How To Category: Health & Wellness

If you aim to be healthier this year, setting a specific and attainable goal is key to success. Learn how including even just a spoon of Filippo Berio Olive Oil a day can help you achieve your health goals!

 

Goal #1: Lose Weight

There are thousands of diets out there that can help you reach your ideal weight, but only one of them has been recognized as the healthiest diet overall by the US News and World Report for 4 consecutive years. And that is the Mediterranean diet! Olive oil is a key component of the Mediterranean diet. Not only does it add amazing flavors to your meals, it is also loaded with health benefits. Studies have shown that medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) found in Filippo Berio Olive Oil are essentials to maintain a healthy body weight. MCT’s also play a big role in releasing higher levels of hormones that suppress appetite. If you are working from home, and food and snacks are a step away, feeling full for longer can help you better manage your eating habits.

If you are looking for a Mediterranean salad inspiration to get started, check out this quick and easy Greek salad recipe: Greek Salad

 

 

Goal #2: Eat Healthier

Filippo Berio Olive Oil is packed with antioxidants and polyphenols that are proven to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. It has also been shown to lower LDL levels and improve HDL levels. Incorporating olive oil into your everyday diet can be as easy as consuming half a tablespoon of olive oil! You don’t have to drastically change your eating habits to be healthier.

If you are looking for a healthy lunch inspiration, check out this Charred Eggplant Yogurt Dip With Fresh Mint recipe: Charred Eggplant Yogurt Dip with Fresh Mint

 

 

Goal #3: Get in Shape

Filippo Berio Olive Oil is naturally rich in monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) which stimulate protein production on the cellular level. This helps rebuild muscle after tough workouts. MUFAs also help reduce bad cholesterol levels in your blood for a greater cardiovascular health.

Check out this Roasted Herb Marinated Chicken Breasts recipe using Filippo Berio Olive Oil, ideal for post-workout: Roasted Herb Marinated Chicken Breasts

 

 

Source: https://www.aboutoliveoil.org/be-healthier-in-2021-with-olive-oil

The Mediterranean Diet follows the cuisine of countries on the Mediterranean Sea and is associated with reduced risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

The diet consists of a balanced eating plan that includes daily servings of whole grains, olive oil, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, herbs and spices whereas animal proteins are consumed in smaller quantities with more emphasis on seafood.

In the Mediterranean Diet, healthy fats are emphasized, and it is recommended to replace vegetable oils, butters and margarines with olive oil as the primary source of added fat.

Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil is rich in healthy monounsaturated fats. It lowers inflammation, protects “bad” LDL cholesterol from oxidation and improves the lining of your blood vessels, making it a great source of added fats to the Mediterranean Diet.

For your next Mediterranean meal, add a drizzle of Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil to your salad, use it to sauté your vegetables and to top your salmon steak right before putting it in the oven for a heart-healthy delicious meal. For more inspirations, check out this Mediterranean Diet meal plan that covers 1 week of meals.

Sources:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-benefits-of-olive-oil#TOC_TITLE_HDR_6

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/mediterranean-diet/

Popular for centuries, the Mediterranean Diet has been proven to promote heart health, strengthen immunity and lead to overall increased longevity! The good news is, not only is it good for you but very easy to maintain. Grounded in primarily whole foods, the Mediterranean Diet includes lots of fruits, vegetables, fish, healthy fats such as nuts and olive oil a little bit of meat, and even red wine in moderation.

Breakfast: Kickstart your day with whole grains, fruits vegetables, and healthy fats! Start with these 5 weekday breakfast ideas and 2 weekend brunch ideas!

 

Filippo Meal Prep Hint: The Homemade Granola, Frittata, and Oatmeal are great recipes to prep a batch of in advance and quickly prepare the day of.
 

