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Olive Oil Hunter News #239

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Pepper-and-Herb-Crusted Filet Recipe, Spotlight on Condimento Barili Exclusivi, Grinding Peppercorns, You can Be Too Thin, and Everyday Habits That May Shield You from Dementia

The holiday season is almost upon us, so I’m delighted to share my recipe for a fabulous beef tenderloin, guaranteed to wow you and your guests. It’s also a good time for a reminder on the importance of healthy habits, some of which get shelved for the next two months as parties and dinners take precedence. Maintaining good-for-you strategies isn’t as hard as you might think and, as you’ll read in the Fitness Flash below, they can be transformative.

Pepper-and-Herb-Crusted Filet

  • Pepper-and-herb-crusted filet Pepper-and-Herb-Crusted Filet

    Balsamic vinegar enhances this most tender cut of beef and adds richness to the pan juices.

    Ingredients

    • 8 garlic cloves, peeled 
    • 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
    • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for searing 
    • 1 tablespoon Condimento Barili Exclusivi, plus more for drizzling
    • 1 tablespoon fresh coarsely cracked black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
    • 1/4 cup fresh rosemary needles from a 3- or 4-inch sprig 
    • 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
    • One 3-pound center-cut beef tenderloin, trimmed as needed

    Directions

    Step 1

    Preheat your oven to 450ºF. In a small food processor, process the garlic and salt until the garlic is finely chopped. Add the 1/3 cup olive oil, vinegar, black pepper, thyme, and rosemary, and process until the herbs are evenly chopped. Stir in the mustard and set aside.

    Step 2

    Heat a large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, add the 2 tablespoons olive oil and then the beef, searing it on all sides until nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side, making quarter turns with tongs. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let cool slightly.

    Step 3

    Coat the tenderloin evenly on all sides with the reserved herb mixture, and then transfer it to a meat rack set in a roasting pan. Roast it until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness on an instant-read thermometer, about 20 to 30 minutes for medium-rare (depending on its thickness). Let it rest for at least 10 minutes to seal in the juices before you carve it into thick slices. Serve with a drizzle of pan juices and a few drops of vinegar.

    Yields 8 servings

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Condimento Barili Exclusivi

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Condimento Barili Exclusivi

Condimento Barili Exclusivi

With so many bottles on supermarket and gourmet shop shelves labeled “balsamic,” it’s important to know that true balsamic vinegar can only come from Modena, Italy. The highest designation is Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta,or Protected Origin Denomination), which is crafted exclusively from cooked grape must, the result of cooking down all parts of the grapes. This kind of vinegar is aged for a minimum of 12 years, and a few ounces cost well over a hundred dollars, so it’s not used for cooking or making vinaigrettes but for drizzling sparingly as a finishing touch.

Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP (Indicazione Geografica Protetta, or Protected Geographical Indication) is made from grape must and wine vinegar and aged in wooden barrels for at least two months. It gets sweeter and more harmonious as it achieves the perfect ratio of density to acidity. 

Since I first introduced the T. J. Robinson Curated Culinary Selections, I’ve always included a very special balsamic, Condimento all’Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP Barili Exclusivi—meaning “from exclusive barrels.” The condimento designation allows vinegar vintners to go beyond the strict requirements set by the consortiums in Modena, whose job it is to make sure their rules are adhered to. This year’s is our richest yet. The barrels used during the aging process impart complex flavors and a richer texture through contact with the wood. The result is a truly unique balsamic full of character. I love it in marinades and sauces and as a drizzle on finished dishes.

Quick Kitchen Nugget: Grinding Peppercorns

Quick Kitchen Nugget

Grinding Peppercorns

Ground black pepper starts to lose its flavor within a matter of days, so the taste of packaged ground pepper, which has likely been sitting around for months, is going to be disappointing. That’s why I prefer buying whole black peppercorns. The question then becomes whether to use a pepper mill to grind it as you need it or run small amounts through a bean or spice grinder and transfer it to a shaker jar.

The answer depends on how fast you’ll use it. If you cook every day, you’re likely to go through the jar in short order, and this approach can be a time and labor saver. I also like to have a dedicated grinder for pepper so I don’t run the risk of transferring flavors, which can happen if you use the same grinder for coffee or a strong spice like cumin. (Most grinders can be washed, but follow manufacturer directions carefully.) On the other hand, if you mostly use black pepper to season cooked food, use a pepper mill at the table. The classic hourglass-shaped mill works well for many people, but if you have hand arthritis or any other limitations, consider getting an electric one that requires less effort.

For Your Best Health: You can Be Too Thin 

For Your Best Health

You can Be Too Thin 

Legend has it that Wallis Simpson, the former Duchess of Windsor, famously said you can never be too rich or too thin. As it turns out, at least half that statement may be false. New research presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Vienna, Austria, challenges long-held assumptions about body weight and health. 

“Both underweight and obesity are major global health challenges,” says Sigrid Bjerge Gribsholt, MD, PhD, of the Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus at Aarhus University Hospital in Aarhus, Denmark, who led the research. “Obesity may disrupt the body’s metabolism, weaken the immune system, and lead to diseases like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and up to 15 different cancers, while underweight is tied to malnutrition, weakened immunity, and nutrient deficiencies. There are conflicting findings about the BMI range linked to lowest mortality. It was once thought to be 20 to 25, but it may be shifting upward over time owing to medical advances and improvements in general health.”

To provide some clarity, Dr. Gribsholt, Professor Jens Meldgaard Bruun, MD, also of the Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, and colleagues used health data to examine the relationship between BMI and mortality in 85,761 individuals (81.4% female, median age at baseline 66.4 years). About 8% of the participants died during the 5-year follow-up period. 

Their analysis found that people in the underweight category were almost three times more likely (2.73 times) to have died than those with a BMI toward the top of the healthy range (22.5 to <25.0 kg/m2, the reference population). People with BMI of 40 kg/m2 and above (categorized as severe obesity) were more than twice as likely (2.1 times) to have died compared with the reference population.

However, higher mortality rates were also found for some BMIs that are considered healthy. People with a BMI of 18.5 to <20.0 kg/m2, at the lower end of the healthy weight range, were twice as likely to have died as those in the reference population. Similarly, those with a 20.0 to <22.5 kg/m2, in the middle of the healthy weight range, were 27% more likely to have died than the reference population.

By contrast, individuals with a BMI in the overweight range (25 to <30 kg/m2) and those with a BMI at the lower part of the obese range (30.0 to <35.0 kg/m2) were no more likely to have died than those in the reference population, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as being metabolically healthy or “fat but fit.” Those with a BMI of 35 to <40.0 kg/m2 did have an increased risk of death of 23%.

Researchers saw a similar pattern when they looked at the relationship between BMI and obesity in participants of different ages, sexes, and levels of education, but they were surprised to find that BMI was not associated with a higher mortality—up to a BMI of 35 kg/m2—and that even a BMI 35 to <40 kg/m2 was only associated with a slightly increased risk.

