Introducing: In the Spotlight [Extra Virgin Olive Oil]

Olive Oil:

Serving Size- 4 Tbsp daily

The past two times I went to get groceries women of age felt it was necessary to talk to me about the product I was purchasing.  The second woman talked to me about the olive oil I was looking at, and it completely changed what we purchased.  On NPR they interviewed professors of nutrition about the Mediterranean diet and Olive Oil.  It turns out that olive oil is much like squeezing any other fruit, the longer its juice sits out the less potent the polyphenols in the olive oil become.  These and other organic compounds within fresh olive oil give the oil its medicinal properties.

Half of the olive oil imported into the country is substandard, which means that it doesn’t meet the FDA regulations to be considered extra virgin (or even olive oil lets be real).  One of the most important things I learned delving into olive oil is that the peppery flavor in the oil is what you are looking for to ensure that the oil is fresh with many nutrients left in tact.  So get looking for a harvest date on the bottled olive oil in your local markets, and remember after 4-6 months get rid of it!

If you want to learn more check out:

Garden Fresh Salsa

There is something so wonderful about getting your hands dirty in the early spring to turn the soil and prepare the garden beds for this years seeds.   It is the work that pays off later when you yield an amazing crop of heirloom tomatoes! I knew with all of the tomatoes from my garden I had to make salsa.  I found the secret to great salsa making is to marinate or pickle your onions in lime juice for the perfect acidity.  I know you may have tried to make salsa before from an online source, but this isn’t just any recipe.  It might not be a salsa recipe from deep in the heart of Mexico, but the 2 quarts this recipe made was gone from my fridge in a couple of days.

Once you make this salsa once you can change it to suit your tastes.  If you like spicy salsa amp up the jalapeno peppers or leave the seeds in the mix. Have fun with it and don’t be afraid to take your own direction.  I used two kinds of tomatoes to bring as many colors to my salsa as possible.  Remember to pick the best quality tomatoes, if not from a home garden, from a farmers market near you. Unfortunately canned tomatoes won’t be the same as fresh in this particular recipe.

Garden Fresh Salsa:

makes about 2 quarts

• 1 cup of finely diced red onion
• 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 4 lbs of heirloom tomatoes seeded and diced  (no need to remove the skins)
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 cup of cilantro finely minced
•  2 Tbsp seeded and finely diced jalapeno peppers
• optional: 2 avocados cut into large dice

1.  Combine the onions, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a non reactive bowl ie glass, stainless steel, plastic. Leave to sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

2. Combine the other ingredients and add the onions to them, mix well and eat vigorously!