I always keep a large bottle (or two) of extra virgin olive oil. It is wonderful for cooking and is one of the healthiest vegetable oils around. It is great for your heart as it contains high amounts of oleic acid is monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid. Extra virgin olive oil, (obtained from the first pressing of the olive fruit) is rich in vitamins, minerals and has large amounts of antioxidants.

Health benefits aside, I use extra virgin olive oil for cooking because of the rich flavour it imparts. Okay, sometimes I use organic walnut oil, or sesame oil, depending on the dish, but olive oil's my staple. Coconut oil is another flavourful cooking oil but I refrain from it because it is said to increase cholesterol levels. Apparently, some people say otherwise. I guess the difference in sesame olive coconut oil lies in the flavour and the composition of the oils themselves. Extra virgin olive oil is said to be the best, so that's what I use for my family.

Bookmark this page as I'll feature of my favourite recipes that use olive oil here.

Cooking With Olive Oil

I use olive oil whenever I stir fry meat or vegetables or cook fried rice. I don't deep fry though. Deep fried food is very fattening as the food soaks up all that oil. For deep frying, olive oil shouldnt be used. Canola oil would be the better bet. Other than that, olive oil can be used for virtually every dish. From stir fried food to salad dressing with a hint of balsamic vinegar.

Typically, I'd fry a few finely chopped or smashed up cloves of garlic in olive oil to draw out the flavour before adding in the rest of the ingredients. Garlic and extra virgin olive oil give the dish a fragrant base.

Here's where you can buy extra virgin olive oil online.

Fried Rice With Olive Oil

My kids love fried rice. They are fussy eaters, but when I cook fried rice, they'd eat two huge plates each. As a mom, I'm determined to feed them well. They are growing boys so they need all the nourishment they can get. I vary the recipe for different flavours each time.

Some people might not like the way I mix eastern and western influences in my cooking. I might cook fried rice with chinese wine sausages, chicken marinated with abalone sauce, but fry everything with olive oil, regular pork sausages and ham and sometimes whatever herbs I might have at hand. Or I could fry fruit with the rice and meat.

To me, every ingredient counts. I use brown rice whenever I cook. If possible, I get organic brown rice or wild red rice. If not, I'd get at least brown rice. It took ages for my husband to get used to the switch from white rice to brown rice but the kids adapted easily. Also, it is hard getting kids to eat vegetables, so I cheat. I get those mixed vegetables and fry those into the rice, or dice vegetables and fry them with the rice. That way, I sneak the necessary vegetables into their diet.

Here are some of my fried rice recipes.

Recipe for fried rice with egg

Recipe for thai fried rice and chicken

AppetizersToGo.com As Seen on Oprah's O'List this month for our brie

Buy a GT Xpress101 Now!

Kitchen Home