More Lake Austin Spa Recipes

The Pilaf:
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 green onions, minced, white and green parts separate
2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup dry brown rice
2/3 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoon chopped pecans


The Chicken:
4 (4-ounce) all-natural boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 teaspoons peanut oil
1/2 cup minced onion
3/4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoon bourbon
1/4 cup peach preserves
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 teaspoon minced fresh mint

For the Pilaf:
1. Heat oil in a saucepan, add white part of the onion and garlic, and gently sweat until softened. Add rice and stir to coat. Add stock, bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce heat to low and cook for 45 minutes. Add more stock as needed. Remove from heat and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Fold in green part of onion and pecans.

For the Chicken:
1. Pound chicken breasts lightly between two sheets of plastic wrap to achieve even thickness. Season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a cast iron or heavy nonstick skillet, and sauté chicken. Cook chicken, covered, until browned and cooked through. Turn occasionally. Remove breasts; set aside, covered.
2. Add onion to skillet and cook until caramelized, scraping the skillet gently with a wooden spoon to loosen crusted meat particles.
3. Add remaining ingredients and reduce to sauce consistency. Add juice from the plate of chicken.
4. Serve chicken with a mound of pilaf and sauce. Serves 4.

Fresh: Healthy Cooking and Living from Lake Austin Spa Resort by chef Terry Conlan, www.lakeaustin.com/cookbooks.php. "The Healthy Table," March 2006

Per serving: 469 calories, 21g fat, 28g prot., 38g carbs, 2g fiber, 515mg sodium.

4 small russet potatoes
2 tablespoons, plus ¼ teaspoon,
olive oil, divided
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Preheat oven to 450F.
2. Peel potatoes and cut into 1⁄4-inch wide strips. Blot dry with paper towels. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Toss potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil; spread in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until potatoes are golden and crisp.
3. Warm rosemary with 1⁄4 teaspoon olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Toss with potatoes in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt. Serves 6.


Fresh: Healthy Cooking and Living from Lake Austin Spa Resort by chef Terry Conlan, www.lakeaustin.com/cookbooks.php.
"The Healthy Table," March 2006
"The Healthy Table," May 2008

Per serving: 130 calories, 5g fat, 0mg chol., 2g prot., 20g carbs., 1g fiber, 330mg sodium.

Tostados:
12 thin yellow corn tortillas, stacked, then cut into 6 triangles

Snapper:
1 pound skinless red snapper filets
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil cooking spray
1/2 cup minced onion
3 serrano chiles, seeded and minced
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
30 small baked tostados (see recipe below)
3/4 cup pureed black beans
1/2 avocado, peeled, seeded and diced
6 tomatoes, diced

1. To prepare the tostados, arrange tortillas triangles on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake at 300F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until very crisp.
2. Season fish with salt and pepper. Place a heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat; spray with cooking spray. Gently sauté snapper, turning to cook both sides, until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
3. Shred fish by hand and place in a large bowl. Add onion, chiles and cilantro. Toss to combine. Combine olive oil, lime juice and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl and mix well. Pour mixture over fish and toss gently. Chill snapper mixture until ready to serve.
4. Top each tostado with a teaspoon of warm bean purée. Spoon a small amount of snapper mixture over the beans and top with avocado and tomatoes. Serves 12 (6 tostados each).





Per tostado: 36 calories, 1g fat, 1g prot., 8g carbs., 28mg sodium

Fresh: Healthy Cooking and Living from Lake Austin Spa Resort by chef Terry Conlan, www.lakeaustin.com/cookbooks.php. "The Healthy Table," March 2006

3 cups chopped, seeded and peeled butternut squash
1 cup chopped onion
1 baking apple, cored and quartered (Macintosh, Jonathan or Granny Smith)
1/2 teaspoon canola oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
6 cups vegetable stock, divided
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup evaporated skim milk
2 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, cubed

1. Combine squash, onion, apple and canola oil in a bowl. Toss to coat. Arrange vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 400F for 30 minutes. Remove roasted vegetables to a blender or food processor and add ginger, garlic and about 1 1/2 cups of the stock. Purée, adding more stock if necessary.
2. Use a little of remaining stock to deglaze the baking sheet; pour into a large soup pot over medium heat. Combine 2 tablespoons of stock with cornstarch in a bowl and whisk until smooth.
3. Toast curry powder in a dry skillet until it begins to give off a nutty fragrance. Add cornstarch mixture, curry powder, remaining stock, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to soup pot. Cook until slightly thickened, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Add milk and cream cheese; heat through until the cheese melts. Correct seasonings. Serve hot, garnished with minced chives, if desired. Serves 12.

