Olive Toast Recipe, Spotlight on Castelvetrano Olives, Storing Bread, Weight Loss Tweaks and Walking and Weight Loss

Move over, avocado. There’s a new toasty trend taking shape and it starts with olives. The best part? You can get creative with toppings—yes, even add a layer of avo if you like. I’m also sharing new findings about effective weight loss and how to keep it off.

Olive Toast

• Olive Toast

  This makes a satisfying lunch and a great appetizer for your next get-together. I love the tangy, fruity taste of sumac, a spice that’s finally getting the attention it deserves. If you’ve got the grill on, drizzle olive oil on the bread and toast over the coals. 

  Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice  
  • 1 medium garlic clove, grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon sumac, such as Wild Sumac
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black peppercorns like Vine-Ripened Black Peppercorns
  • 1/8 teaspoon peperoncino (Italian crushed red pepper flakes)
  • 4 ounces each pitted Castelvetrano and Kalamata olives
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 8 baguette or crusty whole-grain bread slices
  • 8 ounces goat cheese at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

  Directions

  Step 1

  In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, sumac, salt, pepper, and peperoncino. Coarsely chop the olives and add to the bowl along with the parsley; let marinate for 30 minutes.

  Step 2

  When ready to assemble, toast the bread. Spread each slice with equal amounts of goat cheese, then top with the walnuts and the olive mixture. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

  Yields 4 lunch or 8 appetizer servings

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Castelvetrano Olives

If you’re someone who adores fresh-pressed olive oil yet shies away from olives, Castelvetranos are for you. Known as Nocellara del Belice, this varietal from the Valle del Belice region of Sicily is known for its buttery flavor and smooth skin and is a great source of healthy monounsaturated fats. 

Quick Kitchen Nugget

Storing Bread

Grandma’s bread box was a great way to keep a loaf fresh. The modern-day innovation is a linen bread bag, available for crusty round loaves or baguettes. The fabric helps keep the crust firm without drying out the insides…but only for 2 or 3 days. If you need longer storage, slice the loaf and freeze.   

For Your Best Health 

Weight Loss Tweaks

A study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) and published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found that two habits are linked to a lower body mass index (BMI) over time: extending the overnight fasting period and eating breakfast early. Scientists think this is because eating earlier aligns better with the body’s internal clock. On the other hand, skipping breakfast as part of intermittent fasting didn’t offer the same advantage and may even be tied to unhealthy habits. 

The findings are based on data from more than 7,000 adults between the ages of 40 and 65 who are part of the GCAT | Genomes for Life cohort, led by the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) in Barcelona. In 2018, participants provided details about their height, weight, meal timing, lifestyle habits, and socioeconomic background through questionnaires. Five years later, in 2023, more than 3,000 of these individuals returned for follow-up assessments. Researchers recorded updated measurements and collected new survey data, allowing them to track changes and identify patterns over time.

“Our results, in line with other recent studies, suggest that extending the overnight fast could help maintain a healthy weight if accompanied by an early dinner and an early breakfast. We think this may be because eating earlier in the day is more in line with circadian rhythms and allows for better calorie burning and appetite regulation, which can help maintain a healthy weight. However, it is too soon to draw definitive conclusions, so recommendations will have to wait for more robust evidence,” explained Luciana Pons-Muzzo, MPH, researcher at ISGlobal at the time of the study and currently at IESE Business School.

When researchers compared results by gender, they found notable differences. Women generally had lower BMI, followed the Mediterranean diet more closely, and were less likely to drink alcohol. At the same time, they reported poorer mental health and were more often responsible for household or family supervision.

Using a method called cluster analysis, the team grouped participants with similar characteristics. One small group of men stood out. These individuals typically ate their first meal after 2 pm and fasted for about 17 hours. Compared to others, they were more likely to smoke and drink alcohol, less physically active, and less likely to follow the Mediterranean diet. They also tended to have lower levels of education and higher rates of unemployment. Researchers did not observe a similar pattern among women.

