Heart healthy Olive Oil Snacks
The first reaction for many people when they hear the word “oil” is to stay away. Oil has long been linked to phrases like overweight and heart problems. Not all oils are bad for you, though. For instance, the American Heart Association (or AHA) has recently put olive oil on their list of heart-healthy foods. This is because it has been shown that olive oil can reduce the risk of heart disease and heart attacks instead of increasing it like some of the other oils can do. Because of this, it’s a good idea to put olive oil on your list, too – your grocery list, that is. Olive oil has many delicious uses aside from normal cooking oil. One very appetizing way to use olive oil is for bread dipping.The use of olive oil in bread dipping is quickly becoming a favorite snack for many people. This is because it is simple and satisfying. All that you have to do to prepare this snack is to cut a slice of bread, dip it into extra virgin olive oil, and enjoy. You can also dip vegetables into olive oil for another heart-healthy snack. Bread dipping can be used as a snack, a party appetizer, or even as a small meal – just pair it with your favorite salad.Of course, bread dipping does not stop there. You can try giving your olive oil more zing by adding different flavors and creating your own dipping sauces. Some favorites are balsamic vinegar, cracked black pepper, Italian spices, and pesto. There is a variety of ingredients that can be added to olive oil so all that you have to do is experiment. Just make sure that when you add an ingredient to the olive oil that you let it sit for 15 minutes so that the flavors have time to mingle.
Or, if you realize at the last minute that you have run out of your favorite dipping sauce, just quickly add the ingredients to the extra virgin olive oil and microwave it for 10 seconds. This is a quick alternative to letting it sit and blend. Another thing to keep in mind is that you should always use extra virgin olive oil. Any other type of olive oil is incomparable to extra virgin where flavor is concerned.
Once you have figured out which are your favorite flavors you can make large bottles of the mixtures and store them in a cupboard. Or, if you use cruets, you can use them as decorative elements in your kitchen’s décor. By making bulk recipes, though, you always have some on-hand and you can use them for bread dipping, vegetable and salad dressings, pasta sauces, or even marinades.
You will also have an instant snack or appetizer at a moments notice for hungry children or unexpected guests. If you have bread on hand you can just slice or cube it and serve it with one of the dipping sauces. Or, keep some vegetable sticks in the refrigerator and serve it with the dipping sauces. Either of these combinations will make a great after-school snack or last-minute appetizer.
These dipping sauces are also great for parties. Just set out some bread cubes and vegetable slices next to dishes of different olive oil mixtures for a great hors d’oeuvre. For dinner parties, the dipping sauces can be used to marinade your meat; or, you can set out a variety of the sauces for your guests to use as a dressing for your vegetable dish. Another fun idea is to have a bread dipping party. Your guests can each bring their favorite dipping sauce and everyone can try something new.
All of these dipping sauce possibilities are also doable with a plain bottle of extra virgin olive oil if you are sure to get the high quality stuff. If you like plain extra virgin olive oil, keep a bottle on-hand for last-minute snacks or add it to your list of favorite dipping sauces for everyday use.
The next time you are craving a filling snack or you are planning a party, make sure that olive oil vegetable or bread dipping is on the menu. It is quickly becoming a lasting favorite due to its simplicity, its adaptability, and its health benefits.
olive oil dipping, bread dipping
Technorati Tags: olive oil dipping, bread dipping
