We are featuring many of the recipes we serve at Mountain Trek. Prepare delicious spa cuisine in your own kitchen.

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Energizing Morning Smoothie Recipe

Drink this energizing morning smoothie within 30 minutes of waking up to break your overnight fast, ignite your metabolism, and infuse yourself with nutrient-rich, brain-fueling calories first thing in the morning—all without the hassle of a full-blown breakfast. Packed full of leafy greens, healthy fats, protein, omega-3s, and fruit, this smoothie is an all-around powerhouse.

This smoothie is part of our 2-day healthy meal plan, where we give you everything you need, from a shopping list to recipes, to eat healthfully for 48-hours. The result is reduced inflammation, increased energy, weight loss, improved gut health, and balanced hormones.

INGREDIENTS (Makes 2 servings)

  • ½ cup water
  • ½ avocado
  • 1 handful of baby greens
  • ½ cup fresh or frozen berries
  • ½ banana
  • ½ Tbsp. hemp oil (or olive or avocado oil)
  • 1 Tbsp. hemp hearts
  • ¾ Tbsp. chia seeds
  • 1 pinch of cinnamon
  • optional: 2 tablespoons hemp protein powder (or any protein you have at home)

PREPARATION METHOD

  • Blend all ingredients together until smooth.
  • Add water to thin as desired.

What is Mountain Trek?

Interested in having this and many other delicious gourmet, spa-cuisine recipes prepared for you while you spend a week invigorating and restoring your health?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

Recover From New Years’ Resolution Setbacks

image of dice spelling old habits

How are your New Year’s Resolutions going? Still on track, or are you mired in self-defeat? If it’s the latter then we’re here to help. Setbacks are just part of the process when we make big changes. Perhaps you vowed you’d eat breakfast every morning and then fell back into the routine of consuming only three coffees before lunch. Or maybe you said you’d exercise three days a week and have only managed to go once or twice. Not to worry–you are not failing! You’re doing everything right by just deciding to make a positive change in the first place.

Here are six tips to encourage you and help keep your goals on track:

Remember, it can take upwards of three months to create a healthy habit. Continue to stick with your goals and you’ll be increasing your overall vitality in no time!

  1. Firstly, if you’ve suffered a setback the key is don’t beat yourself up over it. Just acknowledge it, try to discern why you slipped, and then immediately get back on track again.
  2. If you find yourself continually encountering setbacks, maybe the change you’re trying to implement is too big? Is it possible to make a smaller change that will lead to a healthier path? For example, if you wanted to hit the gym three times a week but are struggling to make it there even once, then edit your goal. Resolve to go to the gym once a week to start, and work your way up from there. 
  3. If you keep lapsing into a bad habit, such as snacking on potato chips throughout your workday, then swap out the context of the bad habit. Instead of potato chips, snack on baked kale chips instead. 
  4. Get outside! There’s no better tonic than a walk through nature in the fresh air. If you find yourself lapsing into self-judgment and despair, just take a step outside and breath deeply. It seems like such a simple solution but you’ll be shocked at how it clears your mind and puts you in a better mood.
  5. Phone a friend! You are not in this alone. Engage a family member or friend and tell them about where you’re having difficulty. You’ll be amazed at how just talking about it to a good listener will help put you back on track.
  6. Travel! Nothing helps you break a bad habit faster than completely changing your environment. It’s so much easier to reinvent yourself when you’re not surrounded by the same-old, same-old. The trip doesn’t have to be an epic cross-country adventure – you could simply book a room at a local hotel, take a good book, and relax away from the stresses of your regular life. 

What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

How To Balance Work And Play

woman in a business suit without shoes playing in a fountain

About 50 years ago, many of us moved from work that involved standing and moving to desk jobs that require more sitting. Not only that, but work hours have increased since then. For some, two-thirds of our day is spent connected to our job in some capacity. This can make for an incredibly stressful lifestyle.

By spending all of our time either working or sleeping poorly, it damages our mental and physical health. After all, our system is designed to run after gazelles on the African savannah. It doesn’t feel good when we sit in front of a computer for 14 hours a day. 

The good news is there are some easy things that you can do in order to better balance your work and play. In our opinion, the latter doesn’t get emphasized enough in our current work-obsessed society. Having fun is just as important, if not more so, for personal health and happiness.

Inch by inch is a cinch, but yard by yard is hard.

The key to a good balance is not biting off more than you can chew at first. The first thing you want to do is make a list of things that you consider fun and make you happy – even if the list is only one activity long. 