Monday – Tropical Olive Oil Smoothie 

Tuesday – Cranberry Pear Oatmeal

Wednesday – Breakfast Frittata  

Thursday – Yogurt Parfait with Homemade Granola

Friday – Strawberry Orange Vanilla Breakfast Smoothie 

Saturday – Mediterranean Breakfast Hash

Sunday – Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Shakshuka

 

Lunch: Stay fueled throughout the workday with these veggie-packed weekday lunches!

 

Filippo Meal Prep Hint: All these salads are great for meal prep! If you’re pressed for time, make 1-2 in advance and eat throughout the week.

 

Monday – Mediterranean Bento Box 

Tuesday – Quinoa Salad with Roasted Zucchini

Wednesday – Grilled Calamari Salad

Thursday –  Roast Eggplant Lentil Salad & Tahini Dressing

Friday – Cauliflower Couscous Salad with Turmeric Lime Dressing

Saturday – Caprese Zucchini Noodle Bowl

Sunday – Greek Style Roast Sweet Potato Salad

 

Dinner: Relax and unwind with these delicious Mediterranean recipes!

 

 

Monday – Baked Fish with Zucchini

Tuesday – Brown Rice Falafel Bowl

Wednesday – Lentil Salad with Roasted Salmon

Thursday – Farro with Zucchini Peas and Lemon

Friday – Chicken Kabobs with Zucchini and Cherry Tomatoes

Saturday – Grilled Vegetable Pizza

Sunday – Baked Chicken with Olives + Caprese Salad

As the environment becomes the focus of many conversations, we are all looking for ways to reduce our waste. An easy way to start is with food waste in the kitchen! Did you know that in the US about 150,000 tons of food are thrown away each day? The great thing about reducing food waste is it often results in a very simple and tasty meal!

So, before you throw away leftover odds and ends in your fridge, look for some ways to get creative! Some inspiration:

 

Leftover Vegetables:

Pickle them: Use a simple brine of Filippo Berio Red Wine Vinegar, water, and salt. Try it with old onions, carrots, or jalapeños!

Roasted Vegetables: Toss any leftover vegetables with Filippo Berio Olive Oil and Filippo Berio Balsamic Vinegar for a healthy flavorful side dish!

Soup: Got vegetables that might go off soon? Toss them in a roasted vegetable soup!

Pizza: The perfect way to use up odds and ends in the fridge, even better if you have Filippo Berio Balsamic Glaze for topping!

Curry: This simple flavorful coconut curry is an amazing way to give leftover vegetables a new life! Try it with potato, sweet potato, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peppers, or zucchini.

Baking: You read that right! Use the odds and ends of vegetables in baking. Try these chocolate doughnuts with hidden veggies, carrot cake or zucchini muffins. Pro tip: swap the butter for Filippo Berio Extra Light Olive Oil to make these goodies even healthier!

 

Leftover Bread:

Croutons: Toss bread cubes in Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, salt and Italian seasoning and bake to make homemade croutons! Great for topping soup and salad.

Stuffing: Chop and freeze bread cubes. When it’s that time of the year, you will already have your breadcrumbs for stuffing!

 

Herbs:

If you have herbs that are about to go off, try blending them with Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, lemon or vinegar and nuts to make homemade dressings and sauces. Try this Chimichurri Sauce or Mint Pesto.

 

Homemade Stock:

Use your leftover chicken carcass to make homemade chicken stock. Alternatively, freeze your vegetable scraps such as carrot tops, celery stems, and onion peels to make homemade vegetable stock!

 

Leftover Fruit:

Smoothie: Have some fruit that’s going off? Freeze it! Extra ripe and frozen fruit make extra sweet smoothies. Spinach is also a great thing to freeze before it goes off to add to smoothies for an extra kick of nutrition! Bonus – add a Tbsp of Filippo Berio Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil to smoothies for a boost of healthy fats.

Crumble: Use up extra fruit such as berries, apples, pears and peaches in a simple crumble! Extra ripe? No worries! This will make the crumble even more flavorful! This one has a hint of tanginess from Filippo Berio Balsamic Glaze.

