Health News: British Medical Journal study finds Mediterranean diet may lead to longer life span

This Quail has been spreading the word about the link between eating well and wellness for a long time. When the British Medical Journal published a compelling study that the Mediterranean diet may support a longer life span in its impact on telomere length, I just couldn't keep it to myself!

Telomeres mark the aging process. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of extra virgin olive oils may support longer telomeres, in addition to many other health benefits.

Here is the introduction from the study and a link to British Medical Journal:

"Given that fruits, vegetables, and nuts, key components of the Mediterranean diet, have well known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and that telomere length is affected by both of these processes, we hypothesized that greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet would be associated with longer telomere length. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to examine the association between greater adherence
to the Mediterranean diet and leukocyte telomere length in US women within the Nurses’ Health Study cohort. For comparison, we also evaluated the association between other existing dietary patters (prudent pattern, Western pattern, and Alternative Healthy Eating Index) and leukocyte telomere length."

Read the article here

Guest recipe: Wild Hibiscus Royale Shrub

Wild Hibiscus Royale

Alicia Molina introduced us to the shrub, a sweet tangy syrup made with fruit, sugar and vinegar. She used the best - Chapparal Gardens fruit vinegars - to make these light, delicious mocktails that you should definitely serve at your next gathering!

Alicia wrote: This drink is a non-alcoholic and lower calorie twist on the traditional Kir Royale. The addition of the wild hibiscus flower makes for a beautiful presentation that your guests will enjoy seeing as well as eating! Yes, the flower is edible and a deliciously sweet. You will save about half the calories when you use the sparkling water and vinegar instead of champagne.

Ingredients:
4 oz. lemon-flavored sparkling water
2 TB Quail and Olive Champagne Mimosa vinegar
1 Wild Hibiscus flower*
1 TB Wild Hibiscus flower syrup (optional if you like your drink sweeter)

Pour the sparkling water into a chilled champagne glass
Add vinegar
Drop your wild hibiscus flower into the glass and watch it settle to the bottom of your glass and slowly unfurl as the carbonation dances on the petals.
Add syrup if desired
*You can find the Wild Hibiscus flower at most online gourmet cooking stores. Google “Wild Hibiscus flower in syrup”

Arbosana EVOO and Winter Ambrosia Succotash

This is a great side to accompany any meal. The Winter Ambrosia definitely shines in this recipe, all the vegetables are excellent when combined together. Get ready for another exquisite dish!


Arbosana EVOO and Winter Ambrosia Succotash


Ingredients:

1/4 cup Arbosana EVOO
1 red onion, cut into wedges
1 package ( 20 oz) butternut squash chunks
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups corn kernels
12 oz edamame
1/4 cup Winter Ambrosia
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 425*. Toss butternut squash chunks and onions with 2 Tablespoons EVOO. Place mixture on a bar pan. Roast mixture for about 15-20 minutes, make sure you toss mixture one half way through roasting. Set aside

Meanwhile, in saucepan heat 2 Tablespoons Arbosana on medium heat. Add thyme, salt, garlic, saute for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Add edamame and corn. Cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove mixture from heat.

In a small bowl, mix the Winter Ambrosia, Dijon mustard, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Combine corn and butternut squash mixture. Pour Winter Ambrosia mixture over the succotash and mix to combine. Enjoy!!

Blood Orange Olive Oil and Pacific Spice Grilled Shrimp

Are you ready for another recipe? How about a tantalizing shrimp appetizer, that could possibly even double as a main entree,,, let's say if you were having tacos. I found a very special relationship with the Pacific Spice Vinegar and the Blood Orange olive oil,,,oh and the salt block as well!

Blood Orange Olive Oil and Pacific Spice Grilled Shrimp

Ingredients:

Shrimp
1/3 cup Blood Orange Olive Oil
1/8 cup Pacific Spice Vinegar
1/2 cup Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 teaspoons chopped garlic, or to taste
1 jalapeno, sliced ( seeds removed if wanted)
salt ( if not using a salt block) and pepper to taste

Combine blood orange olive oil, pacific spice, parsley, garlic, jalapeno, and s/p. Pour on top of shrimp, let marinate for 1-4 hours or over night.