“One possible reason for the results is reverse causation: Some people may lose weight because of an underlying illness,” said Dr. Gribsholt. “In those cases, it is the illness, not the low weight itself, that increases the risk of death, which can make it look like having a higher BMI is protective. Since our data came from people who were having scans for health reasons, we cannot completely rule this out. It is also possible that people with higher BMI who live longer—most of the people we studied were elderly—may have certain protective traits that influence the results. Still, in line with earlier research, we found that people who are in the underweight range face a much higher risk of death.”

“BMI isn’t the only indicator that someone is carrying unhealthy levels of fat,” Dr. Bruun pointed out. “Other important factors include how the fat is distributed. Visceral fat—fat that is very metabolically active and stored deep within the abdomen, wrapped around the organs—secretes compounds that adversely affect metabolic health. As a result, an individual who has a BMI of 35 and is apple-shaped—the excess fat is around their abdomen—may have type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure, while another individual with the same BMI may be free of these problems because the excess fat is on their hips, buttocks, and thighs. It is clear that the treatment of obesity should be personalized to take into account factors such as fat distribution and the presence of conditions such as type 2 diabetes when setting a target weight.”

Fitness Flash: Everyday Habits That May Shield You from Dementia

Fitness Flash

Everyday Habits That May Shield You from Dementia

Alzheimer’s is on the rise, but evidence shows lifestyle interventions can significantly preserve memory and cognition. Prevention may hold the key to reducing the massive global burden of dementia, according to a commentary from researchers at Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, published in The American Journal of Medicine.

An estimated 7.2 million Americans over age 65 currently live with Alzheimer’s disease. That number is expected to nearly double to 13.8 million by 2060. These increases reflect more than demographic shifts; they point to a growing public health crisis that requires a proactive new approach. While chronological age is the strongest known risk factor for cognitive decline, losing cognitive function is not an inevitable part of aging.

“While deaths from cardiovascular disease have declined since 2000, deaths from Alzheimer’s disease have surged by more than 140%,” said commentary coauthor Charles H. Hennekens, MD, the First Sir Richard Doll Professor of Medicine and Preventive Medicine and senior academic advisor at Schmidt. “At the same time, it is estimated that up to 45% of dementia risk could be attributed to modifiable lifestyle and environmental factors.”

Lifestyle risk factors like physical inactivity, poor diet, obesity, alcohol use, and conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, depression, and social or intellectual isolation are believed to contribute to cognitive decline. The authors point out that the same therapeutic lifestyle changes proven effective for reducing risks of cardiovascular and other major diseases may also help reduce cognitive decline, potentially with additive effects when multiple risk factors are present.

The commentary highlights the recently published results from POINTER, the first large-scale US-based randomized trial to test whether intensive lifestyle changes can improve cognitive outcomes in older adults at high risk of decline. In this trial, participants who were assigned at random to a structured, team-based lifestyle intervention showed statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in global cognition over two years. These gains were especially notable in executive functions such as memory, attention, planning, and decision-making. The intervention emphasized regular physical activity, a combination of Mediterranean and DASH-style diets, cognitive stimulation, and social engagement reinforced through ongoing professional guidance and group support.

These findings are similar to an earlier Finnish trial, the FINGER trial, in which participants with elevated cardiovascular risk scores assigned at random to a multidomain lifestyle approach experienced cognitive benefits. “The data from both these landmark large-scale randomized trials demonstrate that lifestyle changes—previously shown to reduce heart disease and cancer—also hold transformative potential for brain health,” Dr. Hennekens said.

The researchers also speculated about biological mechanisms that may underlie these benefits. Physical activity, for example, increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which supports hippocampal growth, while also improving blood flow and reducing inflammation. Healthy dietary patterns like the Mediterranean and DASH diets can lower oxidative stress and improve insulin sensitivity as well as risks of cardiovascular disease. Quitting smoking may help preserve brain structure and white matter integrity, and regular social and cognitive engagement promotes neuroplasticity and mental resilience.

“The implications for clinical practice, public health, and government policy are potentially enormous,” said Parvathi Perumareddi, DO, coauthor and an associate professor of family medicine at Schmidt. “Clinicians now have powerful evidence-based tools to help their patients prevent or slow cognitive decline, tools that go beyond medications, are generally low-risk, and are cost-effective. Public health agencies could adopt the framework of trials like POINTER and FINGER to develop brain health programs.”

“While more research is needed, the current totality of evidence supports a clear path forward: invest in lifestyle-based strategies to protect brain health,” said Dr. Hennekens. “Doing so will not only benefit individuals at risk but also serve as a powerful tool for reducing national and global health care burdens related to cognitive decline.”

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Olive Oil Hunter News #223

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Summer Lentil Salad Recipe, Spotlight on Lentils, The Mediterranean Diet for IBS and Outrunning Alzheimer’s

Lentils are the unsung heroes of the legume family—high in protein and fiber along with other nutrients and fast to cook. They’re the perfect replacement for rice in summer salads and side dishes. They also fit right into the Mediterranean diet, a way of eating that could be a welcome change from the FODMAP diet for people living with IBS, according to a new study. I’m also sharing research that takes a deeper dive into exercise as a weapon in the war against Alzheimer’s.

Summer Lentil Salad

  • Summer lentil salad Summer Lentil Salad

    This protein-packed legume makes a satisfying meatless meal on its own as well as a zesty side dish for grilled tuna or salmon. 

    Ingredients

    For the lentils:

    • 1 cup dried French (du Puy) lentils
    • 3 cups homemade or low-sodium canned chicken stock, more broth or water as needed
    • 2 stalks celery, diced
    • 2 large carrots, diced
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
    • 1 small red onion, diced
    • 1 large bell pepper, diced
    • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
    • Salt as desired

    For the dressing:

    • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, more to taste
    • 1 small shallot, minced
    • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

    Directions

    Step 1

    Place the lentils in a sieve and rinse under cold running water, picking through to remove any pebbles. Bring the stock to a boil in a large pot, then add the lentils, celery, carrots, bay leaf, and salt. Turn down the heat to maintain a simmer, cover the pot, and cook until the lentils are tender but still toothsome (think al dente), about 25 minutes. Check 5 minutes in advance to make sure there’s still some liquid so that the lentils won’t scorch. If the lentils aren’t tender once the broth evaporates, add 1/2 cup more liquid and continue cooking 5-10 more minutes.

    Step 2

    While the lentils are cooking, make the dressing. In a medium bowl, mix the vinegar, shallot, black pepper, and Dijon. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Taste and add more vinegar if desired.

    Step 3

    When the lentils are ready, strain off any remaining liquid and transfer to a large bowl; discard the bay leaf. Fold in the red onion, bell pepper, and parsley. Pour on the dressing and toss to coat. Taste and add salt as desired. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

    Yields 8 servings

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Lentils

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Let’s Hear It for Lentils

High in fiber, vitamin C, and other antioxidants, strawberries also deliver potassium, folate, and magnesium. But they also have a tendency to get moldy when moisture gets trapped between the berries, especially in typical clamshell plastic containers. A simple storage trick is to unpack them as soon as you get home and transfer them, unwashed, to a paper towel-lined glass container—line them up upside down, leaving a bit of room between them, and store in the fridge, uncovered, suggest the experts at the Utah State University Extension. Wash them just before hulling (a curved grapefruit knife works great) and blot dry with fresh paper towels.

dried lentils

Quick Kitchen Nugget: Making Lentils in Advance

Quick Kitchen Nugget

Making Lentils in Advance

With 22 grams of protein in every cup of cooked French lentils, these nutrient-dense nuggets are great to have in the fridge, ready to sprinkle on green salads, add to other side dishes, or have as a satisfying snack drizzled with olive oil. Once you’ve cooked up a batch, drain them and let them come to room temperature. Transfer to a glass container and pop into the fridge. They’ll stay fresh for up to one week.

