If you’re stuck on what to cook this Easter holiday, executive chef Kevin Erving from Four Seasons Resort Lāna’i at Manele Bay and Four Seasons Resort Lana’i, The Lodge at Koele in Hawaii is coming to the rescue.

Erving, who recently relocated to Hawaii with his wife and two children from Chicago, offers a healthy Easter Dinner recipe of “Thyme-roadted chicken with rosemary potatoes, minced carrots and snap peas,” followed by his kids’ favourite dessert, “Oreo cookie truffles.”

Erving writes, “This year, my family is anxiously awaiting our first Easter celebration in the Islands. A Hawaiian Easter will blend old traditions with new celebrations as we enjoy eternal sunshine, family and the warmth of the unique culture here.”

Check out these delicious Easter recipes on our Have Family Will Travel blog.

If you’re going to be glued to the television on Sunday night with your friends and family, be sure your Oscars party has everything you need  - television, comfortable seating and of course, food.

If you happen to be in L.A., join not one, but two Four Seasons Los Angeles concierges on Twitter and ask anything you ever wanted to know about visiting the City of Angels during this exciting time. They will tell you the best places to grab a bite, the best places for a martini, or if you’re hosting a bash, the best L.A. caterers.

On Thursday, February 23 at 2:00 pm PST (5:00 pm EST) sign on to Twitter and follow @FourSeasons and the hashtag #bestofcity to chat with Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills Chef Concierge Joyce Louie and Beverly Wilshire Beverly Hills (A Four Seasons Hotel) Concierge Brandon Perkins.

Get the twtvite: http://twtvite.com/bestofcityLA

“The story I want to tell is, the beauty of a region, all the elements and flavors from this particular place. I had one vision with this ice cream, I wanted that raw taste of tree, the aroma of a freshly broken branch. I steeped good ol’ Tennessee wood in the ice cream base…The best way to describe the flavor would be an ‘elegant cinnamon toast crunch’ with essence of a freshly cut tree. Sounds odd, yet tastes great.” – Chris Ford

For a globe-trotting gourmand, the ultimate pilgrimage might be sampling stinky cheeses in a French countryside town, just-off-the-boat oysters in a Portuguese fishing village or even haute cuisine in a big city’s hippest new restaurant. But now, there’s a delicious new destination for travellers with a taste for travel and a hunger for authentic flavours: Nawua.

Na-what? Meaning “House of Wine” in local Huichol dialect, Nawua is the exclusive new food and drink boutique at Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, on the tip of Mexico’s Bahìa de Banderas. A feast for the eyes and the tastebuds, the shop offers unique products personally selected by the Resort’s talented Executive Chef, Philippe Piel.

Sweet-toothed guests will no doubt reach for fresh hand baked Mexican Banana Cake (warning: it’s addictive!) and bright, jewel-toned treats from Mexico City’s renowned Sugarox Candy Studio. Those who crave savoury sustenance will love the selection of dressings and preserves (don’t miss the Mole), Luna Coffee from nearby Nayarit and sliced ham and cheeses. There’s also an abundance of wine, with 2 iPads containing tasting notes on each bottle, and of course, tequila — including a rare bottle (one of only 24 in the world) produced by José Cuervo to commemorate its 250th year.

And if that weren’t enough, the sleek store also stocks artisanal tablewares, such as glasses crafted in San Miguel Allende and pieces from acclaimed silversmith Emilia Castillo.

Enjoy Nawua’s treats during your unforgettable vacation or bring them home for a delectable souvenir of your visit to Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita! The Boutiques at Punta Mita are located off the main lobby of the Four Seasons Resort and are open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tel. 329.291.6000, ext. 3116. For more information on the resort and for latest updates, follow Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita at twitter or become a fan at facebook.

During the live #ChefVChat, Executive Chef Vosika, who oversees both The Bristol Lounge and 65 fellow chefs, chats with his @ChefVos followers on different culinary topics each week. Want to ask questions and seek recipe advice direct from the most tenured chef at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts? Join the chat every Friday!

Check out the below schedule for upcoming topics in January and February.

