Spa Party
An Afternoon of Pampering
Sometimes you just want to pamper yourself and your friends! A spa party captures the spirit of a spa, which is where people go to relax and do what’s good for their mind and body. Spa parties are easy parties to throw because you just need lots of good things to read, plenty of refreshing drinks, and healthful, tasty treats to munch on! Oh, and bring on the nail polish! A great spa party activity is to paint your fingernails and toenails with your friends. Yes, you’re going to send your guests home with pretty feet!
Spa Party Basics
Bring your own … When you invite your guests, ask them to bring their own brush, beauty products, and even their favorite nail polish. If you have lots of different nail polish colors on hand, you can make pretty hearts and flowers on your nails. The more options the more fun!
The setting is everything. Since spas are all about getting pampered, you’ll want your guests to feel like your party is where they’ll totally relax! Arrange a room with lots of pillows and have pitchers of water filled with fresh berries, peaches, and even cucumbers. Be sure to ask your friends to bring their own towels and robes for the best spa experience ever.
Pick your products. For your main activity (when you’re not eating) you’ll want your guests to feel pampered. Whether it is facial products, nail products, or hair products, pick your favorites, or spread out a selection for your friends to choose from.
Party with fresh food. The treats you serve should all have a healthy, refreshing element. Think fresh fruits and veggies, and don’t forget the mint! When your friends leave your party, they’ll feel energized and ready to do anything after all that pampering!
Cold Cucumber Soup
Cucumbers are calm and cool—spa staples! This soup will refresh you and your guests and capture the true “spa” experience.
Ingredients for 6 cups:
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups chicken stock
1/8 teaspoon dill seed
1 cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream or plain yogurt
Chopped fresh dill, for garnish
1. Sauté the onion in the butter in a frying pan on medium heat until transparent.
2. Turn off the heat and add the chicken stock and dill seed to the onions. Let cool for 5 minutes.
3. Once cooled, add the onion mixture to a blender and, with adult help, purée on medium speed with the cucumber.
4. Cover the onion mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a half hour.
5. Remove the mixture from the refrigerator, add the cream or yogurt, return to the blender, and blend until well combined.
6. Pour the soup into the cups and garnish with dill.
Gazpacho
This medley is packed with veggies and lots of the vitamins you and your guests need to feel energized.
Ingredients for 6 cups:
3 tomatoes (2 diced, 1 cut into 6 slices)
1/2 cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
1/2 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped into small pieces
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
1 cup water or tomato juice
1/8 cup croutons
1. With adult help, purée all the ingredients (except the tomato slices and the croutons) in a blender, adding the water or tomato juice last.
2. Pour the gazpacho into a large bowl, and then ladle into the cups.
3. Top off each cup with croutons and a slice of tomato.
Sushi Stacks
This Japanese-style treat is so much fun to make. Stack up sushi rice, avocado, and seaweed; then put anything you like in between!
Ingredients for 6 stacks:
11/8 cups water
1 cup short-grain rice or sushi rice
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2teaspoon salt
4 sheets of seaweed
1 avocado, sliced
1/4 pound crab meat
Soy sauce
1. With adult help, pour the water into a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Add the rice to the water. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
3. Turn the heat off and cover the pot for an additional 10 minutes to let the rice soak up the water.
4. Place the sugar, rice vinegar, and salt in one of the cups and microwave for 10 seconds, or until the sugar is dissolved.
5. With adult help, pour the cooked rice onto a baking pan lined with plastic wrap.
6. Drizzle the vinegar-sugar mixture over the rice while turning the rice with a fork.
7. With a butter knife or scissors, trace or cut 6 small disks onto the seaweed using the bottom side of a cup. Repeat 6 more times. You now have 12 small disks.
8. Repeat step 7 using the top side of the cup to make 6 large disks.
9. Place plastic wrap in the center of the cups, with extra plastic rolled over the edges.
10. Place 2 small seaweed disks in each cup.
11. Layer your stacks, starting with the rice.
12. Place an avocado slice on top of the rice and pat down with your fingers.
13. Place 1 teaspoon of the crab on top of the avocado.
14. Finally, place more of the rice on top of the crab, and then top it off with a large seaweed disk.
15. Remove each sushi stack by placing a plate on top of each cup. Then, turn the plate over along with your stack. Take off your cup and remove the plastic.
