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The Olive Oil Hunter News #73

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The Ultimate Dog & Human Biscuits Recipe and the Health Benefits of Olive Oil for Cats and Dogs

I was astounded to learn that our furry friends can benefit from extra virgin olive oil just as we do. Here’s what I uncovered, plus an easy recipe for dog treats fit for their owners! With four simple ingredients, you can keep the treat jar filled with wholesome goodness.

Fitness Flash: The Benefits of Olive Oil for Dogs

The Benefits of Olive Oil for Dogs 

Chewy.com is the site for all things pet-related, so it was great to read their informative post on extra virgin olive oil for dogs. Studies show that olive and other oils can help reduce inflammation in dogs and ease the itching associated with allergies, according to Dr. Christopher Reeder, a board-certified dermatologist at BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Franklin, Tennessee. 

Olive oil’s phytonutrients, vitamin E, and omega-3 fatty acids help keep your dog’s skin moisturized and well-nourished. These nutrients also benefit your dog’s coat, adding shine and strength to their hair. Dr. Reeder was quoted as saying that he could see a noticeable increase in luster and shine in the coats of dogs whose diets were supplemented with olive oil. Expect it to take about 30 days, he added. 

Dr. Judy Morgan, a holistic veterinarian and author, added that if you decide to give your dog olive oil, make it extra virgin olive oil because of its rich nutrients and low acidity. According to the Chewy.com report, both vets suggest no more than one teaspoon of olive oil per 20 pounds of body weight per meal (some other vets suggest one teaspoon for every 30-40 pounds), and it can be mixed right in with your fur baby’s regular wet or dry food. Dogs need far fewer calories than we do, so you want to keep amounts small.

Of course, it’s always best to ask your vet before changing your pet’s diet, especially if your dog is being treated for any ailments or conditions. Your vet may suggest starting to supplement with olive oil once a week and gradually moving up to once a day. Never give olive oil—or any other people food—to your dog if he or she is vomiting or having poop issues.

Rover.com points out that fancy dog food brands now tout the addition of healthful fatty acids to their food, but you can add them yourself…and you can use the freshest olive oil available. In terms of other benefits, Rover.com says there’s the possibility that olive oil could offer some of the benefits seen in people, like better brain and heart health. Olive oil’s antioxidants can help protect your dog’s cell membranes from damage by free radicals, making it anti-aging. It may also boost appetite and improve digestion and elimination. 

Fitness Flash: The Benefits of Olive Oil for Cats

The Benefits of Olive Oil for Cats 

Cats, too, can benefit from olive oil and its monounsaturated fat, according to AnimalWised.com. It may boost their immune system and heart health while lowering their risk for heart disease and diabetes. 

It’s also an easy remedy for constipation, and adding olive oil to your cat’s diet on a regular basis will keep his or her fur shiny and soft. Add just a teaspoon to your cat’s food three times a week, mixing it in until well blended.

Cat owners know how distressing it is when kitty gets a hairball, and cats can get them three or four times a month, according to Hartz, the pet supply company. Their experts suggest mixing one teaspoon of olive oil into your cat’s food for three days straight to help when you sense one. 

The Ultimate Dog & Human Biscuits

  • Ultimate Dog & Human Biscuits Recipe The Ultimate Dog & Human Biscuits

    Look at the label on a box of dog treats and you’ll be shocked at the number of ingredients, some unrecognizable and unpronounceable. My recipe has just four, and you probably already have them in your pantry. These biscuits supply not only healthy olive oil but also three whole grains. I’m reluctant to call them dog biscuits because they’re perfect for people too—top one with a slice of cheese and a teaspoon of fig jam and you’ll never buy boxed “human” crackers again!

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, plus more for topping (optional)
    • 2 cups whole wheat flour, plus more for rolling
    • 2 cups medium-coarse cornmeal 
    • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 1-1/2 cups warm water, or more if needed

    Directions

    Step 1

    Preheat your oven to 350ºF and take out two rimmed cookie sheets. In a large bowl, add the 2 cups of each grain and use a large whisk to combine. Add the olive oil and mix it in with your hands. Add the water, mixing again to make a dough. If it’s too dry, add more water until it comes together. 

