In an attempt to cater to the increasing variety of dietary concerns and requests from its guests – from gluten free to macrobiotic to vegan -- Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has launched a new culinary program called Lifestyle Cuisine Plus. Through the program, Fairmont chefs are given additional training and on-site software that analyzes nutrition content, and then encouraged to create dishes appropriate for their particular destination. Most Fairmont hotels already offer farm-to-table cuisine (many from their own kitchen gardens and bee hives) so the new program – the “plus” if you will – is the addition of health and wellness benefits to the seasonal, local fare already in place.

As an example of one of the new menu options, here is a recipe for vegan curry chick pea couscous from The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Others can be found on Fairmont's Everyone's An Original site. Enjoy!

Curry Chick Pea Couscous
From The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver

Ingredients:
1 c Onions, chopped
200 g Cherry tomatoes, fresh
250 g Beans, chickpeas, garbanzo or bengal gram, boiled
200 g Cauliflower
350 mL Coconut milk, canned
50 mL Lemon juice
100 g Fresh Express, baby spinach leaves
2 g Table salt
2 g Black pepper, ground
30 g Curry powder
5 g Cinnamon, ground
5 g Fennel seed
5 g Cumin seed
50 g Raisins, seeded

For the couscous:
1 1/2 cup Couscous
2 3/4 cups Water
1/4 teaspoon Salt

For the curry sauce:
1/2 tablespoon Sambal
3 cups Diced tomato
1/4 liter Tomato juice
5 each Sliced onion
2 tablespoons Tamarind paste
2 tablespoons Turmeric powder
2 tablespoons Cumin powder
2 tablespoons Curry powder
1/4 teaspoon Paprika powder
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne powder
1/4 cup Garlic, diced
1/4 cup Ginger
1 liter Water
3 1/2 cups Coconut milk
Tt Salt and pepper

Instructions:

For the Chick Peas
In a pan, sauté the chick peas, cauliflower, cheery tomato and raisins, season and bring them up to temperature add and sauté gently spinach, add couscous and curry sauce until ingredients flavors are well combined, plate up and place on top the grilled asparagus & frisé salad seasoned and drizzled with olive oil.

For the Couscous
In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add salt and stir. Add couscous and remove from heat and allow to sit for about 5 minutes. Couscous should be light and fluffy, not gummy. Be sure to allow the couscous to absorb the water.

For the Curry Sauce
Sauté onions for 5 minutes, then add garlic and ginger, keep sautéing until onions are transparent. Add all the spices & powders and sauté for 2 minutes, then add remaining ingredients and simmer for 2 hours. Blend while still hot, adjust seasoning as needed.