Get cooking with garlic

If you've never cooked with garlic before, 40 cloves and a chicken is a great recipe to start with.

As the name suggests you'll be baking up a ton of garlic cloves with your chicken and no mincing or chopping is involved.

Just peel your garlic, whip up this dish, and you're good to go!

Dig up that garlic!

Garlic is easy to grow but you can't see the bulbs in the ground so it can be tricky to know just when to harvest garlic that you're growing.

This quick guide to when to harvest garlic solves that problem, pulling together tips from many different growers to give you a good idea of when to harvest your garlic.

Garlic for hypertension

Numerous studies have show that eating as little as one clove of fresh garlic daily may help to reduce mild to moderate high blood pressure.

The exact mechanism isn't understood but garlic for blood pressure is a low-cost, natural cure that's been used by thousands of years.

The theory is that garlic's broader cardiovascular benefits come from the many organosulfur compounds that it produces, which interact with the human body in a variety of ways.

The amazing world of garlic

Garlic: the super vegetable!

Mashed potatoes, get in my belly

Roasted garlic mashed potatoes - get some!

Perfect roasted garlic

Roasted garlic is one of the most popular ways to cook and eat garlic as it's simple enough to wrap it up in aluminum foil and pop it in the oven.

If you're ready to step up your roasting game, though, take a peek at one of these cast iron garlic roasters. Not only do they guarantee that your garlic gets roasted evenly and perfectly but you'll save on aluminmum foil over time, as you just give them a quick scrub and they're good to go.

You can use these roasters in the oven and on the grill and they'l last forever if properly cared for.

Mmm, garlic scapes

Garlic scapes don't get as much love as cloves of garlic in cooking but the flowering stalks that most garlic plants grow each year can be tasty in a wide array of dishes.

Scapes are milder than garlic cloves so the taste is a little more subtle, such as in this garlic scape soup recipe. 

Bye bye garlic breath

Garlic scape season arrives!

Garlic scapes are a treasured secret of many garlic fans, with the flower stalks of many garlic plants maturing around this time of year.

Growers typically pluck off the scapes to encourage bulb growth, with the scapes a delicious way to get an early taste of garlic each season before the bulbs mature.

Scapes are easy to cook with and can be used in a wide range of dishes and prepared different ways -- slice them in salads, saute them like asparagus, or add them as a pizza topping -- the combinations really are endless!

Mmm, garlic and jelly

If garlic and jelly don't immediately go together in your mind, well, you are definitely missing out. Behold the wonder of hot pepper garlic jelly!

Garlic shrimp and quinoa recipe

Seriously, get in my belly! Now! I'm talking to you, garlic shrimp and quinoa!

Who loves garlic bread?

Yeah, pretty much everyone loves garlic bread.

And what's not to love, especially with an easy recipe like the one above where you simply add garlic awesomeness to a store bought loaf of sourdough or other bread of your choice.

Garlic pasta and shrimp

I'm hungry just looking at that plate of garlic pasta and shrimp; how about you?

It gets even better as it's a quick and easy dish to prepare and calls for just tossing the pasta in olive oil, so it's a great light dish for hot summer nights when you want to spend your time enjoying a delicious meal instead of putting a lot of hot, sweaty time into the kitchen.

What is a garlic clove?

Lots of garlic newbies are confused about the difference between a clove and a head of garlic...with potentially disastrous consequences in the kitchen!

Don't fear...never be confused again about a garlic clove vs. a head of garlic after reading this basic guide.

Banish garlic breath!

Garlic breath is a tricky thing, as it's a love/hate relationship with most people.

You can't avoid it if you eat a lot of garlic and you really don't want to. It's a sign that you enjoy a lot of garlic and it also means that you're getting the full health benefits as well as the sulfur compounds in garlic are only active and in your bloodstream when you have garlic breath.

You can't really avoid garlic breath but you can take some basic steps to reduce its impact if you (or co-workers or family members) are bothered by it.

Garlic as a natural cure for hypertension

Did you know that garlic is a natural way to treat high blood pressure?

Scientists haven't pinpointed the exact mechanism but garlic has proven effective in numerous studies in reducing mild to moderate hypertension.

Plenty of people swear by garlic as a natural cure and population studies have definitely linked diets high in onions and garlic with a much lower incidence of some cancers and high blood pressure.

Peel garlic in less than 10 seconds!

Garlic for Treating Hypercholesterolemia: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

Short version: garlic is good for you!

Purpose: To investigate the effect of garlic on total cholesterol level in persons with elevated levels by conducting a meta-analysis of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials.

Data Sources: Systematic literature searches were conducted on the MEDLINE, EMBASE, BIOSIS, Cochrane Library, AMED, and CISCOM databases. Manufacturers of commercial garlic preparations and experts in the field were asked about published or unpublished trials.

Study Selection: Selected trials were required to state that they were randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled; use garlic monopreparations; include persons with mean total cholesterol levels of at least 5.17 mmol/L (200 mg/dL); and report total cholesterol level as an end point. There were no language restrictions.

Link to research

ZOMG a cast iron roaster!

Check out this cast iron garlic roaster...must have!

