Olive oil is a refined and healthy oil that should enter the dietary plans of every home because of its endless benefits. Along with healthy fats, it is full of antioxidants that empower an individual with benefits such as reducing inflammation and better cardiovascular health. Whether you cook or bake, there are diverse ways of introducing this condiment. Here are five wonderful ways olive oil can become an essential component in your kitchen.
Enhance your cooking
Switching your usual vegetable or sunflower oil for olive oil can help to improve the flavour of your food, especially if you opt for a premium extra virgin olive oil. Greek olive oil is world renown for quality, although Italian olive oil also has an excellent reputation.
Try using olive oil when sautéing and stir-frying to enhance the flavour of vegetables, meat, and seafood. Or, when roasting, drizzle olive oil over meats or veggies for a golden, crispy treat. When preparing recipes that use unhealthy fats like butter, or vegetable or sunflower oil, substitute the fats for olive oil for a healthier twist.
Olive oil is also useful for grilling and barbecuing. Not only can it help to prevent food from sticking to the grill, but it also adds a great taste or smokiness to barbecued fish, meat or veg.
Create delicious dressing and marinades
Olive oil comes in handy when making salad dressings, or marinades for meat, fish or vegetables. Try whisking a little olive oil with balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, and a pinch of salt and pepper for a simple yet tasty salad dressing.
When used as a marinade, olive oil can help to tenderise meat, while giving vegetables more depth. Blend olive oil with lemon juice, garlic, and your favourite herbs and spices for a zesty marinade that pairs well with both chicken or fish.
Olive oil shots for a health boost
To get your daily dose of olive oil when you don’t have time to cook, give olive oil shots a go. The best time to try this is first thing in the morning before breakfast, to coat and neutralise the stomach walls before eating. Some of the positive effects of olive oil include improved digestion, better immunity, and heart health, and the body gets an added dose of antioxidants too. To experience these benefits, Gundry MD Polyphenol Rich Olive Oil can be a good choice, as it’s known for its higher levels of protective compounds.
You can drink olive oil alone or add a few drops of lemon juice for flavour, and a vitamin C boost.
Boost your baking
While you may not realise it, olive oil could well be the magical ingredient you’re missing in order to give your baked treats that mouthwatering moist texture. Try replacing butter or fats with olive oil to make healthier versions of your favourite baked treats. Use olive oil instead of butter in cakes for a lighter, moister texture. Olive oil works particularly well in recipes where you can taste it, like a lemon olive oil cake or chocolate olive oil brownies. Replace vegetable oil with olive oil in bread for a tender, soft crumb.
Stir into sauces and dips
Olive oil can also add depth of flavour to classic sauces and dips. Blend fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil for a classic pesto mix versatile enough to mix into pasta, spread onto sandwiches, or smear onto meat or fish as a marinade.
You can also use olive oil as a base for healthier dips like tzatziki and hummus, or try combining it with chickpeas or yoghurt. Feel free to add your favourite herbs and spices to the mix as you go.
How do you use olive oil?
Not only can olive oil elevate the flavour of our favourite everyday dishes, but it could help to improve our nutritional health too. There are many different ways to introduce olive oil to our diets, giving us the freedom to experiment with different concoctions to find out what you enjoy best.
Now, it’s over to you: what’s your favourite way to consume olive oil? Let me know in the comments.