2012 #ChefVChat Schedule

Ingredients:

• 1- 7 oz Fish (snapper)
• .5 oz Local Spicy Asian Greens
• 3 oz Maitake Mushrooms, grilled
• 3 oz Choi Sum, blanched
• 1 ea Cherry Tomatoes, Roasted
• 2 Tbl Herb Oil
• 12 oz Red Miso Soy Glaze

Red Miso Glaze

• 1c Ginger, smashed
• 4 Tbl Garlic, minced
• 1 each Maui Onion, dice
• 1/8 c Cilantro stems, brunoise
• 2 Tbl Sake
• 1/2 c Soy Sauce
• 1/4 c Red Miso
• 2c Water
• 1 Tbl Meyer Lemon Juice

Grilled Maitake Mushrooms

• 6 clusters Maitake Mushrooms
• 1 tsp Roasted Garlic
• 1 tbls Olive Oil
• TT S&P

For Plate:

Grill vegetables with garlic oil, S&P, and plate Grill fish and plate over grilled vegetable Sauce the fish

Red Miso Glaze:

Sauté first 5 ingredients till caramelized, then deglaze with sake Add soy sauce, red Miso and water, simmer for 20 minutes Finish sauce with Meyer lemon juice Choi Sum:

Quickly blanch in salted water and shock in ice bath. Drain and reserve for service.

Roasted Cherry Tomato:

Lightly toss tomatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast under the broiler until the skin begins to blister. Remove from heat and let cool for service.

Grilled Vegetables:

Toss mushrooms garlic oil, season to taste Grill till tender

If you’re looking for a dessert that just screams healthy, look no further than the Longevity Cake from Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, California. Although this cake is delicious, it lacks the pitfalls of refined sugars and fat most other cakes hold, replacing the unhealthy ingredients with natural sweeteners like banana, as well as heart-healthy foods including flaxseed and blueberries.

“Even though it’s still dessert with some sugar, it’s less ‘bad” for you,’ says Paulette Lambert, director of nutrition at the California Health & Longevity Institute. “It has some nutritional benefits.”

Flaxseed, one of the key ingrediants of the Longevity Cake, is both rich in fibre as well as anti-inflammatory properties and contains lignans, a source of antioxidants that has been found to lower the risk for some types of cancer. The cake also contains superfoods including antioxidant-rich blueberries, whilst bananas add fibre and potassium.

Check Four Seasons Magazine for the full Longevity Cake recipe.

With the New Year upon us, now is typically the time to start making resolutions. While the list may include going to the gym, going green by riding your bike to work and drinking less coffee – one that is usually on everyone’s list is to eat healthier.

While that seems like an attainable goal, it’s challenging to find the time or motivation to whip up a nutritious and delicious meal – especially after a long day at work.

As executive chef of Four Seasons Resort Lanai, and as a father, making wise food choices is a must all year round. In Hawaii, I have access to an inspiring bounty of fresh seafood, local produce and ingredients at my fingertips. The abundance of healthy options make it easier to adhere to a farm-to-table mantra of healthy eating. Most importantly though, the food has to be made with aloha or love. Adding a bit of healthy thought to each recipe, ensures you are keeping you and your family in mind – not just for the meal that evening, but for the remainder of their lives.

At Four Seasons Resort Lanai, we have access to the best fishermen and farmers around the state. The menu at the resorts is often determined by my cooking arsenals, a.k.a. Daniel, Ricky and Herbert. They are some of the best fishermen around and I anxiously await their call every morning to see what they’ve reeled in.  There’s always a great selection of Ono (Wahoo), Mahi Maui (Dorado), Striped Marlin, and one of my favorites – Ahi Tuna (Yellowfin Tuna).

Not only is it a healthy option, but in Hawaii it’s a time-honoured tradition to serve Ahi on New Year’s Day for a prosperous start to the year. In addition, Ahi Tuna is a nutritious fish that is low in saturated fat and rich in omega-3 fatty acids. It’s an important staple to add to your diet for maintaining a healthy heart. It’s also a quick and easy recipe to prepare.  Cheers to 2012 and giving more food for thought when it’s time to prep the family dinner.