Garlic scapes and Italy = perfect combination!

"There is a trick to picking scapes: they have to squeak. “To get it right you start pulling one gently”, showed me Franca. “You have to hear a little squeaky sound, which means you got the whole stalk, with its tender white base”. It is hard work, which doesn’t always pay well. Many re-sellers go around local farms offering only 50 cents for a kilo of tolle, and sell them later for 2-3 euro at green grocers and markets. Franca says that they know that garlic growers have to pick scapes anyway, so such low price seems justified to them. That’s why garlic growers prefer to sell directly to the customer. Normally Franca has people booking bunches of tolle well in advance and coming to buy them as soon as they are collected. "

"I went home with two large bunches of garlic scapes. In the Sulmona area they are normally just boiled or preserved in oil and vinegar. I boiled them for 10 minutes and served with a sprinkle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. They are absolutely delicious! The sophisticated asparagus is bland and boring compared to tolle. They keep their lovely crunch and become very sweet with just a hint of garlic. I also added them raw to salads for a lovely garlicky flavour. After some research online, I found great scapes recipes that I will try when I am bored with eating them raw or simply boiled. Although, I don’t think it is going to happen any time soon."

http://greenholidayitaly.com/2014/05/28/great-garlic-scapes-sulmona-abruzzo/

Easy Garlic Cannabis Bread

Just when you thought that garlic couldn't get any better:

Easy Garlic Cannabis Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

1 loaf Italian bread
4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
7 tablespoons of cannabis butter
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons grated cheese, Parmigiana or Romano (optional)
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley (optional)

Directions:

Preheat broiler.
Combine garlic, butter, pepper, salt and oil in a small saucepan.
Heat the mixture over moderate-low heat for 3 minutes.
Split the loaf of bread into two halves lengthwise.
Toast  bread under broiler and remove when it is toasted  to a very light golden brown in color (about 5-7 minutes).
Brush bread with garlic oil mixture. Place back into the broiler for an additional 3 minutes. 
Sprinkle with cheese and, or parsley. If you added cheese, return to broiler for about 30 seconds to a minute.

http://bigbudsmag.com/lifestyle/recipes/article/how-make-easy-cannabis-garlic-bread-march-2012

Go forth and plant garlic

Wondering when to plant garlic? Wonder no more:

"The mechanics of planting garlic are pretty simple: dig a hole a few inches deep, keep about six inches of space between holes, plant cloves with the flat side down and pointy side up, and cover with dirt and mulch.

As far as the best time of year to plant garlic, most growers recommend that you plant in the late fall, usually in October. Your growing zone and climate will have some impact but if you had to pick a month that works universally, October is your best time to plant garlic."

Garlic = better sex!

Garlic = better sex!

Garlic for health

More in the garlic is good for you column:

"Though garlic contains almost 45 grams of carbohydrates per cup, we usually only use it for flavoring dishes. It has been called a “super food,” and with good reason: The widely researched health benefits of garlic indicate that we may want to use it more often.

Sulfur compounds within garlic have anti-inflammatory effects, which research has shown can aid in the treatment of arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. Garlic and onions, both of the allium family of vegetables, have also been tied to a decreased risk of heart attack. Several studies have linked garlic consumption to weight control, making it a potentially useful addition to a weight loss diet. Perhaps the most studied benefits of garlic, however, are its anti-cancer effects. The National Cancer Institute indicates that garlic can play a role in reducing the risk of stomach, esophageal, pancreatic, colon and breast cancers.

While “calories in, calories out” may be the simplified formula of many weight loss plans, it’s hardly a healthy slogan. Not all calories are created equal, and these relatively high-calorie vegetables are evidence of that. With far-reaching benefits that can help you control your weight while encouraging overall health, they may deserve a place at your table."

http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/health/2014/05/23/health-benefits-of-avocado-vegetables/

Take those tablets, mmkay?

Dropping a little garlic tablets knowledge bombs on you:

"While garlic and its related supplements have absolutely been shown in numerous scientific studies to have significant health benefits, the exact mechanisms of many of the chemical interactions are still a mystery and being investigated.

Garlic’s ability to produce many different complex, sulfur-containing compounds is the root of its healing nature; what is unknown is exactly which compound may be responsible for lowering blood pressure, and whether or not its the same one that helps prevent certain cancers or has antibiotic properties.

Oil-soluble sulfur compounds such as Di Allyl Tri- Sulfide (DATS) and Di Allyl Di-Sulfide (DADS) likely play a major role, and these are produced when allicin is created and then quickly decays.

Water-soluble sulfur compounds from garlic such as S Allyl Cysteine (SAC) definitely plays a role, but its interactions with the body is different from DATS and DADS.

No one — not scientists nor manufacturers nor any garlic expert — knows which one is best. Until science untangles the mysteries of garlic’s healing powers, your best bet is to use both Garlinase and Kyolic aged garlic extract for daily health and a stronger garlic tablet such as AlliUltra when looking to battle bacteria or virus-related issues."

Shatner loves the garlic

Found at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/451837775087687707

Get your garlic t-shirt

Found at Mmm Garlic