Diana Stobo is the CEO and founder of The Retreat in Costa Rica. She is also the is award-winning author of the healthy lifestyle book, “Get Naked Fast! Stripping Away the Foods That Weigh You Down.” Today she’s sharing a recipe she thinks best represents the Fall season.
Diana Stobo from The Retreat in Alto del Monte Costa Rica
FriendsEAT: Tell us a little bit about The Retreat. What makes it special?
Diana Stobo: Dine al fresco at THE RETREAT on organic farm-to-fork Tico Fresh’ cuisine. For many first time visitors to Costa Rica and guests at The Retreat, experiencing this type of clean, organic eating new and eye opening experience as the benefits of feeding your body wholesome, GMO & chemical free foods is immediately realized and noticed in one’s energy level, mental focus, skin clarity and more.
Much intention is given to the food served here. Nutritionally dense, clean food is the base of our philosophy and the kitchen is the heart of the hotel. Vegan options, raw choices, fish, and meats are prepared from our gardens or are locally sourced. Fresh handcrafted cocktails, pressed juices, and superfood smoothies are available throughout the day in the restaurant, in the gym, poolside, or delivered to your room. We place a strong emphasis on living foods while offering a menu customizable to your needs.
We harvest as much as possible from our garden, what we do not grow, we source from local organic farmers that we buy from direct and also frequent our local Feria (farmers’ market) of Atenas and the Feria Verde de Aranjuez, a local all organic farmer and artisan market.
FE: Why do you love this recipe for the Fall season?
Diana: I love pad thai, but I wanted to replace the noodles with a colorful array of fresh produce. This dish has all the flavor profiles with cleaner ingredients. That’s what I do best, take classic recipes and transform them into farm fresh meals. and with the addition of the jumbo prawns, it takes this dish to the next level.
How To Make Chef Diana Stobo’s Vegetable Pad Thai with Grilled Prawns
Vegetable Pad Thai with Grilled Prawns
Serves 3 People
INGREDIENTS:
Sauce
1 cup cashew butter
1 cup almond butter
2 gloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon ginger, chopped
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon black pepper
Rainbow Veggie Noodles
1/4 Green cabbage
1/4 Red cabbage
1 carrot
1 chayote
Half red onion
1 bell pepper
1/4 cup Cilantro
1 zucchini
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons coconut oil
12 jumbo prawns
INSTRUCTIONS:
Sauce
1. Mix all the ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth and set aside.
Noodles
1. Chop all the vegetables in julianne style or use a vegetable spiralizer.
2. Sauté the veggies on medium-high heat with a 2 tablespoons of coconut oil to soften, about 4 minutes.
3. Mix the sauce and sprinkle with 2 tablespoon of lemon juice.
Prawns
1. Pat dry the prawns and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a pan on high with1 tablespoon coconut oil. Cook the jumbo prawns on high until opaque, about 2 minutes on each side.
Assembly
1. Divide the veggies and top with 4 prawns, sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
The Retreat is located at Alto del Monte, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
[mappress mapid=”272″]Nearby Landmarks: Iglesia Alto del Monte, Hotel El Bosquesito, and Bar Linda Vista
Phone Number: +506 8947 0707
For Reservations: [email protected]
Hours of Operation:
- Breakfast: 07:00AM – 11:00AM
- Lunch: 12:00PM – 02:00PM
- Dinner: 06:00PM – 09:00PM