Tuesday 8 March 2016

Olive Oil



One of the most spoken about ingredients and arguably the healthiest in its category, olive oil is amongst the highest demanded products today. Due to its innumerable health benefits and its versatility of being used in a wide range of cuisines, olive oil has slowly but gradually established its way into every home and restaurant kitchen shelf.

This beautiful oil, however, needs a little bit of extra care and caution. Bright light, oxygen, high temperatures are some of the enemies of fats and oils. Thus, their shelf life automatically increases if any of these factors are abridged. More oxygen equals more degradation. Hence, using sturdy, tight-capped bottles are generally recommended. In case of temperatures, 57 degree Fahrenheit is considered ideal for the storage of olive oils. 

For cooking, these can then be used chilled, or allowed to come back to room temperature, especially if it is being used in a salad or dip.
Lastly, coming to the factor of light, it is vital to store olive oils in dark coloured, glass bottles to maintain quality and extend their shelf-life. Though light coloured or even transparent bottles may make the oils more visually appearing, these enable ultraviolet rays to enter the bottle more prominently, giving additional room for spoilage. 

Therefore, we at Olive Tree Trading, ensure that our top- grade, olive oils are packed in dark, glass bottles to give you the best we have to offer. This also ensures that all the positive attributes of the olive oil are safeguarded, as the dark bottles guarantee protection against heat and also help in maintaining temperatures to a certain extent.
Another important aspect of storing in dark bottles is that the naturally present vitamins in the olive oil, particularly Vitamin E is retained; compared to storing it in regular plastic or light coloured bottles which leads to a drastic decrease in the level of vitamins and antioxidants.
Olive Tree Trading ensures only the best quality olive oils, carefully picked and selected from Olive Tree, delivered straight to your doorstep. We also offer a 25% discount on all products purchased through our gourmet online store.

Monday 15 February 2016

Chicken with Balsamic reduction, Quinoa & Baby spinach



El olivo organic white quinoa
El Olivo's  Organic white quinoa cooked in Chicken with balsamic vinegar along with Baby spinach
INGREDIENTS
  • Serves : 2-3
  • Prep Time : 15 mins
  • Cook Time : 15-20 mins
Chicken with balsamic reduction, quinoa & baby spinach
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic , chopped
  • 2 boneless chicken thighs
  • 110 grams baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tomatoes, chopped
  • ¼ cup El Olivo organic white quinoa, cooked
CHICKEN WITH BALSAMIC REDUCTION, QUINOA & BABY SPINACH

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add the chopped garlic and sauté. Add the chicken thighs and cook for about four minutes on each side until cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside.
In the same pan, place the spinach and cook for a few minutes until the leaves wilt. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Lower the heat to medium, add the chicken broth and balsamic vinegar and stir, scraping the pan to remove any browned bits sticking to the bottom.
Add in the tomatoes, bring to a boil and simmer for about three-five minutes.
Place the cooked El Olivo Organic White Quinoa in a serving bowl. Place the spinach and chicken on the quinoa, top with the balsamic-tomato reduction and serve!

Reference:-eattreatonline.com





Friday 12 February 2016

Interesting Facts - HONEY!

chestnut honey, wildflower honey, orange honey , eucalyptus honey
Flavours of Honey by Olea Europaea 

Did you know that 60,000 or so bees in a beehive collectively travel as much as 55,000 miles and visit more than two million flowers to gather enough nectar to make just half a kilo of honey!
The color and flavour of honey differ depending on the nectar source visited by the honeybee. In general light coloured honeys are mild in flavour, while darker honeys are usually more robust in flavour. Olea Europaea offers such mild and robust flavoured honey with no preservatives, no added flavourings and colouring, a 100% natural product. Honey is generally classified by its floral source. Good quality honey can be easily distinguished by its fragrance, taste and consistency.
Honey being a natural and nutritious food, contains a number of compounds essential for the body: mostly glucose and fructose but also enzymes, amino acids, hydrogen peroxide, minerals, antioxidants, etc...that play an important role in modern diet. Honey contains enzymes that help your body digest food, which in turn, helps keep our immune systems working properly.
Honey is a natural source of carbohydrates, providing 17 grams per tablespoon, making it ideal for the working muscles since carbohydrates are the primary fuel the body uses for energy. It is therefore, a direct source of energy, which is easily digested. Honey is also a humectant, which means it attracts and retains moisture.