    Step 2

    Turn the dough out onto a heavily floured countertop and flour a rolling pin. Divide the dough in two and roll out one half to about 1/4-inch thick. For a prettier cracker to serve to people, sprinkle the tops with a handful of rolled oats and go over the surface with the rolling pin to help set them. If you have a bench scraper, use it to cut the dough into 4-by-2-inch rectangles and then lift them onto a cookie sheet, placing them 1/2 inch apart. (You can also cut them with a blunt knife and transfer them with a large spatula.) Repeat with the remaining dough. All the biscuits should fit on the two sheets. 

    Step 3

    Bake the biscuits for 25 minutes, then reverse their positions in the oven and bake for another 25 minutes until crispy. Store in a cookie jar or tin—they’ll stay fresh for 10-14 days.

    Yields 36 biscuits/crackers

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The Olive Oil Hunter News #69

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Spinach and Artichoke Dip Recipe, Spotlight on Artichoke, Why You Should Choose Glass for Food Storage, Getting the Recommended Amount of Fruits and Veggies, and The Connection Between Exercise and Brain Health

One of the greatest benefits of following a Mediterranean diet is that the all-important servings of fruits and vegetables are built in. But finding good produce can be a challenge in the dead of winter—this week’s newsletter has ideas to help. My spinach and artichoke dip recipe shows that the comfort foods we crave now can be healthy, too. And though it’s more tempting than ever to park yourself on the sofa, new discoveries on exercise and brain health will make you want to do more than get up to go to the fridge!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

  • Spinach and Artichoke Dip Spinach and Artichoke Dip

    So much better than store-bought, this dip for chips and crudités also makes a great topping for baked potatoes.

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
    • 8 ounces baby spinach leaves, rinsed, patted dry, and coarsely chopped
    • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
    • 1/2 cup sour cream
    • 1/2 cup cream cheese softened at room temperature
    • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 
    • 4 ounces artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 tablespoon fresh dill or 1/4 teaspoon dried dill 
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • Red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

    Directions

    Step 1

    Heat a sauté pan and add the olive oil and the baby spinach a large handful at a time. Sauté until completely wilted and all the liquid has evaporated. Let cool while you proceed.

    Step 2

    In a large bowl, use a spatula to fold together the mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese, and yogurt. When blended, add the cooked spinach, artichokes, garlic, dill, lemon juice, and onion powder.

    Step 3

    Season to taste with the salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes for an added kick. Drizzle with olive oil before serving.

    Yields about 3 cups

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Artichokes

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Amazing artichokes

It’s easy to be intimidated by the look of artichokes and easy enough to buy them jarred or frozen when using them in recipes. But a freshly steamed artichoke makes a tasty light lunch or great vegetable-based first course. Native to the Mediterranean region, but also grown in California (where it’s the state vegetable!), artichokes are low in calories and rich in potassium, fiber, and antioxidants. They are also a good source of vitamin C, folate, and magnesium.

Here’s how to steam whole artichokes, according to the California Artichoke Advisory Board: Wash under cold running water, and then pull off any small or discolored petals near the base of the stem. Working one artichoke at a time, cut off the last half inch of the stem and use a vegetable peeler to take off the stem’s outer layer. Next, cut off the top quarter of the artichoke, and place it in a large bowl filled with 4 cups of water and a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice, to avoid discoloration. When all the artichokes are prepped, bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a large stockpot, add a steaming rack, place the artichokes on the rack, cover the pot, and steam until a petal near the center pulls out easily, between 25 and 45 minutes, depending on their size. 

To eat, pull off a petal, one at a time, dip it in olive oil, melted butter, or vinaigrette, and pull it through your teeth to get the pulpy portion of the petal. Discard the rest of the petal and repeat until they’re all gone. Use a grapefruit spoon to scrape out the exposed fuzzy layer, or the choke, in the center of the base and discard. What’s left is the sweet heart of the artichoke to enjoy along with the stem. 

Healthy Kitchen Nugget: Glass Storage Containers

Healthy Kitchen Nugget

Choose glass for food storage

If you rely on plastic containers for storing and reheating food, consider the benefits of switching to glass. Even BPA-free plastic has chemicals that can be released into food and have a negative effect on your endocrine system when ingested, a problem you avoid with glass. 

Not only do glass containers last almost indefinitely, but when necessary they can be recycled easily—something that simply isn’t happening with plastics. Look for glass containers that can be stored in the freezer as well as the fridge. 

Try to buy frozen foods packaged in paper, but if your favorites only come in plastic, move the contents of the bag to a glass bowl when you’re ready to defrost them. If it’s necessary to release the food from the packaging, run the bag under cool water for a few seconds, then transfer it. 

