Earthly Eating

Here are some olive oil-ready recipes that will have you cooking like a chef in your very own kitchen.

• Pasta Primavera Salad
Serves: 8

1 cup diced carrots (3 carrots)
2 cups diced yellow squash (2 small squash
2 cups small broccoli florets
1 cup diced red bell pepper
2 cups halved sugar snap peas
8 oz. penne or totini pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbs. lemon juice
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots (2 shallots)
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare large ice water bath. add carrots to the water, and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the squash, and cook for 2 minutes more. Add broccoli and bell pepper, and cool for 2 minutes more. Add the sugar snap peas and cook an additional 2 minutes.

2. Scoop vegetables from simmering water with strainer. Transfer to the ice water bath. Drain when cool, and pat dry.

3. Bring pot of water to a rolling boil. Add pasta, and cook according to package directions from al dente. Drain, and rinse under cool water to cool.

4. Meanwhile, whisk together olive oil and lemon juice in a large serving bowl. Stir in shallots and garlic. Add pasta, blanched vegetable, tomatoes, and cheese, and toss to coat with dressing. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.
-232 Calories per serving
-8 grams protein
-9 grams total fat
-30 grams carbs
-4 mg cholesterol
-242 mg sodium
-3 grams fiber
-6 grams sugar

• Summer Succotash
Serves: 6

2 cups shelled lima beans or 1 10-oz. pkg. frozen baby lima beans, thawed
1 tbs. butter
1 tsp. olive oil
1 small red onion, diced (1 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbs. chopped fresh parsley
2 tbs. chopped fresh basil
1 tbs. white balsamic vinegar

1. If using fresh lima beans, bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add beans, and blanch 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender but not soft.

2. Heat the better and oil in a large skillet over medium-heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until it begins to become brown. Add the garlic, and cook another minute.

3. Stir in lima beans, and sauté 5 minutes. Add the corn and tomatoes, and sauté 1 minute more, or until heated through, but tomatoes have not released their juices yet. Remove from the heat and stir in parsley, basil, and vinegar. Serve warm or chilled.
-179 Calories per serving
-7 grams protein
-4.5 grams total fat
-28 grams carbs.
-8 mg cholesterol
-240 mg sodium
-6 gram fiber
-5 grams sugar
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Earthly Eating Recipe

Turtle Pumpkin Pie
Serves: 10

1/4 cup plus 2 tbs. caramel topping, divided
1 graham cracker pie crust, ready made or homemade
1/2 cup plus 2 tbs. pecan pieces, divided
1 cup cold milk
2 pkg,. (4 servings each) of vanilla flavor instant pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tbs. (8 oz.) whipped topping, thawed and divided

Pour 1/4 cup caramel topping into crust; sprinkle with 1/2 cups pecans.

Beat milk, dry pudding mixes, pumpkin and spices with a whisk until blended. Stir in 1 1/2 cups whipped topping. Spread into the crust. Top with remaining whipped topping.

Refrigerate 1 hour. Top with pecans and drizzle remaining caramel with a fork. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Happy Eating!

1. Walk 30 minutes a day every day, no matter what-and then call someone.

Walking a half-hour a day decreases the risk of having a heart attack by about 30 percent. Calling someone every day is crucial; that’s the real commitment. Find a person who’s supportive and will not nag but will call if you haven’t called her/him.

2. Know you blood pressure and do whatever it takes to get it down to 115/75.

You blood pressure number may be even more important than your cholesterol. And you can lower it yourself. The best way-getting a little exercise and loosing some belly fat. Why belly fat? The omentum is what hangs over the stomach. The fat that’s stores there feeds the kidney, liver and other vital organs. This fat pushes on the kidney and causes more blood pressure to drive blood through.

3. Eat an ounce of nuts a day.

Nuts raise HDL good cholesterol and decreases inflammation. But they have a heart benefit independent of those too. Nuts have healthy omega 3 fatty acids, healthy protein and some fiber. And this tip is easy to do. Nuts that are raw, fresh and unsalted have the most benefit.

4. Learn your HDL number and do what you can raise it to 50.

For women, some believe a high HDL is more important than a lower HDL. The higher the number, the better (50 is fine). Easy ways you ca increase it, exercise, have one drink a day at the most; eat healthy fats, such as olive oil and canola oil and nuts. Talk to your doctor about niacin, which raises HDL but can have side effects

5. Eat 10 tbs. of tomato sauce a week.

Tomato sauce is loaded with blood-pressure-lowering potassium.

6. Floss you teeth regularly.

Avoiding periodontal disease prevents inflammation in the arteries, which helps you head off hear disease. Most people don’t know that your oral health affects all your arterial health, and that includes blood flow to the heart and sexual organs, and maybe even wrinkles on your skin.

