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Eat, STAY,

We’ve sourced the ultimate getaways for healthy gourmands.

bewander

WORDS: RAYMOND VIOLA

FIVELEMENTSBest for: Raw food lovers$: From $3,035 twin share or $4,300 for single occupancy (5 nights)Save the date: On demandFounded on the principles of Balinese healing, sacred arts and living foods, Fivelements developed the Cuisine for Life program to offer you a holistic lifestyle through a balance of daily cooking sessions with the finest natural therapies. Be inspired with the living foods philosophy, advocating plant-based foods in their original, unheated state as you learn how to blend the season’s flavours and create stunning food presentations with dynamic hands-on culinary training. Gourmet raw food chefs at the retreat will guide you through key techniques including juicing, fermenting, low-temperature baking and dehydrating. RAW VEGAN: Uncooked plant-based diet that excludes meat, fish, poultry, dairy and eggs

ARO HABest for: Paleo warriors $: From $4,050 twin share or $4,350 for single occupancy (4 nights)Save the date: Retreats run each month except June

Have a unique healthy culinary experience with a rainbow of vegetarian delights while on a wellness retreat at Aro Ha in New Zealand. Enjoy a Paleo-friendly, gluten-free, dairy-free and enzymatically active menu that will feed your body a diet rich in trace minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients. Learn how to make these healthy meals at home as Aro Ha’s wholefood

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chefs invite you to sit by the kitchen counters and show you how it’s done through their “un-cooking classes”, demonstrating raw vegan food preparation.PALEO VEGAN: Serves wholefoods or unprocessed, nutrient-dense plant-based foods

KAMALAYA KOH SAMUIBest for: Solo chefs cooking up a storm$: From $2,570 twin share or $3,535 for single occupancy (7 nights)Save the date: On demand

Get a taste of the delectable flavours of Thailand the healthy way on a wellness retreat at Kamalaya on the island of Koh Samui. An ideal spot for solo foodies, join the community table during meal times and chat and meet with other guests or participate in a weekly cooking class where you can learn how to whip up healthy detox cuisine that’s surprisingly rich and flavourful. Be creative with herbs and obtain the right set of skills to spice up dishes from protein-rich sources like fish, chicken, vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains in the confines of your own kitchen. Special Offer: Mention WH&F when booking a minimum 7-night stay including wellness program through Health and Fitness Travel (www.healthandfitnesstravel.com.au or call 1300 551 353) to receive a complimentary Cooking Class: Inspiring Healthy Cuisine Thai or Detox cuisine and 1 x 60 mins Vital Essence Oil Massage per person. Offer is valid for travel during 1 February–31 Oct 2016. PESCO POLLO VEGETARIAN/VEGETARIAN/VEGAN: Excludes red meats, allowing fish and poultry into the diet; also has options for vegetarian or vegan cuisine

SHA WELLNESS CLINIC Best for: Culinary rookies$: From $3,160 twin share or $3,845 for single occupancy (2 nights)Save the date: On demand

The Chef ’s Studio at SHA Wellness Clinic offers interactive healthy cooking classes for anyone wishing to discover its gastronomic secrets. Find out everything you need to know about healthy food preparation to apply on a daily basis, making substantial changes to your wellbeing and lifestyle. Group classes are held with varying themes according to the day of the week, from energy breakfasts to detox cooking and weight control cuisine. Opt for a private class where you can choose from 50 different dishes to tailor fit to your needs. Along with the appropriate cooking methods, learn the health

GAIA RETREAT & SPABest for: Health food buffs$: From $2,545 twin share or $3,205 for single occupancy (5 nights)Save the date: On demandNot only is Gaia Retreat and Spa a perfect oasis to renew and relax, it’s also the perfect place to learn about nutrition and healthy food preparation. Take part in organic cooking classes where you could learn how to create food as delicious and visually attractive as it is healthy. Visit Gaia’s own organic garden and witness as chefs personally choose the freshest produce before enjoying a colourful fare for you to feast on. With an emphasis on a balanced diet, you can indulge in a mix of creative flavours that features seafood, chicken, vegetarian, or vegan options. PESCO POLLO VEGETARIAN/VEGETARIAN/VEGAN: Excludes red meats, allowing fish and poultry into the diet; also has options for vegetarian or vegan cuisine

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AMATARA RESORT & WELLNESSBest for: Clean eating foodies $: From $4,135 twin share or $5,205 for single occupancy (7 nights)Save the date: On demand