For Your Best Health: Importance of fruits and vegetables

For Your Best Health

More fruits and veggies, please!

A startling CDC report released on January 6 showed just how few Americans get the recommended daily 1.5-to-2-cup equivalents of fruit—just 12.3%—and the 2-to-3-cup equivalents of vegetables—only 10%. As part of a healthy diet, these food groups support immune function and help prevent obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and even some cancers. Of course, eating fruits and veggies can be harder to do in the winter months when seasonal produce is almost nonexistent and the temptation to eat comfort foods is high. 

Try a two-pronged strategy to boost your intake. First, remind yourself to get these daily servings: Write out a daily diet plan that includes them, so they’ll be front of mind. Next, make shopping for produce more of an adventure. Explore the produce section of your favorite stores to look for new and exotic imported fruits and vegetables—now is a great time to try them. Then check out the frozen foods aisle for selections that were flash frozen at harvest for best flavor, like corn kernels, sweet peas, raspberries, and melon chunks, among others. You’ll get a taste of summer by using them in your favorite warm-weather recipes.

Fitness Flash: Exercise and Brain Health

Fitness Flash

Explaining the exercise–brain health link

A recently published study in Nature got us closer to understanding how exercise slows cognitive aging and why it’s tied to better brain plasticity and less inflammation within the hippocampus. Lab experiments showed that exercise leads to higher levels of a naturally occurring protein in the blood called clusterin. Clusterin can bind to certain cells in the brain and reduce inflammation, a precursor to brain diseases like Alzheimer’s. Researchers studied a small group of people with cognitive impairment who followed a set exercise program for six months and found that they were able to increase the level of clusterin in their blood. One takeaway is that it’s never too late to start getting more physical activity for better brain and body health.

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The Olive Oil Hunter News #53

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Chilean Empanadas de Pino Recipe, Spotlight on Grinding Your Own Beef, How to Manage Stress and a Link Between Exercise and Brain Health

I love empanadas (if I’m being honest, I love all kinds of meat pies!), but they can seem daunting to make at home. This week’s recipe breaks it down for you. One step that makes every ground meat dish better is grinding the meat yourself, and it’s a snap with a countertop appliance you might already have…as long as you follow one simple step. I’m also sharing two important health discoveries—a creative way to manage stress and a newfound benefit of exercise that’s the latest example of the mind-body link. 

CHILEAN EMPANADAS DE PINO

  • Chilean Empanadas de Pino Chilean Empanadas De Pino

    Stuffed meat pies are part of nearly every culture. This very popular Chilean version builds on the pino—sauteed and beautifully seasoned ground beef—by adding a bounty of other flavors to the filling. 

    Ingredients

    For the dough:

    • 3-3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
    • 1 tablespoon sugar
    • 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
    • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and kept chilled
    • 1-1/4 cups ice water 

    For the filling:

    • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
    • 3/4 pound of ground beef, preferably chuck 
    • 1 large onion, peeled and finely diced
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano 
    • 1 teaspoon hot sauce, or more to taste
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    For the assembly:

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    • 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered lengthwise 
    • 12 brined large green or black olives, pitted 
    • 3/4 cup golden or sultana raisins
    • 1 egg 
    • 1 tablespoon of water

    Directions

    Step 1

    Make the dough: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt just until combined. Add the chilled butter and pulse again until the butter bits are about the size of peas—be careful not to overprocess. 

    Step 2

    Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, then add the water, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring and pressing it into the flour mixture with a spatula until you get a cohesive dough (you may not need all the water). 

    Step 3

    Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured work surface and divide into 12 portions. Form each portion into a ball, place the balls on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for an hour for easier rolling. 

    Step 4

    Prepare the filling: Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the garlic, beef, and onion and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the spices, hot sauce, and salt and pepper and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until the meat is cooked through. Set aside to cool for about 15 minutes.

    Step 5

    Assemble the empanadas: Set out two large baking sheets. Working on a well-floured surface with a well-floured rolling pin, roll one of the dough balls into a 6- or 7-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. 

    Step 6

    Place 2 heaping tablespoons of the meat mixture in the lower half of the round and arrange an olive, an egg quarter, and a tablespoon of raisins on top of the meat. Fold the upper half of the dough over the filling to create a half-moon shape. To seal it, fold up the edge along the half-moon by about 3/4 inch and crimp all along the way with the tines of a fork for a braided look. Use a large spatula to transfer the empanada to one of the baking sheets. Repeat with the rest of the dough balls. 

