Eat, Drink, Live Longer

On today’s show, I'm joined by olive oil expert extraordinaire, David Garcia-Aguirre from Corto Olive Company with a primer on extra virgin olive oil, which he says is "the ingredient that farm-to-table forgot." Discover how olives are grown, harvested and pressed, how to choose the freshest EVOO at the market, how to cook with it, and get recipes galore ... and hear why David wants us all to think of EVOO as the "fresh-pressed juice of olives."

David Garci-Aguirre is the Vice President of Operations and Master Miller at Corto Olive Company in Lodi, CA. With a focus on serving independent restaurants throughout the US, Corto uniquely harvests and produces fresh, premium-quality, award-winning Extra Virgin olive oils that enhance the flavor of foods. David is an olive oil guru who is dedicated to the advancement of high-quality olive oil production, research, and education. He’s educating us today about what to look for at the market to know you’re buying the freshest oil, how to store it at home to keep it fresh, and why heat, light, and air are the three biggest enemies of your bottle of olive oil. He teaches us about the latest innovations in packaging, how to use Extra Virgin olive oil to elevate everyday cooking, and why it’s a nutritious addition to your meals. David will bust some myths about olive oil and take us behind-the-scenes at Corto to highlight their gorgeous olive groves and their harvesting, milling, storing, and packing processes.

Show Highlights:

• David’s life and work in Lodi, CA
• Why olive oil is the ingredient that “farm to table” forgot
• How olive oil is different from all other edible oils in that it’s fresh-pressed juice that retains the flavors and nutrients
• Why all olive oils are NOT created equal--and most olive oil in your supermarket is already rancid before you even get it home!
• How Corto focuses on a new technology called “vineyard-style” planting that allows mechanized fall harvests of the fruit when it’s perfectly ripe
• How most olive oil is produced with olives harvested by the old-style “tree-shaking” method that yields poor quality fruit not at the optimal ripeness
• How to tell if your olive oil is fresh by its smell and taste (Hint: it SHOULD have a taste!)
• David’s overview of the milling process: The fruit is crushed into a paste that’s mixed together and then separated with a centrifuge to obtain the oil at cold temperatures; the oil goes straight into stainless steel casks where oxygen can’t get to it.
• How the “Extra Virgin” olive oil designation is reserved for a natural, unrefined product (CA has the tightest legal standard for EVOO in the world!)
• Tips for buying olive oil: buy local, if possible, from a reputable company; make sure the oil is in dark glass, stainless steel, or a bag-in-box package, and always check the harvest date
• How flavor-lock (bag in box) packaging preserves the oil from light and air
• David busts the most popular myth regarding olive oil, which is that you should never saute or use high heat cooking with it
• Because of the many healthy compounds unique to olives, olive oil is the #1 food item studied for nutritional health in medical journals
• Easy salad dressing ideas using olive oil:
• • David keeps it simple with salt, citrus, and an oil variety that pairs with his food
  • Liz relies on the standard go-to of olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, shallot or garlic, and salt and pepper
• Unusual ways to use olive oil: drizzled on ice cream, as a dip for dark chocolate truffles, poured on popcorn, and homemade mayonnaise
• How uses olive oil in her rendition of Ina Garten’s recipe for gazpacho; it’s made with cucumber, bell pepper, tomato, red onion, red wine vinegar, garlic, fresh herbs, and fresh corn kernels
• How to introduce kids to the wonders of olive oil with creative thinking
• David’s final words: “Rethink how you think about olive oil. Think of it as a fresh-pressed juice.”

Resources:

Giveaway: We are giving away a 3-liter Truly 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil, California Grown, Flavor-Lock Box from Corto. I don't know about you, but I go through a lot of EVOO in my house, so I can attest that this oil rocks. I use it every day ... all day. To enter for a chance to win, post a comment telling me how you use olive oil in your everyday cooking or why you want to win this bag-in-a-box from Corto. (PS: US only giveaway.) (PSS: If you have an awesome recipe for olive oil lemon cake, please share it with me!)

Website: www.corto-olive.com

IG: @Corto_Olive

FB: @CortoOlive

On today’s show, we’ll be talking about how to raise a healthy eater, one nourishing bite and sip at a time.