Place salt block on grill, preheat grill on med-high. Add shrimp to salt block. Grill for about 8-10 minutes, or until shrimp is done.

Or, to bake in the oven:
Preheat oven to 375*
Bake in oven for 8 minutes or until done.

Serve as an appetizer or have serve with tacos. Enjoy!

Blood Orange Roasted Pork Tenderloin with a Fig Balsamic reduction sauce

Happy Holidays to all of you and your families. I thought that it might be fun to have a countdown to Christmas, each day I will post some great recipes to enjoy during this holiday season. Last year I did a countdown for Thanksgiving and came up with some fantastic recipes that could be used for any holidays, so make sure to check those out under November 2013.

For this countdown, I will start off with a delicious Roasted Pork Tenderloin using the Blood Orange Olive Oil with a combination of fresh chopped sage, yum! This would be a wonderful meal to entertain. With out further ado...


Blood Orange Roasted Pork Tenderloin


Ingredients:

2 pork tenderloins
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
1/3 cup Blood Orange Olive Oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 garlic clove, minced


Preheat oven to 375*

Combine Blood Orange Olive oil, sage, garlic and salt and pepper in bowl. Lay pork tenderloin in casserole pan. Pour mixture and spread over pork. Bake in oven 45 minutes or until inside measures 165*.

Meanwhile make reduction sauce:

Fig Balsamic Reduction sauce

3/4 cup Fig Balsamic
1/4 cup Merlot
3-4 fresh figs ( or 1 persimmon sliced)


Combine ingredients in small stock pot. Place pot over medium heat. Reduce mixture by one half.

When pork is done, set out to stand for about 10 minutes. Pour reduction sauce over pork and serve.

Guest recipe: KISS Dressing

Joan Smith from Castle Ridge Olive Oil shared her KISS Dressing - Keep it Simply Scrumptious!

After that Thanksgiving production, you'll want something light and delicious.

In your salad bowl:

Add 1 T Castle Ridge Olive Oil

Add 1 T of Chaparral Gardens Vinegar (plum basil balsamic, blackberry balsamic, or any other

Shake garlic salt lightly on surface (probably about 1/4 t)*

Add 1/4 t lemon pepper

Add 1/8 t dried yellow mustard or 1/4 t Dijon

Add ½ t fresh honey (or agave or chicory syrup or maple syrup)

Whisk lightly in bowl. Add salad greens, tomatoes, cucumber, garbanzo beans, grated carrot, chopped celery, jicama, or whatever you have available.  Toss and serve. 

*If you are avoiding salt, add a quick squeeze of lemon juice and 1/8t lemon zest.           

Guest recipe: Olive Oil Appetizer

Joan Smith from Castle Ridge Olive Oil shared this great recipe with us!

She wrote: This appetizer is quite attractive and can be served as an appetizer or on each plate to greet the guests as they are seated for dinner.  Serve in a spoon shaped dish - like the porcelain spoons used for soup. Square shaped spoons are available at Pier One or other specialty shops and plastic appetizer spoons are available on the internet.

Also for a gluten-free alternative, see the note below.

Serves 8 guests

Ingredients:     

½ C Castle Ridge Olive Oil (with a 1/4tsp of lemon zest blended in if you choose!)

1/4 C buttermilk

½ cucumber (be certain it is sweet, not bitter - always taste cucumbers before serving) chopped into small pieces - about the size of a square pea!

16 cherry tomatoes or 2 tomatoes - Sliced into small pieces and seeds/liquid discarded.

½ C toasted Panko (or bread crumbs)  - place crumbs in small pan with 1 t of butter and stir fry for a few minutes until crumbs are buttery and crisp. 
Garnish with a few grains of sea salt.

Assemble: Place ½ t of olive oil in spoon and 3 drops of buttermilk (about 1/4 t).   Place 1tsp of cucumbers, 1 tsp of tomatoes (hopefully they are really sweet tomatoes!), and top with Panko crumbs.

Gluten free alternatives for crumbs: grated red radish, grated daikon radish or chopped cilantro!

            

 Enjoy the left over ingredients on your salad the next day.