For Your Best Health: The Mediterranean Diet for IBS 

For Your Best Health

The Mediterranean Diet for IBS 

IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome, affects an estimated 4 to 11 percent of all people, and most prefer dietary interventions to medication. Many try following the low-FODMAP diet, according to researchers at Michigan Medicine. It improves symptoms in more than half of patients, but it’s restrictive—it cuts out so many foods that people find it hard to follow. Previous investigations from these researchers, who were looking for more acceptable versions, led to their “FODMAP simple” diet, which only restricts the food groups in the FODMAP diet that are most likely to cause symptoms. Still, because any type of restrictive diets can be difficult to adopt, Michigan Medicine gastroenterologist Prashant Singh, MBBS, and his colleagues decided to look at a completely different alternative, the Mediterranean diet. 

Many physicians are already behind the Mediterranean diet because of its benefits to cardiovascular, cognitive, and general health. With so many advantages, they wanted to see whether it could also bring IBS symptom relief. “In addition to the issue of being costly and time-consuming, there are concerns about nutrient deficiencies and disordered eating when trying a low-FODMAP diet. The Mediterranean diet interested us as an alternative that is not an elimination diet and overcomes several of these limitations related to a low-FODMAP diet,” said Dr. Singh.

The Mediterranean Diet for IBS 

For the pilot study, 20 participants, all of whom were diagnosed with either IBS-D (diarrhea) or IBS-M (mixed symptoms of constipation and diarrhea), were randomized into two groups. For four weeks, one group followed the Mediterranean diet and the other followed the restriction phase of a low-FODMAP diet.

The primary endpoint was an FDA-standard 30 percent reduction in abdominal pain intensity after four weeks. In the Mediterranean diet group, 73 percent of the patients met the primary endpoint for symptom improvement versus 81.8 percent in the low-FODMAP group. Though the low-FODMAP group experienced a greater improvement measured by both abdominal pain intensity and the IBS symptom severity score, the Mediterranean diet did provide symptom relief with fewer food restrictions.

“This study adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests that a Mediterranean diet might be a useful addition to the menu of evidence-based dietary interventions for patients with IBS,” said William Chey, MD, chief of gastroenterology at the University of Michigan, president-elect of the American College of Gastroenterology, and senior author of the research paper.

Researchers found the results of this pilot study encouraging enough to warrant future and larger controlled trials to investigate the potential of the Mediterranean diet as an effective intervention for patients with IBS. They believe studies comparing the long-term efficacy of the Mediterranean diet with long-term outcomes following the reintroduction and personalization phases of the low-FODMAP diet are needed.

Fitness Flash: Outrunning Alzheimer’s?

Fitness Flash

Outrunning Alzheimer’s?

A Mass General Brigham study, published in Nature Neuroscience, has revealed how exercise rewires the brain at the cellular level. “While we’ve long known that exercise helps protect the brain, we didn’t fully understand which cells were responsible or how it worked at a molecular level,” said senior author Christiane D. Wrann, DVM, PhD, a neuroscientist and leader of the Program in Neuroprotection in Exercise at the Mass General Brigham Heart and Vascular Institute and the McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital. “Now, we have a detailed map of how exercise impacts each major cell type in the memory center of the brain in Alzheimer’s disease.”

The research team from Mass General Brigham and collaborators at SUNY Upstate Medical University leveraged advanced single-nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq), a relatively new technology that allows researchers to look at activity at the molecular level in single cells for an in-depth understanding of diseases like Alzheimer’s, along with a widely used preclinical model for Alzheimer’s disease. Focusing on a part of the hippocampus, a critical region for memory and learning damaged early in Alzheimer’s, they identified specific brain cell types that responded most to exercise. 

They exercised a common mouse model for Alzheimer’s disease using running wheels, which improved the mice’s memory compared to their sedentary counterparts. They then analyzed gene activity across thousands of individual brain cells, finding that exercise changed activity both in microglia, a disease-associated population of brain cells, and in a specific type of neurovascular-associated astrocyte (NVA), newly discovered by the team, which are cells associated with blood vessels in the brain. Furthermore, the scientists identified the metabolic gene Atpif1 as an important regulator to create new neurons in the brain. “That we were able to modulate newborn neurons using our new target genes set underscores the promise our study,” said lead author Joana Da Rocha, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow working in Dr. Wrann’s lab.

To ensure the findings were relevant to humans, the team validated their discoveries in a large dataset of human Alzheimer’s brain tissue, finding striking similarities. “This work not only sheds light on how exercise benefits the brain but also uncovers potential cell-specific targets for future Alzheimer’s therapies,” said Nathan Tucker, a biostatistician at SUNY Upstate Medical University and co-senior author of the study. “Our study offers a valuable resource for the scientific community investigating Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment.”

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Half a tablespoon of olive oil a day significantly lowered the risk of dementia-related death

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Reference: Tessier A-J, Cortese M, Yuan C, et al. Consumption of olive oil and dietary quality and risk of dementia-related death. JAMA Network Open. 2024;7(5):e2410021. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.10021.

A recently published analysis of two large, long-term studies found that consuming half a tablespoon or more of olive oil per day lowered the risk of dying of dementia by up to 34% in both women and men. The protective effect of olive oil consumption was even greater in women.

More than 92,000 participants from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS) were included in this analysis. The NHS started in 1976 and enrolled 121,700 female registered nurses (ages 30–55). The HPFS began in 1986 as a similar study in men, enrolling 51,525 male healthcare professionals (ages 40–75).

Study participants responded every other year to detailed food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) about their consumption of specific foods. Questions about olive oil were added in 1990. Total olive oil intake was determined by three responses: olive oil used for salad dressings, olive oil added to food or bread, and olive oil used for baking or frying at home.

Olive oil intake frequency was categorized as follows:

• Never, or less than once per month
• Less than 4.5 grams (about one teaspoon) per day
• Between 4.5 and 7 grams per day
• More than 7 grams (about half a tablespoon) per day

About two-thirds of the study participants (65.6%) were women, about a third (34.4%) were men, and the average age at the start of the study was 56 years. Each participant’s FFQs from 1990 to 2014 (or for as long as the participant remained in the study) were totaled and averaged. Average olive oil intake was 1.3 grams per day in both studies.

Participants in the highest olive oil intake group—half a tablespoon or more of olive oil per day— reduced their risk of dying of dementia by 28% to 34%, compared to study participants who never or very rarely consumed olive oil. These results were regardless of other dietary habits and factored in socio-demographic and lifestyle differences.

Deaths due to dementia were confirmed by physician’s review of medical records, autopsy reports, or death certificates of study participants.

It has been proposed that consuming olive oil may lower the risk of dementia-related death by improving blood vessel health, yet the results of this analysis were not impacted by hypertension or high cholesterol in participants.

