What I’m Reading Now

By Cindy Clemens, Life Coach

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

This is a delightful fiction story that is told from the perspective of the family dog. At first it seems to be a light collection of observations from a dog’s perspective, but before you know it you are being swept into a compelling family drama. Be prepared to read it in just a few days as it is hard to put down. The ending really makes you smile, so hang in there for the payoff.

Visit Garth's website to find out more about this and his other books.

Yum....Thanksgiving Day Menu

Join us for a special Thanksgiving Day buffet (Thursday, Nov. 25, 5:30-7:30 pm) created by Executive Chef Dale Van Sky. All the important things are covered...turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato pie...with a Red Mountain twist!

Soup
Mushroom Leek Soup

Salads & Appetizers
Salad Bar
Cranberry Walnut Apple Salad
Maple Glazed Pecan Carrot Salad
Smoked Salmon with Caper Lemon Dill Sauce

Entrées
Garlic Roasted Buffalo Prime Rib (carved to order) with Horseradish Sauce & Au Jus
Oven Roasted Turkey with Cranberry Poblano Orange Relish
Smoked Ham with Rum Raisin Sauce
Autumn Vegetable Casserole with Smoked Gouda Cheese

Sides
Traditional Sage Bread Stuffing
Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing
Country Style Mashed Potatoes with Chives
Candied Yams
Green Bean Casserole

Dessert
Caramel Apple Cheesecake with Anglaise Sauce
Bumbleberry Pear Pie
Sweet Potato Pie with Streusel Topping
Pumpkin Pot De Crème

Included with Signature and Life-Enhancing packages. A La Carte price is $32. Reservations required so call early to make yours at 435-652-5728.

Spa at Home with Pumpkin

by Myrna Beardshear, Director of Spa & Wellness

Pumpkin is my favorite skin treat. It is an excellent treatment for all skin types, especially environmentally damaged or sensitive skin. Rich in Vitamin A (skin healing), C (anti-oxidant) and Zinc, the pumpkin soothes, moisturizes and acts as a carrier, assisting the other mask ingredients to absorb deeper into the skin and intensifying the results.

Pumpkin puree has enzymes and antioxidants that offer results similar to gentle alpha-hydroxy action: It removes dead dull cells, while its beta-carotene-rich antioxidants nourish your skin.

Try the pumpkin at-home spa treatments below. They will moisturize and nourish your skin, leaving it smooth and glowing.

Pumpkin Body Mask

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cooked or canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup solids from a can of coconut milk (Coconut solids are a natural moisturizer.)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (Ground cinnamon is gently warming, stimulating and antibacterial.)

Directions:

1. Making sure they are at room temperature, mix ingredients in a bowl.


2. Apply generously to clean skin, massaging gently to work well into the skin. (I like to do this while standing on a towel in the bathtub and then I sit on the towel while waiting for the mask to work.)


3. Allow the mask to remain on for about 10 minutes, a good time to do some breathing and meditation to relax you after all those hours in the kitchen.


4. Rinse with warm water and pat dry.

Pumpkin Pie Face Mask

Ingredients:
2 tsp cooked or canned pumpkin, pureed
1/2 tsp honey (Honey is a humectant and is regenerative.)
1/4 tsp milk, or soymilk (The alpha hydroxyl acid digests skin cells.)

Optional Ingredients:
For Dry Skin
1/2 tsp heavy whipping cream (Cream is moisturizing and contains alpha hydroxy acid.)

For Oily Skin
1/4 tsp cranberry juice (Cranberries are high in antioxidants critically important to the utilization of essential fatty acids to maintain balanced, nourished skin.)

Directions:

1. Combine the ingredients for your face mask.


2. Mix gently and apply to your face avoiding the eye area.


3. Relax for 10-15 minutes while your Thanksgiving mask gently exfoliates, nourishes and conditions your face.


4. Rinse with warm water and apply the appropriate moisturizer for your skin type. Allow the mixture to penetrate for 15 minutes. Rinse with tepid water.

Resources for pumpkin recipes:
Cait Johnson, author of Witch in the Kitchen (Inner Traditions, 2001).
Lipman World, newsletter, Issue 2: Volume 1 2004, www.lipman world.com

November Activities at Red Mountain

November is filled with activities. We hope you can join the fun.

November 7–12 Eat Well, Feel Well Culinary School
Chef Dale Van Sky, Red Mountain's Executive Chef
Come explore the many rich flavors and creative healthy cuisines from our premier chefs.

November 7–14 Detoxification & Renewal
Dr. Brad Crump, Red Mountain Health Services Manager
Improve mind, body and spirit while learning healthy methods to rid your body of toxins.

November 10-14 Emotional Fitness
Andrea Hanson, Red Mountain Energist (trained and certified by Dr. Deepak Chopra.)
Witness and experience the profound emotional peace and freedom that can be attained through this multi-cultural, multi-dimensional emotional fitness approach to healing.

November 12-15 Release & Renew
Cindy Clemens, Red Mountain Life Coach
Reconnect with what is really important in your life and learn how to eliminate the energy drains and distractions getting in your way.

November 14-21 Fitness Boot Camp
Kim Watters, Red Mountain Fitness Manager
Your mission is to find fitness activities that you'll love so much you stick with your commitment for improved health.