Perhaps you haven’t found the time to get outside as much as you’d like. The key is to start small and set a SMART goal. Don’t expect yourself to go for an hour-long walk every afternoon right off the bat. But you can get outside, even if it’s just walking from your car to your office. For the first few days, park farther away than you normally would, and as you’re striding along, take deep breaths and remember what it was like to run freely through nature. Before entering your office, look up at the sky for 30 seconds and just enjoy the view. 

When you’re at your desk, follow these five steps:

  1. Take 10 minutes out of your workday and relax and just clear your mind. 
  2. Drink lots of water. Not only will it cleanse your system but it will force you to get up and move when you need bathroom breaks. It will also allow you to step out of your work mode for a few moments to give you time to think of other activities.
  3. Occasionally get up from your desk and stretch in a doorway or stare out the window at the sky. While you’re doing that, think about what makes you happy.
  4. The next time you’re perusing Facebook or on some other social media site, stop what you’re doing and instead Google classes, courses, groups, or apps that are related to the activity you love. Bookmark relevant sites. Even if you don’t sign up right then and there, it will be beneficial to have your mind dwell on it.
  5. Mention to a friend or co-worker about your desire for better work/play balance and the activity you would like to get involved in. By putting it out there, you’ll enlist the help of acquaintances and it will become “real” as opposed to a “wish” that only exists in your mind.

Try and do the above things every day and eventually you’ll find yourself setting aside more and more time for the activity you love. Learn more ways you can pamper yourself.


What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

Wasabi Crusted Halibut With Spinach & Chard Gomae

Wasabi_Crusted_Halibut

Rich, spicy, and healthy, this dish is packed with nutrients and filled with flavors of Japanese cuisine. Made with succulent halibut and crunchy wasabi peas, this recipe is a Mountain Trek favorite! We like to serve Halibut when it is fresh and in season. If not in season, substitute another white fish.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

  • 4 oz halibut, skinless, 4 portions
  • 1/4 cup organic mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp sweet chili sauce
  • 1/2 tsp wasabi powder
  • 1/3 cup dried wasabi peas, roughly chopped
  • 3 cup broccoli flowerets, chopped
  • 4 cup Swiss chard, fresh chopped
  • 1/2 bunch kale, de-veined and chopped
  • 1 green onion, cut diagonally

Gomae dressing:

  • 1 tsp agave syrup or honey
  • 1 tsp water
  • 1 Tbsp Bragg’s liquid aminos
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 1/8 cup grapeseed oil
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp tahini

PREPARATION

  • Heat the oven to 400 F.
  • Place the halibut on a parchment-lined baking sheet
  • Mix the mayonnaise with the sweet chili sauce and wasabi powder to make a paste.
  • Spread the paste evenly on top of each piece of fish (common mistake: do not add wasabi peas yet)
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the fish is flaking and the top is slightly browning, 5 minutes before the baking is complete, press the wasabi peas firmly into the paste to cover and return to oven.
  • Prepare the gomae by removing any hard stems from the spinach and chard and chop.
  • Steam the broccoli. Add the spinach and chard and continue to steam until everything is cooked through and softened, but still bright green. Drain well, keeping warm
  • Mix the dressing ingredients in a saucepan on low heat. Once warm, toss with the greens.
  • To serve, place fish on plate next to a classic gomae mound. Sprinkle with green onions. To add an element, steam some carrot spears and place fish atop (as pictured).

Quick Energy Protein Smoothie -Take a minute for breakfast!

Quick-Morning-Smoothie

This is the early-morning High Energy Protein smoothie we serve our guests every day. It helps break our fast and kick start our metabolic process. We recommend mixing until really smooth to get the most out of the combined flavors.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup frozen fruit, such as berries, mangos, and/or strawberries
  • 1 tablespoon hemp oil
  • 3 tablespoons hemp protein powder
  • 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
  • 1 frozen banana 1 cup coconut or almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon powdered greens
  • 1 ½ tablespoons chia seeds pinch of cinnamon

METHOD

  • Blend all ingredients together until smooth.
  • Add water to thin as desired.

Serves 4 x 6-ounce cups

Print and download the recipe here.


What is Mountain Trek?