Limitations of this analysis include its predominantly non-Hispanic white population of healthcare professionals, which reduces the ability to generalize these results across more diverse populations. Also, the FFQs did not dis-tinguish among types of olive oil, which differ in their amounts of polyphenols and other bioactive compounds.

Olive Oil Hunter News #170

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Horiatiki Salad Recipe and The MIND Diet for Brain Health: More Benefits of Olive Oil

I’m a huge fan of both Greek and Middle Eastern salads, the ingredients of which are not only delicious but also mainstays of the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet, a way of eating designed for brain health. It’s an offshoot of the super-healthy Mediterranean diet and the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. Why the distinction? Because the latest research on the MIND diet shows it can slow aging as well as reduce dementia risk. Add this to the list of the benefits of olive oil—it’s one of the super foods that MIND suggests including every day.

Horiatiki: The Sequel!

  • Zesty Beef Kebabs Olive Oil Hunter News #243

    Black Garlic Aioli and Zesty Beef Kebabs Recipes, Spotlight on Middle Eastern Chili Blend and Savory Black Garlic, Storing Herbs and Spices, These Teens are Leading the Way

    Are you ready to get spicy? This week’s recipes feature two of the most unusual spices in the latest collection from the T.J. Robinson Curated Culinary Selections. Black Garlic is a relative newcomer in the culinary world, one that’s now embraced around the globe. Middle Eastern Chili Blend is a zesty mix that makes an instant dry rub. The two recipes I’m sharing show just how simple a prep can be when you have the right ingredients. Also, read about four brothers, all teens and tweens, who are making it fun for all kids to get healthier.

    Black Garlic Aioli

    Zesty Beef Kebabs

    Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Calamansi Vinegar

    Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

    Middle Eastern Chili Blend and Savory Black Garlic

    Turkey occupies a unique place in the world, at the intersection of Europe and Asia. The region is a hotbed of amazing herbs and spices, represented well by my Middle Eastern Chili Blend, a rich and fragrant mix of black Urfa chili, silk chili, cumin, allspice, and garlic that’s very popular in Turkey for all types of meat dishes.

    Sweet paprika

    Its top notes are the chili peppers. The history of peppers began in the New World thousands of years ago. Brought to Europe by explorers like Columbus, spice merchants later introduced various peppers to the rest of the globe. Turkey’s unique terroir,with its hot, dry summers and potassium-rich soil, is excellent for cultivating them. Columbus was also responsible for introducing allspice, indigenous to the Caribbean, to the Old World. Cumin and garlic have been used for centuries all around the Mediterranean and the Middle East, as well as in other parts of the world.

    This mix of spices is rich and complex, with a layered flavor profile. There’s a great balance between the smoky mild heat of the stone-ground chilis and the warmth of the cumin, the sweetness of allspice, and the savoriness of the garlic, with a hint of salt and sunflower seed oil to preserve taste and texture. It’s a great primary ingredient in dry rubs and marinades and to elevate tzatziki sauce and other yogurt-based dishes. It adds wonderful flavor tokebabs, boreks, and other meat dishes. Sprinkle it on cooked vegetables and beans, pasta, pizza, eggs, rice, and avocado toast—any dish that would benefit from a bit of spicy heat.

    Wild sumac

    The Central American country of Guatemala has a rich Mayan history, breathtaking natural beauty, and areas with mineral-rich volcanic soils and a mild climate with ample rainfall, perfect for agriculture. Among the crops grown by local farmers is fresh garlic, some of which is fermented to make my Savory Black Garlic.

    Garlic is the edible bulb of a plant in the lily family, along with other well-known alliums, including shallots, onions, leeks, chives, and scallions. It has been enjoyed for 5,000 years, with the earliest uses traced back to Egyptian and Indian cultures. Black garlic, in contrast, is a mere few centuries old. It’s said to have originated in Korea and then spread to Japan and Thailand. Its growing popularity around the world is an extremely recent development.

    To make black garlic, once fresh garlic is harvested, it goes through a unique fermentation process. The cloves are slowly heated at a low temperature until they attain a deep black color, then they’re dried and ground. Compared to traditional garlic powder, black garlic is rich and complex, with sweet, sour, and even some smoky notes that lend a fantastic umami taste to dishes. 

    Use black garlic to amp up the taste of fresh garlic in recipes or instead of fresh cloves. It’s great in marinades and vinaigrettes, dips like black garlic aioliand the Turkish yogurt sauce cacik, soups, and stews. Perfect for making garlic bread and croutons, it will also enhance aglio e olio, khao pad,grilled or roasted meats, stir-fries, soba noodles, chicken piccata, sautéed shrimp, risottos, and chili. Sprinkle it on mashed potatoes,sautéed spinach and other vegetables, and pizza. 

    According to a report in the Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, black garlic may have even more healthful components than raw garlic, with antioxidant, anti-allergy, anti-inflammatory, and even cancer-fighting effects. That’s because complex changes occur to its phytochemicals, such as polyphenols and flavonoids, during fermentation. 

    Quick Kitchen Nugget: Storing Herbs and Spices

    Quick Kitchen Nugget

    Storing Herbs and Spices

    The best way to store spices isn’t what you’re used to. They should be in tightly sealed pouches or glass containers and, importantly, away from light, humidity, and heat, so don’t keep them above or next to your cooktop. Instead choose a pantry shelf or a drawer away from the oven. Soon enough it will become second nature to take them out of their new “home” as you prep cooking ingredients. 

    For Your Best Health: These Teens are Leading the Way

    For Your Best Health 

    These Teens are Leading the Way

    I first met the Ansari brothers—Abdullah, 17, Zain, 14, Emaad, 12, and Qasim, 10—a few years ago when I was on their innovative “The Holistic Kids’ Show Podcast” and couldn’t have been more impressive with their goal to help other kids be as healthy as possible during their important formative years. 

    They’ve lectured at leading integrative and functional medicine conferences, including being the first youth speakers at the 2024 International Institute of Functional Medicine, A4M 2025 and The Mindshare Summit 2025. They have also spoken at the Nourished Festival, served as keynote speaker at the YMCA Interfaith Mayor’s Breakfast, and presented at major conferences like MAS-ICNA, reaching audiences of over 60,000. The Holistic Kids have been featured in top podcasts and print and online media outlets like Wellness Mama podcast, Rational Wellness Podcast and The Holistic Primary Care Magazine. 

    They’re now the authors of The Teen Health Revolution: Lifestyle Secrets to Optimize Your Mind, Body, and Soul, which was just released. [link: https://www.amazon.com/Teen-Health-Revolution-Unlocking-Lifestyle/dp/1538195909] Recognizing that today’s teenagers are facing an unprecedented rise in chronic diseases and mental health challenges, the brothers cover topics from nutrition, gut health, and managing stress to tech balance, the importance of sleep, practicing gratitude, connecting with nature, and more.

    With expert-backed strategies (their mom is the noted board-certified holistic family physician Madiha Saeed, MD), actionable advice, dozens of lifestyle tips, recipes, and tools for managing over twenty common health conditions among teens, their book delivers practical steps that are easily integrated into everyday life. It’s a must-read for parents and grandparents, too, to help young ones improve their brains, bodies, and souls for a healthier, happier life.