Discover the art of healthy cooking in Thailand’s premium destination spa, Amatara Resort and Wellness, with your choice of programs focusing on fitness, spa and wellness, weight management and healthy living. Amatara’s cuisine philosophy draws from modern nutrition science and the classical wisdom of Thai and Chinese kitchens, seeing food as a catalyst for healing. With a course by course cooking session, enjoy preparing a diverse fare brimming with health benefits and flavour. After your class, have a taste of your creations to refuel your body and mind for more holistic activities ahead.CLEAN/BALANCED: Focusing on unprocessed food including fruits, vegetables, and meats and steering clear from refined sugar or artificial sweeteners.

benefits of each food item as chefs give you an informative talk about its active ingredients. PESCO POLLO VEGETARIAN/VEGETARIAN/VEGAN: Excludes red meats, allowing fish and poultry into the diet; also has options for vegetarian or vegan cuisine

PHUKET CLEANSEBest for: Detox gastronomes$: From $2,885 twin share or $3,205 for single occupancy (7 nights)Save the date: On demand

Phuket Cleanse believes in the power of detox and conveys its vision with active cleansing through fitness – sweating out toxins through exercise, herbal spa treatments and through the food that you take in. Enjoy a delicious healthy gastronomic fare with raw food and juice buffets and later learn how to make them through

daily casual raw food cooking classes in the afternoon. Learn about healthy diet and explore different ingredients in making your raw food goodies as healthy as they are enticing. You will never run out of choices as the creative team of experts at Phuket Cleanse makes their own raw food recipes to give guests the variety they need to embrace raw living food feasting even more. RAW VEGAN: Uncooked plant-based diet that excludes meat, fish, poultry, dairy and eggs

THE FARM AT SAN BENITOBest for: Health nut do-it-yourselfers $: From $4,325 twin share or $5,620 for single occupancy (7 nights)Save the date: On demand

The Farm at San Benito is a wellness retreat in the Philippines that centres its philosophy on Hippocrates’ ideology: “Let food by thy medicine and let medicine be thy food.” True enough, The Farm lets you experience natural healing through living cuisine dished up to fuel you with its nutritional properties. Offering food preparation classes every Tuesday and Thursday, guests are provided the knowledge to enable them to prepare simple yet super healthy food from their own homes. Taking it further, you can avail of the Raw! recipe book to help you recreate your favourite holiday meals that are fun and easy to make.RAW VEGAN: Uncooked plant-based diet that excludes meat, fish, poultry, dairy and eggs.

Not digging the food vibe?

For retreats answering every wish-list from yoga

intensives to medispa makeovers, visit Health

& Fitness Travel // healthandfitnesstravel.

com.au.

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If you can’t get approval for annual leave, turn your kitchen into a health food retreat with these recipes from our favourite properties.

FIG, POMEGRANATE & LENTIL SALAD From Gaia’s Gratitude Cookbook by Dan Trewartha INGREDIENTS: • 1 cup green du Puy lentils• Sea salt and cracked pepper• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil• 1/2 lemon, juiced • 1 large pomegranate• 200 g green beans, trimmed• 4 large handfuls baby spinach• 1 small bunch parsley leaves, picked

and washed• 1 small bunch mint leaves, picked and washed• 200 g Persian fetta, crumbled• 4 fresh figs, cut into wedges • 1/2 cup almonds, toasted for 5 minutes and

roughly choppedDressing:• 1/2 cup pomegranate molasses • 1/2 lemon, juiced • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil • Leftover juice from pomegranate seeds• Sea salt and cracked black pepper

METHOD:1. Wash and rinse lentils under cold running water. Drain and place in a 4-litre saucepan. Cover well with cold water and simmer until tender (approximately 45 minutes). For extra flavour, add some aromatics, such as bay leaves, thyme and a whole garlic head, halved horizontally.2. When cooked, drain, remove aromatics and toss in sea salt, black pepper, olive oil and lemon juice while still warm. Set aside on a tray to cool.3. Horizontally slice pomegranate in half. Set up a bowl and sieve. Hold fruit cut-side down over the sieve and bowl then tap firmly with a wooden spoon to remove the seeds. Reserve any juice for dressing.4. For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. 5. Blanch beans in boiling salted water for 1 1/2 minutes, drain and refresh in iced water.6. Combine lentils, baby spinach, beans, 2/3 of the pomegranate seeds, 2/3 of the herbs, 2/3 of the fetta and some dressing and lightly toss.7. To serve, place in a serving bowl or onto individual plates. Top with figs, almonds, reserved herbs, fetta and pomegranate seeds. Drizzle with some extra dressing.

