It is hard to think of an ingredient more used in our kitchen than olive oil. Being a big fan of green salads every day, olive oil is always the first ingredient on the list. Of course you have lots of different brands today. One thing you should pay attention to when getting your oil is the bottle/package, as olive oil can oxidise when exposed to light. Don’t forget to treat this oil with lots of care as it’s mono-unsaturated fat. This means it is less stable than other saturated fats (eg coconut oil). So cook it at low temperature or, even better, add it to salads, dressing or to other already cooked foods. When taken raw, olive oil has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties you don’t want to miss. It is earthy, complex and a good partner for countless foods. That’s why I want to offer 2 of you the opportunity to try 2 of the best olive oils I have ever used in my kitchen. I don’t exaggerate at all: the first one is a Slow Food award winner of 2020 and the 2^nd one received more than 80 awards in 8 different countries. Please meet Agrestis Bell’Omio olive oil (a spicy oil with a grassy aroma, carefully cultivated and harvested by hand in the mountains of Sicily amidst thyme, oregano, and rosemary) and Venta del Baron olive oil – a luminous oil with intense fruity aromas of green herbs, peppermint, almond, banana, and apple from Priego de Córdoba. The giveaway is running on my Instagram page @NaturelleByNatalia.

I couldn’t think of a better way to use these oils than on my favorite black lentils and sage hummus, decorated with some colourful roasted pumpkins. I know I have already some hummus recipes here and on my instagram page, but this is one of my favorite. It’s something new, an interesting taste and flavor, you can easily impress your guests with such an interesting combination. Sage brings not only an earthy flavor here but also lots of other healthy nutrients (mostly vitamin K which controls the binding the calcium in bones), just another reason to try some other combinations than your so loved classic hummus.

• 1/2 cup dried black lentils
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup hazelnut butter
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 4-6 sage leaves
• 2 Tspoons olive oil

Instructions:

Boil the lentils in the water until soft, approximately 30 – 40 minutes, drain and save the liquid. In a food processor combine all the ingredients. Blend until smooth. If the hummus is too thick, add the reserved cooking liquid in small quantities until desired consistency is achieved.Add lemon juice to taste. Decorate it with some slices of roasted pumpkins for a colorful presentation and enjoy it during these colds days.