays, it’s normal to start the new year wanting to make healthier choices. But here’s the problem. We can’t put life on hold.

Are you declining invitations to go out saying “I’d love to go but I’m on a diet”? You’re not alone. It’s quite common to avoid entertaining or going out to eat when you are trying to eat healthy.

I have one thing to say about that: DON’T.

We must continue to enjoy life in order to keep those healthier habits in the long-term. Food is more than nourishment for the body. It’s nourishment for the soul. The enjoyment of food and sharing it with those you love is the key to happiness, in my humble opinion. You know how people appear to be in a bad mood when they are dieting? Well, that’s because they are. That’s because they are depriving themselves of joy.

Again I say, don’t do that! Food is joy. It must be enjoyed guilt-free.

When I visited Canyon Ranch Resort & Spa in Tucson Arizona, I learned some great tips about healthy eating and leading an overall healthy lifestyle. I love their philosophy that food should be delicious, fresh, boldly flavored and most importantly, joyful. Their recipes, created by Corporate Chef Scott Uehlein and his team, make it easy without sacrificing flavor, which is absolutely sacred for me.

Life is too short to eat bland food.

I don’t care how good it is supposed to be for you. You can take your kale and stuff it, if it’s going to taste like dirt. Are you with me?

I am often asked how a food enthusiast, chocoholic, ice cream fanatic, wine-loving blogger like me eat like I do and not gain a million pounds. I won’t lie. You may not like the answer. It’s not easy, but it’s doable, and it has nothing to do with good genes. Click to read my 5 Tips to eat like a food blogger and stay fit and you too can enjoy your favorite foods.

During my recent visit to Canyon Ranch in Miami Beach, I enjoyed a wonderful lunch with my family which I wanted to recreate at home for an afternoon party. Lucky for us, Canyon Ranch offers a collection of their delicious healthy recipes on their website as well as great tips for a healthy life. The menus at Canyon Ranch restaurants give you all the nutritional information, which at first is quite daunting, until you realize that it is all about balance. There is no such thing as no fat, no carb, no sugar on this menu, which I really like. Their portions are the perfect size. Yes, the plate does look small when it arrives at your table, but that’s simply because we are so accustomed to seeing huge plates in restaurants.

Next time you want to host friends over for lunch, know that Healthy Easy Entertaining is possible. Don’t worry about breaking the diet or the New Year’s Resolutions with these healthy and delicious recipes. Don’t hold back, GO Entertain!

Shrimp Kale Peanut Salad had a terrific blend of flavors and textures that was very filling as a result of the kale and veggies. The peanut dressing had the right blend of spiciness and consistency which coated the kale and gave the salad a nice zing. No dirt taste on this kale! You can also make this salad with chicken, which is the recipe provided on the Canyon Ranch website.

Chicken Kale Peanut Salad Recipe

Written by The Canyon Ranch Kitchen
Servings: 4

Nutrition Information (per serving)

Calories: 330
Protein: 32 g
Sodium: 306 g
Carbohydrates: 18 g
Fat: 15 g
Fiber: 5 g
Cholesterol: 66 g

Ingredients
Peanut Dressing

½ cup roasted, unsalted peanuts
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp low-sodium tamari sauce
2 Tbsp cane sugar
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp water
1 tsp minced jalapeños, deseeded and deveined
¼ cup firmly packed, fresh finely chopped cilantro

Salad

2 cups firmly packed julienne-cut kale, deveined and de-stemmed
1 cup firmly packed chopped cabbage
½ cup diced cucumbers
½ cup diced Roma tomatoes
½ cup diced jicama
½ cup chopped snow or snap peas
¼ cup firmly packed cilantro leaves
4 4-oz cooked and diced boneless, skinless chicken breasts (substitute for Shrimp)
¾ cup Peanut Dressing

Instructions

1. For Peanut Dressing, combine all ingredients except cilantro in a blender. Pulse briefly so mixture is slightly chunky. Stir in chopped cilantro by hand.
2. In a large bowl, add kale and rub leaves together until softened. Add the rest of the ingredients and Peanut Dressing. Toss until salad is well coated.
3. Divide salad into 4 equal portions.

For dessert, I ordered Crème Brûlée a L’Orange. Crème Brûlée is one of my favorite desserts (especially when I’m full. You can somehow always find space for this creamy goodness!) If I see it on a menu, you can bet I’m going to order it and it was nice to see it at Canyon Ranch. It made me feel much better about indulging in one of my favorite treats. The key is the portion size. This version using orange zest was perfect for Florida and it elevated the flavor profile. I don’t think I can have a plain one again. Well, maybe?