“There are different ways of practicing what is known as intermittent fasting and our study relates to one of them, which is overnight fasting. What we observed in a subgroup of men who do intermittent fasting by skipping breakfast is that this practice has no effect on body weight. Other intervention studies in participants with obesity have shown that this tactic is no more effective than reducing calorie intake for reducing body weight in the long term,” said Camille Lassale, PhD, ISGlobal researcher and senior co-author of the study.

“Our research is part of an emerging field of research known as ‘chrononutrition’, which focuses not only on analyzing what we eat, but also the times of day and the number of times we eat,” says Anna Palomar-Cros, PhD, researcher at ISGlobal at the time of the study and currently at IDIAP Jordi Gol. “At the basis of this research is the knowledge that unusual food intake patterns can conflict with the circadian system, the set of internal clocks that regulate the cycles of night and day and the physiological processes that must accompany them.” 

This study builds on earlier ISGlobal research in chrononutrition, which found that eating dinner and breakfast earlier in the day is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, reinforcing the idea that meal timing plays a meaningful role in long-term health.

Fitness Flash

Walking and Weight Loss

Many weight loss programs encourage people to walk more each day, but there has been limited evidence showing whether increasing daily steps actually helps people lose weight while dieting. It’s also unclear whether walking more can help people maintain weight loss over time and, if so, what step count may be most effective.

“The most important—and greatest—challenge when treating obesity is preventing weight regain,” explained Professor Marwan El Ghoch, MD, of the Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy. “Around 80% of people with overweight or obesity who initially lose weight tend to put some or all of it back on again within three to five years. The identification of a strategy that would solve this problem and help people maintain their new weight would be of huge clinical value.”

To find such a strategy, Dr. El Ghoch and colleagues from Italy and Lebanon carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of previous studies focused on walking and weight management and presented their soon-to-be-published analysis at this year’s European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, Turkey.

The researchers reviewed 18 randomized controlled trials. Of those, 14 studies involving 3,758 adults were included in the final meta-analysis. Participants had an average age of 53 years and an average BMI of 31 kg/m². The studies included people from several countries, including the UK, US, Australia, and Japan. The trials compared 1,987 participants enrolled in lifestyle modification (LSM) programs with 1,771 people in control groups who were either dieting without additional support or receiving no treatment.

The lifestyle modification programs combined dietary guidance with recommendations to walk more and track daily steps. These programs included an initial weight loss phase followed by a maintenance phase designed to help participants keep the weight off long term. Researchers measured participants’ daily step counts at the beginning of the studies, after the weight loss phase (average duration of 7.9 months), and after the maintenance phase (average duration of 10.3 months). At the start of the trials, both groups had similar activity levels. Participants in the LSM group averaged 7,280 steps per day, while those in the control group averaged 7,180 steps daily.

The control group did not significantly increase daily walking and did not experience weight loss during the studies. Participants in the LSM programs, however, increased their daily step count to an average of 8,454 steps by the end of the weight loss phase. During that time, they lost an average of 4.39% of their body weight, equal to roughly 4 kg.

Participants largely maintained their higher activity levels throughout the maintenance phase, averaging 8,241 steps per day by the end of the studies. They also kept off most of the weight they had lost, with an average long-term weight loss of 3.28%, or about 3 kg. Further analysis revealed a clear connection between higher daily step counts and reduced weight regain. Researchers found that people who increased their steps during the weight loss phase and continued that level of activity afterward were more successful at maintaining their weight loss. 

Interestingly, walking more was not linked to greater weight loss during the initial dieting phase. Researchers believe this may be because factors such as calorie reduction have a stronger effect on short-term weight loss.

Dr. El Ghoch said the findings show that lifestyle modification programs can support meaningful long-term weight loss. “Participants should be always encouraged to increase their step count to approximately 8,500 a day during the weight loss phase and sustain this level of physical activity during the maintenance phase to help prevent them from regaining weight,” he said. “Increasing the number of steps walked to 8,500 each day is a simple and affordable strategy to prevent weight regain.”

