Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cooking With Fat

July 14, 2021

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Butter, Avocado Oil, Sesame Oil, and Walnut Oil are the fats that you should be cooking with. Try to avoid Canola, Soybean, Corn, Peanut, Sunflower, Safflower, Cottonseed, and Grapeseed Oil as they go through intense processing.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The benefits of this mainly monounsaturated, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial, protects against heart disease and raises HDL cholesterol. It has a medium smoke point (the heat at which an oil starts to degrade), so it’s fine for sautéing, but not for cooking at very high temperatures. It excels in sauces and salad dressings.

Coconut Oil
While coconut oil is saturated, it’s a type that operates differently in your body than animal based saturated fats. It also may have special benefits. It boosts fat burning and contains medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), which go straight to the liver to be used as a quick source of energy or turned into ketones.

Butter
Now that margarine has been banished to the neverland of trans fats, butter has made a slow and steady comeback. Butter can create magic in cooking and is completely keto friendly. But it has a low smoke point, so if you want to cook at higher heats, use ghee (clarified butter) instead. You can purchase ghee or make your own.

Avocado Oil
Whole avocados are keto gold and the oil pressed from the fruit is equally healthful. It’s also incredibly versatile, with just about the highest smoke point of any oil (520 degrees) meaning that you can cook at very high heat without having it break down or burn.

Sesame Oil
Sesame seeds have been pressed to extract their oils for thousands of years. They bring a distinctive flavor, particularly savory in Asian inspired dishes, along with hefty omega-3 values and compounds called phytosterols that reduce cholesterol uptake in the body.

Walnut Oil
Walnuts are stars of a keto diet, and so is the oil they provide, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids as well as vitamins like manganese, niacin, potassium, and zinc. It doesn’t cook well at high heat. Its rich, nutty flavor is better served as a star ingredient in sauces, salad dressings or toppings for grilled meats.

“Work With What You Got!”

©Tiny New York Kitchen © 2021 All Rights Reserved

Pasta Salad Ideas

June 25, 2013

VegetablesPasta Salad Ideas

Here are some super easy, but versatile Pasta Salad Ideas from Tiny New York Kitchen.  All you need to do is add 3 cups of cooked & chilled pasta (of your choice) and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to one of these inspiring combinations.  Try them all throughout the summer for a whole treasure trove of side salads.  If you want to make any of these a main dish then add 1 pound of protein such as grilled chicken breasts, grilled flank steak, grilled shrimp, grilled tuna (or canned tuna) or tofu.  All recipes below serve 4.

For the Pasta: Cook 3 Cups of Pasta, Toss With 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Then Chill Until Ready To Use.  Add the Pasta to One of the Salad Combinations Below.

Nutty Beans & Greens

1 Cup Trimmed & Steamed Haricot Verts

1 Cup Baby Arugula

3 Tablespoons Toasted & Chopped Walnuts

1 Ounce Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese

 

Snow Peas & Carrots

1/2 Cup Grated Carrot

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

1/2 Cup Thinly Sliced Snow Peas

1/2 Cup Shredded Red Cabbage

1/4 Cup Dry Roasted Peanuts

 

Cheesy Chickpea & Pesto

1/2 Cup Cooked Chickpeas

1 1/2 Ounces Crumbled Feta Cheese

1 Cup Halved Grape Tomatoes

1 Tablespoon Prepared Pesto

 

Mediterranean Medley

1/3 Cup Chopped Fresh Basil

1/2 Cup Thinly Sliced Cucumber

1 Cup Halved Cherry Tomatoes

1 1/2 Ounces Crumbled Feta Cheese

1 1/2 Ounces Sliced Kalamata Olives

 

Peppery & Nutty

1 Cup Arugula

2/3 Cup Thinly Sliced Radishes

3 Tablespoons Toasted & Chopped Walnuts

2 Ounces Crumbled Goat Cheese

 

Melon, Mint & Parm

1/2 Cup Fresh Cubed Cantaloupe

2 Tablespoons Fresh Mint Leaves

2 Ounces Thinly Sliced Prosciutto

1 1/2 Ounces Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese

Freshly Ground Pepper

 

Cherry Almond Crunch

3/4 Cup Pitted Halved Fresh Cherries

1/4 Cup Toasted & Thinly Sliced Almonds

2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Basil

1 1/2 Ounces Crumbled Goat Cheese

 

Picnic Superstar

1/3 Cup Sliced Avocado

1/4 Cup Red Bell Pepper Strips

1/4 Cup Fresh Corn Kernels

2 Cooked Crumbled Center Cut Bacon Slices

2 Ounces Quartered Fresh Baby Mozzarella Balls

 

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