Canola is an oilseed grown primarily in Western Canada. Each canola plant grows anywhere from 1 m (3 feet) to 2 m (6 feet) tall and produces yellow flowers that, in turn, produce seed pods. The seed pods are about one-fifth the size of pea pods and contain about twenty tiny round black or brownish-yellow seeds. Each canola seed is approximately 40 percent oil. The seeds are crushed to obtain Canola Oil for consumer consumption. The remainder is processed into canola meal which is used as a high protein livestock feed. The name of canola is a combination of two words, Canadian and oil.COOKING WITH CANOLA OILCanola Oil is a top-notch salad oil with its light color and texture. The mild flavor of Canola Oil complements the wonderful taste of fresh herbs and spices in a homemade vinaigrette. Homemade vinaigrettes made with Canola Oil are easily refrigerated, as Canola Oil remains free-running in the refrigerator.Canola Oil is also excellent for cooking and baking. Its high smoke-point makes it ideal for fonduing, stir frying and deep fat frying. Canola Oil also doesn’t transfer flavors from one food to another when more than one food is fried. Research indicates that Canola Oil drains more thoroughly than melted shortening, leaving foods 5 to 10 percent lower in calories than the same foods fried in melted shortening.Baking with Canola Oil can help reduce your saturated fatty acid-intake. Substituting Canola Oil for butter, lard or brick margarine replaces fats high in saturated fatty acids with an oil which has the lowest level of saturated fatty acids. Further, substituting oil for solid fats reduces the quantity of oil by 20 percent which in turn reduces total fat-intake! Substituting Canola Oil does modify the texture, usually making the baked product softer and more moist. Use the following chart to convert recipes which use solid fat.CANOLA! Oil Change!Solid Fat to Canola Oil Conversion Chart250 mL (1 cup) to 175 mL (3/4 cup)175 mL (3/4 cup) to 150 mL (2/3 cup)125 mL (1/2 cup) to 75 mL (1/3 cup)50 mL (1/4 cup) to 45 mL (3 tbsp.)To substitute Canola Oil for melted hard fat: reduce the amount of oil by 20 percent if the recipe calls for over 1/4 cup of solid fat.All oils eventually change flavor when exposed to light, heat and air. For maximum shelf-life (up to one year) store Canola Oil in a tightly covered container in a cool, dark place. Only flavored and unrefined oil need be refrigerated.Check out many great recipes from the Canola Info Test Kitchen!...
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