Escape to Shape | Travel

Marrakech still happens to be one of my most favorite Escape To Shape locations. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what makes this city so enticing; perhaps it is the perfect blend of old meets new or the chaos of the exotic Medina, the mesmerizing treasures of the souks or the intoxicating scents of the Spice Market.  Whatever it is, the allure draws me in when I am there and has me longing to return after I am back home. (Click to learn more about What is Moroccan Food.)

In Morocco, orange blossom water is called Ilma Zhar, which, in Arabic, literally means “flower water.” Orange blossom water traditionally serves two purposes.  One is as a perfume or freshener, typically given to guests to wash their hands upon entering the host’s house or before drinking tea. The other use for orange blossom water is in Moroccan cuisine, especially as an ingredient for traditional sweets. This Moroccan almond smoothie recipe, which is a slightly more modern take on the traditional use of the water, helps transport me back to our villa, a calm oasis of perfection, surrounded by rose gardens and with a glorious view of the majestic Atlas Mountains in the distance. While Orange Blossom Water can be found in the United States, it is always fun to buy some at the Spice Market in Marrakech; it makes a great gift, and is an easy way to transport yourself, even if only for a few moments, back to the beauty of Marrakech.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup almonds, blanched &  peeled
• 1 1/2 cups cold milk (you can use soy, rice, or almond milk as well)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• splash of orange blossom water
• 4 or 5 ice cubes

The winter chill here on the West Coast has us dreaming more and more about blissful Bali. This glorious island is rich in culture, spirituality, natural beauty, sunshine, warmth AND fresh fruits & vegetables. And while we always start our mornings with fresh baby coconut water this raw avocado smoothie is also a daily treat- the perfect protein & fiber packed boost before yoga or treks through the vibrant green rice fields… and a great way to replenish after ‘wiping out’ on the waves….

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado pitted and scooped out
• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 2 cups filtered water
• OR 1/2 cup coconut milk instead of raw almonds and water (if allergic to almonds)
• 1 tsp natural vanilla extract
• 1-2 Tbsp agave nectar or 6 pitted dates for sweetness
• a pinch of sea salt
• 5-6 ice cubes

Directions:

1. Blend  the almonds and water for a quick & easy ‘rustic’ almond milk.
2. Add in the other ingredients and blend until rich and creamy.
3. This mixture fills two large 8oz glasses.
4. You might want to add in more agave/dates to taste.

Guilt-free Goodness….. Enjoy!

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/4 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2(15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (we traditionally use chicken broth but since we had a few people that don’t eat chicken we used vegetable broth)

1 medium tomato diced

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, and garlic and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until onion is translucent and not burned.

2. Add beans, and the broth, decrease heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.

4. Working in batches, transfer soup to food processor or blender and process until smooth.

5. Return the puree to the saucepan and heat for 5 minutes over medium heat. If necessary, thin with water. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Garnish each serving with avocado, tomato, and cilantro, if you like.

Hot sauce can be added according to your personal taste

Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 garlic glove, minced

1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and minced- add more to taste if you want more zing

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 medium pumpkin, peeled and cut into chunks

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (we used vegetable broth)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Toasted Pumpkin seeds, for garnish, if available

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger, and sauté, stirring frequently, for 6 to 8 minutes, until onion is soft but not browned. Stir in the brown sugar. Set aside.

2. Cook pumpkin in a large pot with the broth until tender. 25 to 30 minutes.

3. Remove the pumpkin from the heat, but do not drain. Let cool for 10 minutes. Add the garlic-ginger mixture.

4. Working in batches, transfer soup to a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

5. Return soup to the pot and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Top each serving with a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds.

Serve immediately.

This is a low – fat version of the classic Guatemalan favorite. Quick, easy and a delicious side dish for fish or chicken, the plantain is one of the healthiest foods in the world in terms of nutritional value. Rich in low GI carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins & minerals, the plantain packs even more nutritional punch than its close relative, the banana. Enjoy this quick, easy & healthy treat!

Ingredients:

• 4 very ripe plantains (when the skin is yellow with spots of black they’re perfect)
• cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Coat a nonstick cookie sheet with cooking spray.
3. Cut the ends off of the plantains and peel.
4. Cut each plantain on the diagonal into 1/2 inch slices.
5. Arrange in single layer and coat tops with cooking spray.
6. Bake, turning occasionally, for 10-15 minutes, until plantains are golden brown and very tender.
   ENJOY!

It is that time of year again, when Escape To Shape packs it up and heads out to one of their all-time favorite locations, Marrakech. From the majestic beauty of the Atlas Mountains to the exotic Medina and the sensory-rich souks, Marrakech always delights!

