One of my all time favorite spices ever is yes Garlic. While many may say YUCK or PUUUU when they smell garlic so many simply adore the taste and health benefits of garlic that they actually cook with it more often than any other spice except salt and pepper. Others actually take a separate garlic supplement every day.

Lets take a brief look at the garlic plant and how easy it is to grow:
Garlic is grown from the individual cloves. Each clove will produce one plant with a single bulb – which may in turn contain up to twenty cloves. Growing garlic is therefore self-sustaining.
When planting garlic, choose a garden site that gets plenty of sun and where the soil is not too damp. The cloves should be planted individually, upright and about an inch (25 mm) under the surface. Plant the cloves about 4 inches (100 mm) apart. Rows should be about 18 inches (450 mm) apart. It is traditional to plant garlic on the shortest day of the year. Whether this is for symbolic or practical reasons is unclear. Garlic is a very friendly plant and grows well planted with other flowers and vegetables.

Harvesting Your Garlic Crop:
As garlic reaches maturity, the leaves will brown then die away. This is the cue that it is time to harvest your garlic crop. If you harvest too early the cloves will be very small, too late and the bulb will have split.

Proper handling of garlic after it’s been picked is almost as important as looking after it whilst it’s growing. It’s essential that garlic is dried properly, otherwise it will rot. The bulbs are often hung up in a cool, dry place. After a week or so, take them down and brush the dirt off gently – don’t wash the bulbs at this stage.

Garlic Daily Intake Suggestions:
Garlic – 500 mg in concentrated form – equivalent to 1250 mg garlic bulk or half a clove of fresh garlic. Garlic has been used by healers for over 5000 years . Numerous studies have shown that garlic decrease triglyceride level by decreasing fat absorption. It also supports healthy blood pressure. Two of garlic’s major compounds – allicin and ajoene – have been found to possess powerful actions that help the body boost its immune power. A natural herb that is non toxic.

The Many Benefits Of Garlic:

Garlic And Cancer: Population studies have revealed that eating garlic regularly, along with other alliums such as onions chives and scallions, may reduce the risk of oesophageal, colon and stomach cancer. This may be due to garlic’s ability to reduce the formation of carcinogenic compounds. Garlic’s sulfur compounds such as allicin and ajeone have been found to stop the growth of various cancers in animal laboratory studies, including skin, stomach, colon, breast and oral cancer. Garlic also contains the powerful antioxidant mineral selenium, known for its anti-cancer properties.

Selenium is used by our bodies to produce glutathione peroxidase. Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant. There is preliminary evidence that it may be useful in the management of some cancers, atherosclerosis, diabetes, lung disorders, noise-induced hearing loss, male infertility and to detoxify or prevent toxic build-up in the body.

Garlic for the Heart: Garlic is renowned for its abilities to lower cholesterol and blood pressure naturally and protect against heart disease and stroke. Garlic has also been found to stimulate the production of nitric oxide in blood vessels aiding their dilation, and assist the body’s ability to dissolve blood clots. The antioxidant properties of garlic can also protect against cardiovascular disease by inhibiting the oxidation of bad cholesterol which would otherwise build up in artery walls. Further, folate in garlic is known to protect the cardiovascular system.

For the best in all garlic whether it be Organic Garlic Powder, Minced Garlic, Garlic Pepper, Garlic Capsules or any specialty cooking spices please see our in stock list of over 1000 herbs and organic spices at www.SharpWebLabs.com or www.FloridaHerbHouse.com.

Sincerely Yours,

Carol K.

Similarly, the next time you prepare to brush your teeth with a peppermint-flavored toothpaste, pause and imagine a time when peppermint was believed to have magical properties! The value and mystique of these two plants continues to the present day.

Cinnamon: “my fortune is yours”

Originating in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), cinnamon has been a highly prized spice for centuries. Cinnamon is mentioned in the Bible, and the Chinese wrote about cinnamon as far back as 2800 B.C. The ancient Egyptians used it for embalming, and medieval Europeans used it as a preservative.

Around 1 A.D., 350 grams of cinnamon were equal in value to 5 kilograms of silver; in other words, cinnamon’s value was 15 times its equivalent weight in silver! It’s no wonder that hundreds of years later, the English Victorians referred to the cinnamon plant as a flower meaning “my fortune is yours.”

