Designer Olive Oil?

You may remember 2 months back I went to the Natural Foods Expo in Anaheim.   The few weeks following the expo I received lots of products in the mail with companies wanting me to recommend their products.  Many of you know I don’t give out recommendations nor endorse products on a regular basis unless I truly believe in it and have seen it work.

Well here’s one that surprised me and I thought I would share it with you:  Olivaylle Olive Nectar – or rather extra virgin olive oil with a flare.

The best olive oil is cold-pressed, extra virgin since it contains both the good monounsaturated fat and polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants.  Cold-pressed olive oil means the olives are processed within 24 hours of picking.

Olivaylle is a family company dedicated to making quality olive oil in every respect.  The proof is in the pudding since I’ve been using it the last 2 months and enjoying the wonderful taste in every recipe I’ve tried.

Here’s the companies 8 absolutes:

1. Estate-grown olives from irrigated and enriched groves

2. Mechanically harvested olives, free of contamination by human hands or top soil.

3. Processed within the estate from de-pitted olives

4. Truly cold pressed: lowering the temperature to extract the best oil rather than raising it to extract more

5. Processed in an oxygen- and temperature-controlled environment within 6 hours of harvesting

6. Stored on the estate in insulated, thermally controlled, oxygen-free stainless steel tanks

7. Estate-bottled in oxygen-free dark glass

8. Packed and shipped in refrigerated containers

Olivaylle olive oil tastes amazing and is made and processed delicately to ensure you are getting the best quality oil not only for your taste buds but also for your health.  And what combination can be better than that? 

The Power Breakfast

Many of my clients ask me "what do you eat on a typical day?"  Since I hear that more often than not, I thought I would share over the next few weeks some of my favorite meals and how they break down nutritionally for balance and health.  We always hear breakfast is the most important meal of the day so why not make it power packed with nutrients?  Why not have something to jump start your metabolism for the day and make it delicious and enjoyable at the same time?  Here's my favorite breakfast:

Susan’s Power Breakfast:

½ cup of 2% low fat organic cottage cheese

½ cup of low fat plain organic yogurt

3 tablespoons of part-skim ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds

1 tablespoon of raw cashews

½ cup of mixed berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)

1/3 medium banana (on the greener side)

Sprinkling of Cinnamon

Organic breakfast tea with 2-3 tablespoons of organic 1% milk

The nutritional breakdown of this breakfast is:

400 calories

31 grams of protein

36 grams of carbohydrate

7.5 grams fiber

15 grams of fat

450 mg. of calcium

Beginning your day with a strong breakfast is important to maintaining a healthy metabolism.  A protein-based breakfast not only jump-starts your metabolism but stabilizes blood sugars and appetite throughout the day.  This breakfast contains approximately 4 ½ ounces of protein, a moderate amount of healthy carbohydrate from the fruit, nuts, and dairy products and monounsaturated and omega 3 fats coming from ground flax seeds and cashews.

One-third of the recommended needs for calcium are provided.  The berries are powerful antioxidants known as flavonoids which are known to lower inflammation in the body and help prevent cancer and heart disease.  The less ripe banana contains resistant starch which is now thought to play an important role in intestinal health.  Lastly, it contains one-third of the recommended amount of fiber also important for proper digestion and gut health.

It is quick, easy and satisfying and meets many nutritional needs in just one meal.