Polyphenol Packed Holiday Foods To Make In Advance With Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, and of course, food. Adding some extra virgin olive oil to your recipes gives them a healthy boost as well as exceptional flavour. But what if you could take some of the guesswork out of cooking by preparing some of your Thanksgiving dishes in advance? It’s definitely possible with these recipes that use olive oil. These recipes – and plenty more at Morocco Gold’s recipe page are all easy to make and taste great. So why not give them a try? You’ll be glad you did!
This Hummus Dip from The Minimalist Baker is a great little asset to have stored away in your fridge for 5 – 7 days – ready to light up any Thanksgiving or Holiday table with its seasonal joys.
White Bean Pumpkin Hummus With Olive Oil
Dip
- 1 15-ounce can white beans
- 2/3 cup pureed (unsweetened) pumpkin
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp tahini
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 pinch cinnamon
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
Sage & Garlic
- 1-2 Tbsp Morocco Gold extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
- Pita Chips
- Fresh Parsley
- Fluffy Pita Bread
- Fresh vegetables
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Rinse and drain white beans in a fine mesh strainer. Then add to a food processor or blender along with pumpkin, lemon juice, tahini, sea salt, cumin, smoked paprika, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cayenne (optional). Purée until creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed.
- Heat oil in a small skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and sage and sauté for a few minutes to brown slightly (this allows the flavor to deepen). Then add both to food processor and pulse to incorporate (you can reserve some for garnish if desired).
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt for saltiness, lemon for acidity, cinnamon for warmth, cumin or paprika for smokiness, tahini for nuttiness, olive oil (or water) for creaminess, or cayenne for heat.
- Serve immediately with pita chips and vegetables of choice (see notes for pita chips). Alternatively, refrigerate until chilled – about 3-4 hours – for a thicker, creamier dip. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 5-7 days.
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes With Olive Oil And Garlic
Ingredients
- 4 lbs yellow or yukon gold potatoes
- 8 cloves of garlic
- 1 TBS Salt + 1 tsp salt dividied (you can use seasoning salt for the extra tsp)
- 2/3 cup light sour cream
- 6 tbs Morocco Gold extra virgin olive oil + 1 tsp for reheating
Instructions
- Wash, peel and quarter your potatoes - see notes for tips.
- Add potatoes to your stock pot and cover with water.
- Add garlic and 1 TBS salt to your pot of potatoes and water.
- Cook potatoes for 35 minutes, until fork tender.
- Strain your mashed potatoes and them return them to the pot on the burner you were cooking on (to keep them warm for easy mashing).
- Remove your garlic at this point (you can keep 1-2 cloves but you don't want to mash them all in it will be too overwhelming).
- Mash your potatoes using a potato masher (I find using a blender makes them gummy).
- Add in remaining ingredients 1 tsp salt (or seasoning salt), sour cream and olive oil and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until throughly combined.
- Transfer to serving dish or casserole for reheating.
- Let your potatoes cool completely before covering and putting them in the refrigerator.
- Once cooled cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- KEY!! Take potatoes out a few hours (up to 4) before you are serving to come to room temperature. This cuts down on the reheat time which prevents them from drying out.
- Preheat your oven to 350 and mix your potatoes with 1 tsp of olive oil. Bake your potatoes for 30-35 minutes - stiring halfway through baking time.
- Transfer to serving dish or serve in casserole dish. Optional: Drizzle with evoo or truffle oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt for serving.