Interested in having this and many other delicious gourmet, spa-cuisine recipes prepared for you while you spend a week invigorating and restoring your health?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

Smoked Salmon & Halibut Chowder Recipe

Halibut & Salmon Chowder Recipe

Many people may not realize this but salmon is excellent food for your brain. It contains omega-3 fats in a ready-made form (EPA and DHA) that’s easily digestible, which is good because our bodies cannot produce EPA or DHA and so they must be obtained through diet. These fats are important for healthy brain function, the heart, joints and general well-being and can be found in trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, pilchards, kippers and, of course, salmon. It should also be noted that low DHA levels have been linked to a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss so be sure to eat your oily fish! Here’s one recipe that we love. It serves eight people or you can freeze it and reheat at your leisure.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

  • 2 cups fennel, diced
  • 2 cups celery, diced
  • 2 cups carrots, diced
  • 2 cups onion, diced
  • 2 cups sweet potato, diced
  • 1 cup peppers, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • ¼ cup tamari
  • 1/8 cup Braggs
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 ½ cups fresh dill, chopped fine
  • 1 tsp liquid smoke
  • 2 cubes veg or chicken stock, blended
  • 1 small can or 5 1/2 oz tomato paste
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • juice of 2 lemons
  • 1/2 cup of tofutti (dairy free) sour cream
  • 4-5 oz fish (wild Pacific salmon and halibut) per person
  • 8 cups stock

PREPARATION

  1. Sauté the vegetables in the olive oil. Move them to a large pot and add the rest of the ingredients. Let simmer until fish is cooked through then enjoy!

 


What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning health retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you detox, unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

Vietnamese Salad with Steak

Vietnamese Salad with Steak Recipe

Barbecue season has arrived and with it comes delicious grilling recipes such as the one below that incorporates Vietnamese salad, a yummy take on a traditional green salad that incorporates a chilli-seasoned dressing. Invite your friends over and serve them the following and they’ll be sure to talk about it for weeks afterwards.

If steak isn’t your preference, you can swap the protein out for free-range organic chicken or the vegetarian selection of your choice, such as tofu or even portobello mushrooms. (Just be sure to include protein-rich vegetables in the salad such as spinach or broccoli.) The following amounts are enough to serve 8 people.

 

Marinade & Dressing Ingredients

  • 1⁄4 c. tamari
  • 1⁄4 c. grapeseed oil
  • 1/2 c. lime juice – freshly squeezed
  • 1⁄4 c. water
  • 4 tbsp sugar – raw
  • 4 tbsp minced garlic
  • 4 tsp chili paste

Whisk together all the above ingredients. Use 1/4 cup for marinade and the rest for salad dressing.

 

Steak preparation:

Get the best-quality organic sirloin steak – we recommend serving about five ounces of steak for each guest. Marinade the steak for a minimum of 30 minutes. If using a plate or glass bowl to marinade, be sure to turn halfway through marinating time.

Use barbecue to cook stead until its medium rare. Let rest 5 minutes and then slice thinly at an angle. Alternatively cut the steak and place on skewers before barbecuing.

Salad Ingredients: 

  • 8 c. mixed greens
  • 1 c. fresh basil leaves – julienned
  • 1 c. fresh cilantro – julienned
  • 2 c. red onion – finely diced
  • 6 c. snap peas
  • 6 c. English cucumbers – with peel – julienned
  • 6 c. carrots – julienned – blanched
  • Cashews dry roasted – unsalted (for topping) – chopped

 

Mix greens, basil and cilantro, onion, cucumber, snap peas, and carrots. Top with sliced steak and drizzle salad dressing over top. Sprinkle with chopped toasted cashews.

Cinnamon Granola Recipe

Recipe for Cinnamon Granola

This delicious, gluten-free Cinnamon Granola recipe is perfect for breakfast because it’s easy to make and can be stored for weeks. The ingredient list below is enough to make eight servings.

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cups rolled oats (certified gluten free)
¼ cup slivered almonds
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
½ cup sunflower seeds
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
2 tbsp maple syrup
¼ tsp almond extract
½ tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp cinnamon

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 325°F
  • Mix grains, nuts and seeds together on a large baking tray
  • Combine remaining ingredients together in a saucepan and heat briefly
  • Pour over nut/oat mixture and toss well to coat
  • Bake for 45 minutes until lightly toasted. Stir every 15 minutes to brown evenly
  • Cool before storing in airtight container

A Full Day of Spa Cuisine Recipes

Spa-CuisineThere has been a lot of talk about “spa cuisine” in the past year and some people are questioning just exactly what the phrase means. Some assume it’s vegetarian or flavorless or served in tiny qualities. Others wonder if it’s new-age “superfood” or supplemental vitamins. In actual fact, spa cuisine can include meat, it’s delicious and, at Mountain Trek, it’s served in perfect portions at the right times during the day so your body doesn’t crave non-essential foods. From a scientific perspective, spa cuisine utilizes the natural elements, nutrients, and minerals in food to assist the body so that it can function at an optimal level of vitality. In layman’s terms, it looks colorful and tastes delicious! You’ll find little-to-no processed or refined ingredients in spa cuisine, and in many instances, a lot of what you’ll be consuming is locally grown or raised and seasonally appropriate. At Mountain Trek, you’ll discover that every single one of our meals is well-balanced and amazingly tasty. In fact, we have an on-site nutritionist who ensures the ideal amount of protein, carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables are consumed throughout the day, and at specific times of day, while our chef is always discovering new and delicious ways to prepare the dishes. To learn more about meal composition and timings read our Healthy Eating Tips blog. But if you’re looking for a daily sample of delicious spa cuisine, we’ve included three recipes below for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Bon Appétit!

