In this episode of The Mindful Table, Jesse sits down with Sarah Vachon, co-founder of Citizens of Soil and a certified olive oil sommelier. Citizens of Soil is Mindful Chef's exclusive olive oil partner, making Sarah the perfect guide to break down the far-reaching benefits of the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle.

Sarah shares her personal journey from working in sustainable food supply chains to discovering the unfair commodity systems that squeeze independent olive oil farmers. Driven to shake up the industry, she explains how supporting small-scale, artisanal producers not only ensures a fair livelihood for farmers but also preserves the quality of the land and the nutritional value of the oil.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• The Mediterranean Way of Life: Why the Mediterranean diet is less about a rigid meal plan and more about a holistic, slower lifestyle rooted in community, relaxation, and mindful eating.
• How to Spot High-Quality Olive Oil: The red flags to look out for in the supermarket, the importance of checking for a harvest date rather than just a bottling date, and why clear plastic bottles can damage your oil.
• The Sensory Experience of Olive Oil: How to identify the three positive attributes of extra virgin olive oil—fruity aromas, bitterness, and the characteristic throat-tingling peppiness caused by oleocanthal, a powerful natural anti-inflammatory.
• Best Practices for Home Storage: Why you should move your olive oil away from the heat of the stove and how long you actually have to use a bottle once it's opened.
• The Cooking Debate: Dispelling the myth that you can't cook with extra virgin olive oil, and exploring how it actually transfers health benefits and raises the nutritional value of the ingredients you cook with.

The duo also looks at a few dishes featured in the kitchen, including Mindful Chef’s own baked za'atar feta salad, as well as a vibrant green gazpacho and a paprika-harissa bean dip from Citizens of Soil's newly released community cookbook, Citizens of Soil.

The Citizens of Soil community cookbook is out now and available directly through the Citizens of Soil website.

To try Citizens of Soil olive oil in your next meal, head over to the Mindful Chef Ready to Go page, or refer a friend to earn account credit and gift them a free bottle! Our Mediterranean menu is live for the whole of June, featuring three brand-new dishes inspired by the region every week!

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