Garlic Love It or Leave It

National Garlic day falls on April 19, and love it or leave it, has some amazing medicinal properties and is incredible to cook with. 




Plant that herb garden and grow your own garlic. Although it is advisable to plant your garlic in October, some say that you can plant it all year-round. Just make sure that you use a deep container if you are not growing garlic in the ground, as the roots take up lots of space. 

Although garlic is an herb, it strongly resembles onions. When you are storing garlic, whether it be store-bought or whole grown bulbs that you have picked and dried yourself, remember to keep them at room temperature and in a dark and dry place with plenty of circulation. Also, keep in mind that the minute you start taking off the cloves the lifetime of your garlic will decrease. Garlic can last for several months when stored properly. 

Garlic has incredible healing properties with the latest research showing that it can help prevent heart disease. Garlic also reduces high blood pressure and can shrink cancerous tumors. Garlic taken on a regular basis can also prevent stroke and heart attacks. Because garlic kills parasites, bacteria and viruses it is one of the oldest natural antibiotics known to human kind. 

Garlic cloves

When you are cooking with garlic, remember the difference between the cloves and the bulbs. A bulb of garlic usually contains up to 20 cloves. The smaller cloves have a more intense and vibrant flavor. Most recipes call for two or three minced or chopped cloves, but don’t make the mistake of a novice cook and use the entire bulb. Your recipe may turn out okay, but because of the pungent odor that garlic gives off, you might not be the most popular person at work the next day. 

Recipes with Garlic to try.....

Garlic Fries
Baked Parmesan Garlic Wings
Garlic Toast
Garlic Shrimp
Garlic Infused oil and dipping sauce