WEIGHT LOSS
healthy you
[Zf
GO GREEN
A Mediterranean diet includes
more dark leafy greens than most
Americans eat. “They’re part of
the daily diet, not a rare occasion,”
says Sharon Sanders, author of
Cooking Up an Italian Life.
Dark
leafy greens are loaded with
nutrients: folate, magnesium,
trace minerals, carotenoids, and
the kind of fiber that fills you up
without filling you out.
If you’re not used to eating
them at all, start with a mild
green, such as romaine lettuce or
spinach. Begin with homemade
Caesar salads, or broccoli or baby
spinach sauteed in olive oil and
garlic. As you become more
adventurous, sample more robust
greens such as Tuscan kale or
rapini. Both also are tasty sauteed
in olive oil and garlic.
Z f TAKE COURSES
It was never called portion
control, but that’s one big secret
of the Mediterranean diet. “You
get a little bit of everything, one
course at a time,” says Sanders.
It’s not uncommon to have
four or five courses at a meal.
Pasta or soup is often a small first
course. A small meat or seafood
serving—no bigger than the palm
of your hand—may be second. A
plate full of grilled vegetables
makes a third, followed by
incredibly sweet slices of
blood oranges for dessert.
If you add it all up, the amount
of food is relatively small but
you’ll likely push back from the
table satisfied.
HABIT-FORMING
Calories still count
but that doesn’t mean you have
to meticulously track them when eating Mediterranean. Simply
follow our checklists and listen to your body’s hunger cues. When
you’re comfortably Rill, stop eating. When you’re hungry, choose
something that is in accordance with the traditional Mediterranean
diet. SnacK on fresh fruit and small portions of nuts. Drink water
instead of high-calorie beverages. Eat slowly and enjoy each bite.
ADD IN: GRAINS
Use whole grains whenever
possible. And cook pasta
al dente.so it has a slight
resistance to the bite and
doesn’t raise blood sugar
as m uch as mushy,
overcooked pasta.
The Care and
Keeping of Olive Oil
OLIVE OILS ARE PIVOTAL TO THIS DIET
Good olive oils are as complex and varied as wine, yet buying the
healthiest kinds is easy. Nicki Heverling from Oldways is keen on
cold-pressed extra virgin oil olive because it contains the most
phenols, the source of m uch of its healthfulness. Exceptional olive
oils have flavors and arom as that are far beyond those of the bland
jugs at the supermarket. They can taste of such things as pepper,
citrus, grass (really, it’s good), and almond. Cold-pressed extra
virgin olive oil is especially good for drizzling over vegetables and
pasta noodles, o r for dipping bread. Virgin olive oil is neyt best, and
is fine for sauteeing. “Light” olive oil refers strictly to color and mild
taste. It is not reduced-calorie.
Light, heat, and air will spoil your stash, given enough time. Keep
oils in an airtight bottle, in a cool cabinet, away from sunlight for up
to a year. Even the best olive oils com e in a wide range of prices, so experiment until you
find a few brands you like at a reasonable price.
• Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil. W ith a m ilder flavor; dus oil is a good introduction to
extra virgin olive oil, plus it’s very reasonably priced. About $10 at m ost supermarkets.
• Lucini Premium Select Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Thick and flavorful; $17 at W al-Mart.
• Ta Mylelia Olive Oil with Olives. Full-flavored, richly colored oil in a beautiful bottle;
$22 at
demeterspantry.com.
•
Pasolivo Extra Virgin Estate Tuscan Blend. Superbly flavored prem ium olive oil from
California; $30 at
pasolivo.com.
186
FEBRUARY 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
PHOTOS: (TOP) CAMERON SADEGHPOUR,
(BOTTOM) KRITSADA