7. Eat no more than 20 grams of saturated fat a day and as little trans fat as possible.

Saturated fat and trans fats lead to inflammation in the arteries. A cinnamon roll may have 7 grams of saturated fat. A 4-ounce slice of roast pork tenderloin has about 4 grams. Trans fats (particularly hydrogenated oils, found in many processed and baked foods, are probably at least as bad as saturated fats, and maybe a little worse.

8. Read label and throw out all food that has sugar in the first five ingredients.

Don’t be fooled by foods that are low in fat but high in sugar. The sugar causes inflammation. And if you eat more sugar than you need, it gets morphed into omentum fat, that dangerous fat around the belly. For a while in the 1990s, many people used “low fat” salad dressings that turned out to be loaded with calorie-laden sugar. And those dressings didn’t contain any good fats like olive oil, which are beneficial. Healthy fats are better than empty sugar calories.

9. Have a glass of wine or beer today.

There may be an anti-inflammatory-effect. But it’s a consistent finding that teetotalers have a higher risk of heart disease than people who drink a little, and people who drink a lot have little heart disease but tend to die of cancer. Any type of alcohol in moderation is good for the arteries.

10. Eat 9 servings of colorful fruits and vegetables a day.

That comes with a lot of fiber, and you shouldn’t increase to that amount all at once. You will adjust and so will your body in 2 to 6 weeks. Make sure you wash fresh produce carefully and thoroughly. There are farmers’ markets all over the country now. If you try fresh locally grown veggies prepared well, you will be amazed at how goof they taste.
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Earthly Eating Recipe

Double Dark-Chocolate and Ginger Biscotti
Makes: 2 1/2 dozen

1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
3 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined, set aside. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg, egg yolk, and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in vanilla and oil until well combined.

3. With the mixer on low, beat in dry ingredients until combined. Fold in walnuts, chocolate, and ginger with a rubber spatula (dough will be stiff).

4. With moistened hands shape the dough into 2 logs, each about 9 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide. Bake until set on top, about 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

5. Transfer logs to a cutting board and, with a serrated knife, cut each log on the diagonal into 16 slices, each 1/2-inch thick. Bake until crisp, about 20 minutes, turning the biscotti over midway through. Cool 5 minutes on a baking sheet, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Happy Eating!

These ingredients hold the power to truly transform your body, not to mention lengthen your life. The secret is their magical “MUFA” (AKA: Good Fats!)

1. OILS: Canola oil, flaxseed oil, olive oil, peanut oil, pesto sauce, safflower oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, walnut oil.

Sir-fry with sesame, peanut or canola oil; pan-fry in walnut or olive oil; spread pesto on a sandwich, drizzle it over soups or grilled foods, or toss it withy rice or pasta; add walnut, sesame or olive oil to marinades; cook with safflower, soybean, or sunflower oil; use flaxseed oil in salad dressings (flaxseed oil cannot be used for cooking) (A serving equals: 1 tablespoon)

2. NUTS & SEEDS: Almond, almond butter, Brazil nuts, cashew butter, chunky natural peanut butter, dry-roasted cashews, dry-roasted peanuts, dry-roasted sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, roasted pumpkin seeds, smooth natural peanut butter, sunflower seeds, sunflower seed butter, tahini (sesame seed paste), walnuts.

Eat as a snack, sprinkle on a salad, crush and use as a crunchy topping for fish and chicken (dip fish or chicken in lightly beaten egg whites to help nuts adhere better); spread butters on crackers, bread, or fruits even. Stir nut butter into soups and sauces to add body and flavor. (A serving size equals: 2 tablespoons)

3. AVOCADO: Florida avocado; Hass Avocado.

Slice and serve with a salad or any entrée, mash with lime juice, salt, and pepper and serve with chips, chop and fold into store-bought salsa. (Serving size equals: 1/4 cup)

4. OLIVES: Black olives, black olive tapenade, green olives, green olive tapenade.

Serve olives as a snack, sprinkle olives on pizzas, salads, or pasta, spread tapenade on crackers or sandwiches; stuff tapenade into chicken breasts or fish fillets. (Serving size equals 10 large olives or 2 tablespoons or tapenade)

5. CHOCOLATE: Dark or semisweet chocolate chips, shavings, or chunks.

Any way you crave it is good for you and for your heart. (Serving size equals 1/4 cup)
(Source: RD 2008)
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Earthly Eating Recipe

Spiced Hot Chocolate
Servings: 4

1 quart soy milk
6 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. coarse salt

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients and whisk over medium-low heat until the chocolate has melted completely and the mixture is steaming hot, about 5 minutes. And serve.

Happy Eating!

Americans have developed an olive oil habit. But is olive oil the healthiest fat? No, it’s not. You might ask, Doesn’t it lower cholesterol? Wee, only when you substitute olive oil in equivalent amounts for butter or oils that are higher in saturated fat. Olive oil doesn’t lower cholesterol; it just doesn’t raise it as much.