This episode is sponsored by Fresh Avocados – Love One Today®, a leading source of the healthiest reasons and tastiest ways to enjoy fresh avocados. A science-based resource, it provides recipes and articles to help make it easy for consumers and health professionals to learn more about the nutritional benefits of fresh avocados and ways to include them in everyday menus.

As a mom of two grown boys, I’ve been in the family food and nutrition trenches for quite some time now, and so it’s no surprise that I’m often asked by listeners about the how-tos of raising a healthy eater especially when families are busy, kids are finicky, and unhealthy snack foods are a constant temptation. Well, on today’s show I’ll be giving you my top tips for raising healthy eaters including strategies on how to stock your kitchen as children progress from starting solids to school age and how to reduce the amount of added sugar in your family’s diet. I’m a firm believer that when families make the healthy choice the easy choice, they set a good example and help to build a foundation for life-long healthy eating.

On the show, I also share a new, no-sugar-added recipe for Chewy Avocado, Apple, Banana and Oatmeal Cookie. This recipe is ideal for toddlers and kids, and it does double duty as a snack or dessert.

But wait, there’s more. On the show, I’ll also tell you about this Avocado and Mango Smoothie. And yes, you guessed it: No added sugar.

Show Highlights:

• Get my top 7 tips for raising your kids or your grandkids to be healthy eaters
  • Set the tone for yourself and family from Day One
  • Take a strategic/thoughtful approach to transitioning infants to solid foods
  • Focus on fresh fruits and vegetables
  • Rethink your drink
  • Get Creative
  • Eat and prepare meals together as a family
  • And don’t deny dessert ... but do pay attention to making them “better for you” and lower in added sugar
• CDC research shows that about a third of all US children are overweight... and that diseases with risk factors linked to poor nutrition like diabetes that were once unique to adults are now impacting our kids
• More research featured on LoveOneToday.com about the role of avocados in maternal diets that suggests eating avocados may support breastfeeding by supporting the production of nutritious breastmilk. So even before the baby arrives, whether you are the mom, the dad or grandparent, you can help set the family up for success by stocking the pantry with healthy, fresh foods like avocados.
• Make mealtime easier with the following free resources:
  • 7-Day Meal Planner
  • Supermarket Shopping List
• 9 out of 10 Americans don’t eat the recommended number of fruit and vegetables servings each day. If you could only make one change to your family’s diet, I’d steer you in the direction of eating more fresh fruits and veggies.
• Learn about my Fruit First strategy at breakfast.
  • Serve fruit before things like cereal or waffles are presented. Kids will gobble it up, because they’ll be hungry. Plus, fruit is naturally sweet and kids love it
  • Make my pumpkin pancakes
  • Whip up a fruit smoothie
  • Smash avocado on whole grain toast
• Get strategies for reducing added sugar from your family’s diet
• NEW recipe for No sugar added Soft and Chewy Avocado, Apple, Banana and Oatmeal Cookie
• Thirsty for a new smoothie recipe? Try this one from Love One Today for Avocado and Mango Kick-Starter Smoothie
• Tips for how to freeze fresh avocados (so you can use them up later!)
• A family dinner recipe for Avocado Shrimp Tacos
• The latest guidance from the USDA ...

The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest diets on the planet. It’s rich in fruits and vegetables, olive oil, seafood, nuts, and beans, and it makes good nutrition a pleasure to eat. But what about bread and pasta? Are they AOK to eat as well? Join me on today’s show with guest, Michelle Dudash, RDN as we tackle questions about carbs, kids, and how to enjoy a Mediterranean-style diet with the carbs you love ... but fewer of them.

Michelle Dudash is an award-winning registered dietitian nutritionist, Cordon Bleu certified chef, a TV personality, and the founder of Dash Dinners Spice Kits. She’s the author of the top-selling Clean Eating for Busy Families, which was featured back in Episode 53. Michelle shares the benefits of a low-carb Mediterranean diet with recipes and tips from her newest cookbook, The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook: Quick and Easy High-Protein, Low-Sugar, Healthy-Fat Recipes for Lifelong Health. We are discussing a few recipes from the book, including Simmered Tahini Chicken and an unbelievably decadent dessert recipe that is low in carbs.