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  • Black Garlic Aioli Black Garlic Aioli

    Move over, ketchup! This is about to become your favorite dip for fries and roasted potatoes as well as the perfect panini condiment. A Microplane grater is ideal to make the zest and grate the garlic.

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup mayonnaise 
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
    • 1 teaspoon lemon zest 
    • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, more to taste
    • 1 to 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated 
    • 1 teaspoon Savory Black Garlic 
    • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 
    • 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard 
    • 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt 
    • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Vine-Ripened Black Peppercorns

    Directions

    Place all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Cover and refrigerate if not using immediately. 

    Yields about 3/4 cup

  • Zesty Beef Kebabs Zesty Beef Kebabs

    The ingredients in my Middle Eastern Chili Blend make this recipe a snap. Try it with chicken cubes, fish chunks, and hearty vegetables, too. The kebabs are delicious on their own, with grilled veggies or over rice, or tucked into a pita or other Middle Eastern bread with tomatoes, shredded lettuce, onions, and cucumber-yogurt sauce.

    Ingredients

    • 1 1/2 tablespoons Middle Eastern Chili Blend
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
    • 1 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin or top sirloin, cut into 1 1/2–inch cubes

    Directions

    Step 1

    In a large glass bowl, whisk the chili blend into the olive oil. Add the beef chunks and toss to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour up to overnight. 

    Step 2

    When ready to cook, preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Brush and oil the grill grate. Thread the meat onto 2 or 3 metal skewers. Grill 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 130°F (it will continue cooking once off the grill). Transfer the skewers to a platter and let the meat rest for 5 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil before serving. 

    Yields 4 servings

  • Focaccia Olive Oil Hunter News #242

    Fabulous Focaccia and Steak au Poivre Recipes, Spotlight on Rosemary and Black Peppercorns, When Whole Spices Are Best, How Junk Food Can Scramble Memory

    This edition of The Olive Oil Hunter Newsletter has a decidedly French bent, from the Provençal rosemary on the focaccia to the classic steak au poivre, redolent with freshly crushed black peppercorns. Both recipes will be welcome additions to your holiday celebrations, and I know you’ll appreciate the ease with which you can make what you might think of as restaurant-only dishes. After reading the latest research on junk food below, if you’re like me, you’ll want to focus on preparing as many homemade and healthful meals as possible.

    Fabulous Focaccia

    Steak au Poivre

    Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Calamansi Vinegar

    Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

    Rosemary and Black Peppercorns

    Located in the south of France, Provence is steeped in history. Famous for its picturesque villages and dramatic landscapes including lavender fields, the sunny and dry climate and limestone-rich soil are perfect for cultivating aromatic herbs like my Provençal Rosemary. Rub a few needles between two fingers and inhale—you’ll be transported to this idyllic locale. 

    Sweet paprika

    Though the recorded history of rosemary dates back thousands of years to early Greek and Roman times, the first culinary mention doesn’t appear until the 15th century. Used to preserve meat, rosemary was also found to impart a wonderful flavor. That association continues to this day—from roasted chicken to leg of lamb, both in marinades and dry rubs, rosemary is a popular seasoning for many proteins. 

    Rich in essential oils, rosemary’s flavor comes from eucalyptol and alpha pinene, aromatic compounds that impart the flavor of pine, citrus notes, and hints of mint and tea. The evergreen freshness of rosemary is a direct result of the local terroir—the soil, topography, and climate in which it’s grown.

    A mainstay of French classics like ratatouille and coq au vin, rosemary also has a place in cuisines throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East regions. It’s integral tolamb dishes, roasted chicken,bean dipand other bean dishes. Sprinkle it over focacciaand other flatbreads before baking and on potatoes and other vegetables before roasting.As a garnish, just a pinch gives added zest to pizza, omelets, and popcorn.

    Research tells us that rosemary has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. The herb’s benefits may even include boosting memory—it’s said that ancient Greek scholars would wear a crown of sprigs to help during exams. It has anti-inflammatory phytonutrients with potential anti-anxiety compounds. In Mexico, for instance, rosemary is often used to make a tea to ease indigestion and other tummy troubles and as a calming agent for better sleep.

    Wild sumac

    Black pepper is the most widely used spice on the planet. My Vine-Ripened Black Peppercorns are grown in one of the most fascinating places on Earth, the Zanzibar archipelago. Its location just off the coast of East Africa, with fertile soil perfect for growing spices and other crops, put it at the heart of the spice trade for centuries. 

    The history of black peppercorns dates back at least 4,000 years and can be traced to Kerala, a province in southwest India. Once the most coveted spice in the world, peppercorns were the original “black gold.” Grown in bunches like tiny grapes, they are the seeds of a plant and are considered a fruit. Traditionally, they’re harvested while still green, but on the organic farm where mine are grown, they’re allowed to ripen longer on the vine before being handpicked and sun-dried in a process that gives them their dark, wrinkly shell and strong yet bright spiciness.

    The aroma reminds me of rich cedar—dark and woody—with a hint of florals, allspice, and anise. On the palate, its punch comes from its powerful compound piperine, along with notes of nutmeg, cacao nibs, and citrus. 

    You’ll want to reach for your pepper grinder for every meal! It defines many beef and pork dishes and makes a perfect crust for duck breast and tuna. It will enliven vinaigrettes and other dressings, roasted sweet potatoes and winter squashes, vegetable slaws, cold pasta salads,mulled wine, and poached pears. 

    Ancient Indian and Egyptian cultures used peppercorns as an anti-inflammatory, an analgesic, and a preservative. Contemporary research has found that science backs up those early practices, thanks to the enzymes in the compound piperine—they help the body better absorb both conventional and herbal medications. Although research is in the early stages, piperine is being investigated as a way to improve nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which is reaching epidemic proportions worldwide. 

    Quick Kitchen Nugget: When Whole Spices Are Best

    Quick Kitchen Nugget

    When Whole Spices Are Best

    Black pepper starts losing its flavor the moment it’s ground or cracked so it’s best to buy peppercorns, not pre-ground tins or jars. The same is true for pod-like spices such as cardamon and star anise and seeds like mustard seed, coriander, and cumin. Also, these taste best when toasted before being ground in a spice grinder when needed. 

    For Your Best Health: Junk Food Can Scramble Memory

    For Your Best Health 

    Junk Food Can Scramble Memory

    A new study conducted in the lab has found that high-fat junk food rewires the brain’s memory hub, leading to the risk of cognitive dysfunction. It can impair memory within days by overstimulating key neurons, according to UNC School of Medicine researchers led by Juan Song, PhD, principal investigator and professor of pharmacology, and Taylor Landry, PhD, first author.

    For the study, mice were placed on high-fat diet resembling fatty junk food, similar to the typical Western-style diet rich in saturated fat from meals like cheeseburgers and fries. The researchers then did behavioral testing. Within 4 days of eating the high-fat diet, results showed that CCK interneurons, a special group of brain cells in in the brain’s memory hub, became abnormally active due to an impaired ability of the brain to receive glucose (sugar). This overactivity disrupted how the hippocampus processes memory. Results suggest that fatty junk foods can affect the brain almost immediately, well before the onset of weight gain or diabetes. The discovery also showed that a protein called PKM2, which controls how brain cells use energy, plays a key role in this problem.