16. Place back in the cups if you wish, and serve with soy sauce.
Add crunch and personality to your sushi stacks. Try tomato slices, cucumber slices, jicama, bean sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, and even carrot slices.
Couscous and Chicken with Mint Pesto
Couscous is a grain that’s good for you and tasty! Chicken packs a protein punch, and the mint makes this ultra-refreshing!
Ingredients for 6 cups:
6 sprigs of mint
1 garlic clove
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons pine nuts
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
6 chicken breasts, uncooked and cut into strips
11/2 cups chicken stock
11/2 cups couscous
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. With adult help, make the mint pesto in a blender by puréeing the mint, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, pine nuts, salt, and pepper on low speed. (Save 6 mint leaves for step 11.)
3. With a plastic spoon, scoop out the mint pesto and place in a freezer bag.
4. Add the chicken to the bag and be sure it’s covered with the mint pesto. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
5. Remove the chicken from the bag and discard the remaining mint pesto. Place the chicken in a large baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
6. Place the 6 cups on a microwave-safe plate that fits in your microwave.
7. Pour 1/4 cup chicken stock into each cup.
8. Microwave on high for 1 minute and 30 seconds, or until you see bubbles at the bottom of each cup.
9. With adult help, remove from the microwave and add 114 cup couscous to each cup.
10. Cover the couscous cups with a plate and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
11. Place 3 chicken strips on top of your couscous cups. Then add a mint leaf to each cup and serve.
Carrot Cupcakes
These cupcakes are packed with Vitamin A. Enjoy with the frosting or pop ‘em into your mouth plain.
Ingredients for 6 cupcakes:
Cupcakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1/2cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 cup crushed pineapple
3/4 cup grated carrots
Frosting
8 tablespoons whipped cream cheese
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2teaspoon vanilla
To Make the Cupcakes
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Add all the dry ingredients to a bowl.
3. With adult help, mix together the wet ingredients, pineapple, and the carrots with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, until well blended.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and continue to mix.
5. Spoon the batter into the cups, filling each one two-thirds full.
6. Place the cups on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before frosting.
To Make the Frosting
1. In a bowl, mix together all the frosting ingredients with a fork until well blended.
2. Place the frosting in the refrigerator and chill for 20 minutes.
3. Remove from the refrigerator and use a butter knife to generously frost your cupcakes.
Cupcakes are the ultimate parties in a cup! Be creative with frosting—add a dollop, or spread it generously all over the top. Add some grated carrot to the top for a touch of color!
Table of Equivalents
Liquid/Dry Measurements
| U.S. | Metric |
| 1/4 teaspoon | 1.25 milliliters |
| 1/2 teaspoon | 2.5 milliliters |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 milliliters |
| 1 tablespoon (3 teaspoons) | 15 milliliters |
| 1 fluid ounce (2 tablespoons) | 30 milliliters |
| 1/4 cup | 60 milliliters |
| 1/3 cup | 80 milliliters |
| 1/2 cup | 120 milliliters |
| 1 cup | 240 milliliters |
| 1 pint (2 cups) | 480 milliliters |
| 1 quart (4 cups, 32 ounces) | 960 milliliters |
| 1 gallon (4 quarts) | 3.84 liters |
| 1 ounce (by weight) | 28 grams |
| 1 pound | 448 grams |
| 2.2 pounds | 1 kilogram |
Lengths
| U.S. | Metric |
| 1/8 inch | 3 millimeters |
| 1/4 inch | 6 millimeters |
| 1/2 inch | 12 millimeters |
| 1 inch | 2.5 centimeters |
Oven Temperature
| Fahrenheit | Celsius | Gas |
| 250 | 120 | 1/2 |
| 275 | 140 | 1 |
| 300 | 150 | 2 |
| 325 | 160 | 3 |
| 350 | 180 | 4 |
| 375 | 190 | 5 |
| 400 | 200 | 6 |
| 425 | 220 | 7 |
| 450 | 230 | 8 |
| 475 | 240 | 9 |