November 14-21 Weight Loss & More!
Dr. Brad Crump, Red Mountain Health Services Manager
Sustainable weight loss is achievable when you have the right tools and know how to make good choices.

November 22-25 Renew. Re-Energize. Re-Engage.
Dr. Bertice Berry
Dr. Berry combines her skills as a sociologist and researcher with her ability to make her audiences think and laugh at the same time. She will redefine wellness and teach you new strategies for how to get there.

November 25 Thanksgiving Dinner Buffet
Join us for a special Thanksgiving dinner created by Executive Chef Dale Van Sky.

Honoring Special Dietary Needs at Red Mountain

By Executive Chef Dale Van Sky

Red Mountain guests come from all over the world and we are finding that more and more come to us with special dietary needs. We have guests who are vegans, vegetarians, Kosher and, of course, with many different food allergies.

We want our guests to have the best vacation possible. When we are given advanced notice, we are happy to prepare special meals that can accommodate any diet. Please inform any of our culinary team members that you have food restrictions or special dietary requirements. They will ask you to fill out a simple form with your name, restrictions and date of departure. We post this information in our kitchen so that everyone in the culinary department is aware of your special dietary needs. We also ask that if you have any questions about our prepared food items that you ask any of our staff about the ingredients.

October Recipe of the Month: Char-grilled Margarita Chicken

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts (4 oz. each)
Margarita Marinade
Cilantro Lime Sauce
Crumbled Goat Cheese

Margarita Marinade Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Lime Juice
1/2 tsp. Agave
1/4 tsp. Minced Garlic
1/8 tsp. Salt
1/2 oz. Tequila

Cilantro Lime Sauce Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Lime Juice
1/4 Cup Apple Juice
1 tbsp. Cilantro
1/2 tsp. Agave
1/4 tsp. Guar Gum
Mix all items well. Let sit for 30 minutes.

Directions:

1. Marinade chicken for at least 1 hour.


2. Char grill marinated chicken breast.


3. Top with cilantro lime sauce.


4. Top with goat cheese crumbles.

Mmmm....Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are a rich source of magnesium, which is vital to bone health and nervous system function. They are also bursting with B vitamins.

Meet Michael Girardot, Executive Sous Chef

@RedMountainSpa

Hometown: Glenwood Springs, Colorado

Current town: St. George, UT

Age: 44

Birthday: July 28

Favorite color: Forest Green

Favorite sport to watch: Golf, until I fall asleep

Favorite fitness activity: Hiking

How long at Red Mountain: three years

Family info? Married? Kids? Pets? I am single. I have a four-year old Black Lab named Tucker.

Favorite thing about working at RM: Getting to interact with the guests.

If you weren’t in Southern Utah, where would you live? Colorado

Favorite vacation spot: Europe

Favorite food: Sushi and Thai food

Favorite indulgence: Spending a night or two in Mesquite, NV and just lounging by the pool with margarita in hand.

When you aren’t at work, what do you do for fun? Hike, bike and play guitar.

Is there one thing at RM that you haven’t done that you want to? The horseback riding and kayaking would be fun.

Favorite quote: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Aristotle

How to Get a (New) Life

We are pleased to announce Dr. Elaine Dembe will be our guest speaker Dec. 27-29. Dr. Dembe is an author, speaker and expert on health and wellness.

Below is an excerpt from her blog.

How to Get a (New) Life

That is the title of the magazine article in the JULY issue of FLARE MAGAZINE where I am quoted as the guest expert on making changes no matter your age or stage in life. The article features three women who transformed their destiny.

There is an effective coaching strategy called APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY, which focuses on what IS working in your life rather than being overburdened with problems and trying to fix them. This method works well for any personal or professional difficulties. Using powerful questions, exceptional moments one can create an image of the future they want. A.I. (the short form) does not ignore the negative, it is a way of seeing the world differently in a validating and reframing way. For example, if I have a patient who is stressed, suffering from back pain, overweight, etc. I might ask, “tell me a time when you felt healthy, energized, in control of your life?” What were you doing that worked then?” We start with the positive and co-create a strategy that worked for them and look at taking small steps to move forward."

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

By Tracey Welsh, General Manager

2010 marks the 25th Anniversary of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we applaud the numbers of people that will proudly sport the color pink as they walk, run and advocate in honor of this cause. In 2010, nearly 207,000 individuals will receive a breast cancer diagnosis, and the good news is that there are nearly 2.5 million survivors.

Still today, breast cancer is the #2 leading cause of death in women. Whether you are a survivor, a caregiver, or have lost a loved one to cancer, I invite you to take time this month to honor and consider the impact this disease has on your life. Let the flood of pink images in honor of this cause be your sign that it’s time to commit to a healthier lifestyle. Take time to think about how nutrition plays a significant preventative and healing role in your bodies’ biological processes. Consider the mind-body connection, and how important it is to relieve stress through physical activity, getting outdoors and drinking in nature. Add the healing touch of massage as another way to promote good health. This recipe of complementary therapies added to increased awareness and research will help continue to increase breast cancer survival rates.

At Red Mountain each October, we are proud to honor a support group of breast cancer survivors from our local area with a Spa Tapas Survivors Celebration. We dedicate this evening to their mind, body and spirit in hopes that we can play a small part in their continued healing and help them take another step on their path to recovery.

For more information about breast cancer, please visit the American Cancer Society's website.