Honey – so called “Natures energy food” can be preserved forever as it never goes bad.

Visit olivetreetrading.com to purchase / for more information on our products.

Thursday 14 January 2016

Saffron and Almond Milk Panna Cotta




The nutty flavor of Silk Almond Milk pairs beautifully with a delicate spice such as saffron, and lends it a soft hue making the dessert instantly appealing. What better than this healthy yet decadent dessert!

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup Silk Almond Milk
  • 1 cup non dairy creamer or milk powder
  • ¼ cup sugar (lesser, if you like your desserts mildly sweetened)
  • 2 teaspoons gelatin
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 large pinch of good quality saffron
  • Sprig of mint for garnish

Method:
Place the Silk Almond Milk, non-dairy creamer or milk powder, and sugar in a heavy-bottomed pot and heat gently, whisking occasionally to ensure that the sugar does not burn at the bottom. When hot, add the saffron strands and leave to infuse for 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the gelatin in a small microwave-safe bowl and cover with the 2 tablespoons of water. Microwave for one minute, checking at 30 seconds to see that the gelatin has bloomed. Add the gelatin to the warm milk mixture and whisk it in. Ensure that there are no lumps of gelatin in the mixture.
Pour into small glasses or moulds of choice. Cool for 3-4 hours or until set.
Garnish with strands of saffron and a sprig of mint. Serve cool.

Thursday 19 November 2015

Sea Bass with Cherry Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
4  medium portions of Sea Bass or similar fish
1  (400 g ) can La Valle CherryTomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
2  cloves of garlic, minced
6  Basil leaves
Handful of fresh Parsley finely chopped
1  pinch of chili pepper
1  cup of dry white wine
So Salt sea salt and pepper to taste
 Method:-
Add 4 portions of fillet in a non stick hot saucepan over medium heat (make sure saucepan gets hot before placing fish fillets on).  Cook each side for one to two minutes depending on thickness so golden brown color forms and then remove and place on a separate plate.
Using same saucepan add olive oil and sauté onions.  Then add wine and let it cook for a minute or two.  Add full can of Cherry Tomatoes,  parsley, basil, garlic, chili powder and salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add fillets back in sauce and cook for another three to four minutes.  Keep the cherry tomatoes whole or crush them the last minute of cooking.
 Place a fillet on a plate and spoon on some extra cherry tomato sauce on top and serve.

La valle cherry tomato
Sea Bass topped with La valle'e cherry tomato sauce


Tuesday 3 November 2015

Olive Oil Facts

Olive Oil has the same calories as other vegetable oils, but a much higher nutritional value.
The bitter the better?
According to research, olive oil that is sharp to taste is abundant in phenols (antioxidants) and is better for health. The fresher the olive oil, the better the taste
Why olive oil?
Extra Virgin Olive Oil is  prized for its high content in vitamins and nutrients, as well as for the fact that it is pure and without any additives. Olive Oil contributes to a balanced diet. It decreases bad cholesterol (LDL) levels, without affecting good cholesterol (HDL), preventing the accumulation of fibroids in the artery walls. In addition, olive oil, along with a healthy diet and lifestyle, helps protect against major  illness, such as heart disease, thrombosis and diabetes. Olive oil is  high in oleic acid which   helps reduce blood pressure.  Olive oil also contains many antioxidants including vitamin E, carotenoids and oleuropein.
Did you know?
According to New York International Olive Oil Competition 2015, Italy is one of the major producers of the best olive oils. Each olive tree yields an average of 40 kg of fruit a year. Usually, the oil produced corresponds to 8-10 percent of that quantity. One olive tree can produce around four litres of oil every year for hundreds of years. Typically  an olive tree can live between 300 and 600 years.
Types of olive oil?

