Olive Oil Desserts - Delicious and Healthy Heart Smart Baking

"There is no love sincerer than the love of food." 

-George Bernard Shaw (quoted on page 120 of Olive Oil Desserts)

Good food is an obsession of mine. What makes eating good food even more enjoyable is when I get to eat food that is healthier AND tastes good. This is why I'm loving Micki Sannar's new cookbook, Olive Oil Desserts.  Oh to eat my dessert and not feel overly guilty! Olive oil has a great reputation in the food world. Research has shown that olive oil intake may provide some of the following benefits: reducing blood pressure, lowering LDL and raising HDL or "good" cholesterol, reducing inflammatory activity for patients with  Rheumatoid Arthritis and protecting against certain cancers. (References to these health benefits are listed in Olive Oil Desserts pages 18-19.) 

The inside cover of the book has the following words: 
"...With a traditional taste and texture you have loved your whole life, now you can enjoy cookies, cakes, pies, crisps, sweet-breads, and muffins without giving up anything except additional calories and unhealthy trans fat."
I decided to put this statement to the test by trying a classic brownie recipe. The verdict: fudge heaven! The brownies were dense and still moist days after baking.

The second recipe I tried was twisted cinnamon rolls or "Cinnamon Twists". Actually, I was eyeing this recipe for a few days and one morning my husband beat me to the kitchen by surprising me and making the twists for my birthday breakfast. My husband woke early not just to make a nice breakfast but to bake a yeast bread? What a good man! My family loved eating these moist breakfast treats. One thing I especially like about these olive oil desserts is that many are dairy free. Micki includes a substitution chart in the back of her cookbook with olive oil substitution amounts for butter, margarine or shortening so that you can make substitutions in your own family favorite recipes.

I loved the two recipes I tried and I can't wait to get back in the kitchen and make even more. I found myself flipping through this book yesterday making up reasons to bake and deliver treats to friends just so I could try a new recipe. 

BUY: This book is an excellent resource for dessert recipes made with heart healthy olive oil.  You can purchase your own copy at Amazon or QVC.

WIN: Micki has offered to give away one copy of her fabulous new cookbook to a Moana Saves reader. To enter tell me if you've ever baked with olive oil. 

To earn an additional entry, do one (or all) of the following and leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

1. Become a Networked Blogs follower of Moana Saves (in the sidebar).
2. Become a Google Friends Connect follower of Moana Saves (in the sidebar).
3. Like Moana Saves on Facebook.
4. Follow Moana Saves on Twitter.
5. Like the Olive Oil Desserts Facebook site.

6. Follow Olive Oil Desserts on Twitter.

7. Tweet about this giveaway with the following (once a day max): #Win Olive Oil Desserts by @oliveoilchic from @moanasaves ends 4/23 http://bit.ly/f5CLdt
 
Only one person per email/household/IPaddress can enter this giveaway.  He/she must be 18+ years old and reside in the U.S.  This giveaway ends Saturday 4/23 HST (Hawaii Standard Time).  One winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org.  I will notify the winners via email and they must respond to claim the prize within 48 hours or I will draw another winner.

I was not compensated for this post although I did receive a product sample to facilitate my review.  Any and all opinions here are my own.