The Golden Door Cooks Light and Easy

Book excerpt: "Sound nutrition is the cornerstone of any healthy lifestyle," writes Michel Stroot, and he should know. As the executive chef at southern California's famed Golden Door Spa, he has perfected the art of conscious cooking and nourishment and now shares over 150 of his unique and delicious recipes in Golden Door Cooks Light and Easy. The Golden Door Spa is one of America's most exclusive holistic wellness retreats, and the celebration of food-from garden to table-is a cornerstone of the spa's "simplicity is luxury" ideology. Stroot's recipes are not only nutritionally balanced, but also imaginative, aromatic, and always delicious. In keeping with the Golden Door Spa philosophy, he aims to "provide the hurried person a cuisine of simple and enticing meals that will renew physical and mental energy," with recipes that use only fresh, healthy ingredients, allowing creativity and spirit to enhance every meal. With guidelines for creating well-balanced meal plans, advice on how to cut time in the kitchen, and ways to reduce fat while enhancing flavor, Golden Door Cooks Light and Easy surpasses so many other cookbooks that amount to nothing more than a list of exotic ingredients from a fancy kitchen. From breakfast to beverages, appetizers to sauces, salads to seafood and easy desserts, Chef Stroot shares his favorite menus as he reflects on the Golden Door belief that "it is necessary to maintain a balance between what goes into our bodies and what we can expect to get out in terms of energy, enthusiasm, and enjoyment."Classically trained, Chef Michel Stroot honed his skills as the executive chef at the Golden Door Spa for more than two decades. His food has been praised by the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Gourmet, and Vogue. Stroot has been called "a kitchen genius" and his creations "tantalizing and singularly inspiring." Originally from Belgium, he lives in San Marcos, California.