When we began our REAL food journey,
one of the first things we began to experiment with was FRESH garlic. Yes, I have always loved garlic, but was an avid user of garlic powder. I had never cooked with a REAL garlic clove...not once!
Right away, we noticed a HUGE difference in flavor…our meals with fresh garlic took on a whole new meaning! It even led to a new "rule" in our kitchen - there is no such thing as adding just one garlic clove to a recipe...we use a 2-clove minimum!
Then, shortly after this revelation, I attended a cooking demo by a local chef, who said "if you are not cooking with REAL garlic, you shouldn't be using garlic at all." Needless to say, REAL (fresh) garlic is now a staple in our kitchen!
What is garlic?
Garlic is part of the “allium” family, closely related to onions, shallots and leeks. At your local supermarkets, you might find 2 or 3 different varieties of fresh garlic, which is likely grown in China. However, there is a huge, mouthwatering universe of garlic out there (over 300 varieties) waiting to be explored. That’s why we are huge fans of buying different varieties at our local farmers’ markets. These farmers’ market varieties (typically available from mid-summer through early fall) provide a much more intense and dynamic flavor than the supermarket varieties.
When you buy fresh garlic bulbs, you want it to feel firm and make sure the outermost cloves are not too soft or dry. It is best to avoid garlic that is sprouting if possible. To store it, you want the bulbs to get some air circulation and have room to breathe. For many varieties, you can store it on the kitchen counter or in the pantry for a few weeks. For longer-term storage, try to find a dark location with low humidity and cool temperatures (around 50 degrees). It is best NOT to store garlic bulbs in the refrigerator, as the cold temperatures will shorten how long they stay good.
“Bulb” vs. “clove”
Just in case you didn't know, the entire head of the garlic is called the bulb and the segments inside are the garlic cloves. There are anywhere from 4-20 (or more) cloves that make up a bulb, depending on the variety. So, when a recipe calls for a garlic clove, it means one segment, not the entire head!
The general rule of thumb is 1 garlic clove = ½ tsp of minced garlic. If you are using garlic powder (or granulated garlic), the rule of thumb is 1 garlic clove = ¼ tsp garlic powder.
“Garlic breath” is a minor inconvenience compared to these huge benefits!
If you are worried about "garlic breath," remember this is nothing compared to the unique flavor and HUGE health benefits garlic provides. Just some of these benefits include:
- Strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, boosting your immune system and helping you maintain a healthy heart and blood vessels…including lower blood pressure.
- Inhibits cancerous tumor growth and can actually kill off cancer cells…especially in our upper digestive systems.
- Reduces risk of type-2 diabetes.
- Lowers LDL (or bad cholesterol).
- Reduces risk of dementia.
- Enhances athletic performance by allowing more blood to get to your muscles.
Chop and stop!
Most of garlic's health benefits come from a compound called allicin, which is activated when garlic is chopped or crushed. This is also what gives garlic its distinct odor (which is how it gets its name...The Stinking Rose). Because this compound is sensitive to heat, the best way to get these health benefits is to use raw garlic (in salad dressings, for example). However, you can still get the benefits if you are cooking...just let your fresh garlic sit for about 10 minutes after chopping or crushing it. This helps prevent the healthy enzyme from being inactivated if you immediately add it to a hot pan.
Super-convenient!
Using fresh garlic is easy! Simply place a clove underneath the side of your chef’s knife (with the knife parallel to your work surface), and then give the top of the knife a little whack. This will help release the papery skin and slightly crush the clove. You can then easily peel the clove, slice or mince it, and then add it to your recipe.
For those of us “pressed” for time, a garlic press is a great tool! Place a garlic clove in this handy gadget and out comes crushed garlic! Some say a press is just one more thing to clean, but it can be worth it on those busy weeknights and makes using fresh garlic much more convenient.
Another convenient option when time is short is using pre-peeled garlic cloves. They can typically be found in a sealed bag in the produce section and cost just under $3 for about 30 garlic cloves. With the convenience of pre-peeled cloves and a garlic press, there is really no reason not to use REAL garlic in your meals! You could even use minced garlic...it's already activated and ready to go!
What about garlic powder or garlic salt?
Of course, garlic powder is convenient, but our experience is nothing beats the REAL deal when it comes to taste and nutrition! Garlic salt is different than garlic powder...it is often just 3 parts salt and one part garlic powder. Unless we find someone who has produced a "special" garlic salt (we have a local producer in Wichita that makes some great small batch varieties), we really don't use garlic salt in our cooking. We use salt and we use garlic, but we generally prefer to add them separately to control the proportions depending on what we are making. And remember, if you use garlic salt, you should try to keep other added salt to a minimum.
