Garlic not only deters vampires, it helps to fight off hypertension. Garlic thins the blood increasing the steady flow of blood around the body thereby helping to regulate blood pressure.
It also produces allicin, a compound that has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, known to help prevent diseases that result from hypertension such as stroke and heart disease and it’s also known to lower cholesterol. Many people swear by garlic for warding off colds and flu, since it’s known to help boost the immune system, while in medieval times garlic was thought to protect people from the plague.
Eating garlic raw, or on its own could have a negative gastrointestinal effect and could be considered antisocial for obvious reasons. Luckily there are plenty of ways to enjoy garlic, from adding to salad dressings, making garlic bread or including in casseroles and pasta sauces. Garlic goes really well with mushrooms too, as a starter or side dish.
Ingredients
- 1-2 slices bacon, chopped
- 2 cups mushrooms (shiitake, Cremini, Portobello, chestnut) cut into slices
- 2 medium cloves garlic
- 2 tsps fresh chopped rosemary or ½ tsp dried
- Pinch salt
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- ¼ cup dry white wine
Preparation
1. Fry the bacon in a large skillet over a medium heat until starting to brown, probably around 4 minutes.
2. Then add the mixed mushrooms, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook stirring occasionally until ingredients are almost dry, for around 8 minutes.
3. Add the wine and cook until the majority of the liquid has evaporated (around a minute).
4. Enjoy as a quick, week night supper, or toss into cooked pasta and add a handful of Parmesan cheese. Can also be folded into an omelet for a more substantial dish.
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