Spa Cuisine joy...

There is such joy in staying at a Spa Resort when you experience the amazing care and attention given to the spa cuisine and their spa wellness treatments.  Keemala in Phuket is just that place. 

We are thrilled to share with you a couple of delicious recipes, so you can create and share them with your loved ones.  Of course, the best way to delight in Keemala's wholesome spa cuisine would be to be on a holiday with your loved one. Not only because their wonderful staff would be creating them for you, but because you'd simply be relaxing with your feet up looking out to ocean, swimming in your private pool, exploring the little village of Kamala and then retreating to the Mala Spa. Bliss!

Tomorrow start your day with...

BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE BOWL
Ingredients:
Banana 1pc
Mango  1/2pc
Almond milk  2tbs
Cacao powder  1tsp
Seasonal fruits  1/2cup
Mixed nuts, chopped  1tbs
Chia seeds  1tsp
Goji berries  1tsp

Preparation:
1. In a high-speed blender combine banana, mango, almond milk and cacao powder and blend until smooth.  Pour into a serving bowl
2.  Arrange season fruits on top of the smoothie and top with the remaining ingredients.  Serve fresh.

Keemala - breakfast smoothie bowl

Another wholesome meal to create that can be served for either lunch or dinner and would delight any vegetarian or vegan is Keemala's signature dish:

SPRING SPINACH SALAD
Ingredients:
Salad
Fresh baby spinach  400g
Fresh strawberries  10pcs
Avocado  1 whole
Smoked coconut flesh  200g
Edible flowers  5g
Pink peppercorn  5g
Sea salt  5g
Sicilian lemon oil  20ml

Creamy Cashew Nut Dressing
Organic cashew nut  800g
Fresh lemon juice  50ml
Garlic, finely chopped  30g
Chives, chopped  15g
Fine Himalayan salt  20g
Smoked coconut water  200g

Preparation:
1. In a food processor add organic cashew nut, fresh lemon juice, garlic, chives and smoked coconut water and pulse until well blended.  Season with salt to taste.
2. In a large bowl, add fresh baby spinach, strawberries, avocado and smoked coconut flesh and mix well. Top with edible flowers and crushed pink peppercorn.  Add sea salt and Sicilian lemon oil to taste. 
3.  Add dressing to the salad and toss just before serving.

Keemala - signature spa cuisine dish - Spring Spinach Salad

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Citrus is not just for winter

Standing in the kitchen the other day peeling a mandarin to consume to increase my vitamin c intake as I was feeling the onset of a cold.  I realised, its a given, I have citrus in my fruit bowl all year round and I love it!

Grapefruit, ruby red my favourite, was brought to my attention again a few years ago when staying at an elderly friend's house.  Every morning, like my nana's kitchen used to be when I was child visiting, a small glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, toast with jams and vegemite would be on the breakfast table along with a pot of tea.  The difference at my friend's table, she'd have half a grapefruit placed at my seating waiting for me and an avocado was an addition to the condiments. In the 70's I tried it, as dad was on some grapefruit fad, but I found it repulsive.  Sporadically the grapefruit of delicious juiciness and flavour has become a favourite way to start the day.

Another variation to the start of my day is a glass of warm water and a slice or two of lemon.  I'll keep replenishing the glass, thus myself throughout the day with the lemon water until there's no lemon flavour, only then to add another slice to continue drinking.  This also helps as a reminder to drink those eight glasses of water a day. Another citrus take on my morning beverage is, if I have a lime and feel like a bit of zing to my green juice, I'll simply squeeze it in. It's all fresh and full of goodness.

Come the warmer days and days of extended daylight, its limes that I cherish. Why? because I love a gin & tonic with lime. Lime, I also love squeezed over a delicious Thai curry.  Oh, know thinking of food, another favourite is lemon slice or a piece of lemon tart with a hot freshly brewed lot black coffe.  Lemon gelato, who doesn't love that at least once on a summers day or when exploring Italy.

Citrus offers many benefits beyond being a boost of vitamin c during winter, studies show it may even reduce the risk of women having a stroke.  So, when next visiting your local farmers market or grocer store, grab an assortment of citrus and as I've said before "keep it fresh and keep it real".

Here I'm sharing some delicious recipes that I love to use that involve citrus - enjoy!
Lime & Wasabi dressing
Citrus Salad with Manuka Honey, Vanilla + Pistachio
Lemon Chicken soup Greek style - avgolemono

Absolute Sanctuary - Detox Juice

hot water with lemon + ginger

Australian macadamia + citrus body scrub

How do you add citrus to your day? Do tell...

Bean + Veggie Soup...

From here on its going to be porridge laced with cinnamon, flaxseeds and walnuts with a dash of milk that will accompany my green juice in the mornings.  Lunch and dinners will become hot meals full of flavour and substance and that's the reason why I'm sharing this with you.

The change of the season's climate gradually sneaks upon us.  Sure, we've had intermittent rain during the year thus far, but it's the chilly mornings and extra layers that are now being warn day and night, and the sinking of daylight that now sees me leaving the desk as the dark of the evening has set in, that says winter is here.

I cooked a fresh homemade soup last night and sitting outside today with the sun on my back warming my bones, I registered it was the first day of winter and we'll be eating more of this. To this delicious soup you can add more veggies if you please, use pasta instead of beans, but whatever you do make it fresh and make it wholesome....

Method:
Cover beans in water and soak for a day or overnight, changing the water once or twice or adding more water, when convenient.
Heat some olive oil in a saucepan, add onions, carrots and about a minute or so add celery.  Stir it all around so it all coated in oil, not soaking in it! Let it cook away for a couple of more minutes, just for all to look and feel combined.
In between stirring and mixing it up, add garlic, rosemary, thyme and paprika.  Stir all together.  Then add the dice tomatoes.  Stir and mix together.
Add bay leaf, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.
Put the lid on your saucepan, you may want to add some hot water, then let simmer away for minimum of 40 minutes.
Serve topped with parmesan cheese, as I have or use yogurt or your favourite garnish.
Soup without a bread in incomprehensible, so grab your favourite, mine Zeally Bay organic sourdough and spread with a nutritional food such as tahini, avocado, hummus or simply, traditional butter.

Ingredience:
a cup of white beans
2 small onions chopped into chucks
1 large carrot sliced
1 stick of celery - stalk and leaves
2 cloves of garlic, squashed and roughly chopped
Rosemary leaves of a twig or if putting the twig in, remove it later
Can of dice tomatoes
2 bay leafs
Pinch of salt, pepper and cayenne pepper
Bread and garnish

Serves:
You and a friend or two

Enjoy!

I always use fresh and/or organic where possible.
Also, a few links have been added to highlight the nutritional benefits of just some of the foods.

If you have a favourite recipe that would be fitting as "spa cuisine" we'd love to hear about it....