RAW CHOCOLATE MOUSSEFrom Phuket CleanseINGREDIENTS: • 4 soft avocados• 1/4 cup

coconut nectar• 1/2 cup raw

cacao powder• 1 tsp vanilla extract• Pinch of salt

METHOD:Blend until creamy and serve

Food retreat STAY-CATION

RAW CHOCOLATE SNACK Source: Aro Ha Wellness RetreatINGREDIENTS: • 55 g coconut sugar• 85 g raw cacao butter• 55 g raw cacao powder• 1/4 tsp ml salt• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Top with the below ingredients to your liking• Goji berries• Activated pistachios• Dehydrated stinging nettle • Pansy petals

METHOD:1. Grind the sugar into a very fine powder.2. Melt the cacao butter over a bain-marie.3. Once it has melted, add the sugar, cacao powder, salt and vanilla extract.4. Pour the mix onto a flat tray and scatter with toppings.5. Place the tray in the freezer and let it set for 30 minutes.

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SUMMER ROLLSSource: Amatara Wellness ResortINGREDIENTS:• 50 g Vermicelli noodles• 12 rice paper sheets • 100 g bean sprouts • 100 g carrot, cut into matchsticks • 100 g cucumber, cut into matchsticks • 5 g mint leaves• 5 g coriander sprigs• 5 g garlic chives• 1 fresh yuzu • 50 ml Ginger & Ginseng Dressing

Ginger & Ginseng Dressing/ Dipping Sauce:• 5 g ginger • 200 ml ginseng tea• 5 g miso paste• 20 ml sweet chili sauce • 2 g white sesame seeds • 10 g peanut butter • 5 g garlic, finely chopped• 5 g coriander • 5 ml soya sauce • 1 lemon, juiced • 2 g black pepper

METHOD:1. Place the noodles in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 5 minutes to soften. Drain.2. Soak 1 rice paper sheet in warm water for 30 seconds or until soft (don’t soak the sheet for too long or it will tear).3. Drain on paper towel. Place on a clean work surface.4. Lay down a little of the noodles, bean sprouts, carrot and cucumber onto the softened rice paper.5. Drizzle with a little Ginger & Ginseng dressing.6. Top with 1 mint leaf and 1 coriander sprig.7. Fold in ends and top with 1 garlic chive and roll up firmly to enclose filling.8. Break up the yuzu segments and use the pods for garnish on the plate.9. Serve with the dipping sauce on the side.

BEETROOT CREAM SOUPFrom The Farm at San BenitoINGREDIENTS: • 1/2 cup beet juice• 1/2 cup carrot juice• 1/8 cup chopped green onion • 1/4 cup green cabbage, shredded• 1 tsp dill• 1/4 cup beet, finely grated• Sliced green apples• Sea salt• Black pepper

METHOD: 1. Combine beet juice, carrot juice, green onion, cabbage and dill and blend all together.2. Place in a bowl with the grated beat and mix.3. Add sea salt and black pepper to taste. 4. Chill and garnish with sliced green apples.

WARM FENNEL SALADSource: KamalayaINGREDIENTS: • 200 g fennel, thinly sliced• Sea salt• Black pepper• 10 ml vegetable stock• 5 g mint leaf, slicedPapaya Dressing:• 80 ml coconut water• 50 ml vegetable stock• 180 g ripe papaya• 25 ml lime juice• Sea salt• 30 ml virgin olive oil

METHOD:1. Begin by preparing the Papaya Dressing. Place all ingredients except the olive oil into a blender. Blend on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Turn blender to lowest speed and very slowly pour in the olive oil until it emulsifies. This should take about 10 seconds. Be careful to add the oil very slowly, otherwise the dressing will separate.2. Heat up 2/3 of the Papaya Dressing in a frying pan. Add the sliced fennel and stir well. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Continue cooking on a low heat for about 40 seconds. You want the fennel to be softened but still al dente. If the dressing reduces too much, simply add a little of the vegetable stock.3. To serve, place and drizzle with the remaining 1/3 of the warm papaya dressing and top with sliced mint leaf.

HEALTHY CARROT CAKEFrom SHA Wellness ClinicINGREDIENTS: • 1 cup wholewheat pastry flour • 1 cup chestnut flour • 1 tbsp baking powder • 1 tsp baking soda • 2 tsp cinnamon • 1/2 tsp nutmeg • 1/2 tsp all-spice• 1 tsp ground ginger• 1/2 tsp sea salt• 1/2 cup coconut oil • 2/3 cup maple syrup • 2/3 cup soy milk • 2 tsp vanilla extract • 1 cup walnuts, toasted

and chopped• 2 cups grated carrot • 1/2 cup pineapple, crushed

METHOD: 1. Preheat the oven to 180° C.2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt into a bowl.3. Mix oil, maple syrup, soy milk, and vanilla extract in a bowl with a whisk.4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients to form a batter.5. Add the walnuts, carrots and pineapple and mix gently.6. Pour the batter into 2 oiled cake tins and bake for 25–30 minutes. Set aside to cool.7. Garnish with grated carrot.

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