Fresh Fridays 
Don't forget the olives
It's almost Thanksgiving! We hope you will find ways to bring the spirit of the Mediterranean Diet to your holiday table, by including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, healthy fats, and delicious wine in your feast.

For all the pre-dinner nibbling or ad hoc weekend gatherings be sure to have plenty of olives on hand. Like olive oil, they provide heart-healthy fats, important fatty acids, natural antioxidants, and iron. Olives are wonderfully versatile, too, and easy to keep on hand.

There are so many shapes and sizes to choose from, each with its own distinctive taste and texture. Satisfying on their own as snacks and appetizers, they also make flavorful additions to dips, sauces, whole grain and pasta dishes, stews, and even baked goods.

Here are just a few easy ways to enjoy them:
  • Combine olives with salted or smoked almonds, toss with a little olive oil, and serve at room temperature as an hors d'oeuvre.
  • Stir chopped olives into stuffing or grain dishes, along with chopped dried cranberries and chopped nuts.
  • Pair olives with other fruits such as strawberries or melon cubes, chill, and serve dusted with black pepper for a spicy, unexpected dessert.
  • Make a tasty filling for deviled eggs by mashing a few diced olives with Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, and cooked egg yolks.
Consider these other great ways to serve olives throughout the holiday season.

Web links


Oldways recently unveiled the African Heritage Diet Pyramid, which, like the
Mediterranean Diet Pyramid, reinforces using a cultural model to inspire healthy eating.  The project was funded by a grant from the Walmart Foundation.

Whole Grain of the Month: Millet, Teff
Whole Grains Council
Grain of the Month
 
Spicy Marinated Olives  Spicy Marinated Olives  

Although olives taste just fine on their own, they become special party food when dressed up with a marinade. Here's a delicious mixture you can make yourself. Remember to allow time for the olives to soak for up to one month in their spicy bath. Packed in a jar, they also make a welcome hostess gift.   

Roasted Olives  
Roasting olives is a simple technique that gives them a slightly chewy outside and transforms them into a truly unique bite. The addition of tomatoes, whole garlic, and herbs de Provence adds color, texture, and flavor. Serve with toasted baguette slices, crackers, pita bread or alone, garnished with fresh rosemary, thyme, or basil.         
Mediterranean MixMed Mix Olives    

The salty flavor of green olives pairs perfectly with sweet, cherry tomatoes and creamy bites of cheese. Try an assortment of olives to add even more tastes and textures.  This colorful mixture makes a beautiful addition to an antipasto platter or selection of cocktail nibbles. Serve at room temperature with frilly toothpicks. 

Green Olive and Almond Tapenade olive and almond
Use green ripe olives, celery, and smoked almonds to improvise on the classic Proven�al olive spread. Serve this version, which is addictively delicious, with crostini, bruschetta, baked pita chips, lavash, steamed baby artichokes, or Belgian endive. Prepare it up to 3 days in advance and store covered in the refrigerator. 


Fresh Fridays is a bi-weekly celebration of Mediterranean eating and living. We hope our Friday recipes will remind you just how easy and delicious eating the Mediterranean way can be.

  
To find even more delicious Mediterranean recipes please visit:    

 Mediterranean Foods Alliance (MFA)    

 

 

 

 

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Let the old ways be your guide to  good health and well-being.

 www.oldwayspt.org 

12 great ways to use eggplant  
Med Diet USA
Mandarin Festival poster
  18th Annual Mountain Mandarin Festival
Gold Country Fairground
Auburn, California
November 18-20, 2011 

Celebrate the new crop of locally
grown Mandarin oranges, which are available only from late November through January.
This popular event features a cooking contest and professional chef demonstrations. Most growers in the Sierra foothills sell the Owari Satsuma variety, also known as "zipper fruit" because it's so easy to peel. It makes a perfect Med Diet snack!   

  

Oldways bookstore

What Chefs Feed Their Kids

What Chefs Feed
Their Kids

by Fanae Aaron

A foodie and first-time mom, facing the challenges of getting her child to eat well, Aaron presents tips, stories and recipes from 20 award-winning chefs who
are also parents.