GARLIC, To The Rescue!

Garlic has been my taste buds' romantic lover in every food dish I've created. Whether it's breakfast, lunch, or dinner, my taste buds know the taste from the love of my tongue.

Over the years, I've used garlic to [omit salt and] enhance flavors in my food dishes. As usual, garlic doesn't disappoint.

Along my foodie journey, I didn't discover garlic—in any form—until culinary classes in high school. From memory, I remember my fourth block class, Culinary I. My teacher [and one of my supporters who helped me to pursue my passion for food], Mrs. MacVey, challenged me to make meatball subs.

I've learned that garlic brings the best out of many proteins, vegetables, and starches.

I appreciate the purpose of granulated and powdered garlic. I was amazed when I discovered garlic cloves. I've learned that minced garlic is convenient and quicker for savory meals.

The best lesson I've learned about garlic is its flexibility.

Garlic has the hearts of many households and is considered family at every dinner table. Whether it's minced, whole, sliced, or crushed garlic is an all-around winner in my household, my taste buds, and immune system.

Garlic, also known as allium satiuum, was used as a medicine throughout Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek, Roman, and Chinese history. Ancient Egypt used garlic for its culinary and therapeutic benefits. Mid- and West Asia and Nepal used garlic to treat hypertension, liver disorders, diabetes, and fevers.

Garlic treated a wide range of conditions and diseases.

Ancient Greek physician, Hippocrates, would prescribe garlic for treating respiratory problems, digestion, and fatigue.

Garlic Boosts Your Immune System

For the past six years, I've added garlic into almost every recipe I create and develop. Yes, even the biscuits.

It wasn't until I began conducting research on garlic that I realized I haven't had a common cold or flu in over five years.

Studies found garlic extract reduces the number of days with the common cold or flu by 61%.

According to Dr. Axe, garlic has anti-microbial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal properties that help relieve the common cold.

Garlic has compounds that aid the immune systems in fighting germs. Alliin is an essential compound found in whole garlic. Alliin boosts the disease-fighting response when the white blood cells come in contact with a virus.

To release alliin in garlic, you can crush, chew, or slice it.

Eating garlic regularly can help prevent coming into contact with the common cold or flu. Whether it's my morning scrambled egg, chicken for my lunch salad, or in my reduction on my dinner plate, eating garlic has its perks.

Hey, what can I say? I rather enjoy wearing sweaters and turtlenecks because they're warm, not because I have to keep the wind off of my chest and throat...

Cook with garlic in many ways!

Garlic has its own personality when cooking. Whether your inspiration is Italian or Mediterranean, garlic has its way of giving your favorite dishes a different taste.

Whether I'm adding pizzazz to my lunch salads, or my reductions and sauces for dinner parties, I like to use Stella Bistro Foods Rustic Italian Sultry Spice.

My smoked Gouda and cucumber Triscuit appetizers are great with thinly sliced tomatoes and a few dashes of Stella Bistro Foods Rustic Italian Sultry Spice.

Garlic can be grown or bought from your local farmers' market or grocery store.

I've enjoyed planting starter garlic bulbs. Garlic doesn't produce seeds, so [garlic] bulbs are planted to generate new bulbs annually. There are two classifications of garlic bulbs; soft-neck and hard neck. I've planted both, however, I'm a lover of hard-neck garlic bulbs because they last longer prior to using.

In North Carolina, the ideal time to plant garlic bulbs for a summer harvest is between October to December. Be sure to plant your garlic bulbs at least two feet deep and six to eight inches apart.

Which do you prefer - growing your own garlic or buying garlic from the market? Do you prefer minced garlic or crushed garlic?