Flavor Your Life with EVOO

We all know how important oils are in cooking. A few years ago, I started using olive oil in much of my cooking from the non-stick spray I use on my pans, to replacing vegetable or canola oil in certain recipes. However, it wasn't until I became involved in the Flavor Your Life campaign, that I learned about the quality required of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO).
(Disclosure: I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.”)

As part of this campaign I was asked to cook something with EVOO. I've used olive oil a lot in my stove-top recipes, so I decided to try EVOO in a baked product...specifically Honey Lemon Olive Oil Muffins. I found the recipe at Pinch My Salt. Having never used olive oil in my baked goods before, I was worried that the olive oil would have too strong of a flavor, but my husband and I both agreed that these muffins were phenomenal! They were moist, and the flavor was perfect.

So, what's the difference between olive oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

• EVOO is made by pressing olives without chemicals or heat which provides the freshest oil available.
• EVOO has a very low acidity which assures it's high quality.
• Experts test EVOO for fruitiness, bitterness, and spiciness. If it doesn't pass each of these, it cannot have the EVOO rating.

The Flavor Your Life campaign is on a mission to help US consumers learn more about olive oil, and specifically Extra Virgin Olive Oil so that we can be more informed when purchasing olive oil. 

Here are a few other things to keep in mind if you are considering olive oil:

• Olive oil has a high smoke point (400 degrees) so it can be used for sauteing and frying. 
• It can be used in baking. 
• Store your oil someplace dark and cool. Olive oil needs to be used within 18 months of purchasing, and within 6 months of opening.
• Olive oils vary based on where it's from: Greek olive oil is green and strong, French is pale and mild, Spanish is golden and nutty, and Italian is dark green with an herbal aroma.

 I was able to try Zucchi Extra Virgin Olive Oil for this campaign. Zucchi is 200 years old, and has been owned/managed by the Zucchi family. To learn more, visit their website.