Being a foodie, the kitchen is a place I love. I will experiment and slog to create my magic in the kitchen. No mundane everyday cooking for me; if I am in the kitchen, it has to be special. Being a nutritionist and a voracious follower of all things related to food and its effects on the body, I will often cook with ingredients that are “oh! So good for you”.
Olive oil is one of the few widely used culinary oils that contains about 75% of its fat in the form of oleic acid (a monounsaturated, omega-9 fatty acid).
Research has long been clear about the bene?ts of oleic acid for proper balance of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol in the body.
There are several other bene?ts of olive oil such as the evidence to prove that use of olive oil reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, reduces the risk of a stroke, keeps the heart young and also ?ghts osteoporosis.
Consumption of olive oil is also known to help prevent skin cancer and ?ght depression.I am a big fan of olive oil, and so I thought what better than to share with our readers some exciting uses of this wonderful super food.
You can also ?nd more detailed information on the health bene?ts of olive oil on www.oliveoiltimes.com.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Makes: 12
INGREDIENTS:
• ½ cup self raising flour
• ¾ cup plain flour
• ? cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup honey
• 1 tsp. finely grated orange zest
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• ? cup chopped pistachios
• extra finely chopped pistachios (to garnish)
METHOD:
• Preheat oven to 180C. Sift the flours into a large bowl.
• Whisk together the olive oil, honey, orange zest and egg for 2–3 minutes or until frothy. Add the pistachios and whisk until fully combined.
• Pour the olive oil mixture into the flour and fold with a large metal spoon or spatula until just combined.
• Roll the mixture into walnut sized balls and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Flatten, allowing room on the tray for spreading then sprinkle a little finely chopped pistachio in the centre of each cookie.
• Transfer the tray to the oven and cook for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove and set cookies aside on a cooling rack before eating.
Note: substitute your favourite nut such as almond, hazelnut or walnuts if desired. Substitute lemon zest for orange zest if desired.
Preparation time: 15 minutes + 2–3 hours marinating
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
• ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp. chopped rosemary
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• Salt and cracked black pepper
• 1kg boneless lamb leg
SALAD:
• 250g heirloom tomatoes, halved
• 1 Lebanese cucumber, sliced
• ¼ cup pitted kalamata olives
• ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves
• 100g Greek Feta cheese, crumbled
• ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive oil
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
METHOD:
• Combine the extra virgin olive oil with garlic, rosemary, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the lamb and coat well with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 2–3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 180C. Drain the lamb from the marinade and place in a baking tray lined with baking paper. Transfer to oven and cook for 1 hour or until cooked to your liking. Remove and cover loosely with foil.
• While the lamb is resting, make the salad. Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, olives, onion, baby spinach and Greek feta cheese. Divide between serving plates. Slice the lamb and place a couple of slices on each plate. Drizzle with combined extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice and serve with crusty bread.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: Nil
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
• 1 pomegranate
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ small watermelon
• 150g Feta cheese, cut into cubes
• mint leaves, to serve
• cracked black pepper, to serve
METHOD:
• Halve the pomegranate and collect the juice and seeds in a bowl.
• Mix with the extra Virgin Olive Oil and set aside.
• Cut the watermelon into thin wedges. Remove the skin and discard. Place on a serving platter and top with cubes of Feta cheese. Spoon over the pomegranate dressing and scatter with mint leaves and a little cracked black pepper.
• Drizzle with extra Extra Virgin Olive Oil to serve.
** See Minerva Australia Facebook page for more inspirational recipes.