I rarely cook with oil, but when I do, I use olive oil for low-temperature cooki…
I rarely cook with oil, but when I do, I use olive oil for low-temperature cooking and ? oil for higher temperature cooking because it is more stable. ?Palm and palm kernel oil {sustainable sources preferably} are good alternatives for high-temperature cooking if you use them. Clarified butter (ghee) is another good choice if your diet is not plant-exclusive.
~
If you cook with oils regularly, it is best to avoid oils from corn ?, sunflower?, and safflower because they produce high levels of toxic compounds {e.g. aldehydes} that are associated with several chronic diseases. ⚠You should never cook with flaxseed, walnut or chia seed oils because they have low smoke points, and therefore oxidise and release harmful molecules when heated. ??It is best to incorporate them into salad ? dressings or drizzle them over your food. ~
Lunch today was this cannellini bean stew with pan-fried asparagus, broccoli and chestnut mushrooms. The recipe for the stew is straightforward and serves two.
?240g cooked cannellini beans
?2 tablespoons tomato paste
?1 large shallot, finely chopped
?2 small garlic cloves, finely minced or crushed
?1 teaspoon dried thyme ? 200ml vegetable broth
?½ teaspoon chilli powder ?1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
~
✨Heat a little splash of water or olive oil in a medium saucepan then fry shallots until translucent. ✨Add the garlic, fry for around half a minute then add tomato paste and thyme. Fry for 5 minutes, adding small splashes of water if the pan gets too dry. ✨ Add the beans, vegetable broth and chilli powder. Bring to the boil then turn the heat down and cook on a simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper, if needed. ✨Take the pan off the heat, spoon the beans into a plate and serve with the pan-fried vegetables. Garnish with fresh parsley and some chilli flakes if you want a spice ? kick.
