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Nutty Banana Bread

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Aussies love their banana bread. My version gets flavor boosts from hazelnuts and coconut. Because it uses almond flour, making it gluten free, it won’t rise the way a flour-based loaf will and is more like a delicate torte.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces shelled hazelnuts
  • 2 cups almond flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3 very ripe bananas
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 extra-large eggs plus
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper, using enough for an overhang of 2 inches on the sides of the pan, and set aside. Heat a small frying pan and, when hot, toast the hazelnuts for 2 to 3 minutes until they become fragrant; remove from the heat and allow to cool, then roughly chop them.

Step 2

In a medium bowl, mix the almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a larger bowl, mash the bananas thoroughly with a fork, then mix in the olive oil, vanilla, sugar, whole eggs, and egg whites. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture, the hazelnuts, and the coconut. Transfer to the loaf pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a knife tip inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool slightly before lifting the loaf from the pan by grasping the sides of the parchment; transfer to a rack to finish cooling. Use a serrated knife for easier cutting.

Serves 10

Asian Mushroom Salad with Ginger Tamari Vinaigrette

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Many home cooks use tamari and soy sauce interchangeably. While similar, production methods differ. Tamari, judged to be richer-tasting and more refined, is made with fermented soybeans while soy sauce is made from soybeans and wheat and is perceived as saltier.

Ingredients

For the mushrooms:

  • 2 pounds mixed mushrooms, such as oyster, king, cremini, maitake, shiitake, portobello, or others
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the vinaigrette and for serving:

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 5 cups mixed salad greens, such as baby lettuces or baby kale
  • 2 scallions, trimmed, white and green parts sliced thinly on a diagonal Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish (optional; black, white, or a mix)

Directions

Step 1

Wipe the mushrooms clean, trim, and cut into quarters or bite-size pieces. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Drizzle the mushrooms with olive oil and season lightly with salt; stir gently to coat evenly. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Tip the mushrooms into the pan, working in batches if necessary. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are nicely browned and have
given up their liquid. Let cool.

Step 2

Cut the cooked potatoes into a fine dice and place in a large bowl. Use a sharp knife to skin the fillet, then mince the flesh. Add the salmon to the bowl along with the parsley, 3 tablespoons olive oil, the onions, salt, pepper, and egg. Mix thoroughly and form into 3-inch patties. Put the panko into a pie plate and set it next to your stovetop along with the patties.

Step 3

One by one, coat the rissoles with the panko. Heat a large skillet and, when hot, add the rest of the olive oil. Add the rissoles to the pan in a single layer. Sauté until crispy, about 5 minutes on each side. When serving, pass the aioli separately.

Serves 4

Salmon Rissoles with Mango Aioli

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Rissoles are little patties of minced meat or fish popular in Australia. Though often grilled, they’re smaller than burgers—and never served on a bun—and loaded with veggies, herbs, and spices. Salmon rissoles often feature tinned fish, but using fresh salmon is a winner, and the flesh is easy to mince with a sharp knife (skip the food processor because it will quickly create a paste instead of a mince).

Ingredients

For the mango aioli:

  • 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 1/2 cup best-quality mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 ounces diced mango
  • Zest of 1 lime
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

For the rissoles:

  • 8 ounces red-skinned potatoes, quartered and steamed until tender
  • 8 ounces fresh salmon, such as sockeye
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • 4 ounces onion, peeled, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup panko or fresh breadcrumbs

Directions

Step 1

Make the aioli: Add all the ingredients to a food processor or use a stick blender to purée them until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Step 2

Cut the cooked potatoes into a fine dice and place in a large bowl. Use a sharp knife to skin the fillet, then mince the flesh. Add the salmon to the bowl along with the parsley, 3 tablespoons olive oil, the onions, salt, pepper, and egg. Mix thoroughly and form into 3-inch patties. Put the panko into a pie plate and set it next to your stovetop along with the patties.

Step 3

One by one, coat the rissoles with the panko. Heat a large skillet and, when hot, add the rest of the olive oil. Add the rissoles to the pan in a single layer. Sauté until crispy, about 5 minutes on each side. When serving, pass the aioli separately.

Serves 4

How EVOO Combats Heart Disease

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Part I: a Primer on Oleic Acid (OA)

A large body of evidence shows that daily consumption of EVOO confers numerous health benefits, including a significantly reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Factors that contribute to CVD include cholesterol, inflammation, blood vessel function, insulin resistance, and high blood pressure (hypertension). The protective effects of EVOO are attributed to its bioactive components, oleic acid (OA) and more than 30 polyphenols.

In this concise review, we’ll look closely at the mechanisms by which OA works in the body to modify and improve these factors.

What is OA? Oleic acid is a monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) that makes up approximately 70 to 80 percent of EVOO by volume. MUFAs and PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids) are the key components of liquid fats, such as vegetable oils and the fats in fish.

Lowers “bad” cholesterol and blood lipid levels: OA lowers LDL or “bad” cholesterol by increasing the amount of LDL that is removed from the blood by the liver and reducing the amount that is produced. In scientific terms, OA increases hepatic LDL receptor activity. Similarly, OA helps lower triglyceride levels by stimulating the liver to increase the breakdown and removal of the proteins that produce triglycerides.

Helps regulate blood pressure: After eating, we experience what is termed the postprandial reflex—a rise in blood triglycerides and increase in blood pressure. When OA enters cell membranes, signals are sent from the intestines to the blood vessels to release vasodilators, which relax the blood vessels, and to block the release of vasoconstrictors, which tighten the blood vessels and raise blood pressure.

Protects the blood vessel lining: Damage to the blood vessel lining (the endothelium) is a major risk factor for CVD. By stimulating the release of vasodilators, OA helps protect the endothelium. OA
also blocks signals from inflammatory proteins that are released with the postprandial reflex, reducing oxidative stress (which can lead to cell damage) and helping prevent atherosclerosis (buildup of cholesterol plaques in the arteries).

Increases insulin sensitivity: In a study of patients with obesity, OA was shown to up-regulate—increase the activity of—a gene that increases insulin sensitivity. OA also reduces insulin resistance in vascular smooth muscle cells, which make up the blood vessel walls.

Studies continue to reveal the ways in which OA exerts its multiple health-promoting effects. In 2018, the FDA determined that evidence supported a qualified health claim that the daily consumption of 20g daily of high-OA oil (EVOO or other high-oleic oil) may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

Stay tuned for part II, in which we’ll explore how the polyphenols in EVOO exert powerful protective effects against CVD.

References: 1. Lu Y, Zhao J, Xin Q, et al. Food Science and Human Wellness. 2024;13:529-540. 2. Pirahanchi Y, Sinawe H, Dimri M. Biochemistry, LDL Cholesterol (National Library of Medicine, 2023). 3. Zheng C, Khoo C, Furtado J, Ikekawi K, Sacks FM. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008;88(2):279-281. 4. US Food and Drug Administration. Constituent Update, November 19, 2018. https://www.fda.gov/food/cfsan-constituent-updates/fda-completes-review-qualified-health-claim-petition-oleic-acid-and-risk-coronary-heart-disease.