“OMG! Look at How Much Olive Oil They Are Using!”

We can’t take credit for the headline on this blog post. That goes to nutritionist Amy Myrdal Miller. She was giving a presentation yesterday evening in northern California, and one of her PowerPoint slides used the “OMG!” line in a tongue-and-check manner.

Miller’s point to this audience, which has been known to gasp at how much olive oil chefs use when cooking: “We need to focus on the  fat quality, not the  fat quantity.”

Miller said that means when people cook healthy foods they should should:

• Use “absolutely no trans fat” like that found in some store-bought cookies
• Use “limited” amounts of saturated fats like those found  in red meat
• Have “no concern” about the use of unsaturated fats like the monounsaturated fats contained in extra virgin olive oil

Miller, who’s also program director for strategic initiatives at the Culinary Institute of America, was among the first speakers to address a health and cooking conference we’re attending at the CIA’s Napa Valley campus. The three-day gathering is focused on cooking and eating food that not only tastes good – but is good for you.

A key question here: “How do we get ourselves, our children, our loved ones, and ultimately our patients to make better (food) choices,” said David Eisenberg, himself an accomplished cook and director of the Osher Research Center at Harvard Medical School, which is co-sponsoring the Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives conference with the CIA.

Greg Drescher, executive director for strategic initiatives at the CIA, provided an answer, declaring that “healthy food choices”  must taste “delicious.”

The sold-out gathering has attracted about 450 doctors, nutritionists, nurses and other medical and culinary professionals. The goal: Get more and more people to lead healthy lives by passing along the knowledge of how to cook nutritious foods that tastes good.

Last night we watched three of our chef friends give cooking demonstrations using vegetables: Joyce Goldstein prepared an Italian vegetable dish; Suvir Saran prepared an Indian dish; and John Ash prepared a dish using local produce.

“I’m the one that when I pour olive oil into the pan people go: ‘Oh my god!’” Joyce joked as she sautéed red onions in extra virgin olive oil.

We expect to see more cooking demonstrations over the next three days – many using extra virgin olive oil, as well as whole grains, legumes, fruits, dark chocolate and other healthy ingredients. We’ll be sure to share recipes with you.

We’ll also be listening to medical professionals and others speak about topics like healthy carbohydrates, plant-based foods (yes, that means olive oil), sustainable agriculture, and ways to reduce childhood obesity.

Stay tuned for healthy, good tasting recipes and more reports from the conference.

Bon appétit,

Claude S. Weiller
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
California Olive Ranch