make it at home

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Make it at Home: Grilled Grouper with Plantains and Salsa Verde

At Zoëtry Wellness Spas & Resorts, we serve up fresh seafood for our guests on a daily basis.  However, you don’t have to miss the delicious food at Zoëtry once you return home!  With this recipe for grilled grouper with plantains and salsa verde, we bring the taste of the Caribbean right to your dining room table.

Ingredients:ZOPDB Finished

  • Olive oil-flavored cooking spray
  • 1 under-ripe plantain
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 2 (6-ounce) grouper fillets (about 1/2 inch thick)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 cup bottled green salsa
  • 2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
  • Chopped cilantro (optional)

Directions:

  • Heat a large grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat.
  • Take a plantain and cut it in half, lengthwise. Slice each half crosswise into two pieces. Spray plantain pieces with cooking spray and grill four minutes on each side–or until golden and slightly soft. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt.
  • Drizzle the fish with juice, then sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and minced cilantro. Grill four minutes on each side, or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
  • Top fish with salsa and sour cream, and serve with plantain pieces. Garnish with chopped cilantro, if desired.

What are you waiting for? Let’s get cooking!

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Make it at Home: Tropical Berry Tofu Smoothie

At Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts, we are committed to offering our guests a one-of-a-kind experience where we like to define wellness way beyond health and nutrition.  To continue to support our dedication to wellness, we wanted to share a delicious, healthy smoothie for you to enjoy at home.  Not only is it good for you, it will send you on a tropical day dream to Zoëtry!

Tropical Berry Tofu Smoothie

smoothie

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup silken tofu
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 2 cups frozen mixed berries
  • 1/2 cup fresh orange juice

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth.

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Make it at Home: Ahi Tuna Appetizer

It seems only fitting that while at Zoetry Agua Punta Cana, our guests enjoy delicious seafood. That’s why, we offer a number of seafood dishes in our restaurants that are sure to delight our visitors. Today, we thought we’d provide you with the recipe for one of our favorite appetizers — Ahi Tuna. If you try this recipe at home, let us know what you think in a comment below!

Ingredients:

  • 2 (6-8 ounce) ahi tuna steaks
  • 2 Tbsp dark sesame oil
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp of grated fresh ginger
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 green onion (scallion) thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice

What to do: 

  • Mix the marinade ingredients together and coat the tuna steaks with the marinade, cover tightly, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
  • Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high to high heat. When the pan is hot, remove the tuna steaks from the marinade and sear them for a minute to a minute and a half on each side. If you like your tuna a little more well done, feel free to cook them a little longer.
  • Remove from pan and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices. Serve with mango or pineapple salsa.

Photos of Zoetry Agua Punta Cana, Punta Cana

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Learn to Make Sancocho

Sancocho is one the Dominican Republic’s most cherished dishes and its name literally means “stew.” Usually prepared for special occasions, sancocho includes many ingredients, such as chunks of beef and a variety of starchy vegetables.

Since our resort, Zoetry Agua Punta Cana calls the Dominican Republic home, we thought it would be fun to share a unique sancocho recipe with you. But before we do, here’s a fun fact: despite the popularity of sancocho, the Dominican Republic boasts the largest number of sancocho recipes. There are even songs dedicated to it!

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs chopped beef , for stews (with bones)
  • 1 lb chopped goat meat
  • 1 lb pork sausage (longaniza)
  • 1 lb chopped pork
  • 1 ½ lbs chicken parts , with bone
  • 2 lbs pork ribs
  • 1 lb soup bones (from smoked ham)
  • 4 limes, juice of
  • 1 tablespoon crushed fresh garlic
  • 4 tablespoons oil
  • ½ lb yucca root , peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • ½ lb yam , peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces (niame or ñame)
  • 2 celery ribs , chopped
  • ½ lb malanga , peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • ½ lb potato , peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 3 unripe plantains , peeled 2 cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 beef bouillon cubes
  • 2 corn on the cob , cut into 2 inch pieces
  • ½ teaspoon ground oregano
  • 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons hot sauce
  • ¼ gallon water
  • ¼ cup bitter oranges or ¼ cup freshly squeezed seville orange juice
Directions:
  • Marinate beef in a large plastic bag, add celery, cilantro, oregano, vinegar, garlic, juice of 1 lime and salt. Allow it to marinate for at least 30 minutes In a large cast iron pot, heat oil on medium-high; add the beef with all the seasonings, stir. Cover and simmer for 10 mins, add a few tbsp of water. Add the pork, simmer for 15 minutes adding a few more tbsp of water if needed. Add the rest of the meat to the pot; except for the chicken and let simmer for an additional 15 mins, adding tbsp of water as needed to prevent it from burning. Add the chicken and simmer for another 10 minutes.
  • Add 1/4 gallon of water to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the niame, malanga and the 2 chopped plantains. Let simmer for 15 minutes Add all the remaining ingredients (remaining lime juice, corn, beef stock cubes, hot sauce, bitter orange juice) except for the third plantain, adjust water when necessary, stir occasionally. Let simmer until the last ingredients added are tender. Grate the third raw unripe plantain and add to the pot. Allow to simmer until stew thickens, adjust salt to taste.
  • Serve hot with white rice and avocados and enjoy!
 
