Take the RapeseedOilBenefits.com challenge: non-testers add your feedback - you could win a £150 voucher NOW CLOSED

[KatieBMumsnet]

Did you know rapeseed oil, sometimes labelled vegetable oil, is one of the healthiest and most versatile cooking oils you can buy? That's the message from RapeseedOilBenefits.com, a not-for-profit campaign that aims to inspire people to use this cooking oil.

Take part in the RapeseedOilBenefits.com challenge and add your feedback here by to be entered into the prize draw:

~ Official testers (those selected by MNHQ) can win a £250 supermarket voucher of their choice
~ Non-official testers' who add a comment can win a £150 supermarket voucher of their choice

The challenge is to buy two bottles of rapeseed oil - one labelled 'vegetable oil' and the other labelled 'cold pressed' - and then to use these in place of your normal cooking oils for two weeks and tell us what you think. (If you already use rapeseed oil, feel free to take part in this challenge too.)

If you have any questions about rapeseed oil, go to RapeseedOilBenefits.com to ask the nutritionist and check out their guide to rapeseed oil FAQs.

Do try their easy and tasty recipes while you're there.

Please add your feedback here on the following:

~ Let us know what you think of rapeseed oil and if you knew about the benefits already or not

~ Have you tried out any RapeseedOilBenefits.com recipes? How did you and your family find them?

~ Please add any other comments, recipes, tips or ideas you have too - we'd love to hear from you at various stages of the challenge

Thanks

MNHQ

Please note comments made on this thread may be reproduced by Rapeseed Oil Benefits (AHDB)
Closing date: 19 August 2013, winners will be selected at random from all posting a comment: either a tester or non tester - prizes as above.

Sorry..too clarify, the bacon sandwiches were one pan with cheaper rapeseed and one with sunflower oil.

Well the cheese and seed scones were a big hit! The oil also worked well in the chicken tikka recipe.

I did some oil and balsamic vinegar to dip bread in and I have to say it wasn't as nice as olive oil, so that will not be done again.

I am still shocked at the price of the cold-pressed oil. I think the price will probably mean I revert to olive oil after the challenge for most things as I can buy it cheaper at Costco. This is a shame because I have preferred the cold-pressed rapeseed oil in most things. Why is the price so high? I thought as a UK product it would be cheaper.

Have made mash today and used the cold pressed oil instead of the usual butter and cream I normally put in. Still just as creamy but with a subtle nutty flavour.
Will be having a tuna salad later drizzled with the cold pressed, if there's any left

Currently cooking some 'smashed' new potatoes in garlic and the cold pressed rapeseed oil as an accompaniment to pork chops and some veggies.....

Really getting 'smitten' by rapeseed oil and it being a British oil :-)

I made spag bol tonight and used a little of the cold pressed rapeseed oil to brown the mince instead of olive oil. Probably just a coincidence but DD usually moans about eating spag bol, and she said she liked it tonight and ate the lot!
:)

Sorry for infrequent updates. I've been manic on the work front. But, I have not used Olive Oil or sunflower oil at all for the past 9 days. I've only used the two bottles of Rapeseed oil. Swapping 'vegetable' oil for my standard 'sunflower' oil has not affected the taste of my food at all. We even used it for some blackberry and yoghurt cupcakes and they were eaten as quickly as ever. I can't report what the taste was like as they all went before i had chance to have one!

As to the coldpressed rapeseed oil. It does give some foods (less strong flavoured dishes) a lighter taste than olive oil does. I.e. sometimes a strong olive oil can overpower a dish. So, I will carry on using the Rapeseed oil. But, there will be times when I fancy the taste of olive oil.

We don't really use butter or marg in our house. We tend to dribble olive oil on our toast. We used the rapeseed oil instead. It was Ok, but I think I missed the olive oil taste here. DH didn't notice that I had changed oil. DD1 did!

This time made the seeded cheese scone tear'n'share. We were all really impressed with the result. In our opinion the scones were lighter and fluffier using the rapeseed oil than they would be made from butter. So far I'm really impressed with the rapeseed oil. Just an observation but the vegetable oil in tescos did not have rapeseed oil listed as the ingredient whereas the vegetable oil in the co-op did.

I only use rapeseed oil now, not only healthier but also it has a higher burning point so means I can do kids stir frys without filling the kitchen with smoke!! Really cheap to buy on amazon I buy 'just oils' in a big tin, btw their crisps are amazing, jalapeño are my fave.

Well so far we're very happy with the oil. I think I'm more impressed with the cold pressed one.

We did a bit of a blind taste test the other day. Dh made potato wedges and did half with the cold pressed rapeseed oil and half with our usual oil. I didn't really notice much difference. They tasted lovely.
Recipe
chop small potatoes into wedges
10 mins in microwave on full power
Tip onto baking tray, drizzle with oil and grind black pepper over it
Bake in oven until they're as crispy as you like

One of the other things I like about it is that the packaging is nice. It's similar to a bottle of olive oil. I do wonder though if I'll revert to olive oil through habit as the rapeseed oil doesn't really stand out much on the shelves (only a couple of different bottles compared with loads of olive oil)

I made some carrot cake and potato wedges with the standard oil. Cake tasted great, and the wedges were very crispy and not greasy.

