I was just having lunch.  A real Italian classic, Caprese salad.  In Italy, one can get it almost anytime, but often in the winter months the tomatoes will be a bit on the green side. 

 They tend to try to do things in season instead of getting tomatoes from Chile or somewhere.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Caprese Salad and Giardinera with fresh bread in Salina, Italy several years ago.  Yeah, the tablecloth is a bit busy! 

 

 

  Anyway, there was Fresh Mozzarella and olive oil in the salad, and my lunch partner commented on the fact that olive oil was not on her diet when she was trying to lose weight.  But, you have to have fat in your diet! 

A tablespoon a day is the absolute minimum.  Brain functions are altered, and not for the good if you do not get it. 

Remember that many foods that you may not suspect, have oils in them.  You can gently fry things in the oils left over from grilling onions, for instance.

I  remembered, as we were speaking, about a TV show I saw years ago.  It was a TV diet cooking program, and the host fried up hamburger, then put it into a strainer and WASHED IT in running water!!!!! 

Just how ANAL can you get.

Just buy the lowest fat ground meats you can find.  If it really needs fat in it for some reason, drizzle in a bit of olive oil.

Saturated fats are a No-no...meat fats should be trimmed off before cooking, and any left after cooking should be trimmed as well.

Trans-fats too should be avoided, and watch for Hydrogenated fats in all sorts of products!

Do not eat ANYTHING with Hydrogenated anything in it!

There is fat in bread and a host of unsuspected things.

If you bake bread, it is common to glaze the top of the loaf after you bake it with butter.  Well, if you must you must, but try to use the lesser of evils.  Substitute olive oil for the butter.  You save some calories, but you also have a much healthier fat!

Here is a more recent version. That is enough meat around the outside for the whole day!