Show Highlights:

• Michelle’s life in Indiana as the mom of two daughters and a regular on local and national TV ; she spends her time in recipe development, cookbook writing, and designing her spice kit dinners
• How Michelle’s Lebanese heritage gave her a love for a varied diet of Mediterranean foods that explores different cultures and new foods
• Why kibbeh was a childhood favorite for Michelle; it’s a traditional dish made with ground meat, seasonings, and bulgur wheat
• How carbs fuel our bodies with energy
• Why kids need carbs and parents want options
• Michelle’s new book: a mix of recipes of different types with readily available ingredients
• Michelle’s favorite recipe in the book: Grilled Chicken Gyro Lettuce Wraps, which are made with chicken thighs marinated in lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, garlic, thyme, oregano, and salt and pepper--then served with a tahini sauce or cucumber yogurt sauce
• From the book: Simmered Tahini Chicken-- made with chicken tenders sauteed in olive oil and combined with onion, garlic, chicken broth, tahini, lemon juice, and soy sauce; to serve, top them with Greek yogurt and freshly chopped herbs
• Michelle’s daughters’ favorites from the new book are Fruit Tarts and Mini Molten Chocolate Cakes
• Michelle’s Berry Tart with Almond Flour Crust is made with butter, honey, cinnamon, salt, dark chocolate, mascarpone cheese, and topped with fresh berries
• Healthy salads in the book include a Lebanese classic made with iceberg or Bibb lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and a dressing made with lemon juice, mint, olive oil, and salt; the other salad is made with kale, blueberries, feta cheese, walnuts, and a basic vinaigrette
• Michelle’s experience in Croatia with a delicious adult beverage made from sparkling rosé with fresh herbs, elderflower liqueur, orange zest, and grapefruit-flavored sparkling water
• Michelle’s advice for one change you can make for better health: “Plan a family meal and sit down to enjoy it together.”

Resources:

We're giving away a copy of The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook: Quick and Easy High-Protein, Low-Sugar, Healthy-Fat Recipes for Lifelong Health. Leave a comment below telling me about your favorite Mediterranean recipe, a Mediterranean recipe you'd love to have lightened up, and/or why you'd love to win a copy. I'll pick one lucky winner at noon on August 11th.

Michelle on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelledudash/

Michelle on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleDudashRD/

Michelle's website: https://www.michelledudash.com/

On today’s show, I'm joined by Sadé Meeks, MS, RD to discuss the evolution of African American cuisine in the U.S.; the foods that define this creative cuisine; the vegetables and staple crops that have been an integral part of the African American table (hint: okra, sweet potatoes, kale, and corn.); how nutrition professionals can honor the traditional foodways of African Americans while emphasizing nutrition; and how African American cuisine continues to evolve.

My guest is Sadé Meeks, MS, RD, a food activist and registered dietitian who was born and raised in Mississippi. She is the founder of GRITS (Growing Resilience in the South) with the mission to improve the health and well-being of communities through increased awareness of nutrition, food history, and culture.

On the show, Sadé shares the history of African American cooking, traditional foods of the enslaved and how many of those foodways continue today, and she explains how to make small changes to traditional recipes to honor ingredients and flavors while reducing saturated fat and sodium. Together, we also talk about a few recipes you'll definitely want to try including Smoky Collards and Shrimp and Grits.

Show Highlights:

• Get to know Sadé, her big Mississippi family, and why she pursued degrees in dietetics and food science
• How GRITS helps bridge the gap between nutrition and culture
• The need for cultural competence in nutrition and food science
• Highlights of African-American cuisine as the slaves brought their food habits to America
• How slaves’ diets differed according to the regions they inhabited
• How true African-American cuisine relies on plant-based meals, one-pot meals, and the pairing of a starch, sauce, and protein, like Shrimp and Grits
• How the history of fried foods and pork developed in the African-American community as a matter of necessity
• The story of soul food as an affirmation of the resourcefulness of African-Americans and their meager rations
• How Sadé learned about cooking as she grew up
• The importance of small changes in eating a healthier diet, especially in seasonings and cooking methods
• Sadé’s Smoky Collards, made with onion, garlic, vegetable stock, smoked paprika, seasoned salt, cayenne pepper, and a touch of brown sugar
• Shrimp and Grits: how the grits are cooked in chicken stock and milk with added salt, pepper, butter, and cheddar cheese; the shrimp is seasoned with Cajun seasoning and paprika, and baby spinach is added at the end
• How Sadé combines her favorite cheesecake with Red Velvet Cake for a delectable dessert

