The humble olive. It is very much like marmite, you either like it or you don’t! What I have learnt since becoming a mum is just how much we can trick tastebuds into thinking something tastes different. I am sure all the mums out there have a tonne of experience in hiding all sorts of weird and wonderful veggies in pasta sauce. If only they knew!
Well it turns out tapenade has the same effect in our house. Our daughter really doesn’t like olives, yet she will devour a pot of tapenade. Amazing what a little flavouring with tomato and garlic can achieve!
So why is this humble fruit so amazing and why should you be eating it regularly? Well for starters it is in stock in the supermarket right now, so get some! 🙂 Secondly, I always think of olives as ancient fruit, baring lots of nutritional wisdom for our bodies.
These fruit offer a range of beneficial nutrient such as:
- Vitamin E
- Iron
- Copper
- Polyphenols and flavonoids
- Fibre
- Monounsaturated fats
These nutrients can assist the body in providing:
- Antioxidant support
- Anti-inflammatory support
- Antiviral support
- Hormonal support
- Immune support
- Increase good cholesterol
When I created this recipe, I wanted to create something that was not only delicious, but also immune boosting. Since lockdown started, I feel like food has been a constant topic in our home. Difficult when the fridge and cupboards are a little bare and we can’t access our usual foods. Our children seem to be constantly hungry and always opening the fridge door!
Having said that, I think our son has grown over an inch in 3 weeks! On the one hand I love that I can provide healthy meals for the family, whilst on the other, I constantly have my finger on the pulse with thoughts on the next meal. Does anyone else feel the same??
Tapenade and hummus are both lifesavers for me as they can be added to lunches or snacks. Since it can keep in the fridge, I usually double this recipe just to save time on needing to prepare it again. What I love about this recipe is that the raw garlic and thyme, combined with the olive make it a powerful immune boosting cocktail. Something all of us can benefit from at present.
This recipe is really easy and literally takes 3 minutes to make. I have posted a little video on my recipe story on https://www.instagram.com/thewellnessjunction/.
TWJ Tapenade Recipe
Notes
You can enjoy this with Nairn's oatcakes or crackers. It also taste amazing with raw veggie sticks or on some sourdough bread.
Ingredients
- 1 jar olives (black or green)
- 7-8 capers
- 1-2 cloves garlic (2 is quite strong)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 large sun-dried tomatoes
- Sprig of fresh thyme
Instructions
- Mix everything in the food processor until smooth. It doesn't have to be completely smooth. I actually like a few chunks, but for children, smooth works better.
I would love to hear your thoughts, so please share your feedback with me. If any of you would like my delicious hummus recipe, then please leave me a comment as I will be happy to share this with you.
Wishing you all a beautiful Thursday.