This quick & easy Moroccan Blood Orange Salad is sure to satisfy- plus, it adds color to any spring or summer plate!  The blood oranges, cumin & mint give the salad a distinct & delicious Moroccan flavor. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 3 blood oranges, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 oranges, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
• 2 tablespoons wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• Lettuce leaves
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh mint

Directions

1. Place blood oranges, oranges and green onion in a shallow serving dish. Sprinkle with vinegar, olive oil, oregano, cumin, dash salt, and dash pepper; toss gently. Let marinate 30 to 60 minutes at room temperature. To serve, arrange mixture on lettuce-lined plates; sprinkle with snipped mint or parsley. Makes 6 side-dish servings.

Long referred to as “The Island of the Gods”, Bali is a natural paradise. With a culture deeply rooted in tradition, spirituality and the arts, Bali provides a perfect backdrop for many books and even a few films.

TO READ

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

A Little Bit One O’clock: Living with a Balinese family  by William Ingram

A House In Bali by Colin McPhee

A Short History Of Bali: Indonesia’s Hindu Realm by Robert Pringle

Night of Purnama  by Anna Mathews

The Last Paradise  by Hickman Powell

Revolt in Paradise  by K’tut Tantri

Dancing Out Of Bali by John Coast

The Painted Alphabet by Diana Darling

Green Mangos & Lemongrass: Southeast Asia’s Best Recipes From Bangkok to Bali by Wendy Hutton

TO SEE

Eat, Pray, Love staring Julia Roberts

Road to Bali starring Bob Hope & Bing Crosby

Escape To Shape – Marrakech may have past, but the craving for the unique and exotic flavors of Moroccan cuisine still lingers. Thanks to The Single Gourmet Online we can reproduce the flavors at home- quickly, easily & healthily!

Ingredients (serves 1):

Directions:

Catherine Gleason is a young, successful women living in New York City, who offered to submit an entry on her personal experience traveling with Escape To Shape. Many thanks, Catherine!

I don’t know how else to describe Escape to Shape other than to say it’s like going to stay with your incredibly cool sister and her boyfriend in an exotic city for a week where they know everyone and every thing that’s worth knowing.  I’ve now done two of their trips (Cartagena and Marrakech) and while each one is different and unique to the location, there are some staples: a beautiful house, amazing food, great yoga, a packed itinerary, and fantastic company.  And despite the fact Erica and Francesco put a ton of effort into making sure each of their trips are flawless and that they’ve secured only the best of the best of everything, you’d never know it as a guest – they make everything seem just that easy.  Looking for a good spa in town?  They’ve been to a great one – should they make you a reservation? Want a hotel recommendation for your extra night?  There is a perfect one right in town and they know the owners.  Decided you want to take the afternoon away from the group and do some shopping?  They’ll get a driver to take you.  Want to do dinner in town one night? They know just the perfect spot – and when you get home, you’ll see it’s given five starts in every magazine.

The locations for Escape to Shape are always a big draw for me, but at the end of the day it is always really important to me who I travel with – after all what good is the location, if your company is aweful?  The only thing I can say is that so far I’ve met a number of incredibly smart, accomplished and adventurous women (yes, both of the trips I did were all women) from all sorts of backgrounds.  I’ve met women in finance, non-profit, law, consulting, design and decorating and each has her own fascinating story to share.  Most of the women come on their own, although the mother/daughter combo seems to be fairly common as well.  Whether you come alone or with a group though, I think the type of person who comes to a trip like this is very inclusive and if you’re on your own, you won’t feel ever feel like it.

Now about the “Shape” part…  this originally scared me – a lot.  I was a afraid I’d spend the entire week starving, so as embarrassed as I am to say this, I’ll admit I snuck a few snacks in my suitcase, just in case…  Luckily for me, Erica’s theme when it comes to the food part seems to be more about moderation and portion control, rather than starvation.  I’m not going to lie, there were definitely a couple of times when I would have killed for a piece of chocolate, but there were always healthy snacks lying around if we were hungry.  Some of the women seem to take the heath part of the trip very seriously, while others much less so.  As with everything else on the trip, it’s up to you which side you fall on…

Speaking of optionality, while every activity on these trips is completely 100% optional, there are some things not to be missed.  In each location Erica and Francesco arrange for the group to enjoy some of the local attractions.  In Cartagena, my favorite day was when we took a lava bath in a volcano followed by a scrub down by some locals in the near-by river.  I’ve never heard so many grown women giggle!  And in Marrakech it was a daylong hike through the Atlas mountains – complete with home-cooked French fries – that did it for me.  But really the stories I remember most were the unplanned things that happened.  There was the boat ride when we got stuck in a storm that left all of us huddled under a small canopy laughing as we tried to keep dry.  There was the rogue masseuse which spurred hours of discussion around the dinner table.  There was the guide who surprised us with a “Happy Congratulations” cake his mom had made for us.   There was an impromptu visit to a school in a small Moroccan village.  Each of these experiences is why I do these trips.

I signed up for my first Escape to Shape on a whim, and I am so happy I did!  So far I have been able to explore two fantastically exotic cities that I wouldn’t have otherwise had the nerve to travel to by myself and I’ve found the perfect balance of luxury, health and adventure that I know will always include a great group of people!