I’ve been a long-time fan of Scott Uehlein, Canyon Ranch’s corporate chef and author of NOURISH—so am not surprised at the high quality his newest book which, in addition to recipes, includes photos, nutritional information and helpful hints. Gotta confess, I find some of the hints as inspiring as the recipes—for example what dieter could not love the nutrition note accompanying the warm chocolate cake recipe “Nutrition Note: We are so happy to tell you again how healthy chocolate is.”

Scott Uehlein, Canyon Ranch Chef

Thank you Scott—your book is terrific and I am so happy to have it in my collection.

Nourish is a Viking Studio publication with a list price of $40. For a tasty sample of a typical recipe try this:

BEEF SHORT RIBS

Makes 4 serving

2 pounds bone-in beef short ribs or 1 pound boneless short ribs

2 cups Mongolian BBQ Sauce (recipe follows)

2 cups water

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Sear the short ribs in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Place in a shallow glass baking dish with a cover.

Combine the BBQ sauce, water, and brown sugar in a medium bowl and mix well. Pour over ribs. Cover tightly and roast for 2 to 3 hours, or until tender.

Serve 2 ribs with 2 tablespoons sauce,1/2 cup mashed potatoes and 1/2 cup braised red cabbage (recipes for potatoes and cabbage are included in NOURISH)

Each serving contains: 370 calories, 35 g carbohydrate, 15 g fat, 58 mg cholesterol, 22g protein, 740 mg sodium, 4 g fiber.

Beef Short Ribs

MONGOLIAN BBQ SAUCE

Makes sixteen 2-tablespoon servings

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari sauce

2 tablespoons evaporated cane juice

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1/2 cup sake

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

1/3 cup low-sodium ketchup

Pinch ground coriander

Pinch ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup minced leeks, white part only

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

Combine the 1/2 cup tamari, the cane juice, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sake, and the 1/3 cup water and bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low. Add the ketchup, coriander, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for a 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Combine the leeks, garlic, fresh ginger, the 2 tablespoons water, and the 2 tablespoons tamari.

Add the leek mixture to the sauce mixture and stir until combined.

Each serving contains: 35 calories, 4 g carbohydrate, trace fat, 0 mg cholesterol, trace protein, 288mg sodium, trace fiber.

HARVEST VEGETABLE SOUP

3 large sweet potatoes, divided

3 carrots, peeled and trimmed

2 acorn squash, peeled and seeded

1 butternut squash, peeled and seeded

About 2 quarts chicken broth (or vegetable broth or water)

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Hot-pepper sauce to taste

Salt to taste

1 to 2 cups cream, half and half, chicken broth or vegetable broth to thin soup

Garnish:

Sour cream or plain yogurt (full, low or no fat)

Sunflower seeds mixed with an equal amount of toasted pine nuts (Plan about 1 heaping tablespoon mix per serving.)

Pierce 2 sweet potatoes with the tines of a fork and bake in a 350°F degree until very tender, about  80 minutes. Set baked potatoes aside.

Peel remaining sweet potato. Cut potato, carrots and squash into large chunks and put in a soup pot. Add enough broth (or water) to just cover vegetables. Add nutmeg, a few dashes of hot-pepper sauce and salt. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, immediately reduce heat, and boil very gently until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.

Remove skin from baked potatoes and add flesh to mixture in pot.

Set pot aside until mixture is cool enough to blend, then working with small batches, blend soup in a blender until smooth. Thin soup to desired consistency with cream or broth. Correct seasoning (at this point the soup may be cooled at room temperature and then refrigerated in a covered container).

Serve the soup chilled or reheat it and serve hot. Garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and a sprinkling of sunflower seeds mixed with toasted pine nuts.

Yield: About 4 quarts.

DIETING ON THE CRYSTAL SERENITY

If there is anytime to dish the diet it is on a cruise where you can have food 24/7. And if any cruise overloads with quality as well as quantity, it is a Crystal Cruise, where the food is always a feast. So it is odd that Michael Falla, the hunky 24-year old, sports scientist and personal trainer on the Crystal Serenity offers terrific advice for dieting. Michael encourages dieters to: (1) eat within one hour of waking up (YES!); (2) eat every three to four hours (no problem there); (3) eat in moderation (the catch); and (4) make wise choices.

As to those choices, Michael explained his concept of hand-to-mouth eating.

“Look at your hand,” he said. “A reasonable meal should have no more than one closed fist portion of bad carbohydrates (white rice, potatoes, white bread) and two closed fists full of good carbs (whole grains, leafy greens, veggies). The protein portion of the meal should match your open palm without the digits. And you can add as many beans, lentils and the like that can sit, in one layer, on the outstretched palm without falling off. As to fat, the top of your thumb, up from the first notch is what you get in way of butter, oil, etc.—and that is for the whole meal—not just as a spread.”

I’d like to add another secret to cruise control that is especially easy on the Serenity. Aim for the luxuries in your choices. Pick caviar over the donuts, salmon for breakfast over the bacon and eggs and the low-calorie frozen yogurt over the…well,  you get the picture.