Green gold

The olive is a healthy food that offers a lot of virtues and nutritious values. Plus, it's not very calorific, with about 150Kcal/100g, and it can go with appetizers as well as cooked dishes.

Its virtues
With its 500 varieties, the olive is an interesting fruit that contains a good amount of antioxidants that support the immune system.
It contains 75% monounsaturated fat, which means that on one hand it's worthy of being an important cardiovascular ally which keeps coronary diseases away, and on the other hand, it lowers cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) in the blood and decreases the triglyceride levels. Rich in minerals and vitamins, this small fruit mainly has a high content of iron, copper, vitamin E, and also vitamin K, necessary for the manufacture of proteins.
The oil in it greases the large intestine making it a powerful natural anti-constipation remedy.

Olive tapenade
For 4 people. Easy. Preparation: 10 minutes.
- Ingredients: 300g of pitted black olives. 4 spoons of capers with vinaigrette. 1 clove of garlic, a pinch of thyme, 2 spoons of olive oil.
- Preparation: Slice the garlic clove. Pit the olives and cut into strips. Drain the capers. Put it in the mixer, then add the olive oil and mix well.
- Tip: You can add 6 drained anchovy fillets to the mixer with the rest of the mixture.

Chicken with mushrooms and olives
For 4 people. Preparation: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 25 to 30 minutes.
- Ingredients: 1 medium-sized whole chicken. 1 can of tomato coulis. 2 small ripe tomatoes. 250g of fresh mushrooms. 1 red pepper. 100g of black olives. 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. 1 clove of garlic. 1 white onion. 1 pinch of salt and Espelette pepper. 3 large spoons of vegetable oil. A few leaves of fresh basil.
- Preparation: Pit the olives. Rinse the mushrooms and cut into medium sized strips. In a casserole, pour the oil and heat, add the chopped onion into small pieces until they gain some color, then add the chicken pieces and cook until browned. Add the tomatoes cut into small pieces, dilute the sugar in the tomato sauce and add them to the mixture in the casserole. Cut the pepper into small pieces. Add the olives then the mushrooms and pour a quarter glass of water. Season with salt, pepper and sprinkle with Espelette pepper, cover and simmer over medium heat. Once served, decorate with the basil leaves.
- Tip: You can add 3 spoons of red wine.

Caponata with eggplants and olives
For 4 people. Easy. Preparation: 30 minutes. Cooking time: 15 minutes.
Ingredients: 4 eggplants, 4 zucchini, 2 red peppers, 4 ripe tomatoes, 2 medium white onions, 2 cloves of garlic, 5 tablespoons of olive oil. 100g of olives. A pinch of salt, pepper, thyme and laurel.
- Preparation: Wash the vegetables and dry them thoroughly. Pit the olives. Remove pepper seeds and cut into thick pieces. Do the same for tomatoes. Cut eggplant and zucchini into thick cubes. Slice the onions and finely chop the garlic. Heat the oil in the frying pan, then remove all the ingredients, lower the heat and season with the spices and salt, cover for 15 minutes or more, so that the vegetables are still a bit crunchy.
- Tip: You can decorate the dish with peppers of all colors, they bring color and more subtlety in taste thanks to their different aromas.

Steamed vegetables with olives
For 4 people. Easy. Preparation: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 20 to 30 minutes.
- Ingredients: 2 eggplants. 2 courgettes. 2 red peppers. 2 medium potatoes. 1 onion. 2 cloves of garlic. 60g of cashew nuts. 4 spoons of olive oil. 100g of olives. 1 pinch of salt and white pepper.
- Preparation: Pit the olives. Brown the cashew nuts in a frying pan until the color is set and set aside. Peel the potatoes and steam them for 10 to 12 minutes. Cut the onion into thin slices, eggplant, zucchini and peppers into medium sized cubes and place in the steamer for 7 to 8 minutes. Place in a dish, season with salt, pepper and olive oil and garnish with cashew nuts and olives.
- Tip: You can add fresh and minced coriander leaves.