    “We knew that diet and metabolism could affect brain health, but we didn’t expect to find such a specific and vulnerable group of brain cells—CCK interneurons in the hippocampus—that were directly disrupted by short-term high-fat diet exposure,” said Dr. Song, a member of the UNC Neuroscience Center. “What surprised us most was how quickly these cells changed their activity in response to reduced glucose availability, and how this shift alone was enough to impair memory.”

    The findings highlight how sensitive memory circuits are to diet, underscoring the importance of nutrition in maintaining brain health. A high-fat diet, rich in saturated fats, could possibly lead to an elevated risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases, like dementia and Alzheimer’s, according to the study.

    The research also showed that restoring brain glucose levels calmed down overactive neurons and fixed memory problems in the mice: Dietary interventions like intermittent fasting periods following a high-fat diet were sufficient to normalize CCK interneurons and improve memory function. 

    “This work highlights how what we eat can rapidly affect brain health and how early interventions, whether through fasting or medicine, could protect memory and lower the risk of long-term cognitive problems linked to obesity and metabolic disorders,” said Dr. Song. “In the long run, such strategies could help reduce the growing burden of dementia and Alzheimer’s linked to metabolic disorders, offering more holistic care that addresses both body and brain.”

    This research is ongoing to further understand how these glucose-sensitive neurons disrupt brain rhythms that support memory. The researchers plan to test whether the targeted therapies could be translated to people, how a high-fat diet could be a factor in Alzheimer’s disease, and how lifestyle-based interventions, such as dietary patterns that stabilize brain glucose, might offer protective benefits. The study was published in the journal Neuron.

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  • Focaccia Fabulous Focaccia

    Flatbreads like focaccia are very forgiving—you don’t need to be an expert baker to create this crispy-on-the-outside, spongy-on-the-inside Italian classic. In fact, it’s the perfect beginner recipe to take the mystery out of dough-making. Plus, you can customize the toppings to your taste—slivered onions are at the top of the list for many. Leftover squares can be sliced horizontally and turned into panini.

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast 
    • 2 cups warm water, between 105°F and 115°F
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • 8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use, plus more for dipping
    • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 5 cups all-purpose, bread, or 00 flour, plus more for kneading
    • Provençal Rosemary
    • Very coarse sea salt

    Directions

    Step 1

    In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the yeast, water, and honey for a few seconds. Allow the yeast to bloom (get foamy), about 5 to 8 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the fine salt, and flour, and mix until a sticky dough forms. Switch to the dough hook and knead until smooth and elastic, about 7 minutes. The dough will still be somewhat sticky but should pull away from the sides of the bowl as you lift it. If it’s too sticky to handle, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. 

    Note: If you don’t have a stand mixer with a dough hook, bloom the yeast, water, and honey in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and salt and then the flour, mixing with a large spatula and then with your hands. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured countertop, flour your hands, and knead until smooth, about 7 minutes. 

    Step 2

    Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a clean, large bowl. With lightly floured hands, form the dough into a ball and roll it in the olive oil. Place the bowl in a warm spot in your kitchen and cover with a clean dish towel. Let rise until doubled in volume, about an hour. (If you poke it with a fingertip, it should spring back right away.)

    Step 3

    Pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a 13×9 metal cake pan and rotate the pan to coat it well. Punch down the dough and turn it into the pan. Use your fingertips to press it out to the edges and into the corners of the pan. Use your fingertips or knuckles to make a pattern of indentations in the dough. Cover the pan with your kitchen towel and let it rest for 20 minutes while you preheat your oven to 450°F.

    Step 4

    Just before baking, go over the indentations if needed. Drizzle the final 2 tablespoons of oil over the top of the dough and sprinkle on the rosemary needles and coarse salt as desired. Bake for 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the focaccia is golden and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Let cool for 5 minutes, then cut and serve with olive oil for dipping. 

    Yields 10 generous servings

  • Steak au poivre Steak au Poivre

    My take on the French classic is the perfect showcase for my vine-ripened black peppercorns, which flavor the steaks and the sauce. Even though the traditional heavy cream is replaced with heart-friendlier half-and-half, the sauce is luscious and rich.

    Ingredients

    • Two 6-ounce filet mignon steaks, about 1 1/2 inches thick
    • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
    • 2 tablespoons Vine-Ripened Black Peppercorns 
    • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more if needed 
    • 1 garlic clove, smashed
    • 2 fresh thyme sprigs
    • 1 tablespoon minced shallot
    • 2 tablespoons cognac
    • 1/2 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium beef broth
    • 1 teaspoon Purple Shallot Powder
    • 1/2 cup half-and-half
    • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

    Directions

    Step 1

    Season the steaks on all sides with the coarse salt and place them on a wire rack set over a dish to catch any juices. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to air-dry.

    Step 2

    Use a mini chopper or bean grinder to coarsely crush the peppercorns—do not let them turn into a powder. Once the steaks are ready, place them on a clean plate and coat heavily on all sides with the crushed peppercorns. 

    Step 3

    Heat a cast-iron or other skillet large enough to hold both steaks over medium-high heat. When hot, add the olive oil and the steaks, searing them for 4 minutes. Flip and add the garlic and thyme to the pan. Cook for 4 more minutes to sear the other side of the steaks. Test the steaks with an instant-read thermometer; it should register about 130°F for medium-rare. Use tongs to transfer the steaks to two dinner plates and let them rest while you finish the sauce.

    Step 4

    Remove the garlic and thyme from the pan. If the pan looks dry, add another tablespoon olive oil along with the shallots. Cook the shallots until soft, about 2 minutes. Lower the heat and add the cognac, using a heat-resistant spatula to scrape any fond off the bottom of the pan. 

    Step 5

    Add the broth and shallot powder, then raise the heat to a low boil and reduce for 2 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half and reduce until thickened. Stir in the mustard. Top each steak with a large spoonful of sauce before serving.

    Yields 2 servings

  • Chai Spice Cookies Olive Oil Hunter News #241

    Essential Mashed Potatoes and Chai Spice Cookies Recipes, Spotlight on Purple Shallot Powder and Chai Spice Blend

    When I’m planning my Thanksgiving menu, I like a mix of the traditional—the foods everyone clamors for, like mashed potatoes—and the new, like the unexpected taste of chai spice cookies, oversized and indulgent. These two dishes are made even more flavorful with spices in the new collection from the T. J. Robinson Curated Culinary Selections. I’m also sharing tasty news about bone health: a free recipe guide from The Bone Coach.

    Essential Mashed Potatoes

    Chai Spice Cookies

    Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Calamansi Vinegar

    Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

    Purple Shallot Powder and Chai Spice Blend  

    The Red River Delta, located in northern Vietnam, has been the cradle of Vietnamese civilization for thousands of years. Known for its lush landscapes and rich cultural heritage, the region also plays a crucial role in the country’s agricultural production. One of the area’s most delicious crops is shallots, like those used to make my Purple Shallot Powder. 