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Fresh Herb Marinade Recipe, Spotlight on Authentic Balsamic Vinegar, and Keeping Your Blood Pressure and BMI Under Control

Grilled or roasted, even the best cuts of meat benefit from marination, and the following marinade recipe is a hands-down winner. To impart just the right amount of sweetness, it uses the wonderfully rich balsamic vinegar called Condimento Barili Exclusivi from my new T. J. Robinson Curated Culinary Selections collection of artisanal vinegars.

Also in this issue of the Newsletter are two studies crucial to the fight against heart disease and other ills—one on keeping BMI in check and the other on the importance of blood pressure control.

Fresh Herb Marinade

• Fresh Herb Marinade

  This marinade imparts deep flavor to meat, especially when marinated overnight. Consider the following herbs a suggestion—make this recipe your own by combining your favorites, fresh or dried. Note: This Condimento Barili Exclusivi marinade is excellent for beef, lamb, and game; you can adapt it to chicken, pork, and fish by using Condimento Bianco Senape from my collection instead of Barili Exclusivi.

  Ingredients

  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon dried
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 1 sprig fresh basil
  • 3 fresh sage leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
  • 1/4 cup Condimento Barili Exclusivi 
  • 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

  Directions

  If using fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs, strip the leaves and place them on a cutting board along with the tarragon, basil, sage, garlic, and salt. Coarsely chop them all together. Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in the vinegar and black pepper, then slowly whisk in the olive oil until thoroughly blended. 

  Yields about 2/3 cup

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Authentic Balsamic Vinegar 

As those of you who have already been enjoying the vinegars of the T. J. Robinson Curated Culinary Selections know, after years of requests from members of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club, I made it my mission to source the best artisanal vinegars on the planet. That started with distinguishing true aceto balsamico, or balsamic vinegar, from its many pretenders.

With so many bottles on store shelves labeled “balsamic,” it’s important to know how to choose correctly. First and foremost, the vinegar must be completely crafted in Modena, a city within the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, according to exacting, centuries-old standards enforced by the local consortiums. Anything else is, quite simply, not balsamic vinegar. Also, it can only be made from very specific grapes. Of course, the ultimate quality of a Modena balsamic depends on the skill of the producer, including knowing what wood to pick for each period of barrel-aging.

For the past five years, I’ve worked with the artisans at Società Agricola Acetomodena to bring you the finely crafted balsamic vinegar, Condimento Barili Exclusivi, in my collection. The “condiment” designation allows producers more freedom to craft a vinegar that goes beyond strict requirements of traditional balsamic vinegar, or aceto balsamico tradizionale, and with the perfect balance of acidity, sweetness, and woodiness from the barrel aging—thick, rich, tangy, and velvety. I liken it to when vintners create a cuvée, blending wines from various barrels to create a finished product that is greater than the sum of the parts.

Why you should have this vinegar in your kitchen: Balsamic vinegar is a culinary essential. It adds the perfect finish to cheeses, salads, grilled foods from vegetables to meat, and even fruits, like strawberries, figs, and pineapple. Pair it with your fresh-pressed olive oils to enhance mature or fresh cheeses, from aged Parmigiano-Reggiano to fresh burrata, and to make sauces, marinades, and vinaigrettes. Drizzle a few drops as a finishing touch on flatbreads, steak, risotto, French toast, and even ice cream.

Quick Kitchen Nugget

Deciding Between Vinegars

It’s important to always have a wide selection of vinegars in the pantry. Sometimes I want a sweeter note, other times one that’s more tart. While I don’t believe in any hard-and-fast rules, I do like to pair milder vinegars with milder oils so that one doesn’t overwhelm the other. 

