Did you hear? You have to eat to lose weight! That's my kind of diet, you too?

Eat Smart.

It turns out that we can't lose weight eating just plain celery sticks and dry toast.

Our bodies think they are starving and hang onto those extra pounds! So, to lose weight effectively and permanently, we need to eat. And eat smart. Happily, there are a bunch of delicious edibles designed by nature to crank up our fat-burning furnace, flatten our bellies, and take a big bite out of our appetite. And, one of them is ... OLIVE OIL!

The Hunger-Buster.

Olive oil contains a hunger-busting monounsaturated fat called oleic acid -- which triggers a complicated process in the gut that ultimately tells our brain we're full and makes us want to stop eating. Of course, we have to listen.

Olive Oil Recommended Daily.

And even better, the Food and Drug Administration wants us to include olive oil in our diets. The FDA recommends that we use about 2 tablespoons (23 grams) of olive oil a day in place of other fats in our diets to get its heart-healthy benefits. So, we can help out our hearts, too! Make sure you don't increase the calories you're eating, though. We're talking replacement here.

1.    Saute vegetables in it.

Our Extravagonzo Culinary Oils contain 20% grape seed oil which make them great for sautéing those fresh vegetables.

2.     Add it to a marinade.

Transform one of your marinades with any one of our amazing flavors.

3.     Mix it with vinegar as a salad dressing.

Think balsamic vinegar, rice wine vinegar ... let your imagination go wild.

4.     Use it as a substitute for butter when basting meat
        or as a dip for bread.

Brush Extravagonzo Culinary Olive Oil on your meats, and even your breads, to give them a brown color and crispy texture. Here's an idea. Brush one flavor on your bread, then use a different flavor for dipping!

5.     Use it as a substitute for butter, margarine,
        shortening, or other oils when baking.

Many of the fats commonly used in baked foods are saturated fats -- olive oil is much healthier so switch them out. Use the same measurements you would use for the fat in your original recipe when using Extravagonzo Culinary Olive Oil.

6.     Use it to grease your pans.

Grease your cake pans, cookie sheets, and other cookware with olive oil instead of butter when baking cakes, cookies, or roasting meats. Pour a small amount of olive oil on a basting brush or paper towel and rub the brush or towel on the surface of your cooking vessel to grease it.

• Do you know when the cultivation of olives started?
• Do you know where?

3 Easy Recipes - All Vegetarian

Portobello Mushroom Burger

Marinade

Mix together:

• 1 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp Extravagonzo Culinary Oil (any flavor)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Sea salt
• Fresh ground pepper

Directions

• Marinate a large Portobello mushroom in the marinade
• Grill over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes on each side
• Serve on a bun or alone

Spring Greens with Butternut Squash

Preparation

Add 1 cup spring greens or leaf lettuce to a plate.

In a small bowl, mix together:

• 1/4 cup cooked butternut squash
• 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon Extravagonzo Culinary Oil (any flavor)

Top the greens with:

• squash mixture
• 1/2 tablespoon sunflower seeds
• 1 tsp honey

Italian Vegetables with Pasta

Preparation

In a heavy skillet, add:

• chopped sweet onions
• red peppers
• yellow summer squash
• zucchini squash
• 1 tablespoon Extravagonzo Culinary Oil (any flavor)
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Saute until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Serve over cooked pasta and prepared pasta sauce.

 
All 3 recipes adapted from recipes from the Mayo Clinic