I used cold pressed in a salad dressing, and was very impressed with the taste. I hadn't used rapeseed oil in that way before, and am converted from now on.

I like that the food miles are very low - I was able to buy an oil produced and processed within 7 miles of where I live.

I've used the vegetable oil in everyday cooking ie frying and dp used it to make chips yesterday.

the cold pressed has been used in baking, dressings and to marinade pork chops, lamb chops and chicken breasts.

we are very impressed with it and think I will be permanently switching, I especially like the cold pressed one as Im not a huge lover of olive oil.

we didn't know about the health benefits until this product test so it's good to know we are making a healthy change.

Thank you so much for giving me this trial!. I wasn't even aware of the difference in oils and it has really opened my eyes. I haven't tried any of the recipes in the booklet I received as yet but I have made real mayonnaise with the cold pressed (as recommended by a celebrity chef) and it was delish!.

Cold pressed is not good for making pancakes!
The cold pressed tastes a bit like corn imo.

Have run out
Need to get some more. Think I will try the one in ALDI

Sorry haven't had the chance to post for a few days - life got in the way!
Have been using the regular oil for all cooking and am very happy.
Used the cold pressed one in a chicken and pea risotto the other day and it was delicious - I actually much prefer it to EVOO as I always find the after taste too bitter, but rapeseed oil is much softer tasting.

Has anyone else noticed that rapeseed oil seems to be mentioned everywhere at the moment?
PiHigh I think that the more we buy rapeseed oil, the more choice there will be on the shelves. Olive oil has really taken over the last decade or so (thanks probably in a large part to the tv chefs who constantly use it)

I saw a programme t'other day with Raymond Blanc who was trialling the cold pressed rapeseed oil and he said it made better mayonaise (as it emulsified better) than olive oil. We need more awareness of this lovely local product.

I've just looked online at a local deli and they sell an oil produced a few miles away so think will pick some up at the weekend

We're away this week in the caravan so using the cold pressed oil for salad dressing and for dipping into with bread. We all love the flavour- slightly nutty but lighter and less greasy than our usual olive oil. It's also been delicious drizzled over pizza and risotto. Before we came away I made cheesy scones and potato wedges with the vegetable oil version and both were very tasty. The wedges were crispy but again not greasy.
I bought a crisp n dry vegetable oil labelled rapeseed oil which came in a huge bottle for only £2.75 at tesco and a Fussels cold pressed oil for £4. The Fussels is grown about 5 miles from our house so it's a really local product that taste- and price-wise beats our usual olive oil hands down.
I was aware of some of the benefits of rape seed oil but have tended to 'play safe' and purchase sunflower and olive oil. This challenge has completely converted our family! Looking forward to trying more of the recipes when we get home.
Thank you for the voucher we've enjoyed the challenge!

Used the vegetable oil version for roast potatoes yesterday, would usually use lard or goose fat. I will not be going back! They were perfect, crispy on the outside, fluffy in the middle. Plus the oil did not cause the smoke alarm to go off when I got it out of the oven to put the roasties in.

Used the same oil today for pancakes (made with leftover yorkshire batter, yum). Was fine. Did not smoke or smell, which I liked. Cooked pancakes quickly enough & with no taste.

Tonight's dinner consisted of garlic and rosemary focaccia style bread which included 4 tbsp cold pressed rapeseed oil and not only made the house smell really good it also tasted divine.
This was accompanied by the oak smoked ham and pepper frittata which used 1 tbsp of regular rapeseed oil. I have never attempted a fritatta but I am pleased to report that it came out beautifully and was enjoyed by the whole family.

violetwellies There is an organic version of rapeseed oil in tescos if you're interested. Slightly more expensive but worth it.

I just tried the Banana Chip Teabread which was very moist and looks like it will keep well. I have also tried in a savoury pastry instead of olive oil and it worked well without a strong flavour. I will try in a sweet pastry next. I have been using it in salad dressings and used a little to fry an egg instead of olive oil and it was quite light and not overpowering which was good.
Er.. Not sure if I should add this to the post but I did use it on my hair to tame frizzles as a conditioner and it left it lovely and soft!(Remember to wash it out though)

I'm definitely converted to the cold pressed oil instead of olive oil. It's been brilliant, and I've loved using it in scones etc instead of butter. It'll definitely be a staple in most of our meals.

The sunflower oil isn't something I've used that much - but then I don't use it regularly anyway (although a recent poster has just reminded me about pancakes. I'll make those especially for this thread, if I must ) I'll be converting to that too, although I'll be pricing up in Aldi.

I love this challenge. I have been using veg oil for a while, just never realised it was rapeseed oil. Plus didn't realise the benefits.

With veg oil have made yorkshire puddings and cheese scones, both a hit. With the cold pressed, I find it lighter and nicer than olive oil. I used it to make stir fry, rhythmically bread, fried eggs, pancakes and an omelette. I will definitely be switching.

I prefer rapeseed oil when cooking Indian or middle eastern food as olive oil tastes disgusting with spices imho. Used it today to cook falafel. Very mild, fresh and non-greasy flavour. I had no idea it had health benefits though.