Citrus Peel Cleaner: Put those citrus peels to good use! Save your extra peels from lemons, oranges, and grapefruits. Soak with vinegar and combine with water to create a homemade all-purpose cleaner!

 

Leftover Wine:

How would that ever happen? Try adding depth of flavor to recipes: Fusilli with Lamb Ragu, Lobster Risotto. If you aren’t prone to having leftover wine (who is), sub a Tbsp of Filippo Berio White Wine Vinegar and a splash of vegetable stock. Cook off as you would with wine for the same tangy flavor!

 

Extra Sources:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/apr/18/americans-waste-food-fruit-vegetables-study

Today, nearly every nutrition expert agrees that a moderate amount of fat consumption plays an important role in eating a healthy diet. It provides our bodies with energy, is essential for growth and development, and is necessary for absorbing vitamins.

Having healthy fat as a part of a balanced breakfast helps keep you full for longer, keeping you from reaching for those mid-morning munchies!

Fats in Olive Oil:

• Source of energy: in fact, it produces more than double that acquired from protein or carbs
• Carrier of Vitamins A,D,E,K: Olive oil helps the body store and release these 4 fat-soluble vitamins as needed
• High in mono-unsaturated fats (healthy fats), low in saturated fats, no trans fats (bad fats). Mono-unsaturated fats have been proven to lower bad cholesterol, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease

 

Filippo Berio Olive Oil is a great source of healthy fats, even better, it’s super easy to incorporate into your daily meals! Check out the inspiration below to see how you can kickstart your morning by adding healthy fats to your breakfast.

 

As schedules start to get busier, it’s easy to rely on take-out and packaged food. But with a little prep, it’s easy to stay healthy on-the-go! Follow the guide below for 1 week of healthy meal prep, to keep you feeling your best and make it easy to squeeze a healthy meal into your busy day.

Start by stocking your pantry with Filipo Berio Olive Oil, Pesto, Balsamic Vinegar, and Glaze as a simple and healthy way to add flavor to your recipes.

Stock up on fresh produce, lots of healthy fruit and vegetables as well as some whole grains such as quinoa, soba noodles, whole wheat pasta, and sourdough bread!

Lastly, grab some lean protein such as tofu, salmon, edamame, chickpeas, chicken, and Greek yogurt.

 

For Breakfast:

 

 

Prep Ahead: Healthy Homemade Granola made with Filippo Berio Olive Oil

Serve with: Simple Yogurt Parfait or Strawberry Orange Vanilla Smoothie Bowl

 

 

Lunch:

Prep Ahead: Sweet Potato Hummus, Cooked Quinoa, Shredded Chicken, Zesty Lemon Vinaigrette

Lunch 1: Make a Mediterranean Bento box with your favorite fresh vegetables and pita bread

Lunch 2: Try a Quinoa and Chicken Avocado Bowl Mix in some Filippo Berio Classic Pesto to amp up the flavor!

Lunch 3: Leftover Sandwich! Use your favorite whole wheat or sourdough bread; layer Filippo Berio Pesto, leftover tofu, lettuce, avocado.

 

 

Quick Dinners: These dinners can all be made in under 30 minutes! Perfect for busy weeknights!

Prep Ahead: Cauliflower Rice

Monday – Grilled Vegetable Pesto Cauliflower Fried Rice

Tuesday – Honey Balsamic Glazed Salmon with leftover Cauliflower Rice

Wednesday – Chicken and Soba Noodle Pesto Salad

Thursday – Fettuccini with Avocado Pesto Sauce

Friday – Balsamic Tofu Vegetable Stir Fry

Filippo Berio Olive Oil is a flavorful, heart-healthy addition to a surprising variety of foods. From a hearty breakfast, to a late-night movie, there are plenty of opportunities to pack more flavorful nutrition into your day. Drizzle, dip and spread your way to healthier lifestyle with these simple tips.