Loew's Coronado Bay Resort - Sea Spa 'Colorful Cuisine'

Colorful Sea Spa Menu Program

In planning our Sea Spa Menus we have used the basic color wheel as our design inspiration and the fabulous array of nature's colorful fruits and vegetables to develop our recipes. The primary colors, red, blue and yellow and the secondary colors, orange, purple and green give us all of the colors of the rainbow for our menu planning palate. Each day we feature a different color as our Sea Spa Special on all of our menus. However, our goal is to teach our guests the importance of eating something from each color group everyday.

Colors' Because

Eating five or more servings of colorful fruits and vegetables each day is part of an important plan for healthier living and disease prevention. The reason for this is that deeply hued fruits and vegetables provide a wide range of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Also they provide phytochemicals, which are natural plant compounds that may provide a variety of health benefits your body needs. In fact, many of the bright colors in fruits and vegetables come from phytochemicals, which are believed to be necessary to maintain good health and energy levels, protect against the effects of aging and reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. Our grandmothers were right---eating a variety of colors everyday is an important step to feeling better, looking younger and probably living longer.

Red

Lycopene and anthocyanins are specific phytochemicals contained in red fruits and vegetables. Lycopene helps rid the body of free radicals that damage genes and protects against certain types of cancer and urinary tract health, as well as heart and lung disease. Anthocyanins are powerful antioxidants that may have a beneficial effect on heart disease by inhibiting blood clot formation. Including red in your low fat diet will also help maintain memory function.

Yellow

Yellow fruits and vegetables, such as sweet corn, yellow squash, yellow peppers, yellow beets, yellow watermelon, yellow tomatoes, yellow apples and lemons contain antioxidants such as vitamin C as well as carotenoids and bioflavonoids. Also, these fruits and vegetables contain beta cryptothanxin which helps maintain a healthy immune system.

Blue

There aren't many "true blue' fruits and vegetables. However, both blueberries and blue cornmeal have some important health properties. Anthocyanin, the naturally occurring pigment that makes blueberries blue and raspberries red is now thought to play a major role in antioxidant activity levels. This pigment that gives blueberries their deep blue color and packs them with antioxidants does not diminish with storage. Current research indicates that eating blueberries can reduce 'oxidative stress', one of the main factors, which causes aging. They also contain high levels of resveratol believed to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. Another study shows that symptoms of eye fatigue were shown to improve among the groups who consumed blueberries. Blueberries also contain some of the same substances as cranberries and may help to prevent urinary tract infections by prohibiting harmful bacteria from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract. Blue cornmeal is prized for its superior nutritional value. Blue corn is treated with wood ashes, which are alkaline, and like lime and lye make certain amino acids more available. The alkali treatment also intensifies its blue color. Corn also contains vitamin A.

Orange

Vitamin A which is derived from beta carotene is found in many orange fruits and vegetables. Carrots are particularly high in vitamin A, which is derived from beta carotene. In fact, carotenoids, the group of plant pigments of which beta carotene is a member, are so named because they were first identified in carrots. Beta carotene is also good for improving night vision. An orange contains 170% of the recommended daily vitamin C. It also interesting to note that the skin of an orange is high in a protective fat that has been found to kill cancer cells in both animals and humans. In fact, two thirds of all drugs come from the plant world. Orange colored fruits, such as papayas, peaches, oranges and tangerines contain beta cryptothanin which helps cells in the body communicate and may prevent heart disease.

Purple

There is some evidence that foods in this color group, such as purple grapes, purple plums, purple figs, eggplant, purple cabbage, purple potatoes and beets may help delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease by providing the powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins. Also this food group is show to lower the risk of some cancers, aid in urinary tract health and memory function.

Blue fruits and vegetables contain health-promoting phytochemicals such as anthocyanins and phenolics, currently being studied for their antioxidant and anti-aging benefits. The powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins helps protect against heart disease by preventing blood clots. They may also delay the aging of cells in the body.

Green

The green group of fruits and vegetables contain the chemicals sulforaphane and isocyanate and also contain indoles. These chemicals help protect the body against cancer by inhibiting carcinogens. Also, lutein a phytochemical contained in abundance in leafy green greens, such as spinach, collard, mustard greens and turnip greens are believed to reduce the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration of the eyes. It may also reduce atherosclerosis, therefore helping to build strong bones and teeth. Also in the green group is green tea, which contains catechins. Due to their potent antioxidant capabilities, catechins are being investigated for their ability for preventing cancer and heart disease. Other sources of catechins include black tea, grapes, wine and chocolate but are found predominantly in green tea.

 

Available Recipes:

  1. Bleu Cheese Dressing
  2. Blue Cornmeal Crusted Sea Bass with Corn Salsa
  3. Blueberry Shake
  4. Blueberry Muffins
  5. Blueberry-Cream Cheese Brulee
  6. Chilled Blueberry Soup
  7. Oatmeal Blueberry Pancakes
  8. Soft Chicken Tacos in Blue Corn Tortillas
  9. Asian Greens with Grilled Salmon
  10. Broccoli and Lobster Stir-Fry
  11. Cold Pea Salad
  12. Green Apple Shake
  13. Key Lime Custard
  14. Lime Pancakes
  15. Mâche Salad
  16. Sherried Pea Soup
  17. Zucchini Bisque
  18. Zucchini Muffins
  19. Caribbean Carrot Coleslaw
  20. Carrot-Orange Gluten Free Muffin
  21. Curried Pumpkin Soup
  22. Curried Shrimp and Papaya Salad
  23. Lamb Chops with Herbed Apricot
  24. Orange Cloud Pancakes
  25. Orange Shake
  26. Peach Clafouti with Caramel Sauce
  27. Peach Crisp
  28. Spicey Carrot Risotto
  29. Baked Beets
  30. Beet Salad
  31. Blackberry Gluten Free Muffins
  32. Grilled Chicken Breast with Plum Sauce
  33. Purple Vichyssoise
  34. Raisin-Almond Gluten Free Bread Pudding Muffins
  35. Caprese Napoleon
  36. Chicken Veronique with Red Grapes
  37. Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup
  38. Fresh Fruit Fantasy
  39. Pink Panna Cotta with Red Raspberries
  40. Polenta with Savory Salsa
  41. Raspberry Gluten Free Muffin
  42. Red Pepper Egg White Omelette
  43. Strawberry Shake
  44. Confetti Salad
  45. Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
  46. Banana-Almond Shake
  47. Chilies Rellenos Casserole
  48. Gluten Free Cheesy Cornbread Muffins
  49. Gluten Free Chicken Curry
  50. Lemon-Ginger Ice Milk
  51. Pacific Rim Fish with Indian Curry Sauce
  52. Piña Colada Shake
  53. Sea Spa Baked Bananas
  54. Seafood Paella
  55. Yellow Gazpacho