    Sweet paprika

    Shallots are as old as recorded time. It’s believed that shallots—now enjoyed around the world—were first grown in the Middle East and likely reached Vietnam through trade routes dating back at least 2,000 years. Along with ginger, shallots are a mainstay in Vietnamese dishes like pho. Shallots were introduced to Europe by the Crusaders and are became especially popular in French cooking.

    Shallots are known for their delicate allium taste, much milder than onions. My Purple Shallot Powder is so sweet, toasty, and rich that just one teaspoon imparts the flavor of an entire shallot. It adds just the right balance of sweetness and pungency to compound butter, vinaigrette and other dressings, BBQ and other tomato-based sauces, creamy soups and sauces, and vegetables like essential mashed potatoes and glazed beets. Note: When using it in place of whole shallots in sautés and stir-fries, after heating your pan, add your fresh-pressed olive oil and the shallot powder, allowing the powder to bloom in the oil for a few seconds before adding the next ingredients.

    Wild sumac

    Chai, which literally means tea in Hindi, has become shorthand for the exquisite blend of spices that were originally imbibed in a drink without actual tea leaves. Its origin story is a little fuzzy—some legends say it debuted 9,000 years ago, others 5,000. Some claim its roots are Indian, others say Thai. The common belief is that it was created by a royal who wanted a restorative beverage. Its popularity soared in the 1900s, when drinking tea was promoted in India. Since tea leaves were expensive, spices, milk, and sugar were added to make the drink more affordable. The mixture became known as chai masala, masala being the word for spice. Drinking chai became part of the way of life in India, and demand for it soon spread across the globe.

    Spices were brought to Zanzibar, off the coast of Tanzania, more than a thousand years ago by Persian traders, who quickly recognized that the area’s tropical climate and rich soil were perfect for growing spices like cloves and cinnamon. Fast-forward to today, and the Spice Islands, as the Zanzibar archipelago was aptly nicknamed, are an amazing source of the spices that define chai.

    My Chai Spice Blend features a heady and highly aromatic mix of cardamom, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, thyme, lemongrass, and orange peel, all from small farmers in local cooperatives. A bold blend that’s harmonious and balanced, it’s reminiscent of the spices used in gingerbread cookies, with a Southeast Asian spin thanks to the lemongrass and, of course, the cardamom, chai’s signature spice. 

    Adding it to tea or coffee is just one way to appreciate its depth of flavor. It’s delicious in many sweets and drinks, like spice cookies, slow-roasted pears, apple pie, blondies, banana bread, and horchata, as well as in savory dishes like chai spice cashews. It will enhance dry rubs, salad dressings, and rice dishes, not to mention your morning oatmeal. 

    Given its rich array of spices, chai provides a pleasant way to derive the health benefits of many antioxidants. Some of its spices have additional benefits. For example, cardamom may benefit digestion, and the piperine in the black pepper is said to have analgesic, or pain-relieving, properties.

    Quick Kitchen Nugget: Enjoying Your Spices

    Quick Kitchen Nugget

    Enjoying Your Spices

    Spices aren’t just for cooking—they’re great for boosting flavor at the table, too. Enliven takeout foods like pizza or rotisserie chicken with a sprinkle of your favorite ones. Create new habits: When you set the table, bring out your purple shallot powder instead of salt for added flavor. 

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  • Essential Mashed Potatoes Essential Mashed Potatoes

    Tiny new potatoes are made even creamier by adding olive oil, butter, and great spices. Note: All bolded spices are included in the new spice collection from the T. J. Robinson Curated Culinary Selections.

    Ingredients

    • 2 pounds creamer or mini red potatoes
    • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sea salt, divided use, plus more to taste
    • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 1/2 cup half-and-half or milk
    • 1 teaspoon freshly-ground Vine-Ripened Black Peppercorns,plusmore to taste
    • 2 teaspoons Purple Shallot Powder
    • Savory Black Garlic

    Directions

    Cut the potatoes in half and place them in a pot of boiling water with the tablespoon of salt. Boil until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Add the teaspoon of salt, the olive oil, butter, half-and-half (or milk), black pepper, and shallot powder and mash the potatoes, thoroughly blending in the other ingredients. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the black garlic.

    Yields 6 servings

  • Chai Spice Cookies Chai Spice Cookies

    This recipe creates dramatically large, melt-in-your-mouth, 4-inch cookies. For smaller ones, use a 1-inch scoop and place them 2 inches apart.

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 cup white or golden whole wheat flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1 3/4 cups brown sugar
    • 2 1/2 tablespoons Chai Spice Blend, divided use
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
    • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 egg at room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
    • 1/3 cup sanding sugar

    Directions

    Step 1

    Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside (you’ll bake the cookies in 3 batches; if you have that many cookie sheets, prep them all).

    Step 2

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
    In another medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons chai spice, and the cinnamon.

    Step 3

    In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the olive oil and sugar-spice mixture and beat on low until well blended. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing until fully incorporated. Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, stopping to scrape up any of the butter that may be on the bottom of the bowl.

    Step 4

    In a small bowl, whisk the sanding sugar with the last tablespoon of chai spice. Use a 2-inch ice cream scoop to make a dough ball and drop it into the sugar-chai mix. Roll it around to coat, then place it on the cookie sheet. Repeat until you have 6 balls, spaced 4 inches apart—they will spread considerably as they bake. Bake one cookie sheet at a time in the center of your oven for 14 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through; the cookies will puff, then flatten as they cool. Repeat with the next batch. As that batch bakes, use a large spatula to transfer the first batch of cookies to racks to cool. Repeat with the final batch.

    Yields 18 Cookies

  • chicken paprikash Olive Oil Hunter News #240

    Chai Spice Cashews and Chicken Paprikash Recipes, Spotlight on Paprika and Sumac, Blooming Spices and Walking to Lower Back Pain

    Recipes are so much more flavorful when you start with top-notch ingredients. That’s why I’m so excited about the herbs and spices in the latest collection from the T. J. Robinson Curated Culinary Selections—seven brand-new offerings plus your perennial favorite vine-ripened black peppercorns. I’m sharing two recipes from the Spice Report, the booklet that comes with the collection, to show you how easy it is to elevate your dishes. Plus read about the link between walking more and experiencing less back pain.

    Chai Spice Cashews

    Chicken Paprikash

    Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Calamansi Vinegar

    Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

    Paprika and Sumac

    The European country of Hungary has a vivid history, but, if it’s known for one thing above all others, it’s paprika, the brilliant red spice derived from sweet peppers. Peppers were originally brought from the Americas to Spain by explorer Christopher Columbus. That’s where pimentón, the smoked red pepper powder that defines so many Spanish foods, was created. In time, peppers made their way to the rest of Europe, notably Hungary, where the unsmoked version of the powder—ultimately known as paprika—was born. But that didn’t happen until the 18th century. The plants had been used for only decorative purposes until some locals discovered that, as a spice, the peppers added distinctive zest to dishes like goulash, chicken paprikash, and Hungarian meat stew, national favorites now enjoyed around the world. 

    Sweet paprika

    My Heirloom Sweet Paprika comes from two heirloom varieties, picked when perfectly ripe and then hung in mesh bags to cure and bring out their natural sugars. Next, they’re dehydrated and ground in small batches. The result is a vibrant, slightly pungent red pepper powder.