Rub in the flavor!
Before our REAL food journey, I thought I was the queen of garlic bread! You may be familiar with this...I would buy a loaf of French bread at the store, spread some butter and garlic salt on it, throw it in the oven for a few minutes, and we had "delectable" garlic bread to enjoy with our pre-made lasagna that we also baked in the oven.
Then we discovered another magical use of fresh garlic. And, this was a game-changer for us. All you have to do is toast slices of bread in the oven (or on the grill) for a few minutes (with nothing on them), and then as soon as the bread comes out of the oven, slice a garlic clove in half and rub the cut side of the garlic all over each slice of bread, both sides if desired. The garlic will literally melt into the bread and the flavor is absolutely incredible! It will take your Bruschetta or Pan Con Tomate to a whole new level!
Watch our Farmers' Market Friday segment to see how easy it is!
Spreads like butter!
Have you ever roasted garlic? Roasting an entire head of garlic, drizzled with a little olive oil, brings out a sweeter and milder flavor that is absolutely delicious!
If you have never done this before, we think you will be shocked with the results! So easy, and you are roasting veggies anyway, right?!
- Peel most of the paper off the outer layer of the garlic bulb (you want to leave a little so the bulb stays together).
- Cut the top end off the bulb (cut just enough so you can see the garlic cloves inside).
- Place the garlic bulb on a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil.
- Then wrap and seal the foil around the bulb and bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and then squeeze the bulb and the roasted cloves will slide right out (or you can use a knife or small spoon to scrape the cloves out and use them in your recipe.
This is perfect for dishes like the Baked Brie Bites, White Bean Hummus, Bruschetta Pizza, and the flavor-loaded Roasted Tomato & Garlic Marinara!
Beware of botulism!
Mixing garlic with olive oil can make a delicious homemade dressing and we do it quite often, but it's important to know you should use the dressing right away or store it in the refrigerator and use within one week. You don't want to let this mixture of garlic infused olive oil sit at room temperature because bacteria could begin to grow and can cause an illness called botulism.
Believe it or not, there are supposedly other surprising benefits of garlic!
We haven’t tried all of these, but if all else fails...
- Prevents hair loss: Not only can you rub garlic cloves on bread for bruschetta, some claim you can rub it on your scalp to prevent hair loss!
- Alternative to Clearasil: the bacteria-killing antioxidants in garlic can allegedly clear up acne!
- Cold remedy: because of its power to boost our immune systems, it has been known to help prevent and treat colds.
- Remove a splinter?! A folk cure for many years, some say if you place a slice of garlic over the splinter, and then cover it with a bandage, the garlic will help remove the splinter.
- Athlete's foot cure...soaking your feet in warm water with some crushed garlic can supposedly help get rid of athlete’s foot…because of garlic's fungus fighting abilities.
- No more bug bites! Apparently, mosquitos don't like garlic, so instead of bug spray you can use garlic as a mosquito repellant. If you are not up for rubbing garlic all over your arms and legs, try placing garlic cloves nearby.
- Relieve cold sores: holding crushed garlic on a cold sore has been known to help relieve the annoying pain and swelling.
- Protect your plants! Since most garden pests don't like garlic, you can make a homemade mix of garlic, mineral oil, water and liquid soap in a squirt bottle and spray around plants to keep them from being eaten by critters.
Try some of these ideas to include more garlic in your routine...
your taste buds and health will thank you!
Mediterranean Roasted Eggplant Pasta
Garlicky Cauliflower & Kale with Dates & Pecans
Take Me to Italy Tomato & Garlic Pasta
Roasted Beet Salad with Candied Pecans
Garlic Lemon Grilled Artichokes
Is there anyone who shouldn't eat garlic?
We recently shared a coaching tip about the FODMAP diet, and how as many as 15% of people suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), and how some of these people may benefit from avoiding garlic (among other foods) to help with their digestive upset symptoms. Keep in mind, for these people, perhaps the benefits of garlic might not outweigh the negative digestive affects.
What is your favorite thing to do with fresh garlic?
Please share with us!
I put fresh garlic and thin sliced tomatoes on thin crust cauliflower pizza
Debbie – Thank you for sharing! When you have fresh garlic and good tomatoes, you don’t need any more than that to make a GREAT pizza!
I buy the large bag of peeled garlic in the fridge section of Costco and freeze it. The garlic is not quite as potent after it is frozen so I usually double the amount a recipe calls for just to be sure there is enough garlic flavor. 🙂
Jackie – this is such a great idea to freeze it and preserve it! As a garlic lover like us, even if it’s not frozen, we say go ahead and add more — you can never have enough garlic! Thank you!