You may be better off using canola oil for most of your cooking and recipes calling for olive oil in some cases.

Mediterranean diets significantly reduce heart attacks and premature deaths. Many people attribute this to eating a lot of olive oil. But it is increased consumption of canola oil that accounts for the improvements. Also, you should eat more whole grain bread, vegetables, fish and fruit, and less meats. Butter and cream should be replaced with margarine made from canola oil, which has more healthy omega-3 fatty acids than olive oil.

Another fact is that olive oil reduces blood flow by 31%, where canola oil and fish oil do not. And you want to increase blood flow to all body parts, not the opposite.

Olive oil is a healthier fat than many others, but it’s not nearly as healthy as canola oil-or fish oil and flaxseed oil. All three contain lots of omega-3 fatty acids. And a tablespoon of any oil has 126 calories. Think about the calories before you pour it all over a salad or other meal.
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Earthly Eating Recipe

Skewered Tempeh with Peanut Sauce
Serves: 16

For the tempeh:

8 ounces tempeh
1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
2 tbs. lemon juice
1 garlic, minced
1 tbs. ginger, grated
1 tbs. brown-rice syrup
1 tbs. cilantro, chopped
2 tbs. peanut oil

For the peanut sauce:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 dried chili, finely chopped
2 tbs. brown-rice syrup
2 tbs. tamari or soy sauce
2 tbs. lemon juice
2 tsp. ginger, grated

1. Cut tempeh into 3/4-inch cubes. In a broiler-proof shallow dish, combine tamari, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, rice syrup, cilantro and peanut oil. Mix well, and then add tempeh cubes. Cover and marinate overnight in the refrigerator, stirring ingredients occasionally.

2. Broil tempeh in marinade for 3 minutes. Turn the cubes and stir, then broil for another 3 minutes. Let cool.

3. Using a slotted spoon, remove tempeh. Thread cubes on skewer (1 to 2 cubes pre skewer) and arrange on a platter.

4. To make the sauce, combine peanut butter, green onion, garlic, chili, rice syrups, soy sauce, lemon juice and ginger. Stir with a fork until fully incorporated. Serve sauce at room temperature (or gently heated) with skewered tempeh.

Happy Eating!

Not many foods that feel like a complete indulgence area actually good for you, but olive oil is one of the few-enjoyed in moderation, of course. The combination of olive oil and garlic sautéed on a stove top smells and tastes heavenly, and who can resist fresh, warm, crusty bread submerged in a combination of cracked pepper, parmesan cheese and olive oil? And if its contribution to Italian and Mediterranean meals are not enough, the tasty oil has many qualities that are good for you all the way around as well.

Originating from olive, olive oil is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, personal care products and pharmaceuticals. Due to its high content of monounsaturated fat and polyphenols, it is considered a healthy oil that is cultivated mostly in the Mediterranean region. Greece is the world’s largest producer of extra-virgin olive oil, which isn’t refined allowing it to retain its antioxidants. Commonly used in dips, dressings and as a cooking agent, olive oil can complement a variety of different flavors in vegetables and meats.

Ras Al Hanout
Makes: 1/2 cups

1/2 cup turmeric powder
2 1/2 tbs. ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves

Mix and pack in an airtight jar, then store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Use on scrambled eggs, hummus, tabouli or steamed rice.

Green Beans with Turmeric Glaze
Makes: 4 to 6 servings

1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
2 to 3 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. turmeric powder
2 to 3 tsp. lemon juice

Simmer beans with a few tbs. of water until just tender (4 to 10 minutes). Drain and return to the pan. Drizzle remaining ingredients over the beans in the order listed. Toss together and serve hot or warm.

Turmeric Tips:

• Protect it from the elements. Store turmeric in a dark, cool place, away from the light. A foil-wrapped, tightly capped bottle stored in the refrigerator is ideal.

• Stabilize it with acids. When possible, use turmeric in acid-containing recipes, such as salad dressing and tomato-based dishes. Or add a little vinegar or lemon juice to stews or vegetables, just enough to lend a faint, pleasing tartness that will stabilize the cur cumin, as well.
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Luscious Tropical Dream Cake
Makes: 24 servings

1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple, undrained
1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
1 1/2 cups cold milk
1 pkg. (4-serving size) lemon flavored instant pudding & pie filling (or vanilla flavored)
2 cups thawed whipped topping
1/2 cup flake coconut, toasted
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F. Drain pineapple, reserving 1 cup of the juice; set pineapple aside. Prepare cake batter as directed on package, substituting 1 cup reserved juice for 1 cup of the water. Pour batter into greases 15×10x1-inch baking pan.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

Add mil to dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk for 2 minutes or until well blended. Stir in pineapple. Spread over cake; cover with whipped topping. Sprinkle with coconut and pecans. Store in refrigerator.

Happy Eating!