Almond Milk Cake

Almond Milk Cake

(Serves 15)

Ingredients:
3 egg whites
7 oz. almond paste
12 egg yolks
12 egg whites
10 oz. sugar, granulated
1 tsp. vanilla extract
7 oz. cake flour 6 cups skim milk
1 ½ cup honey
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¾ cup sugar, granulated
2 cups lowfat (neufchatel) cream cheese
¾ tbsp. toasted crushed almond slivers

Directions:

1. Gradually mix the 3 egg whites into the almond paste to soften it.
2. Whip the 12 egg yolks with 3 oz. sugar to ribbon stage. Add the vanilla extract and slowly add this to the almond paste.
3. Whip the 12 egg whites to soft peaks with remaining 7 oz. sugar and carefully fold into yolk mixture. Then fold in the cake flour.
4. Immediately spread the batter on a paper-lined sheet pan (do not use any spray oil). Bake at 350 degrees F for 10–12 minutes until done. Allow to cool. Cut cake into three equal sheets.
5. Heat the milk and honey with the vanilla extract to a low simmer.
6. Assemble the layers by spreading lightly with a low-fat cream cheese and sugar mix.
7. With a bamboo skewer or toothpick, poke holes in the sheet cake. Pour the milk mixture over the cake and refrigerate until cold.
8. Cut rectangular shaped pieces about 2 X 3 inches and sprinkle with lightly toasted, crushed almond slivers.

Adventure in Everything!

Adventure in Everything!

By Matthew Walker, M.S., Mountain Guide & Adventurer

Adventure in everything. Sounds like a tag-line or advertising promo, but it is something much more than that. Adventure in everything is a lifestyle choice. Adventure in everything is a framework for decision-making, reflection and action. Adventure in everything is an opportunity to embrace your life, this life, with passion, intention and purpose.

The foundation of Adventure in Everything is the Five Elements of Adventure: High Endeavor, Uncertain Outcome, Total Commitment, Tolerance for Adversity and Great Companionship. Each of the elements offers an opportunity for self-reflection, assessment and action.

Below is a short 15 minute exercise to begin to examine and bring adventure into the everyday – give yourself the gift of a new experience, a new opportunity, and try it this evening or at the close of your work day. Curious about learning more? I will be hosting a series of workshops, presentations, hikes and rock climbing outings at Red Mountain from October 17–22, 2011. Join me as we dive deeper into the Five Elements of Adventure, play and adventure together. (Click to learn more.)

Curious about learning even more? My book “Adventure in Everything” is now available at book stores, Amazon and, of course, the Red Mountain Outfitters store.

See you in October!

Bringing Adventure into the Everyday

Start simple. Take 15 minutes to yourself at the end of the day. 15 minutes of quiet reflection to examine your day and honestly assess if adventure is a component in your life. Of course, we can’t always be in a heightened state of adventure, so examine both the daily tasks and the overall aim of your day.

Ask yourself these questions and take a moment to write the answers without judgment:

1. Did my work today move me closer to my high endeavor goal?
2. Am I totally committed to the outcome of this goal?
3. How did I react today to changes and challenges in my work? Am I open to an uncertain outcome?
4. Who did I surround myself with today? What type of people are they? Am I energized and inspired by my community as I work towards my goals?

Pretty straightforward stuff, huh? We may not take the time to do this often enough – but, overall, pretty straightforward.

Now, a challenge.

Take the same questions above and reframe them to examine your closest relationships as spouse, friend, parent or child. Adventure is about living with courage and passion with grace and humility. Our closest relationships deserve the same attention and examination as our work. Take the opportunity to see your relationships with clarity and a fresh perspective. Celebrate adventure in everything.

At Home Foot Reflexology

At Home Foot Reflexology

Foot massage, or reflexology, is actually an ancient practice of manipulation and stimulation to restore health and balance to the entire body through reflex therapy applied to the feet. Below is a way you can enjoy this treatment at home.

• Take off your shoes.
• Rub the brain, stomach and solar plexus reflexology points on your feet.
• The brain, your body's mental stress center, is at the point of the base of the ball of the big toe.
• Relieve anxiety by rubbing the stomach, located at the arch of the foot.
• Considered to be the "nerve switchboard of the body," press the solar plexus, located at the center of the base of the ball of the foot, for 20-30 seconds on each foot.
• Repeat.

Clearing The Way For Joy

Clearing The Way For Joy

By Andrea Hanson, CEHP, Energy Therapist Trained & Certified by Deepak Chopra

Pranayam is the use of the breath/lifeforce to balance and heal. Here is a wonderful pranayam to assist the real you in clearing negativity out of your physiology which is necessary in order to allow Joy to live and breathe within you.

Mudra: Sit cross-legged, in easy pose or lotus with your spine comfortably straight. Make your hands into a cup with right hand over the left, fingers crossing each other. Lace the cupped hands at the level of the heart center.

Breath: Meditate on the thought you would like to eliminate as you inhale deeply through your nose. Exhale through your mouth, puckering your lips and spitting out the thought into your hands with the breath in a long, slow motion.

Eyes: Looking into the cupped hands. Repeat this for 3 to 11 minutes. To End: Inhale deeply, exhale, and with your eyes close, begin to concentrate on all 26 vertebrae from top to bottom of your spine. Feel your spine as if you are feeling a stick in your hand; the more you can feel it, the more energy flow and relief will occur.

This is a Kundalini Yoga Meditation as taught by Yogi Bhajan.

Organically & Locally Grown Watermelon

Organically & Locally Grown Watermelon

By Executive Chef Dale Van Sky

I am pleased to introduce to our menu an organically and locally grown watermelon from Rabbit & Raven Farms. This farm in Virgin, Utah (just 35 miles from Red Mountain) has been passed down from generation to generation in the Isom family. The most unique thing about the farm is that it's a "dry farm." Seems strange to think of a farm using very little water, but Rabbit & Raven is able to turn a small amount of water into sweet and succulent produce.

What is a dry farm? The fields are kept weed free allowing the soil to absorb and store winter rains. This gives the watermelon's extensive root system plenty of moisture to survive hot, dry summers with little rain. When it does rain, the farmers cultivate the soil to break up soil capillaries to radiate moisture. It also creates "dust mulch" to help prevent evaporation. As a result, water is retained by the melon at a slower pace so it ripens more slowly and adds more sweetness. It helps that the watermelon is native to the Kalahari Desert, and its roots can grow up to 12 feet into the soil.

No pesticides or herbicides! Rabbit & Raven Farms is committed to growing organic watermelons. They protect them from hungry critters (rabbits, ravens, coyotes, squirrels and gophers) by spraying the outside with a home-brewed solution made from garlic and fish oil. (Don't worry...we definitely wipe the rind before cutting the melon.)

We hope you'll join us at Red Mountain and sample the sweet melons from Rabbit & Raven Farms.

Char Grilled Wild Salmon with Apple Avocado Pico De Gallo

Char Grilled Wild Salmon with Apple Avocado Pico De Gallo

on Sweet Warmed Cole Slaw with  Lime Citronette
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:
4 pieces 4 oz. salmon
1 cup cole slaw (recipe below)
1/4 cup apple avocado pico de gallo (recipe below)
Lime citronette (recipe below)

Directions:

1. Char grill salmon.
2. Place on 1 cup warmed slaw.
3. Top with ¼ cup apple avocado pico de gallo.
4. Drizzled with 2 Tbsp. lime citronette.

Sweet Warmed Cole Slaw Ingredients:
3 cup shredded green cabbage
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. agave   

Directions:

1. Mix apple cider vinegar and agave well.
2. Mix with cabbage and carrot.
3. Heat to order in sauté pan.

Apple Avocado Pico De Gallo Ingredients:
½ cup apples, diced small
½ cup avocados, diced small
¼ cup red bell pepper, diced small
1 tsp. lime juice
1 tsp. chopped mint

Directions:
Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate.

Lime Citronette Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. lime juice
¼ cup fresh spinach
1 tsp. agave
¼ cup canola oil
2 Tbsp. pure olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Puree first three items.
2. Slowly add oils to emulsify.

Introducing Clarins at Sagestone Spa & Salon

Introducing Clarins at Sagestone Spa & Salon

When I read the core beliefs of Clarins and this quote from founder Jacques Courtin-Clarins, “We do not promise miracles, we deliver results.” I saw Clarins as more than another product that we would be providing to our guests at Red Mountain. This quote spoke volumes of integrity and pride to me, especially from a family owned product with 60 years of history. Reading more of these Clarins core values — “we believe in the power of plants, we believe in the power of touch, we believe that inner beauty is as important as outer beauty” — it became clear to me that these mirrored the values of the family of therapists and aestheticians at Sagestone Spa & Salon. I could clearly see that Clarins would compliment the well developed skills of our Sagestone team.

Those skills have now been even more refined as we employ “The Clarins Touch,” a series of lymphatic massage techniques created by founder Jacques Courtin Clarins. Guests will find that tension slips away as “the Clarins Touch” method releases excess fluids and toxins. Visible puffiness is immediately and effectively reduced. With my first Clarins facial, I became a firm believer that it was this unique method of correctly applied touch, combined with great product, produced visible results. Our new facial menu offers treatments with highly customized protocols and formulas, combined with our aesthetician’s advice for your home skin regime, each designed for the unique skin issues we experience as we age.

The methods of “The Clarins Touch” are applied to more than facial treatments and we are fortunate and proud that Clarins has graciously trained our therapists to be the first in the U.S. to use these techniques with body therapies. Our team has learned over 80 complex hand movements and rhythmic strokes combined with the powerful Clarins formulas to produce renewing treatments. Our menu will include a series of customized body treatments, polishes and wraps to provide the results that you desire. Treatments for anti-aging, firming, shaping and hydrating your body with time tested botanical ingredients. We are honored to share our new knowledge and the benefits of Clarins with our Sagestone guests and hope you will give us your feedback on this addition to Red Mountain Resort.  

Creative Ways to Cut Calories

Creative Ways to Cut Calories

By Dr. Brad Crump

• Mix a puffed cereal with your favorite granola – ¼ cup of average low fat granola has 150-250 calories; 1 cup of puffed cereal is 50-90 calories. Since ¼ cup of granola is never enough, have the granola, but mix with some puffed cereal for volume. Save 100-140 calories versus having a ½ cup of granola.
• Choose vegetables that fulfill the need for starchy foods instead of instead of having rice, potato or pasta. For example: Turnip ½ cup cubes = 17 calories, Turnip mashed, 1 cup = 51 calories, Spaghetti squash 19 calories per ½ cup; Butternut squash = ½ cup = 40 calories. One half cup of mashed potato without any milk, butter or margarine has 119 calories and a half cup of brown rice has 109 calories.
• Can’t resist blue cheese dressing? Add a one inch cube of blue cheese to one 8 oz. package of silken tofu, mix with a little garlic salt, dry mustard, add vinegar to taste, then refrigerate for 2 hours to allow flavors to blend. Makes 4 – 2 oz servings (that’s A LOT of blue cheese dressing) and has only 50 calories whereas a mere one tablespoon of standard blue cheese dressing has 73 calories.
• Want a decadent dessert? Mix 1 T peanut butter with 1 T milk, then blend into 1 cup low fat non-dairy topping – It will satisfy your craving for a peanut butter cup when you put a dollop on top of low fat chocolate pudding.