Fresh: Healthy Cooking and Living from Lake Austin Spa Resort by chef Terry Conlan, www.lakeaustin.com/cookbooks.php. "The Healthy Table," March 2006

Per serving: 59 calories, 2g fat, 2g prot., 10g carbs., 165mg sodium.

Hunter's Salad
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons raspberry vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons frozen raspberry juice concentrate or cranberry-raspberry juice concentrate
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
9 cups mixed field greens
6 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
3/4 cup finely slivered red onion
2/3 cup candied pecans (recipe below)

Candied Pecans
2 teaspoons egg white
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups pecan pieces
Nonstick cooking spray

1. Combine olive oil, vinegar, juice concentrate, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk vigorously until well mixed. Combine greens, cheese, onion and pecans in a serving bowl. Pour dressing over and toss to coat the greens. Serve immediately.
2. For the Candied Pecans, whisk egg whites, sugar, cinnamon and cayenne pepper in a bowl until slightly frothy. Add pecans and toss to coat well. Spray a baking sheet lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Spread pecans in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake at 275F for 30 minutes, turning the pecans every 10 minutes.
2. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Crumble the mixture into to separate pieces. Use 2/3 cup of the pecans in the salad. Store the remaining pecans in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Serves 6.

Pork:
16 ounces pork tenderloin, trimmed of visible fat
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 teaspoons olive oil
4 tablespoons minced shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup beef stock
4 tablespoons Madeira
3 ounces reduced fat cream cheese

Spinach Orzo:
8 cups fresh spinach
Nonstick pan spray
1 cup dry orzo pasta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. For the pork, slice pork into 12 medallions. Season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a cast iron or heavy non-stick skillet. Brown pork, then set aside.
2. Add shallots to skillet and cook, stirring and gently scraping the bottom of the skillet to loosen crusted meat particles. Add garlic. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir well., Add pork and cook 5 minutes for until done. Add any accumulated juices from the pork.
3. For the orzo, prepare orzo according to package directions.
4. In a heavy non-stick skillet lightly coated with cooking spray, quickly wilt spinach, stirring. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with orzo and cheese.
5. Serve pork with orzo mixture and sauce. Serves 4.

Fresh: Healthy Cooking and Living from Lake Austin Spa Resort by chef Terry Conlan, www.lakeaustin.com/cookbooks.php. "The Healthy Table," March 2006

Salad:
1/4 cup cracked bulgur wheat (tabouleh)
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon diced shallot
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
1 tablespoon minced parsley
2 tablespoons diced dried apricots
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts


Scallops:
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon lime zest
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/4 cup chicken stock or clam juice
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
6 large sea scallops
Salt, pepper
Nonstick pan spray
2 teaspoons butter

1. For the salad, place bulgur in a bowl with the salt. Pour boiling water over, cover and let stand 15 minutes. Add olive oil and lemon juice, re-cover, let sit until all liquid is absorbed (30 to 45 minutes). Fold in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate for 30 to 40 minutes before serving.
2. For the scallops. combine zests, juices, stock, wine and cornstarch in a bowl and set aside. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Mist on all sides with spray. Sauté scallops in a heavy nonstick skillet until slightly browned and just cooked through. Set scallops aside, covered.
3. Add juice mixture to skillet and reduce rapidly, stirring, to a thin sauce consistency. Add liquid from the plate of scallops. Remove from heat and whisk in butter, one teaspoon at a time.
4. To serve, put a mound of salad in the center of two plates. Divide scallops around. Dab with the beurre blanc.


Fresh: Healthy Cooking and Living from Lake Austin Spa Resort by chef Terry Conlan, www.lakeaustin.com/cookbooks.php. "The Healthy Table," March 2006