The three types of olive oil are extra virgin, virgin and pure olive. Extra virgin oil is the most expensive. This type comes from the first cold press, and has the lowest acidity levels (less than 1%) of the three types. Because of its perfect balance in taste, aroma and color, it is used in dressings and also served with bread. Its taste and aroma is typical to the region it comes from. Virgin olive oil is also obtained from the first pressing of olives but its acidity level is higher (up to 3.3%) than that of extra virgin. Pure olive oil is  a blend of virgin and refined olive oil. Due to the blended nature, it is less expensive and used for  cooking in  high temperature. 
                    
olive tree olive oil
Olive Tree's Extra virgin oil garnished on salad



Clarity  of the Olive oil?
The extract obtained  from the crushing of olives is a natural juice, and like  all natural juices, olive oil is hazy and contains  vitamins and trace elements of the fruit.
Uses of olive oil?
It stimulates your digestive system, and taken regularly it can prevent constipation as well.  It protects the gastrointestinal tract and stimulates the production of bile, our natural laxative
How to store?
All oils are best stored in cool and dry place, far from areas exposed to sunlight. Some oils must be used within 6 months after opening whereas others like olive oil last longer from 9 months up to 2-3 years.
Where to buy olive oil?
You  can buy all natural olive oil online from our gourmet online store olivetreetrading.com

Visit olivetreetrading.com to purchase / for more information on our products.





Thursday 1 October 2015

What should be your pick? Olive Oil or Coconut Oil?

Olive oil has a reputation for being one of the healthiest oils to eat and cook with, but recently coconut oil is gaining the same support within the health community. With each having their own benefits in the kitchen, below is a guide on deciding which oil is best for your healthy cooking needs.
Olive oil has more “good fat", monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, than virgin coconut oil. For example, 1 tablespoon of olive oil contains 11 grams (gm) of monounsaturated fat and 1 gm of polyunsaturated fat, as compared to a tablespoon of coconut oil which contains 0.1 gm of monounsaturated fat and 0.25 gm of polyunsaturated fat. Olive oil has less saturated fat than coconut oil. Saturated fat, particularly from animal products, can increase our bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase risk of developing atherosclerotic plaques and coronary artery disease.
For example, 1 tablespoon of olive oil contains 1 gm of saturated fat where as 1 tablespoon of coconut oil contains 13 gm of saturated fat. In a quick analysis, coconut oil contains more than 10 times the amount of potential bad fat compared to olive oil. This analysis is not quite as simple as the other. Saturated fats from some plant-based products are not as bad as those from animal-based products. Most of the saturated fats in coconut oil come from lauric acid, which can increase bad cholesterol (LDL) but also good cholesterol (HDL). Because it increases both good and bad cholesterol, the risk of using coconut oil may not be as significant, or even significant at all.
With any efficient food source, the amount of calories per serving becomes important. Even healthy foods consumed in excess can become unhealthy. When it comes to calories, both olive oil and coconut oil are similar. One tablespoon of olive oil contains 120 calories, compared to 130 calories in a tablespoon of coconut oil.
And the Winner Is . . .
Right now, olive oil is the best choice for a healthy heart (‘heart healthy’ just doesn’t mean it’s a cure for heart disease. It simply means it is a healthier choice than some of your other choices) because: -  
 More research supports the long-term benefits of olive oil for the human body. This is not a true knock on coconut oil. The same may be true of coconut oil, but we just have to wait for the human data to come in to guide us.
The quantity of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats is clearly higher in olive oil. These good fats have many heart-healthy properties, including lowering inflammation, improving cholesterol and lowering risk of heart disease. Of course , if you are a coconut oil enthusiast, there is a lot to be optimistic about. Coconut oil has quite a few potential heart-health benefits, and there have been remarkable findings in people who consume a lot of coconut.
Olive oil is high in monosaturated fat which benefits heart health whereas coconut oil is high in saturated fats which harm heart health. A few small studies show that the saturated fat in coconut oil is less harmful than other saturated fats.
The smoking point of olive oil corresponds to 137 degrees centigrade, which is relatively low and implies that olive oil should not be heated to high temperatures. The smoking point of coconut oil is 176 degrees centigrade, making it more appropriate for cooking at moderate temperatures. Cooking above the smoking point of oil is not recommended and can lead to the formation of compounds that could be harmful for your health. Olive oil is usually liquid at room temperature but becomes solid in the refrigerator, while coconut oil is hard when kept in the refrigerator and can be either solid or liquid at room temperatures because of its melting point of 24 degrees centigrade.
What about all the claims that coconut oil can cure obesity, cancer, and thyroid disease, lower your cholesterol, and boost your immune system? That's just it, these amazing health benefits are just claims. Presently, there have been no large studies to support the benefits associated with using coconut oil in meals. Until more evidence comes out, you may want to wait before cooking everything with coconut oil (but because of its higher smoke point, it might work well in certain instances). When possible, choose a bottle of heart-healthy olive oil.

Visit olivetreetrading.com to purchase / for more information on our products.