According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), More than 61 million Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, and other conditions. Protect your heart with GARLIC!
Garlic is bursting with powerful allicin and phytochemicals, substances found only in plants, that help your body fight diseases like cancer and promote good health.
Proposed benefits of heart healthy Garlic:
- Helps lower cholesterol
- Helps lower blood pressure
- Increases ability to fight infections
ADD Garlic to your healthy diet:
- Add garlic to salsa or pasta sauce
- Add fresh garlic to poultry, fish, meat or casseroles
- Sauté vegetables with garlic and a small amount of olive oil
Tip for Crushing Fresh Garlic:
To reap the benefits and not the smell of garlic, place cloves in a small plastic bag, and roll with a rolling pin-- crushed garlic, with no mess!
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When purchasing garlic, look for bulbs that have plump, firm cloves with the papery outer sheath intact. Avoid garlic that is soft, spongy, or shriveled. |
Roasted Garlic and Green Pea Pasta Sauce
Makes 6 servings
Roasted garlic enhances this smooth, delicious sauce!
1 head garlic or 8 cloves jarred garlic
1 pound frozen peas (2 cups)
1 cup nonfat evaporated milk
2 tsp. grated parmesan cheese
2 tsp. chopped parsley
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut off the stem end of the head of garlic exposing the cloves inside. Wrap in foil and bake in preheated oven 1 hour or until very soft. Unwrap and allow to cool. (Or use 8 cloves of jarred garlic.) Drop the peas into boiling water and cook 2 minutes. Drain and toss into a blender. Squeeze the garlic head toward the cut end to collect all the soft flesh. Add to the peas in the blender along with the evaporated milk. Blend until smooth. Push through a sieve and reheat. Serve over pasta with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley on top.
(Source: NCI, http://www.5Aday.gov)
30 Days to More Fruits & Veggies
