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At-Home Spa Treats

You can step easily into the whole spa scene with some savvy tips for creating your own home spa. Start with the book Secret of the Spas by Catherine Bardey, available at a BeyondWork discount through Barnes & Noble.  Beauty photographs and simple recipes will entice you to concoct your own treatments at home. For a relaxing bath time treat, for example, toss several herbal tea bags into the tub. Or make your own bath tea bag:

 

Invigorating Rosemary and Sage Bath
¼ cup dried rosemary to relieve mental fatigue
¼ cup dried sage to treat loss of concentration
2 tablespoons oatmeal to soften water

Combine in a muslin cloth, tie with cotton twine and hold under running water as the bath fills. Then let the bag float in the tub with you.

Other recipes to pamper and revitalize yourself at home include treatments for face, hair, body, hands and feet. There is also a short section on spa cuisine and a guide to spa ingredients. Buy this book, and invite a friend for a shared weekend of homemade pampering!

Sharon O'Connor's, Spa --Favorite Recipes from Celebrated Spas Ideas for Revitalizing Mind and Body Soothing Piano Music (Cookbook with CD) is a great library addition for any cook interested in healthy living. The CD of piano music is relaxing to listen to while cooking--or eating-these dishes. Simple recipes from famous spas across America include nutritional information, and the presentation of whole menus make this book an attractive resource for easy entertaining. Try this breakfast dish from Sonoma Mission Inn in California.

Egg White Cassolette

½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil.
¼ cup (2oz/60g) sliced onions.
¼ cup (2oz/60g)sliced roasted red bell pepper
1 shiitake mushroom (2oz/60g), sliced
¼ cup (2oz/60g) low-fat herb cheese
8 egg whites
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons grated Asiago cheese.

Preheat the oven to 400° (200ºC). Lightly coat an 8-inch square gratin dish with vegetable spray.

In a sauté pan or skillet over a medium-low heat, heat olive oil and cook the onions, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes or until they begin to caramelize. Raise heat to high, stir in bell pepper and mushrooms and sauté for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a deep bowl, beat egg whites until stiff, glossy peaks form. Fold the vegetable mixture into the beaten egg whites. Stir in herb cream cheese until blended.

Pour the mixture into the prepared dish, sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and cheese, and bake in the prepared oven for 10 minutes or until the egg whites are firm.

Makes 4 servings, per serving:
Calories 100. Carbohydrates 5g. Cholesterol 12.5 g. Fat 4g. Protein 10g. Sodium 165mg.

In addition to a great selection of menus and music, the book offers Spa Resources and Menu Pages featuring a photo of the source spa.