Stinky, healthy, full of good things GARLIC!

People may shy away from garlic because of it's odiferous effect on breath or seeping through our pores. But my best advice is DON'T! Garlic is a great protector! It has long been considered a herbal "wonder drug", with a reputation in folklore for preventing everything from the common cold and flu to the Plague! It has been used extensively in herbal medicine (phytotherapy). Raw garlic is used by some to treat the symptoms of acne and there is some evidence that it can assist in managing high cholesterol levels. It can even be effective as a natural mosquito repellent.  Read more after the jump!





Garlic is full of  sulfur compounds (such as allicin), vitamin C, B6, selenium, magnesium, potassium, calcium and manganese and flavonoids. These components make garlic anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. It is also a powerful antioxidant and immune booster with anti-inflammatory properties (by inhibiting the activity of inflammatory enzymes). Along with vitamin C this can make garlic a protection against the pain associated with arthritis and asthma attacks. Scientific studies reveal benefits for diabetes, cancer and heart disease. It's heart health traits include lowering bad cholesterol and blood pressure, aiding circulation and preventing against stroke.

The sulphur compound allicin provides not only many of the notable benefits of garlic, but also its notorious odor. Allicin is formed during the chemistry of chopping, crushing and chewing garlic, the more thorough the milling, the more allicin is created. Allicin has antibiotic, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties, and is the reason why garlic has been used for skin infections such as Athletes’s foot, herpes and warts, digestive and lung infections such as diarrhea, coughs and colds, and Candida yeast and other microbes. Allicin begins to degrade once produced and on cooking, so eating garlic raw and soon after chopping ensures the assimilation of optimum levels. Garlic also contains diallyl sulphides, which, whilst not anti-fungal like allicin, are good for the blood and circulation, lowering bad cholesterol andboosting the immune system.

Recipes with garlic:
I love simply roasting garlic until it has the consistency of butter, then spreading it on french bread.

Roasted Garlic

1 head of garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 sprig thyme or rosemary, optional

Preheat oven to 350°F. Peel the outermost layers of papery skin from head. With a very sharp knife, cut top 1/4-inch off heads of garlic to expose cloves. Place garlic in a 10" or more square of foil. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add herbs, if using. Seal foil around head leaving space all around (as if garlic is floating in a bubble of foil.)

Bake until papery skins are golden brown and cloves are tender, between 50 minutes and 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool at least 10 minutes before using.

If using in a recipe, squeeze from skins. If serving as an hors d'oeuvre, present with a small knife for scooping out softened garlic.

CRUSTY GARLIC HERB BREAD

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan 
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
• 1 loaf sourdough country white bread

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Oil the inside of the bowl of a mini food processor. Add the softened butter, garlic, cheese and herbs. Pulse until well combined.

Slice the bread into 1-inch thick slices. You will need 12 to 16 slices.

Spread the butter mixture onto 1 side of each bread slice. Arrange slices, butter side up and bake in the oven until lightly toasted, about 5 to 8 minutes.

*A few times a week I will chop a single garlic clove into 8ths and swallow it with water raw*