Breakfast

Manna Bread Breakfast RecipeManna Bread Breakfast

Manna Bread is made with whole sprouted grain berries and pure water – a far cry from the heavily processed bread you find in most supermarkets. Manna bread can come in rye or multigrain or varieties and is available at your local health food store. Loaves tend to be smaller but that’s because Manna Bread is more dense and filling. At Mountain Trek, we’ll typically serve men three half-inch slice in the morning while women receive two slices. Women’s portion – serve with:

  • 2 slices smoked cheese (equaling ½ oz. or 14 grams)
  • 2 slices avocado
  • 3 slices tomato
  • 1 tbsp almond butter
  • Alfalfa sprouts

Men’s portion – serve with:

  • 3 slices smoked cheese (equaling ¾ oz. or 21 grams)
  • 3 slices avocado
  • 3 slices tomato
  • 1 tbsp almond butter
  • Alfalfa sprouts

Lunch

Kootenay Mushroom Barley Lentil Soup

Kootenay Mushroom Barley Lentil Soup

This recipe tastes best when you use freshly picked mushrooms from the forest floor, like we do at Mountain Trek. Whatever mushrooms you use, though, this recipe (which serves 4) will be sure to delight and fulfill.

Ingredients:

  • 1 ¼ cup yellow onions, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp grapeseed oil
  • 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 cup celery, sliced
  • 1 cup carrots, finely chopped
  • 2 cup spinach
  • 1/3 cup barley
  • 2 ½ tbsp red lentils
  • 2 ½ tbsp sherry
  • ¾ tsp fresh rosemary
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ¾ tsp paprika
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp thyme
  • 3 ½ cups veggie stock
  • 1 whole bay leaf
  • 2 ½ tbsp parsley
  • ½ tbsp Bragg’s or tamari sauce
  • 2 tbsp flax oil
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne

Directions:

  • Heat oil and butter in a large soup pan.
  • Add onions, celery, carrots, and sauté until translucent.
  • Add mushrooms and garlic and sauté until translucent.
  • Add barley, lentils and spices and sauté for 10 minutes.
  • Add stock and let cook over medium heat for approximately 30 minutes or until the barley is done.
  • Add Bragg’s, sherry, flax oil, and parsley.
  • At Mountain Trek, our portions are typically two cups for men and 1.5 cups for women.

Dinner

The Kootenay Bowl

The Kootenay Bowl

This easy-to-make dish is as colorful as it is delicious. It serves four.

Tofu + Marinade:

  • 1 ½ blocks (600 grams) herbed tofu, cubed. (By freezing, thawing, and then squeezing the excess water from the tofu its texture changes, allowing it to absorb the marinade.)
  • 2½ tbsp tamari
  • 2½ tbsp grapeseed oil
  • 2½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ – ½ tsp. rosemary powder
  • Blend the above ingredients and marinate cubed tofu in it for at least 2 hours before cooking.
  • Reserve some marinade for cooking tofu.

Dressing:

  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
  • 2½ tbsp water
  • 2½ tbsp tamari sauce
  • 2½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 large clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp grapeseed oil
  • 1 tbsp tahini Blend above ingredients and serve on the side.

The Bowl:

  • ½ cup quinoa cooked in 1 ¼ cup water
  • 4 cup mixed greens
  • ½ cup beets, grated
  • ½ cup carrots, grated
  • ½ cup red cabbage, shredded very fine
  • 4 large cherry tomatoes, halved 2 tbsp sunflower seeds, toasted 4 pinches alfalfa sprouts
  • Rinse quinoa well and cook until tender (about 12-15 minutes).
  • Sauté tofu in a small amount of the marinade until browned on all sides.
  • Place greens on the bottom of each bowl, put quinoa on top of that, then add rows of carrots, beets, and red cabbage.
  • Sprinkle with sunflower seeds; add tofu, sprouts, and tomatoes.
  • At Mountain Trek we serve the following portions: women receive 7 cubes of tofu, 1/4 cup of cooked quinoa and 1 1/2 tbsp of dressing; men receive 9 cubes of tofu, 1/3 cup cooked quinoa and 2 tbsp of dressing.

To find more Mountain Trek recipes and to get the shopping list for these recipes, download our Habits 2 Health App now.

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