 
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DIY: Rosemary Peppermint Foot Scrub

With the holidays right around the corner, there’s no doubt that thousands of people will be spending countless hours searching for the perfect gifts for their loved ones. And as a result of running from store to store, feet can take a beating.

Here at Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts, we value relaxation and taking care of our bodies. This holiday season, take a break from your busy schedule and give your feet some TLC with this rosemary peppermint foot scrub. Trust us, they will feel rejuvenated and you’ll be hitting the malls again in no time!

Rosemary Peppermint Foot Scrub

Ingredients

1 cup coarse sea salt

1/8 cup olive oil or sweet almond oil

2 to 3 drops peppermint essential oil

1 to 2 drops rosemary essential oil

2 sprigs fresh crushed rosemary or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Massage into feet and ankles. Rinse with warm water and follow with a moisturizer. Store excess scrub in a glass jar.

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Make at Home Spa Treatment: Pumpkin Facial Mask

Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts feature pumpkins in a variety of our spa treatments. Did you know pumpkins are packed with powerful nutrients that are excellent for your skin?   We’d like to share a make-at-home pumpkin facial mask so ou can experience the benefits of pumpkins at home!

Pumpkins are rich in anti-oxidants, beta carotene, Vitamins C and E, several of the B vitamins and is high in potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, and copper.  Your skin will feel hydrated and rejuvenated after this at home mask treatment.

Pumpkin Facial Mask

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup pumpkin puree  (use canned pumpkin)
  • 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. pumpkin seed oil
  • 1 pinch cinnamon
  • 1 pinch nutmeg

Directions:

  • Mix pumpkin puree in a bowl with lemon juice, pumpkin seed oil, cinnamon and nutmeg.
  • Apply mask to clean face and leave for 10-15 minutes for skin to soak in the nutrients.
  • Steam helps to further penetrate and open pores so consider using it while in a warm bath.
  • Wash off with warm water.

Place the left over mask in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for another use.   This will stay fresh for up to five days in the refrigerator. We hope you enjoy the benefits of this seasonal skin treatment!

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Make it at Home: Guacamole

At Zoëtry Paraiso de la Bonita, we not only believe in serving delicious, wholesome food to our guests, we want to share our passion for culinary arts through our Art of Life™ philosophy. As part of our Endless Privileges®, we offer a variety of culinary classes to our guests. Our goal is to teach simple techniques and tricks for making healthy and delicious food at home.

Recently, we hosted a class all about the art of making guacmole. Yes, that’s right, there is an art to making this irresistible snack. We started our class by picking fresh cilantro from our organic herb garden at the resort. The class turned out to be a lot of fun and all of the particpants couldn’t wait to eat the guacamole once the class was over! Take a look below for our simple recipe.

Fresh ingredients ready to be turned into guacamole!

Ingredients:

  • 1 tomato (it is important to make sure you have firm tomatoes with good texture)
  • ½ white onion (medium)
  • 1 Serrano pepper 
  • ½ lime
  • Large bunch of cilantro
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 ripe avocados (they should be soft when squeezed gently, with dark-green skin).

Cooking instructions:

  1. First, chop the tomato and onion coarsely; then chop the Serrano pepper and the large bunch of cilantro finely. Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Squeeze the juice of ½ the lime onto the mix and season with salt and pepper. If you feel adventurous you can also add some chopped habanero chile that will emphasize the spicy flavor.
  2. Next, cut each avocado in half, working around the large and smooth pit. Separate the avocado halves and remove the pit (keep the pit you will want to use this later). Scrape avocado out of the shell and place into mixing bowl. Mash the avocado with a fork (avoid using a food processor or blender).
  3. Finally, mix the tomato mixture with the crushed avocado. Add a little bit of salt if needed. Remember the pit? This is when you will want to use this and add it into the mix. The pit and lime help to preserve the freshness of your Guacamole!

Service with tortilla chips & enjoy!

Wondering how the guacomole class went at the resort? Take a look at this video with feedback from two of the participants!

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Make it at Home: Caribbean Style Papaya Guacamole

Zoëtry Paraiso de la Bonita Riviera Maya is located in a lush region of Mexico native to papaya trees. We serve many locally grown fruits and vegetables at our resort and always have fresh, ripe papayas on hand. The trees produce fruit all year making papaya an excellent ingredient in many of our favorite dishes.

