SAACA
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THE ART OF FOOD

ONLINE COOKING CLASSES WITH SPLENDIDO
​The Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance and Splendido partner to promote the art of food with the creation of a three-part digital cooking series. The video series highlights the culinary arts at Splendido and the chefs that bring the wellness philosophy to life at the Oro Valley campus.
Featured recipes include summer-inspired light, fresh, and healthy recipes, including a Quinoa Salad with Roasted Salmon, Splendido Chilled Melon Soup, and a Mexican Hot Chocolate Ganache Tart. ​

SO MUCH MORE THAN A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE

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Just when you thought you had senior living communities all figured out, Splendido stands out from the crowd with an unbeatable combination of well-appointed homes, distinctive services, and a Life Care plan that is the only one of its kind in southern Arizona.

This award-winning Life Plan Community in Oro Valley provides residents 55 and better with a variety of educational, social, and cultural programs; resort-style amenities; and a continuum of care, if ever needed.
​

Culinary offerings are as dynamic as the community itself. There’s an array of restaurants to satisfy nearly every craving, and all feature changing menu selections that incorporate the season’s freshest flavors. Splendido’s unwavering commitment to whole-person wellness carries through everything they do—from the food served to the programs offered. 

​CURATED CUISINE

A focus on fresh, flavorful Ways to Age Well SM
Many of us watch our diet only when trying to lose weight or meet recommended levels of blood pressure or glucose—but it’s important to remember that making a healthy diet part of your lifestyle can boost all aspects of your health, from eyesight to stress management to reducing risk of multiple chronic diseases.
 
That’s why Splendido incorporates fresh, healthful selections into its menus with a focus on the Mediterranean Diet that’s considered one of the healthiest eating plans you can choose. Researchers noticed decades ago that people living in countries that border the Mediterranean have reduced risk factors for coronary disease compared to people in the US and northern Europe. The reason: the traditional cuisines in the region.

“The focus is on fresh produce, fresh ingredients, and whole grains,” says Masood Shirmohammadi, executive chef at Splendido. “And of course, olive oil is a key fat. We’re using all these ingredients at Splendido, where our main focus is on from-scratch cooking—that typically accounts for about 90% of what we do here.”

The Mediterranean Diet includes lean proteins like fish rather than red meat; at Splendido, residents always have a red meat option for dinner, but Mediterranean-style entrees prevail.

Chef Masood has been comfortable cooking Mediterranean-type dishes since he was a child: “When I think of the Mediterranean diet, Italy and Greece come to mind,” he says. “But I grew up in Iran, and our cuisine is similar to Greek; there are similar dishes in a number of cultures.” In his earlier career, Chef Masood earned accolades for his work in fine dining restaurants in Chicago, with signature bold flavors rooted in classical French cuisine.

“We serve dishes like Chicken Provencal; we’ve done vegetable minestrone and gazpacho; we do a picatta-style veal—but we’re careful on the butter!” says Chef Masood. “When preparing meats, we concentrate on the technique and go lighter on the sauces and seasonings.” That includes techniques like grilling chicken with garlic or roasting fish with lemon—so dishes are very flavorful without adding a lot of salt or heavy sauces. ​

Splendido rotates menu offerings frequently with a wide range of cuisines that even incorporate what residents have enjoyed cooking. “Our menus are constantly changing based on resident feedback,” says Chef Masood. “We’ve even asked them to share their own recipes with us, and we try to incorporate some of their favorite dishes.”
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“The focus is on fresh produce, fresh ingredients, and whole grains.”

​- Chef Masood

DOWNLOAD THE RECIPE SPLENDIDO ART OF FOOD RECIPE BOOK HERE

​QUINOA SALAD WITH ROASTED SALMON


​SPLENDIDO CHILLED MELON SOUP


​MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE GANACHE TART

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About
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The Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance (SAACA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the creation, preservation and advancement of the Arts. SAACA strengthens the bonds between people, place and purpose through collaborative, arts-driven experiences.
  • WHO WE ARE
    • ABOUT
    • TEAM CONTACTS
    • PARTNERS, DONORS & SPONSORS
    • BOARD OF DIRECTORS
    • CULTURAL EQUITY
  • WHAT WE DO
    • BUSINESS & ARTS PARTNERSHIPS
    • ARTS & HEALTHCARE
    • OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS - CALL TO ARTIST
    • ARTS EDUCATION
    • PUBLIC ART & MURAL ADMINISTRATION
    • EVENTS, PROGRAMS & FESTIVALS
    • CATALYST ARTS & MAKER SPACE
    • CREATIVE PLACEMAKING
    • CREATIVE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT
    • UNDERCOVER ARTS MAGAZINE
    • ONLINE ARTS & CULTURE >
      • CLASSES, WORKSHOPS & PERFORMANCES
      • STREAMING & VIDEO RESOURCES
      • COVID-19 RESPONSE & RESOURCES
  • SUPPORT & DONATE
    • DONATE AND SUPPORT
    • VOLUNTEER
    • INTERN
  • EVENTS, PUBLIC ART & PROGRAMS
    • EVENT & EXHIBITOR APPLICATIONS
    • ART FESTIVALS >
      • FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS & HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING
      • ART ON THE LAKE FESTIVAL
      • DOWNTOWN GLENDALE ARTS & CULTURE FEST
      • LA ENCANTADA FINE ART FESTIVAL
      • SKY ISLANDS FALL ARTISAN MARKET
      • FALL ARTISAN MARKET
      • SPRING FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS
    • COMMUNITY ART GALLERIES >
      • VENTANA GALLERY AT ROCHE >
        • Roche Lung Cancer Awareness Exhibition
        • Roche Celebrating Moments >
          • Active Moments - Roche Community Photography Exhibition
          • Frozen in Time - Roche Community Photography Exhibition
          • Up Close and Personal - Roche Community Photography Exhibition
          • Quiet Contentment - Roche Community Photography Exhibition
    • ARTS & CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS >
      • Desert Ridge Music and Murals
      • Tempe World of Chalk
      • Cruise, BBQ & Blues
      • Oro Valley Candy Crawloween
    • CULINARY ARTS >
      • SAVOR FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL
      • DEVOUR CULINARY CLASSIC
      • Devour Culinary Classic
      • WORLD MARGARITA CHAMPIONSHIP
    • LIVE MUSIC & CONCERTS >
      • Oro Valley Concert Series
      • Riverfront Park Classical Concert Series
      • Steam Pump Concert Series
      • Lookout Tucson at Westward Look
      • Tucson Folk Festival
      • La Encantada Live
    • PUBLIC ART & MURAL INSTALLATIONS >
      • PUBLIC ART & MURAL INSTALLATIONS
      • Summer Youth Art Project 2022 >
        • Gila Monster
        • Glowing Scorpions
        • Prickly Pear Everywhere
      • Desert Ridge Mural Project
      • Sahuarita Public Art
    • DIGITAL ARTS PROGRAMS >
      • AARP Video Series
      • ORO VALLEY PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION
      • Local Food Heroes Virtual Classes
      • The Art of Food Cooking Classes
  • CATALYST ART SPACE & VENUE
    • VENUE & SPECIAL EVENT RENTALS
    • UPCOMING CLASSES & EVENTS
    • ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM