The Colors of the Rainbow
Find inspiration and healthy cooking tips from Melissa Petitto, Hilton Head Health Institute’s chef to the stars.
by Kathy Newbern | photography by Andrew Purcell
Melissa Petitto— who’s cooked for Lucy Liu, Carla Gugino, couples Christy Turlington and Ed Burns, and Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin—shares healthy but glamorous meal ideas in her cooking classes at Hilton Head Health, a weight-loss destination spa on the tony, South Carolina island of the same name.
As guest celebrity chef a week at a time, four or five times a year, her sessions are always full, as well as her private consultations.
“My cooking style is definitely seasonal and innovative—fusion, I guess—because I try to pull a little bit from everything,” says Petitto.
Her main emphasis, as she demonstrates in her classes, is about making better choices. For instance, as Petitto whips up lasagna in one session, she uses fat-free ricotta cheese mixed with fat-free cottage cheese.
“Really? You can use no-fat?” one skeptical guest asks.
“Yes,” Petitto assures, “because you’re mixing it.”
Her recipe also calls for part-skim mozzarella, and lots of veggies, including broccoli, zucchini, and spinach. She also selects whole-wheat lasagna noodles, and adds Hilton Head Health’s own marinara recipe, which is lower in fat and sugar than canned sauces.
Putting her stacked creation in the oven, she notes: “That’s 318 calories per serving. Imagine what your typical lasagna is.”
Petitto has this advice for everyday spa-goers: “Eat seasonally and think about the freshness of the ingredients you’re putting into your body. As long as your plate is colorful and filled with a lot more vegetables than starch and meat, you’ll be headed in the right direction. I really like my plate filled with the colors of rainbow.”
Ready to get started? Petitto developed this menu especially for Healing Lifestyles & Spas readers—enjoy:
Whipped Sweet Potatoes
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
4 medium sweet potatoes
1 tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup vanilla flavored soymilk, or fat-free milk
1 tbs. orange zest
sea salt and pepper
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 400° F. Peel and prick sweet potatoes and individually wrap in foil. Place on a foil lined baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake for 1 hour or until a knife comes out easily. Unwrap sweet potatoes and place in a large bowl. Add olive oil, soymilk, orange zest, sea salt and pepper. Using a hand held mixer, whip on medium speed until light and creamy, about 30 to 45 seconds. Serve warm.
Arugula Salad with Pears, Dried Cranberries, Roquefort, and Crispy Prosciutto
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
2 slices of thinly sliced prosciutto
1 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
4 cups baby arugula
1 Bosc or Anjou pear, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup crumbled Roquefort
sea salt and pepper to taste
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 400° F. On a sheet tray lined with foil, lay prosciutto slices flat. Transfer baking sheet to oven and roast for 10 minutes or until dried and crispy. Allow to cool. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, balsamic, honey, and mustard. Mix until combined and season with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, combine arugula, pears, cranberries, and Roquefort. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until the salad is evenly coated. Top with crumbled crispy prosciutto. Serve immediately.
