Roasted Garlic Soup
A GARLIC lover’s soup!! Stave off a winter’s chill with this cozy and comforting soup.
It’s a good source of vitamin C in which boosts your immune system and it’s rich in organosulphur compounds that are known to promote healthy blood flow throughout the body. Garlic is well known as a natural health remedy that has long been used to treat various ailments. It is most easily included in your food or can be eaten on its own. You don’t need to limit yourself to just fresh garlic either. Garlic powder or dried garlic flakes are just as effective and super easy to keep in the cupboard for everyday use. I love garlic in every form. So good and so good for you!!
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS:
15 garlic cloves, raw and peeled
25 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp organic unsalted butter
2 cups onions, diced
1 tsp fresh parsley, or thyme
3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup light cream
1/2 cup Parmesan, divided
4 lemon wedges
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the 25 garlic cloves in a small baking dish. Add olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake until garlic is golden brown; about 45 minutes. Let cool before squeezing garlic between fingers to release cloves. Transfer to a small bowl.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add onions and herbs; cook until onions are translucent; about 6 minutes. Add the roasted garlic and the 18 raw cloves and cook for about 3 minutes. Add stock; cover and simmer until garlic is tender, about 20 minutes. Puree soup, working in batches, in blender until smooth. Return soup to the pan and add the cream. Bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper; to taste.
Distribute the Parmesan cheese among four bowls and ladle soup over and squeeze the juice of the lemon wedges into the bowls. Then serve.
Tip: This can be prepared one day ahead. Just cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
NUTRITIONAL VALUE: Calories 236; Total Fat 17.6g; Cholesterol 32mg; Total Carbohydrates 17g; Dietary Fiber 2g; Sugars 2g; Protein 4.5g.; vitamin A 7%, vitamin C 32% and iron 5%. This soup is low in sodium, very high in vitamin B6 and high in vitamin C.
1. Garlic has been found to assist babies to gain weight while they are in the womb. Next time you have a baby prepare to have garlic breath. Except if you have a history of large babies in which case maybe you want to skip the extra doses?
2. Garlic strengthens the immune system as well as helps to fight chest infections, coughs and congestion. In the winter months garlic is a great food to boost your immune system and ward off colds and flu. An old folk remedy is to eat a clove of garlic that has been dipped in honey at the first sign of a cold. Why not try it and see if it works for you?
3. Garlic contains high levels of iodine which makes it a very effective treatment for hyperthyroid conditions. Treatment with garlic has been shown to greatly improve this condition.
4. Scurvy is treated by vitamin C and garlic contains good levels of vitamin C too.
5. Popular folklore says that garlic is good for more than scaring hungry vampires away! Impotency has long been thought to benefit from doses of garlic, and treatment continues in many communities to this day. Why not try treating yourself with garlic for several months before you head off to the doctor for that Viagra prescription?
6. Cardiovascular disease can be reduced by ingesting garlic. LDL cholesterol is no friend of garlic and the aortic plaque deposits that gather on the walls of your body’s veins can be reduced with the use of garlic too. Studies have shown the amazing benefits of taking garlic in relation to heart disease.
7. Fungal and bacterial vaginal infections are toast when treated with garlic! When crushed or bruised, garlic releases Allicin which is a sulphuric compound that is a natural antibiotic. WWI soldiers even apparently used crushed garlic on infected wounds suffered in battle. If you decide to take garlic in tablet form be sure to use powdered capsules. The processes used to create garlic tablets destroy the Allicin that is present.
8. Garlic is a great source of vitamin B6 which is needed for a healthy immune system and the efficient growth of new cells. Vitamin B6 can also assist with mood swings and improve your cheery disposition!
9. Garlic can aid in the prevention of multiple types of cancer. Bladder cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer and stomach cancer have all been shown to have their tumors reduced when treated with garlic. Vitamin B6 is said to have cancer fighting abilities.
10. Garlic regulates blood sugar as it enhances the level of insulin in the blood. This may assist in the control of diabetes. Seek medical advice if you believe the use of garlic could help your condition.
A word of warning about consuming too much garlic; in large doses, garlic can be detrimental to your health and you should never take more than the recommended dosage. Also be aware that the properties of garlic actually get into your bloodstream which is why it is so effective in so many ways. What this does mean, however, is that when you sweat, garlic will leave your body through your pores. Many people who eat larger than normal amounts of garlic report increased body odor. – See more at: http://www.naturalblaze.com/2013/04/10-amazing-health-benefits-of-garlic.html#sthash.mFWAIdhR.dpuf