Resources:

www.gritsinc.org

Grow with the Flow podcast

Find Sadé on Instagram: @SadeMeeks

Many parents fight a losing battle to get more fruits and vegetables into their kids’ diets, but there are simple ways to give kids more empowerment and control. Teaching them to enjoy cooking and eat more sustainably gives them more flexibility and a chance to explore. Join us as we dive into practical ways to get your kids involved in preparing and enjoying healthier meals.

Jenny Chandler is a cooking instructor and cookbook author who lives in Bristol, England. Her latest cookbook, Green Kids Cook, encourages kids to cook and eat food that’s good for their bodies and good for the planet. The book is aimed at ages 7-14 but is suitable for people of all ages with its recipes, crafts, how-tos, tips for reducing food waste, and so much more. On today’s show, Jenny and I share some of her plant-forward recipes from the book, including Green Pea and Coconut Soup, Seeded Oat Bread, and we’ll wrap up with dessert. Of course, we’ll share tips for getting kids to cook, appreciate, love, and eat more fruits and vegetables. Jenny has been on the show before to talk about pulses like lentils, beans, and chickpeas and to talk about one of her other cookbooks, Great Food for Kids. Her goal is to help you, your children, and grandchildren get more plants on the plate.

Show Highlights:

• Get to know Jenny’s life with her teenage daughter, a husband who makes wildlife films, and city life in Bristol that’s only a short walk to the countryside
• Why Jenny is passionate about writing and teaching people to eat more healthily and sustainably for regard for animal welfare
• What it means to eat sustainably
• Jenny’s mission: to teach, inspire, and engage kids in cooking skills, so they become more adventurous eaters, especially with fruits and vegetables
• How Jenny incorporated “theme nights” with her husband and daughter on Fridays during the COVID lockdown
• How Green Kids Cook teaches kids to have fun in the kitchen, explore more fruits and vegetables, and learn more about where foods come from
• How the book covers snacks and desserts but focuses on skills for cooking simple meals
• Jenny’s recipe for Green Pea and Coconut Soup, made with sauteed green onions, garlic, ginger, cilantro, frozen peas, and vegetable stock; after pureeing the mixture, add coconut milk and lime juice. (Good served cold or hot--and it’s ready in 15 minutes!)
• How to balance plant-forward meals for those who love meat
• Jenny’s tips for reducing food waste at home:
• • Have a “use me now” shelf in the fridge.
  • Incorporate recipes that can handle odd scraps of vegetables, like minestrone soup.
  • Have a “clean sweep” every 3-4 days.
  • Shop locally and more often, making it a family activity for everyone.
• Jenny’s recipe for Seeded Oat Bread, made with rolled oats, yogurt, baking soda, various seeds, and molasses
• A family favorite dessert recipe for Galette, made with fresh seasonal fruit and a simple pastry

Resources:

Cookbook Giveaway:

We're giving away a copy of Green Kids Cook: Simple, Delicious Recipes & Top Tips to one lucky U.S. winner. Leave a comment below telling me about the recipe your kids/grandkids love to make most and/or why you'd love to win a copy. I'll pick the winner at random on October 20th at noon. (U.S. giveaway, only.)

Link to Jenny’s latest book:

https://www.amazon.com/Green-Kids-Cook-Delicious-Recipes/dp/1911663585/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=green+kids+cook+jenny+chandler&qid=1633018328&sr=8-1)

Jenny's website: http://www.jennychandler.co.uk/

Jenny on Instagram @jennychandlerUK

Jenny on Facebook

Jenny on Twitter @jennychandlerUK

Liz's Links:

Author, Color, Cook, Eat! coloring book series

Website: Liz's Healthy Table

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