This tasty, healthful recipe was adapted by VIVmag from a recipe by chef Chad Luethje at Red Mountain Spa. Check out VIVmag‘s July/August 2007 issue for other delicious recipes, weight-loss secrets and healthy cooking tips from top health spas.

Seared Ahi Tuna With Fire-Roasted Pineapple Salsa
Serves 4

• 1 cup fresh pineapple cubes
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons diced red bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon finely diced red onion
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil ribbons
• 4 4-ounce ahi tuna fillets or steaks

Directions: Preheat grill. Turn on your kitchen’s fan. Preheat a heavy-gauge stainless-steel sauté pan on high heat for about 15 minutes. (For your safety, do not attempt this on a cheap, flimsy or nonstick pan.)

Once the dry pan is thoroughly heated, add diced pineapple. (It will shriek, sputter and smoke as it hits the pan.) Let the fruit caramelize on one side before stirring. Continue sautéing until all pineapple is charred. (Total cooking time will be less than 1 minute.)
Add the pineapple juice to deglaze the bottom of the pan; juice will reduce and thicken,  instantly. Immediately transfer pineapple to a small mixing bowl. Add red bell pepper, onion and basil and stir to combine. Set aside.

Place fish on a hot grill and sear 1–2 minutes per side. (Or you may cook fish for the same amount of time on a very hot, dry cast-iron skillet that has been properly seasoned.) To serve, top each piece of fish with 2 tablespoons pineapple salsa.

Take-home tip: Use a very hot, dry skillet to caramelize other fruits like mango, peach and papaya to create fat-free salsas, salads and dessert toppings.

Technique: Caramelizing fruit without sugar or fat
1. Heat a heavy skillet over high heat for 15 minutes.

2. Carefully spoon pineapple into pan.

3. Allow to caramelize and char.

4. Slowly pour juice into pan to deglaze, and continue cooking until juice is reduced and thickened.

Check out VIVmag‘s July/August 2007 issue for other delicious recipes, weight-loss secrets and healthy cooking tips from top spas.

Prickly Pear Sorbet With Kiwi Salsa and Tequila-Lime Glaze
Serves 4

For the sorbet:

• 4 cups prickly pear purée (or other unsweetened fruit purée)
• 7 ounces fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 small kiwi, peeled and diced
• Mint leaves (optional)

For the glaze:

• 1 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 cup lemonade
• 1/4 cup tequila
• 1/4 cup corn syrup

Directions: In a medium bowl, combine prickly pear purée and lime juice. Set aside.

In medium saucepan over high heat, bring the water and sugar to a boil and cook for several minutes until liquid becomes syrupy. Remove from the heat and whisk in purée and lime juice. To cool the mixture, set the saucepan into a stainless-steel bowl filled with ice and water.

Place chilled purée in an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions, until thick and light pink in color. Store sorbet in an airtight container in freezer until ready to serve.
Meanwhile, put all glaze ingredients in a medium saucepan over high heat, and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by about half. Allow to cool, and refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.

To serve, place a 1/2 cup scoop of sorbet in a martini glass. Top with 1⁄4 of the diced kiwi and drizzle 1 tablespoon of the glaze over fruit and sorbet. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Take-home tip: Low-calorie fruit-based glazes also are a great accompaniment to grilled meats or fish. Try subbing orange or cranberry juice for the lime in this recipe.

Technique: Making a fruit-based glaze

1. Place all glaze ingredients in a saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil.
3. Continue cooking until liquid becomes thick and syrupy has been reduced by about half.

Mexican Papaya Salad With Orange and Cumin Dressing
Serves 4

Although the dressing is low-calorie, a little goes a long way. Coat the greens with the dressing, don’t drench them; that way they’ll stay crisp and beautiful on the plate. Leftover dressing will keep in the fridge for 4–5 days.

For the dressing:

• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon agave syrup (available at health-food stores, or substitute 1 teaspoon honey)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1/2 jalapeño pepper, minced
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the salad:

• 4 cups mixed baby greens
• 2 cups papaya slices
• 2 navel oranges, peeled and cut in wedges
• 12 sliced red onion rings
• 3 tablespoons pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted
• Cilantro sprigs for garnish

Place a small, dry sauté pan over high heat; add cumin seeds and toast, shaking pan, until seeds are fragrant (about 30 seconds). Crush seeds in a mortar and pestle or place on a chopping block and crush with the bottom of a heavy pot. Place crushed seeds and all other dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until homogenized.

To assemble salad, toss greens in a large bowl with 1/3 cup dressing and divide among 4 salad plates. Arrange 1/4 of papaya and orange segments over greens and top each with 3 red onion rings. Scatter with a sprinkling of pepitas and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of dressing. Garnish with cilantro.

Take-home spa chef tip: To intensify flavor, briefly toast all your spices in a dry skillet before adding to recipes.

The yummy recipe below, created for Kleiner’s Good Mood Diet Club by Karen Friedman-Kester, M.S., R.D., combines the chewy texture of dried apricots and the protein- and vitamin-packed crunch of roasted almonds with the tartness of serotonin-boosting bittersweet chocolate to satisfy your snack cravings — and improve your mood.

Stuffed Apricots
Serves 8

16 dried apricots

16 unsalted whole almonds, roasted

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate

1/2 cup finely chopped almonds

Directions: With the tip of a sharp knife, make a small slit in each apricot and insert 1 whole almond. Carefully heat the bittersweet chocolate in the microwave on low until melted and smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes. Dip each apricot on the cut side into the warm chocolate and then into the chopped nuts. Place on parchment or wax paper until chocolate hardens.

NUTRITION SCORE:
Serving size: 2 apricots

Pomegranate Party Punch
Serves 10

Ingredients:

• 8 bags pomegranate white tea (such as Trader Joe’s, or substitute hibiscus tea)

• 4 cups water

• 4 cups 100 percent pomegranate juice

• 4 cups sparkling water

• 1⁄4 cup fresh lime juice

• 4 limes, sliced

• Additional lime slices for garnish (optional)

Directions: Heat 4 cups water until near boiling (do not allow to boil). Steep pomegranate white tea in very hot water for 5 minutes. Place steeped tea in a large pitcher, discarding the bags. Add pomegranate and lime juices and refrigerate, until thoroughly chilled.

To serve, add sliced limes and 4 cups of sparkling water to chilled punch mix. Serve over ice and garnish glass with a lime slice, if desired.

Arm yourself in the coming months with “Your Summer Diet Survival Guide,” 25 easy tactics to fight weight gain despite BBQs, wedding receptions, picnics, vacation blowouts and fruity cocktails in VIVmag‘s May/June 2007 issue.

Saturday Morning Smoothie
Serves 1

• 1 cup frozen raspberries
• 1⁄2 cup plain, nonfat yogurt
• 1⁄2 small ripe banana
• 1⁄4 cup orange juice, preferably fresh-squeezed

Place all ingredients in blender and process until smooth. Pour into a chilled glass.

Nutrition Score Per Serving:
205 calories, 4% fat (1 g; 0.2 g saturated),
78% carbs (42 g), 18% protein (9 g), 9 g
fiber, 284 mg calcium, 1 mg iron, 97 mg
sodium.

Arm yourself in the coming months with “Your Summer Diet Survival Guide,” 25 easy tactics to fight weight gain despite BBQs, wedding receptions, picnics, vacation blowouts and fruity cocktails in VIVmag‘s May/June 2007 issue.