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I'm obsessed with Barcelona, Spain. Or perhaps, more specifically, I'm obsessed with its food! I've been twice in the past 3 years (and have another trip planned in April!), and aftereach 9-hour flight, my very first stop is La Boqueria.
At this point, it's become a tradition, which my foodie-loving daughter happily shares with me. Why La Boqueria? Simply because the markethas themost amazing variety of fresh food offerings, from fruits and veggies, to meats (don't leave without sampling Jamon Iberico!), seafood and other Spanish delicacies— it's a feast for the senses!
In the interior of themarket, you'll find barswith the most incredibleSpanish tapas. It's these small plates of food that make me want to return to Spain again and again. Noshing on tapas in Spain is the equivalent of enjoyinggelato in Italy — there's nowhere else in the world quite like it!
With that being said, I still like to create some of the flavors of my travels at home, to enjoy with my family whenever we feel like. Tapas are great for dinner, get-togethers or even just as a snack with a glass of wine. Some of my favorite tapas recipes are the most simple, using Olives from Spain.
As an olive lover, there isn't any particular variety that I'd pass up, but there is something special about the flavor of Olives from Spain. Here's somefacts about Olives from Spain.
Most olivesconsumed inthe U.S. areOlives fromSpain.The United States is themain destination of Olives from Spain, importing morethan 155 million lbs., worth more than $205 million.
Olives from Spain are a naturally sugar-free food and contain monounsaturated fats, which can improve cholesterol levels in the blood and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Spain’s sunny weather, temperate winters and rich, fertile soil are idyllic for growing the perfect olive. The olives are carefully hand-picked one by one to avoid damaging the fruit. The main olive growing regions in Spain are Andalusia and Extremadura.
Sweet, salty, bitter and sour, Olives from Spain are extremelyversatile in cooking pizzas, salads, pastas, rice, meat, fish,co*cktails and stews.
And did you know that green and black olives are the same variety, the only difference it their color at the point that they are harvested?
Green olives are harvested at their optimum ripening period for a smoked flavor. Semi-ripe olives have an attractive pinkish, wine-colored hue. Ripe olives are harvested just before or when they are completely ripe.
Ripe Black olives are harvested before they ripen, and are specially treated for their color and to eliminate bitterness. Once fully processed, the Ripe Black olive is both mild and subdued and has a light, versatile flavor
Here's two, super easy, two-minute tapas recipes made with Olives from Spain: Black Olive Tapenade & Green Olive Hummus.
Black Olive Tapenade Recipe
Black Olive Tapenade Ingredients:
1 cup of Black olives from Spain
1 tablespoon capers
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
How to Make Black Olive Tapenade
Add all ingredients in a food processor or blender, pulsing until olives are chopped and ingredients are combined. This is for a chunky consistency. You could also puree until smooth.
Green Olive Hummus Recipe
Green Olive Hummus Ingredients:
One 15-ounce can garbanzo beans
¼ cup tahini
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tablespoongarlic, minced
8green Olives from Spain
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
How to Make Green Olive Hummus
Add all ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Drizzle with additional olive oil if desired.
About Olives from Spain
Spain has such a rich history that is linked to olives – with trees for table olives growing in the country since the 1st century. There is a wide range of varieties, types and forms of presentation. Spain is the leader in table olive production and exports, with the most modern industry in the world leading to the highest food safety and quality standards.
Olives from Spain are more versatile than olives from any other region – get creative, and find out why they can add life to any party.Be sure to look for the Olives From Spain logo, to ensure you are getting the highest quality olives and taste the difference for yourself.
Compensation was provided by Olives from Spain via MomTrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Olives from Spain or Momtrends.
To keep your saturated fat intake within the recommended guidelines, it's best to limit your intake to 2–3 ounces (56–84 grams) — about 16–24 small- to medium-sized olives — per day. Though olives may aid weight loss, they're high in salt and fat — and eating too many of them may offset your weight loss success.
What Are Castelvetrano Olives? The Castelvetrano olive, also known as Nocellara del Belice, is an olive varietal from the Valle del Belice region of Sicily. Famous for their mild, buttery flavor, crisp bite and meaty texture, Castelvetrano olives are popular with both hardcore olive lovers and olive-eating newbies.
Tapenade can be made with black or green olives, each having the distinct flavour of its key ingredient. Alternative ingredients include savoury cousins- sun-dried tomato, artichoke, roasted aubergine, feta, etc.
Compared to butter and margarine, olive oil spreads contain less saturated fat and more monounsaturated fat, which is known to help lower cholesterol levels and improve heart health. In addition, they are a rich source of antioxidants, which can protect against inflammation and oxidative damage.
But the predominant fatty acid in olive oil is a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid, making up 73% of the total oil content. Studies suggest that oleic acid reduces inflammation and may even have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ).
One can eat olives at any time of the day. However, they are rich in healthy fats. Therefore one can eat them before bedtime if one wishes to have a healthy nighttime snack. In addition, they balance blood sugar, help you feel fuller, and aid in a good night's sleep.
Kalamata olives are rich in MUFAs — namely oleic acid — which are linked to a lower risk of heart disease ( 17 ). Research suggests that oleic acid may reduce inflammation associated with obesity.
Thus, the percentage of fat in black olives is 29.8 while that of green olives is 16.7. Therefore, the caloric value of the green ones (167 Kcal per 100 grams) is much lower than that of the black ones (299 kcal). Therefore, either of the two is healthy and we can choose between them according to taste.
Olives provide many health benefits, but they are still relatively high in fat. Canned olives are often packed in brine, which makes them high in sodium (salt). Just one green olive contains 62.4 milligrams of sodium, so salt content can add up quickly.
Castelvetrano are some of the best snacking olives, and if your local grocery store doesn't have an olive bar, then a jar of Jeff's Garden castelvetrano olives is the way to go. They are firm and crunchy, buttery and nutty. Aside from being great party snacks, they're also the best olives for cooking.
However, it is Albania and Syria that lead the way in global table olive consumption per capita, with the two Mediterranean nations consuming 10.8 and 10.1 kilograms per person each year, respectively.
These Antipasti Olives offer a mouth-watering combination of tastes and textures, with juicy black and green pitted olives, savoury pickled garlic cloves, sweet peppers, crunchy cornichons, tangy caperberries and luscious sundried tomatoes.
Tapenade (French pronunciation: [tapəˈnad]; Occitan: tapenada [tapeˈnadɔ]) is a Provençal name for a spread, condiment and culinary ingredient consisting of puréed or finely chopped olives, capers, and sometimes anchovies.
Arguably there is no substitute for good olives in a Greek salad, but some things you can try that would taste great in a Greek salad are capers, pickled peppers (pepperoncini specifically), or marinated mushrooms.
Unlike Margarine, Olivio spreads contain less than 80% vegetable oils, which makes our products a healthier choice. Olivio uses a blend of oils including canola, palm, and olive oil. We formulate all of our products with this specific blend to ensure the absolute best flavor and texture.
Enjoy the natural goodness of Mediterranean Olive Oil, Bertolli Light contains 77% less saturated fat than butter. Replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat in the diet contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol level (monounsaturated fatty acids are unsaturated fats).
Introduction: My name is Saturnina Altenwerth DVM, I am a witty, perfect, combative, beautiful, determined, fancy, determined person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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