    Step 7

    Bake the empanadas: Preheat your oven to 425°F. Make an egg wash by breaking the egg into a small bowl and whisk it thoroughly with the tablespoon of water. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the tops of the empanadas with the egg wash. Bake on two racks in the oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes, rotating the pans at the halfway mark for even browning. 

    Makes 12 — Recipe courtesy of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Grinding Your Own Beef

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Grinding Your Own Beef

There’s no better way to elevate ground meat than to grind your own, and it’s not complicated. If you’ve got a Kitchen Aid stand mixer, invest in the grinder attachment (the kit also includes stuffer tubes for making your own sausages!). If you’ve got a food processor, you can simply use the steel blade—it will have a denser texture because it’s mincing rather than grinding.

For the best grind, everything needs to be icy-cold. Prep your meat by cutting it into 1-inch cubes, spreading them out on a baking sheet, covering with wrap, and popping in the freezer for 15 minutes along with your grinder or processor blade. For the grinder attachment, follow manufacturer instructions. For the processor, use the pulse button for the best control, so you don’t end up with a mash instead of a mince.

Healthy Kitchen Tip: Choosing and Using a Pastry Brush

Healthy Kitchen Nugget

Choosing and Using a Pastry Brush

Pastry brushes might seem like a luxury, but a simple natural boar-bristle brush from a company like Ateco is only a few dollars, and the golden finish from painting an egg wash on pastry before baking is more than worth it. Silicone brushes are easier to clean (they can go right in the dishwasher), but a thin egg wash doesn’t coat their bristles well—save silicone for a thicker application, like brushing BBQ sauce on ribs. To clean a natural bristle brush, rinse it under warm water, rub a small amount of dish detergent into the bristles, and rinse again. Blot the bristles with paper towels and let the brush air dry, flat, on a clean dish towel. When the bristles start falling out or if the brush develops any odors, it’s time to replace it. 

For Your Best Health: Making Stress Work for You

For Your Best Health

Making Stress Work for You

For years, Jeremy Jamieson, PhD, associate professor of psychology and the principal investigator at the University of Rochester’s Social Stress Lab, has been developing ways to rethink how people can deal with stress. Because stress is a normal part of life, it’s better to change how you think about it than to ignore it. For his latest study, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, college students were taught to see stress as a positive—a tool rather than an obstacle. As a result, they lowered their anxiety levels, scored higher on tests, and responded to academic challenges in a healthier way. 

“We use a type of ‘saying is believing’ approach to learn about the adaptive benefits of stress,” said Dr. Jamieson. For instance, tell yourself that your sweaty palms and racing heart are responses that can energize you to perform well. “Stress reappraisal is not aimed at eliminating or dampening stress,” he explained. “It does not encourage relaxation, but instead focuses on changing the type of stress response: If we believe we have sufficient resources to address the demands we’re presented with—it doesn’t matter if the demands are high—if we think we can handle them, our body is going to respond with the challenge response, which means stress is seen as a challenge, rather than a threat.” Try it and see for yourself!

Fitness Flash: A Link Between Exercise and Brain Health

Fitness Flash

A Link Between Exercise and Brain Health

A group of scientists led by Bruce M. Spiegelman, PhD, the Stanley J. Korsmeyer Professor of Cell Biology and Medicine at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, has just released its latest research on irisin, a hormone produced by muscles during exercise and discovered by Dr. Spiegelman in 2012. After research on human brains found that irisin, named for the Greek messenger goddess Iris, was absent in people who had died of Alzheimer’s disease but was present in others, the team wanted to explore how the hormone might be involved in brain health. 

The most recent study, published in Nature Metabolism, used a variety of lab experiments involving mice to show that irisin can cross the blood-brain barrier and improve cognition—thinking and memory—in both healthy animals and those with a rodent version of Alzheimer’s. These findings suggest that the simple act of exercising could change the course of brain function as we age and lower dementia risk. While it will take research involving humans to learn what types and frequency of exercise are best, these results already suggest that exercise can be as good for your brain as we know it to be for your heart, which should motivate all of us to get moving.

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The Olive Oil Hunter News #51

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Tuna and White Bean Salad Recipe, The Benefits of Olive Oil for Brain Health and The Compound that Makes Extra Virgin Olive Oil Brain-Friendly

As a reader of The Olive Oil Hunter Newsletter, you know that I’m laser-focused on bringing you the most delicious recipes featuring extra virgin olive oil and other healthy ingredients, like this week’s tuna and white bean salad. I’m also always excited to share insights into the health benefits of olive oil, and every year we learn more about why it belongs in our diet.