Over the centuries, cinnamon has been used as a preservative and flavoring, as well as for medicinal purposes, such as for morning sickness, diarrhea, coughing, and sore throats. It has also been valued as an astringent, antiseptic, and aphrodisiac. Currently some researchers are studying how beneficial cinnamon may be to reduce blood sugar levels in diabetics.

Peppermint: “a magical potion”

Peppermint also has been enjoyed throughout the world for centuries. For example, the ancient Greeks and Romans created festival crowns out of peppermint leaves, flavored their sauces and wines with it, and prescribed it for medicinal purposes.

Peppermint has been valued as a symbol of wisdom and virtue. But, paradoxically, peppermint also has been valued as a magical plant for passion and love, using the power of the goddess, Venus.

Legends around this plant have evolved since the Greek myths linked peppermint to Hecate, ruler of witches and magical creatures. Peppermint has been a common ingredient in recipes for magical potions, and it has been said that:

In English folklore, finding a flowering mint plant on Midsummer’s Day brought eternal happiness.
In French folklore, carrying a bouquet of mint and St. John’s Wort protected you from wicked spirits.
In Italian folklore, using peppermint helped to protect children from sickness and silk worms from evil spells.
Peppermint has long been thought to be particularly useful for digestion, dizziness, seasickness, and nausea. It has also been used as an anesthetic or antiseptic.

Modern-day commuters’ benefits

Although the fortunes of war over cinnamon and the magical spells of peppermint are disappearing into the past, these two plants continue to be associated with delicious flavors and therapeutic effects. A recent study at Wheeling Jesuit University has added new benefits for commuters. Results of the study, presented at the 2005 Association for Chemical Reception Sciences Conference, showed that commuters were affected by peppermint and cinnamon while driving. These scents helped to:

Decrease tiredness, anxiety, and frustration
Increase alertness
Stimulate the central nervous system
Here are some recipes to add cinnamon and peppermint to your commute, as well as a delicious, healthy recipe for when you get home.

Recipes

Cinnamon Car Freshener

1/4 cup applesauce
1/3 cup ground cinnamon

In a small saucepan, heat applesauce on low heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Using a teaspoon, gradually add cinnamon until the mixture turns soft and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat.

When cool enough to handle, knead remaining cinnamon into dough to make a pliable, clay texture. (If necessary, wear gloves to prevent the cinnamon from irritating your skin.) Roll flat and cut a circle; or use cookie cutters to cut out any other desired shape. Use a pencil to poke a hole about 1/2 inch from the edge.

Heat oven to 200F. Put the cinnamon circle on the oven rack and bake until completely dry. (Check every 5 minutes.) Remove from oven. When cool, tie a ribbon through the hole and hang from your car’s rearview mirror.

Commuter’s Peppermint Tea

1 cup boiling water
1 Tbs. peppermint leaves

Pour boiling water over peppermint leaves into a small teapot, and let it steep 5 to 10 minutes. Strain and pour into a cup. Breathe in the peppermint aroma as you savor the taste of the hot tea.

Peppermint Lip Balm

1 Tbs. beeswax
1 Tbs. pure vanilla extract (don’t use imitation extract)
3-5 drops pure peppermint extract

Fill a small saucepan 1/3 full of hot water and place on stovetop. Put beeswax and extracts into a glass measuring cup, and then place in the saucepan. Heat the water and stir frequently until the beeswax melts. Pour into clean, travel-sized containers. Close tightly, and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Moroccan-Spiced Chicken and Lentils

1 pound (2 cups) red, orange, or green dried lentils
8 cups water
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
8 oz. (1/2 of a 1 lb. pkg.) frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and rinsed
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 Tbs. ground cumin
1 Tbs. chili powder

2 Tbs. olive oil
1-1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 scallions, chopped
1 Tbs. ground cumin
1 to 2 Tbs. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Place the dried lentils in a colander; rinse and pick through to remove any debris. In a large pot, bring water and salt to a boil. Add lentils, cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer until lentils are tender, approximately 25 minutes. Drain well. Mix in raisins, chopped apricots, and spinach; rinse and drain again. Place in a large serving bowl. Mix together olive oil, vinegar, cumin, and chili powder. Pour over lentil mixture and toss. Set aside.

Heat 2 Tbs. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. (If available, use a ridged, grill-style skillet.) Add chicken strips and saute’ until thoroughly cooked. Add remaining ingredients and cook until garlic, scallions, and spices are fragrant. (If necessary, add 1/4 cup warm water to keep from browning too quickly.) Place chicken mixture on top of lentil mixture. Serve warm or chilled.