Think about the foods on your plate, too. If you’re making a salad with bitter greens, add sweetness with a sweeter vinegar like Condimento Barili Exclusivi or a mildly acidic note with citrusy Calamansi Vinegar. If you’re making a chopped salad with provolone and salami, a vinegar like my Raspberry Vinegar will balance the richness of the meat and cheese. 

I also like to combine vinegars. For a vinaigrette with great complexity, use equal amounts of a sweet vinegar and a tart one. The beauty of having many wonderful vinegars is that you can have fun discovering the pairings you like best. 

For Your Best Health

Is Your Blood Pressure Under Control?

According to a study in JAMA Network Open that looked at data on more than 3,000 people over the age of 18, the numbers are alarming: More than half the adults in the US with uncontrolled high blood pressure aren’t even aware that they have it. This was especially true for younger adults between the ages of 18 and 44 years—high blood pressure, or hypertension, is not just a disease of older age. There is also concern about people who take medication for high blood pressure: For more than two-thirds, it remains uncontrolled. Because this was a weighted study, researchers were able to estimate that of the approximately 120 million American adults with hypertension, for about 92.9 million people it’s not under control.

The researchers stated: “These findings have serious implications for the nation’s overall health….Uncontrolled hypertension, which is a leading factor associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality and events, including heart attack and stroke, is also associated with an increased risk of diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and cognitive decline.

“Additionally, despite engagement with the health care system, we found that 70 percent of adults with uncontrolled hypertension who were aware of their condition reported taking antihypertensive medication. While antihypertensive medications are effective in reducing blood pressure and preventing CVD across demographic groups, our results support existing evidence that a prescription alone does not guarantee improved hypertension control at the individual or population level….These findings underscore the need for efforts to improve outcomes across levels of the hypertension control cascade.”

This study points to the importance of having your blood pressure checked regularly and following up regularly as well to see if treatment for high blood pressure is working.

Fitness Flash

Keeping BMI in Check

According to a study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, to keep weight in check, it’s important to consider not only what you eat but also the times when you eat. Two specific habits associated with a lower body mass index (BMI) in the long term are keeping a longer overnight fast and eating breakfast early.

This research, led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), involved more than 7,000 volunteers between the ages of 40 and 65 who answered questionnaires about their weight and height; eating habits, including meal times; other lifestyle habits; and socioeconomic status. In 2023, after five years, more than 3,000 participants made a follow-up visit to the research team, where their measures were registered again and new questionnaires were completed.

“Our results, in line with other recent studies, suggest that extending the overnight fast could help maintain a healthy weight if accompanied by an early dinner and an early breakfast,” explained Luciana Pons-Muzzo, researcher at ISGlobal at the time of the study and currently at IESE Business School. “We think this may be because eating earlier in the day is more in line with circadian rhythms and allows for better calorie burning and appetite regulation, which can help maintain a healthy weight. However, it is too soon to draw definitive conclusions, so recommendations will have to wait for more robust evidence.”

Added Camille Lassale, ISGlobal researcher and senior co-author of the study, “There are different ways of practicing what is known as ‘intermittent fasting’ and our study relates to one of them, which is overnight fasting. What we observed in a subgroup of men who do intermittent fasting by skipping breakfast is that this practice has no effect on body weight. Other intervention studies in participants with obesity have shown that this tactic is no more effective than reducing calorie intake in reducing body weight in the long term.” 

“Our research is part of an emerging field of research known as ‘chrononutrition,’ which focuses not only on analyzing what we eat but also [on] the times of day and the number of times we eat,” says Anna Palomar-Cros, a researcher at ISGlobal at the time of the study. “At the basis of this research is the knowledge that unusual food intake patterns can conflict with the circadian system, the set of internal clocks that regulate the cycles of night and day and the physiological processes that must accompany them.” 

This study provides continuity to a line of ISGlobal research on chrononutrition, which in recent years has published two other studies with results in the same direction. In these studies, it was observed that eating dinner and breakfast early was associated, respectively, with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

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