In this issue, the health benefit of olive oil I’m highlighting is brain health, with research showing that extra virgin olive oil as part of the Mediterranean diet may help stave off cognitive decline—when you don’t feel as sharp as you once did and have trouble with memory and thinking—as well as forms of dementia.

TUNA AND WHITE BEAN SALAD

  • Calabrian Pumpkin Soup with Homemade Croutons Calabrian Pumpkin Soup

    Simple but sublime is the pumpkin soup my Merry Band of Tasters and I were served when visiting the Librandi family, one of Calabria’s outstanding olive oil producers. “Mama” Librandi shared the recipe with me.

    Ingredients

    • 1 3-pound pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, with seeds and membranes removed 
    • 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
    • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
    • 2 tablespoons water 
    • Sea salt
    • Croutons for garnish (see the “Healthy Ingredient Spotlight” below) 

    Directions

    Step 1

    Using a sturdy knife, cut the pumpkin or butternut squash into roughly 1.5” cubes. Do the same with the potatoes.

    Step 2

    In a medium saucepan, combine the pumpkin, potatoes, the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and the water. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender—50 to 60 minutes.

    Step 3

    Transfer to a blender jar and purée until smooth (don’t fill the blender more than half full—work in batches if necessary). Salt to taste.

    Step 4

    Divide the soup between warmed soup bowls. Drizzle generously with additional olive oil, and garnish with croutons. 

    Yields 6 appetizer or 4 main course servings

EVOO and Brain Health

The Benefits of Olive Oil for Brain Health

How it works within the Mediterranean diet

The research: “The Effect of Mediterranean Diet on Cognitive Functions in the Elderly Population” Nutrients, June 2021.

Scientists looked at a group of studies on the Mediterranean diet (“MedDiet”) spanning the previous five years in order to analyze its effects on people age 55 and up with or without cognitive impairments. They wrote: “The results show that the higher adherence to MedDiet proves to have a better effect on global cognitive performance of older people…Overall, the strength of the findings…is that the adherence to MedDiet improves memory of both cognitively unimpaired and impaired older people.” 

What’s more, the authors pointed out that the “enrichment of MedDiet with a higher dosage of some food…such as extra-virgin olive oil, might have a more significant impact on the improvement of cognitive performance among seniors than just MedDiet alone.” 

They highlight the flavonoids found in extra virgin olive oil and point out that one in particular, secoiridoid oleuropein, might be the reason that olive oil seems to protect the brain.

EVOO and Brain Health

Now That’s a Mouthful!!

The compound that makes extra virgin olive oil brain-friendly

Research: “Effect of an Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Intake on the Delay of Cognitive Decline: Role of Secoiridoid Oleuropein?” Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 2019.

This is one of the studies that the researchers above looked at. Secoiridoid oleuropein might be nearly impossible to pronounce, but it’s one of its most powerful and abundant phenolic compounds in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). A specific type called oleuropein-aglycone occurs during the production of EVOO, but not with just any production. According to this study, “EVOO is the best quality oil produced by mechanical pressing of ripe olives. Through this process, it is possible to retain most of the components with strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Any industrial processing of olive oil (extraction and refining) makes it a lower quality oil. Comparing EVOO with refined olive oil, the refined form is less protective of oxidative lipid damage, free radical formation, and inflammatory activity. Oleuropein-aglycone…is the chief phenolic substance of extra virgin olive oil, and the neuroprotective effect is thought to be associated with it.” 

The study authors pointed out that while most research on the brain benefits of extra virgin olive oil has been done in the lab, two randomized controlled trials—the gold standard for research—involved people. For a yearlong Italian study of 110 healthy elderly subjects, everyone followed the Mediterranean diet, but half the participants included additional EVOO, and they were the ones who had higher short-term improvement of cognitive function scores.

In a Spanish study that lasted for 6.5 years, those who followed an EVOO-rich Mediterranean diet had better cognitive function and less MCI or mild cognitive impairment (early signs of cognitive decline) than those who didn’t. As the researchers wrote, “Thus, the neuroprotective effect against cognitive decline was confirmed.”

What I found really interesting is their citing advice to start reaping extra virgin olive oil’s benefits early in life: “As general recommendations state, the protective effect of virgin olive oil can be most important in the first decades of life, which suggests that the health benefit of virgin olive oil intake should start before puberty and [be] maintained through life.” 

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