Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Pressing Report Page 56

Paleo Carrot Cake Muffins

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Grain free, gluten free, and Paleo compliant (without the frosting), these muffins checked all the boxes for my wife and me recently when a craving for carrot cake hit. Satisfying but not too sweet, they’re just the thing for breakfast, tea, or a light dessert.

Ingredients

For the muffins:

  • 1 1/4 cups blanched almond our
  • 2 tablespoons coconut our
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup peeled grated carrot

For the cream cheese frosting (optional):

  • 2 ounces cream cheese
  • 4 teaspoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • Milk or cream, for thinning the frosting (optional)

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with 8 cupcake liners.

Step 2

In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (the almond our through the nutmeg). Set aside.

Step 3

In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, oil, honey, and vanilla.

Step 4

Add the dry mix to the wet mix just until combined and then gently fold in the grated carrots.

Step 5

Divide the batter evenly among the liners and bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Step 6

Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Do not frost until completely cool!

Step 7

If making the cream cheese frosting, mix everything together until thoroughly combined. If it’s too thick for your liking, add milk or cream, one teaspoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.

Step 8

Spread a thin layer of frosting on top of each cupcake or pipe a squiggle on each one. Cover and refrigerate if not planning to eat them within 4 hours.

Makes 8 muffins — Recipe from texanerin.com

Annie’s Weeknight Spaghetti with Garlic and Parsley

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Olive oil producer Annie Paterson, the talent behind Nullamunjie, shared with us a simple recipe for spaghetti that is popular with her family and patrons of The Pressing Shed Cafe, the restaurant she built on her farm in Tongio, Victoria.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed chopped parsley
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1/2 cup lightly toasted sourdough bread crumbs or chopped toasted hazelnuts (optional)

Directions

Step 1

Gently warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in the garlic, parsley, and hot red pepper flakes. Remove from the heat and let the oil sit while you cook the spaghetti.

Step 2

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the spaghetti. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, then drain, reserving a cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot.

Step 3

Pour the infused oil over the spaghetti and add salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat the strands with the oil and seasonings. Add a spoonful or two of the reserved pasta cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Tip into a large shallow bowl (preferably warmed with hot water). Top with the cheese and bread crumbs, if using.

Serves 4 — Recipe courtesy of Annie Paterson

Replacing Unhealthy Fats with Olive Oil Is a Heart-Healthy Choice

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Adapted from an article in Duke Medicine Health News, September 2020, Vol. 6, No. 9

Go ahead. Dip that crusty Italian bread in a saucer of seasoned olive oil and take a big, guilt-free bite. Research shows that consuming more olive oil is associated with less risk of heart attack among Americans, especially when it replaces butter, mayonnaise, or margarine. A study performed at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, in Boston, showed that replacing 1 teaspoon of butter, margarine, mayonnaise, or dairy fat with the same amount of olive oil lowered the risk of any cardiovascular disease (CVD) by 5 percent and lowered the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) by 7 percent. People who consumed even higher amounts of olive oil—half a tablespoon daily—had a 15 percent lower risk of any kind of CVD and a 21 percent lower risk of CHD.

This study took place between 1990 and 2014 and included 63,867 women from the Nurses’ Health Study and 35,512 men from the Health Professionals’ Follow-up Study. All participants were free of cancer, heart disease, and other chronic diseases at the start of the study. Every four years for about three decades, study participants answered questionnaires about their diet and lifestyle. Participants were asked how often, on average, they had consumed specific foods, as well as types of fats, oils, and brand or type of oils used for cooking and added at the table in the preceding year. Total olive oil intake was calculated from the sum of three questionnaire questions related to olive oil intake: olive oil salad dressing, olive oil added to food or bread, and olive oil used for baking and frying at home.

Among the researchers’ noteworthy observations were: Olive oil can have favorable effects on endothelial dysfunction, hypertension, inflammation, insulin sensitivity, and diabetes. Previous studies have shown that olive oil—especially the virgin grade—that is richer in polyphenolic compounds is associated with lower levels of inflammatory biomarkers and a better lipid profile; and despite olive oil being a high-fat food, it has not been associated with weight gain.

The researchers stress the importance of substituting olive oil for other fats. The main thing is to replace unhealthy fats with olive oil, and that can improve cholesterol, reduce inflammatory biomarkers, and improve cardiovascular health. The results echo a 2013 study that found that people who followed a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil for five years had a 30 percent lower risk of heart attack or stroke. They also showed a slower rate of cognitive decline and were better able to control their weight.

Reference: Guasch-Ferré M, Liu G, Li Y, et al. Olive oil consumption and cardiovascular risk in US adults. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2020;75(15):1729-1739.

Grilled Tuna with Castelvetrano Olive Relish

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Feel free to substitute any meaty fish steaks or fillets for the tuna, such as swordfish, red snapper, branzino, salmon, or Chilean sea bass. If you have any leftover relish, serve it with bread or potatoes.

Ingredients

  • 4 tuna or swordfish steaks, each about 6 ounces
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, sliced into 1/4-inch wedges
  • 2 leeks, cleaned and cut into 1/2-inch rounds
  • 2 lemons, sliced into thin rounds, plus wedges for serving

For the relish:

  • 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/2 cup pitted, roughly chopped Castelvetrano olives
  • 1 large shallot, peeled and diced
  • 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 475°F and set a rack on the top third of the oven and another on the bottom. Once hot, add a rimmed sheet pan to the oven to preheat.

Step 2

Rub the fish steaks with olive oil all over and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss the fennel, leeks, and lemons with a glug of olive oil and a pinch of salt.

Step 3

Carefully remove the preheated sheet pan from the oven and place the fish steaks in the center of the sheet pan (they will sizzle), then scatter the fennel mixture around the fish and place the sheet pan on the bottom rack. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 4

While the steaks cook, combine the relish ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Step 5

Turn the oven to broil and put the fish on the top rack under the broiler. Some of the outer edges of the leeks, fennel, and lemons should get a little char. This should take about 5 minutes.

Step 6

Serve with the olive relish and extra lemon wedges.

Serves 2 — Recipe adapted from goop.com