    Paprika is a kitchen essential, used in nearly every cuisine. Add it to dry rubs and marinades, deviled eggs, marinated olives, hummus, soups and stews including goulash, and main dishes like stuffed cabbage, stuffed peppers, andpaella. 

    Wild sumac

    Native to the Mediterranean and the Middle East and used in cuisines throughout those regions, sumac is as exotic as it sounds. It’s a flowering plant whose red berries are used to make the spice that bears its name. Though some sumac varieties are cultivated, my Wild Sumac comes from plants that grow wild in the hillsides around Gaziantep in southeastern Turkey and are very carefully harvested.

    Sumac has been used for thousands of years, with its earliest recorded history revolving around its therapeutic benefits—it was often made into a tea to ease indigestion and other maladies. Interest in it as a culinary ingredient stemmed from the uniquely bright, lemony-acidic taste of the berries when dried and crushed. It’s often sprinkled on as a seasoning or garnish for finished dishes, but sumac is also an important ingredient in many recipes. 

    Citrusy and fruity with umami flavor, my sumac is made according to an ancient preservation technique. The fresh berries are carefully dried, then the shells are removed and the fruit is ground with a small amount of salt before being cured. This creates a tart, salty, and slightly fermented flavor with notes of sour cherry and vinegar.

    Sumac is the secret sauce so many chefs reach for today. It adds a distinctive taste to fattoushand other salads,boreks and other savory pastries, and simple dishes like scrambled eggs or rice.An essential ingredient in blends like za’atarand baharat, on its own it’s a delectable finishing spice—sprinkle it on crudo, grilled fish, chicken, and meat, as well as on hummusand other bean dishes. It’s a great swap for a squeeze of lemon orwhen a recipe calls for lemon juice.

    Quick Kitchen Nugget: Blooming Spices

    Quick Kitchen Nugget

    Blooming Spices

    While whole spices are often toasted in a dry pan to bring out their flavors, blooming is a great technique when adding ground spices to recipes like the Chai Spice Cashews above. Simply heat your pan, add a tablespoon or so of olive oil and top it with the spice. Let it meld into the oil for 30 seconds before adding the next ingredient. Another option, used for the Chicken Paprikash, is to bloom the spice in liquid, like broth. Be sure the broth is at room temperature or slightly warm so that the spices are incorporated thoroughly.

    For Your Best Health: Walking to lower back pain

    For Your Best Health

    Walking to Lower Back Pain

    A major study done at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) involving over 11,000 people investigated the relationship between walking and the risk of developing chronic lower back problems. The researchers found that walking every day—walking more not faster—could be the simplest and most effective way to reduce the risk of developing long-term back issues and that even low-intensity walking provides protection. Participants who walked over 100 minutes daily experienced significantly lower risks than those walking less: The volume is what matters most, less so the intensity—both factors were measured using two sensors that participants wore on the thigh and back for up to a week.

    “People who walk more than 100 minutes every day have a 23% lower risk of lower back problems than those who walk 78 minutes or less,” said Rayane Haddadj, PhD candidate at the Department of Public Health and Nursing at NTNU and member of a research group that specifically studies musculoskeletal disorders.

    It’s well known that physical activity can prevent a wide range of illnesses, but until now, there had been little research on the prevention of this type of musculoskeletal problem. “The findings highlight the importance of finding time to be physically active to prevent both chronic back problems and a number of other diseases. Over time, this could lead to major savings for society,” said Paul Jarle Mork, PhD, professor in NTNU’s Department of Public Health and Nursing. The study was published in the journal JAMA Network Open. 

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For Your Best Health: Managing Depression: Using Scents to Unlock Memories 

For Your Best Health

The MIND Diet for Brain Health: More Benefits of Olive Oil

According to a new study from researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and The Robert Butler Columbia Aging Center, a very specific brain-boosting diet has been linked to reduced dementia risk and a slower pace of aging. The study, “Diet, Pace of Biological Aging, and Risk of Dementia in the Framingham Heart Study,” published in the Annals of Neurology, also explains how the diet helps slow down the processes of biological aging.

“Much attention to nutrition in dementia research focuses on the way specific nutrients affect the brain,” said Daniel Belsky, PhD, associate professor of epidemiology and a senior author of the study. “We tested the hypothesis that healthy diet protects against dementia by slowing down the body’s overall pace of biological aging.”

The researchers used data from the second generation of the Framingham Heart Study, the Offspring Cohort. Participants were 60 years of age or older and free of dementia and had available dietary, epigenetic, and follow-up data. Follow-up was done at nine examinations, approximately every 4 to 7 years, which included a physical exam, lifestyle-related questionnaires, blood sampling, and, starting in 1991, neurocognitive testing. Of 1,644 participants included in the analyses, 140 developed dementia. 

To measure the pace of aging, the researchers used an epigenetic clock called DunedinPACE developed by Dr. Belsky and colleagues at Duke University and the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. The clock measures how fast a person’s body is deteriorating as they grow older, “like a speedometer for the biological processes of aging,” explained Dr. Belsky.

“We have some strong evidence that a healthy diet can protect against dementia,” said Yian Gu, PhD, associate professor of neurological sciences at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the other senior author of the study, “but the mechanism of this protection is not well understood.” Past research linked both diet and dementia risk to an accelerated pace of biological aging. “Testing the hypothesis that multi-system biological aging is a mechanism of underlying diet-dementia associations was the logical next step,” explained Dr. Belsky.

The research determined that higher adherence to the MIND diet slowed the pace of aging as measured by DunedinPACE and reduced risks for dementia and mortality. Furthermore, slower DunedinPACE accounted for 27% of the diet-dementia association and 57% of the diet-mortality association.

“Our findings suggest that slower pace of aging mediates part of the relationship of healthy diet with reduced dementia risk, and therefore, monitoring pace of aging may inform dementia prevention,” said first author Aline Thomas, PhD, of the Columbia Department of Neurology and Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain. “However, a portion of the diet-dementia association remains unexplained, therefore we believe that continued investigation of brain-specific mechanisms in well-designed mediation studies is warranted.”

“We suggest that additional observational studies be conducted to investigate direct associations of nutrients with brain aging, and if our observations are also confirmed in more diverse populations, monitoring biological aging may indeed inform dementia prevention,” noted Dr. Belsky.

Exactly What Is the MIND Diet?

MIND is a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, tailored to reflect key findings from nutrition and dementia research. It details serving sizes of specific foods to focus on and which to limit, primarily those high in saturated fat, which is known to negatively affect brain health. 

Foods and portions to eat every day: 1/2 to 1 cup green leafy vegetables, 1/2 cup other vegetables, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and three 1-ounce servings of whole grains. 

Foods and portions to eat over the course of each week: 5 ounces nuts, 2-1/2 cups berries, 1-1/2 cups legumes, two 3-to-5-ounce servings of skinless poultry, and 3-to-5 ounces fish.

Foods to limit to these weekly totals: three or fewer 3-to-5-ounce servings of red and processed meats, 1 ounce whole-fat cheese, 1 fried or fast food, and 4 sweet servings. If desired, no more than 1 teaspoon of butter or stick of margarine a day.

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