Columnist Muriel Stevens: Spa shows way to healthier eating habits

Friday, June 29, 2001 | 9:23 a.m.

Muriel Stevens' dining column appears Fridays. Her shopping columns and travel columns appear Wednesdays. Reach her at 259-4080 or muriel@ lasvegassun.com

It's an awesome task to attempt in one week to change the eating habits of a group of women (or men), but that's one of the missions of the swank Golden Door spa in Escondido, Calif.

In spite of the restrictions -- low fat, no butter or sodium -- most of the guests, including this food writer, adapt quickly to the healthier foods prepared by GD Executive Chef Michel Stroot and his assistants, Sous Chef Dean Rucker and Chef de Cuisine Kelly Miller.

Chef Stroot has been cooking at the door for many years. After a well-rounded career that began at 16 when he entered cooking school, he settled in California. Stroot was working at the Beach & Tennis Club in Pebble Beach when he was approached by a friend who asked him to analyze the problems at the private Kona Kai Club in San Diego.

Challenged by what he found -- "It was easy to improve it, it was so bad," he said -- Stroot became the chef. While at Kona Kai he was introduced to a group of guests from Rancho La Puerta, who were temporarily being housed and fed at the club. It was the chef's first introduction to spa food. He performed so well he was offered the position of head chef at the ranch and then later at Golden Door.

Stroot had studied the basics of nutrition at culinary school, but had never applied them to his cooking until Golden Door. Management had him enroll for additional courses on nutrition and spa cooking. "A typical Golden Door menu in those early days was a skinless chicken breast lightly brushed with olive oil, brown rice and vegetables and a garnish of parsley and lemon," he said.

It's a far cry from the sophisticated ethnic-inspired dishes of today. Chef Stroot overcomes the difficulties of catering to many different dietary needs by giving guests "Many choices, and choices within the choices."

"The foods that we do here, be it Thai, Lebanese, Moroccan, Mexican, California, European-inspired or comfort foods are a microcosm of the world's cuisines, minus the fat, sodium and calories, but not the flavor," he said. "We use so many spices, herbs and garlic, you wouldn't believe it."

Having experienced it, I do believe it.

Hikers start their day at 5:30 a.m. with breakfast foods served in the Wisteria Lounge (the only place with TV). The rest of us lolled around until 7:15 when breakfast was served in our rooms. On the breakfast tray was a fan-shaped schedule to attach to our GD tote bag. A typical day for me included a session with my personal trainer, Hatha Yoga in the open-air pavilion, a skin-care treatment, then poolside for snacks -- potassium broth and veggies fresh from the GD organic garden -- then back to the gym for time on the bike followed by aqua therapy in the pool.

Lunch was served poolside. Guests could request to have lunch at the koi pond or any other enchanting site. Next came dance class, an afternoon massage, another snack break and stretch and relax class. Everyone's schedule was tailored to their needs. Every day was slightly different. Mine accommodated my healing knee.

At 6:15 p.m. we donned the provided kimonos or dressed as we wished for dinner. We had chosen our meal from the menus left bedside each night. We had chosen the portion size when we arrived -- 1,100, 1,300 or 1,500 calories. Any additional snacks requested during the day were not part of that calorie count; this you had to remember if you were there to lose weight.

Menus changed daily. One day lunch choices were Golden Door pizza topped with fennel turkey sausage, caramelized onions, wilted greens, marinara sauce and feta cheese or a chicken salad sandwich on homemade bread or a marinated tempeh stir fry for vegetarians. Dessert was a fruit salad. The pizza was the hands-down favorite. A vegan Irish stew made with Boca Burger chunks or grilled Cornish game hen or seared Hawaiian sea bass were the dinner choices.

Not everything was wonderful, but most of it was. "Have the bento box," a friend called from Las Vegas to tell me. It was beautiful to behold and wonderfully satisfying.

The absolute heroine of the dining room was Dining Room Supervisor Martha Shissler. Soft spoken and unflappable, no matter how different was the request, she graciously saw to all of our dietary requirements -- dairy-free, allergies and endless substitutions.

She arranged seating wherever one wanted to eat -- "On the mountain? No problem." She oversaw the snack breaks where normally civilized persons sometimes lost it when a stick of jicama fell from their cream-smooth hands, and endlessly rearranged the menu choices taking one part from here and putting it there until the guests were happy.

At cooking class we learned secrets of healthier cooking and sneaked extra oatmeal cookies into our totes to be eaten later in our rooms. Recipes for the cookies and other favorites will appear in a future food section.

We pigged out on the the bountiful vegetables and fruits from the Golden Door gardens and tried hard not to think about chocolate. Sometimes we even succeeded. A glorious way to a healthier life. Pass the veggies, please.

Short orders

Krispy Kreme celebrates: Krispy Kreme doughnuts will celebrate its 64th year of operation in July, and will celebrate the birthday of anyone born in July. July babies will receive a free dozen of Krispy Kreme's signature glazed doughnuts. The offer is good Sunday through July 31. Just show up with an ID or written proof at one of the following Krispy Kreme doughnut shops: 7015 W. Spring Mountain Road (Wal-Mart Shopping Center), 1331 W. Craig Road (near Home Depot), or 9791 S. Eastern Ave. (at Silverado Ranch Boulevard, near Target).

Alta Villa open daily: Alta Villa Italian restaurant at the Flamingo is now open for dinner every night, 5-11 p.m. A complete menu of Italian specialties, including pizzas, is featured.

Free hot dogs at Weinerschnitzel: Weinerschnitzel will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a free chili dog giveaway and charity tie-in. Customers can pick up their free chili dog at any of the chain's outlets Tuesday from 5-8 p.m. For every giveaway chili dog the chain will contribute 4 cents to the City of Hope National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute. Good dog.