GARLIC: A Powerful Ingredient in Your Kitchen (Guest Post by Sarah from Abundelicious)

Photo Courtesy of Pixabay

I would like to introduce my friend, Sarah, the Founder and CEO of Abundelicious! Sarah is a
Certified Holistic Nutrition Counselor and is passionate about helping individuals pursue a life of balance and wellness. She has tremendous wisdom in the area of health, and shares a little today about garlic! Enjoy learning about all its benefits, and make sure to try the recipe at the end of this post!
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Garlic is one of the most potent natural medicines in the world. There isn’t much it doesn’t do! There also aren’t many cuisines in the world that don’t utilize it. In addition, it was given to the slaves who built the pyramids of ancient Egypt, as well as the Olympic athletes of ancient Greece.

People often shy away from eating too much garlic because of the smell. Don’t get too upset about garlic breath; It’s the stinkiness that makes it such a powerful antioxidant (not to mention mosquito repellant – seriously). These antioxidants guard against, and even reverse, heart disease and cancer. Garlic also supports the immune system and fights off seasonal allergies.

Photo Courtesy of Pixabay

In addition to the antioxidants, garlic is rich in vitamins and minerals. A few more of the many benefits of garlic include…

– lowering blood pressure
– blood thinner
– widens arteries
– prevents colon and stomach cancer
– stabilizes blood sugar by increasing the release of insulin
– antiviral (prevents the cold and flu)
– fights yeast overgrowth, as well as infections (use topically to treat athletes foot)
– better complexion
– tooth aches (press garlic oil or fresh garlic to the tooth and gum)

How does one best store garlic? Keep garlic uncovered away from heat and direct light. Fresh whole bulbs last about two weeks, but they only last about a week once broken.

Here is an easy and nutritious way to incorporate a little more garlic into your life! I have included a recipe that I hope you love. Substituting cauliflower for potatoes is also a great way to reduce starchy carbohydrates and inflammation.

MASHED CAULI-TATOES
1 head of cauliflower
1-2 parsnips
1/4 cup olive oil
2-3 shallots, minced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup coconut milk
thyme or parsley, to taste
sea salt and pepper

1. Cut the cauliflower and parsnip(s) into one-inch pieces, and steam until tender. Strain, and let cool.
2. Sauté garlic and shallots in half of olive oil.
3. Place cauliflower/parsnip mixture, shallots, garlic, extra olive oil, and coconut milk in food processor. Blend until desired texture.
4. Top with herbs, salt, pepper and butter/olive oil.
*Serve them with gluten-free crackers, avocado and olives. Or this can be a delicious side dish to your main course.
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If you would like to learn more about Sarah, some additional great recipes, and the services she provides, you can find her over at http://www.abundelicious.com. Be well!
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*This page contains affiliate links.
*Recipe and Cauli-Tatos Photo Courtesy of Abundelicious.

Chicken Sausage and Kale Chip Pizza (with Cauliflower Crust)

Gluten-free, paleo, low carb, healthy, stinkin’ amazing…Yep, you have all of that lip smackin’ goodness with this recipe. I have wanted to try making a cauliflower crust pizza for quite some time, and today I finally put this together. Wow. I was amazed at not only how tasty it turned out, but also how easy it was to put together. This is definitely one for the books, and I most certainly want to share it with you! Enjoy every bite, and have seconds too! 🙂

 

 

Chicken Sausage and Kale Chip Pizza (with Cauliflower Crust)

2 cups roasted, riced cauliflower (To roast, take one medium/large head of cauliflower, and toss it with a tablespoon of organic, expeller pressed coconut oil. I like to use the Wilderness Family Naturals brand. Roast at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.) If you don’t have a ricer for the roasted cauliflower, you can use a food processor, which is what I did for this recipe. 🙂

2 eggs

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (for the crust)

6 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese (for the topping)

1/2 lb. organic Italian chicken sausage

Kale Chips: I love the Brad’s Raw Crunchy Kale chips! I found them cheapest at my local health food store.

-Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a large pizza stone with unbleached parchment paper, and grease really well.  Mix the first three ingredients together in a large bow,l and spread it out in an even layer on the stone. Place in the oven, and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. I did place some aluminum foil on a rack under the stone to prevent any oil from dropping to the bottom of the oven. Top with mozzarella cheese and chicken sausage. Place under the broiler on high for approximately 2 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly browned. Remove from the oven, and top with kale chips. Serve up, and enjoy! 🙂

Recipe Adapted From: Hugs and Cookies XOXO