Ode to Olives: Healthy and Tasty Delights!

Many people assume that olives are guilty pleasures. Well, they ARE mighty tasty – and what’s more: they’re good for you! Olives contain healthy fats, which benefit your health from the outside (gorgeous skin) to the inside (they help your heart and provide you with monounsaturated fats).

Most of us are familiar with the two basic supermarket varieties of olives: the green olives stuffed with bright red pimentos and the black olives. Those are fine – but hey, why not experiment and discover some fabulous new flavors!

My favorite variety of olive is the Greek olive named Kalamata, which come from the Kalamata region of Greece. Gaea brand Kalamata olives are particularly delicious, oozing with flavor. They are fabulous in a salad topped with feta cheese chunks.
For a buffet, try offering a variety of olives intermingled with cheese on crackers or tiny toast slices. Another must-be-tasted specialization of Gaea: the colossal size green olives stuffed with whole garlic cloves. The company also makes green olives stuffed with almonds, green olives stuffed with pimento, and green olives stuffed with lemon and orange peel.

For those who want to offer a dish popular with children and adults, try making basic pasta with cheese sauce. On the side, offer a platter of the different types of olives, sliced fresh tomatoes, and thinly sliced turkey rolled around string cheese. That way, those who want a heartier, more flavorful dish can add those enhancements, while the children in the crowd can have their familiar “mac’n'cheese.”

Visit http://www.gaea.gr/3/showproducts2.html to learn more.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/454873761/

June 18th, 2009 by Joanne Eglash | Posted in Low Cholesterol, Lowfat Foods, Snacks | (0)