Name: Green Olive Tapenade (oil-free, vegan)
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 3 cups green olives; 1 tsp rinsed capers; 2 cloves garlic; 1 cup chopped parsley; 2 tbsp lemon juice; Blendtec with Small Twister Jar

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A delicious green olive tapenade recipe that is oil free, only five ingredients, vegan and dairy free and made in five minutes! A healthy traditional green olive spread that is light in taste and supports low cholesterol.

Vegan Green Olive Tapenade

I love olive tapenade. ALL olive tapenades. But since they are almost always made from black olives, I decided to buck the trend and make them from green.

Green olives tend to be saltier, so I reduced the normal amount of capers that typically found in tapenades. I also did not use oil to make my olive spread lighter in taste, after-taste and calories. Here, I served it on a whole wheat roll with tomatoes, mushrooms, kale, micro greens and it was perfect!

How Olives Support Low Cholesterol

Both black and green olives are superb at stopping cholesterol from forming. That's because they actually have compounds that blocks its oxidation.Those compounds include Oleic acid and vitamin E.

Both work in tandem to bring down the LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. This the bad cholesterol that your arteries do not want.

However, high salt intake is not great for your heart so olives, which are quite salty, should be eaten in moderation. But as a sandwich spread, as a tapenade, is the perfect way to eat olives in moderation.

What is Green Olive Tapenade?

It is a paste of olives, traditionally capers, anchovies and olive oil. My version does not have anchovies because my recipe is plant-based and anchovies are a fish. And it doesn't have extra olive oil because I decided to just depend on the olives for the oil and it worked wonderfully.

Where Does Olive Tapenade Come From?

I love to investigate the history of traditional recipes, especially Mediterranean foods since my father's side of the family is from that part of the world.

Olive tapenade is a Mediterranean recipe that originated in France nearly 100 years ago. The word comes from the French language. It is a paste or spread, and oddly is often confused with pesto.

The Difference between Olive Tapenade and Pesto

Is tapenade the same as pesto? No, but there are loads of similarities.

Pesto is a paste that is made by crushing (see the word pestle in there?) things like leaves and nuts and garlic. And the result is a sauce, often an uncooked sauce for pasta and other dishes. And generally pesto does not involve olives, more leafy greens.

Tapenades are spreads. They seem similar to pesto, however tapenade ingredients are more often based on olives. The overlap with pesto is that they both often contain garlic and herbs. Tapenades are also uncooked and served on breads and crackers and in sandwiches.

The Difference between Olive Tapenade and Bruschetta

Oddly olive tapenade is also sometimes confused with bruschetta. Bruschetta is a bread that is topped with things like olives or pastes like tapenade. So now you know the difference? Haha, you probably already knew the difference

What Does Green Olive Tapenade Taste Like?

A dream. Light and not oily. Olive-y. Like a stroll through Tuscany. Haha. I've never been there, only read about it.

How to Make Green Olive Tapenade

My green olive tapenade is very easy to make. I made mine in five minutes flat.

Just add the drained olives and capers to the blender jar (or food processor).

Chop the parsley and garlic and add those. Add the lemon juice. Blitz and store in refrigerator. That is if you don't eat it all in one sitting. I have only done that ~~seven times~~ once.

What Should I Put Tapenade On?

Oh, let me count the ways..

- bread
- crackers
- celery
- roasted veggies
- a spoon
- pasta (move over pesto!)

How Healthy is This Olive Tapenade Recipe?

My green olive tapenade has only five ingredients: olives (obvs!), capers, parsley, garlic and lemon juice. So let's talk about the nutritional contributions of each ingredient to this recipe.

Green olives are fruits from a tree, in case you didn't know. They are high in vitamin E and super high in antioxidants. Some studies push them higher for heart and disease protection. The healthy fats in olives come from, duh!, olive oil which has long been considered incredibly healthy, and is a vital part of the popular Mediterranean diet. Read more about the nutrition of olives here.

Obviously olives, thus tapenade, are fairly high in sodium, so take care regarding your situation and needs to balance sodium.

Another superfood ingredient in this recipe is garlic, a veggie so lauded for its therapeutic effects, and high in vital vitamins and minerals.

Parsley is nutritious and considered a strong detoxer. Lemon juice has vitamin C. Even the capers are good for you, with a strong ability to fight disease, according to ScienceDaily.

Let me know if you try my easy olive tapenade recipe.

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