Crème Brûlée L’Orange Recipe

Written by The Canyon Ranch Kitchen
Servings: 10

Nutrition Information (per serving)

Calories: 155
Protein: 5 g
Sodium: 54 mg
Carbohydrates: 18 g
Fat: 6 g
Fiber: 0 g
Cholesterol: 154 mg

Ingredients

1 cup half and half
1⅓ cups evaporated skim milk
1 vanilla bean
¾ cup cane sugar
4 egg yolks
1 tsp orange extract
2 tsp minced orange peel
2½ tsp cane sugar

^ For ease of scraping vanilla paste from bean, soak whole bean in warm water or hot milk for 10 minutes before slicing and scraping.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300F.
2. Combine half and half and milk in a large saucepan. Slice vanilla bean lengthwise and open flat to scrape bean paste into milk mixture. Heat to just below a simmer over medium heat. Add sugar and heat to a simmer. Remove from heat.
3. Place egg yolks in a small bowl. Temper with milk mixture by adding a small amount of milk to egg yolks, about ¼ cup. Stir gently to combine. Repeat process a few times and then add mixture back to milk mixture. Mix well. Add extract and orange peel.
4. Pour approximately ⅓ cup into each 4-ounce ramekin and arrange in a baking pan. Add enough hot water to baking pan to come to the level of the custard in the cups.
5. Place in oven and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until custard is set or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool and refrigerate. When ready to serve, sprinkle ¼ teaspoon sugar on top of custard. Place under broiler for 1 minute or flame with a torch until sugar is caramelized. Be careful not to burn.

Lounging, looking at the beach, with a Watermelon Mint Lemonade in my hand is not a bad way to spend an afternoon. They have various choices of house-made lemonades and sodas on the menu. This is one of the most refreshing and addictive beverages. You could also turn it into a cocktail by adding your favorite citrus vodka. It takes the healthy aspect out of the equation but it sure adds to the fun! (all in moderation my friends)

Watermelon Mint Lemonade Recipe

Written by The Canyon Ranch Kitchen
Servings: 10 (1 cup ea.)

Nutrition Information (per serving)

Calories: 75
Protein: Trace
Sodium: 7 mg
Carbohydrates: 19 g
Fat: Trace
Fiber: 1 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg

Ingredients

½ cup cane sugar
¾ cup fresh lemon juice
7 cups water
3 cups diced watermelon
40 fresh mint leaves

Instructions

1. Combine sugar and lemon juice in a 2-quart pitcher or jar. Add water and mix well.
2. Puree watermelon into a juice and add to lemonade mixture. Stir in mint leaves and serve over ice.

Wine Pairing suggestions:

I know you may say this is supposed to be a post about healthy easy entertaining, but a glass of wine is perfectly fine. My favorite wines to pair with the Asian flavors of the Shrimp or Chicken Kale Peanut salad are aromatic medium-dry German Rieslings. Look for the designation of “Kabinett” on the label for a drier wine or “Spatlese” for a bit sweeter option. There are lots of great German rieslings you can get at your local wine store at affordable prices. Simply ask the wine merchant for recommendations.

My Riesling #GoToWines:

^ Dr. L Riesling from Dr. Loosen, one of the top producers in Germany.
^ Eroica from Chateau Ste. Michelle Wines, which is produced in Washington State in collaboration with Dr. Loosen. This winery produces some of the best rieslings in the US.

They are both consistently of high quality, refreshing, fruity with some minerality, perfect for every day drinking and pairing with spicy, flavorful Asian dishes.

Of course, sparkling wine always pairs well with everything so if you’re not sure which wine to buy, pick up a bottle of your favorite bubbles.

My Bubbles #GoToWines:

^ La Marca Prosecco is light, crisp and refreshing with perfect balance.
^ Iron Horse Vineyards, family-owned and run winery, producing some of the best sparkling wines in the US, is one of my favorites to drink and visit when I go to Sonoma, California. They produce 12 cuvees, my top pick and the one they are most known for is the Wedding Cuvee. I guarantee it will make any gathering into a celebration!

With these recipes from Canyon Ranch you can entertain friends and family the healthy way. Don’t put off enjoying life simply because you want to get fit and healthy. Those habits won’t stick if you’re miserable.

Cheers to healthy easy entertaining in 2015!

GO Epicurista