Papaya has many excellent health benefits and is a rich source of minerals, fiber and antioxidants. Papaya is packed full of vitamin C as well as vitamin E and beta-carotene, three very powerful antioxidants. Papaya is also known to help prevent diabetes and heart disease.

The flesh of Mexican papaya has a  bright red or pink hue, but can range from a rich orange color to a yellowish tint. Papayas with yellow flesh tend to be sweeter than the red or pink fruits.  The inside of the fruit includes a black, round seeds encased in a gelatinous-like substance. The seeds are edible, but they have a bitter taste so most recipes remove the seeds.

Papayas can be enjoyed in many ways; eaten raw, cooked or mixed into a salad or salsa. Try this recipe for a sweet, yet spicy guacamole dip at home.  If you want it spicier, turn up the heat with a little more crushed red hot chilies.  

Caribbean Style Papaya Guacamole  

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp coconut, sweetened, flaked, dried
  • 1 small firm-ripe papaya
  • 1 large firm-ripe avocado
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/4 tbsp crushed dried red hot chilies

Directions

  1. In a 7-8” frying pan, stir coconut over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Pour from pan; set aside.
  2. Cut papaya in half lengthwise. Discard seeds and peel. Then dice fruit into small cubes.
  3. Cut avocado in half lengthwise. Discard pit and scoop avocado out of the skin.
  4.  Mix papaya and avocado with lime juice, sugar, and red chilies. Sprinkle with coconut.
  5. Serve with tortilla chips or spread on top of your favorite grilled chicken or seafood dish. Enjoy!

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Dominican Republic’s Passion Fruit is Delicious and Healthy

The Art of Life philosophy is not complete without Zoëtry Agua Punta Cana’s world fusion gourmet dining featuring organic and traditional ingredients.  Chefs from the resort’s restaurants, Amaya, Indigo and Maroon, use native ingredients to enhance the dining experience. Passion fruit, or Chinola as it is called in Dominican Republic, is a popular native fruit that is delicious and healthy. It is loaded with vitamin A and C, antioxidants, potassium and fiber.

This tropical fruit is the size of a tennis ball and has pink, purple or yellow-green skin.  Dominican Republic’s native passion fruit are commonly yellow. Inside the think skin is pulp with countless small dark seeds.  The crunchy seeds of the fruit are very vital sources of fiber. The pulp is a light-yellow or orange color and has a strong sweet fragrant.  Passion fruit can be enjoyed by itsself or used in a favorite recipe.

Similar to Zoëtry Agua’s philosophy, these fruits aid in the overall relaxation of the body.  It has been proven to help you enjoy a restful and sound sleep when taken before bedtime. Passion fruit can also help you power through your morning yoga session or afternoon tennis game because it is high in carbohydrates and simple sugars which both improve athletic performance. Enjoy passion fruit while you are staying at Zoëtry Agua or try the simple recipe below with passion fruit as the star ingredient. 

Passion Fruit Tropical Fruit Salad
Ingredients:
•Pulp from 1 passion fruit (or canned pulp)
•2 tsp of honey
•1 cup of natural yogurt
•½ a rock melon, sliced and skin removed
•4 strawberries
•¼ pineapple, sliced
•1 mango, cut and cubed
•1 kiwi fruit, halved

Preparation:
1. Cut the mango as shown.
2. Arrange the fruit on serving plates.
3. In a small bowl, whip the yogurt to give it a smooth consistency. Add the honey and stir well.
4. Cut the passion fruit in half and scoop out the pulp and liquid. (If using canned passion fruit just open and scoop out)
5. Add it to the yogurt and stir well.
6. Serve the fruit with a side of yogurt for dipping or drizzling and enjoy!

 

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Make it at Home: Organically Infused Tequila

At Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts, we pride ourselves on serving delicious food and beverages prepared from the finest organic and traditional ingredients. Our organically infused tequila is always a hit among our guests, so we’ve decided to share one of our recipes. This simple, yet delicious recipe is the perfect addition to any party and is sure to impress your guests. Just remember to plan ahead, because the infusion takes 2-3 weeks.

Strawberry Infused Tequila

Ingredients:

  • 1 Bottle of Jose Cuervo Silver
  • 1 quart organic strawberries, finely chopped
  • Large jar or pitcher with a lid

Directions:

  • Place chopped strawberries in jar. Crush to release juices, then pour in tequila. Seal the jar or pitcher tightly, and allow to stand for 2 to 3 weeks.
  • Strain the tequila and discard the chopped strawberries.
  • Serve at room temperature, over ice or add club soda with a squeeze of lime for a healthy, yet refreshing cocktail. You can even get creative by making an infused strawberry margarita!

Enjoy!