New Year Ahi Tuna

Seared Ahi Tuna, Vegetable Salad, Aged Sherry Vinaigrette
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

Salad

• 4 each, fresh radish, washed, sliced
• 4 oz beets, multi colored, cooked, peeled, cut into quarters
• 4 oz baby  carrots, cooked, sliced
• 3 oz Fresh Green Beans, cooked
• 3 spears of asparagus, peeled cooked and sliced
• 1 c sliced Fresh heart of palm
• 12 each Baby Patty Pan Squash Cooked and cut in half
• 12 each baby Green Zucchini, washed, cooked, cut into slices
• 1T. Fresh Chopped Parsley
• 1 bunch of assorted micro greens or fresh picked parsley

Prepare all vegetables individually ahead of time blanching in salted water until al dente then immediately put in ice water. The hearts of palm and radish should not be cooked, but served raw..  Drain and dry vegetable well and place in mixing bowl add vinaigrette, parsley and s/p to taste.

Sherry Vinaigrette

• 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup of aged sherry vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• pinch of sugar
• Kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Method for Vinaigrette

Place Dijon mustard, lemon juice and vinegar in a bowl, whisk together. Add salt, pepper and sugar to taste. Slowly whisk in olive oil until emulsified. Adjust seasoning.

Tuna

• 4 each,5 oz pieces of Ahi tuna loin cut about 1” thick
• Kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons of olive oil

Season Tuna well with salt and black pepper, cook tuna on medium high heat in heavy sauté pan (Teflon works well) cook tuna on one side until it appears to be cooked half way through then remove from pan. Sprinkle the tuna with Hawaiian Pink salt or Black Lava salt before serving.

The idea, says Chef Daul, came from the guests themselves.

“For lunch, we have a dessert tray that we offer to guests at the end of their meal. A lot of times people are already full and they say, ‘The last thing I want is a gooey chocolate cake,’ so we began offering something a little bit lighter.”

The secret to making desserts that taste decadent but only add up to around 100 calories, says Chef Daul, is to identify the high-calorie ingredients and find substitutes.

Here are Chef Daul’s best calorie-reducing tips

1. Try sugar substitutes like agave nectar and Splenda. These work well and reduce calorie count.

2. Fat is what provides the flavour for cakes and cookies, but it increases the calories. Chef Daul recommends changing recipes slightly by reducing the fat content. It’s relatively easy to achieve—swap whole milk for two per cent in a recipe that calls for milk, he says. Or, he advises using fat-free cream cheese instead of the full-fat version in something like a cheesecake recipe. Butter alternatives are also a good choice, though Chef Daul warns that with a dessert, you don’t want to remove butter entirely, as the taste is irreplaceable.

3. Eggs can also make desserts richer than they need to be. Chef Daul suggests experimenting with the whites and yolks. Try reducing the number of yolks (a large yolk has about 60 calories), or substituting some of the yolks for whites, which are much lower in calories (about 15 calories each).

4. Chef Daul says even if you’ve reduced fat, sugar and eggs, you must also make the portions smaller if you want to cut calories further. For example, instead of making eight portions, make ten, he says. And of course, present the petite portion beautifully, using fine china and perhaps an unexpected fruit garnish.

Chef Daul will be serving up tasty treats at Verandah until spring, when he’ll create a new seasonal menu. Make this one yourself (recipe below), and enjoy a little post-holiday sweet—without the guilt!

Low Calorie Passion fruit Panna Cotta:

Yield 12 servings

• 1 cup Low Fat Buttermilk
• 2 cups Milk 2%
• 1 cup Passionfruit Puree
• 82 grams Sun Crystals Sugar
• 5 sheets Gelatin

Directions 

• Bloom the Gelatin sheets in ice water for about 10 minutes.
• Bring the milk and the buttermilk to a boil with the sugar.
• Add the passion fruit puree.
• While the mix is still warm add the drained gelatine sheets.
• Pour into Martini glasses and let set for about 2 hours in the refrigerator.
• Decorate with fresh berries and a sprig of mint.