Product Reviewed:
Vacu Vin Garlic Press
It’s cold and flu season and one of my secret weapons to making it through the winter months unscathed is raw garlic. Yes, raw garlic! Packed with antioxidants, garlic has been shown to enhance the immune system.
I will admit though that I’m not someone who can just pop a clove of garlic into my mouth and chew it like a piece of candy. I prefer to enjoy that spicy unique flavor accompanied with other foods. The problem is that prepping garlic can be tedious. From separating the cloves from the bulb, to peeling and then to chopping, dicing or mincing, the effort is sometimes not worth it. That’s where the Vacu Vin Garlic Press comes in.
If you’re like me and appreciate good design, then you will not be disappointed with this kitchen gadget. I was impressed with the weight of it and immediately put it to use to mince garlic over one of my favorite meals — nachos. My husband also added some to his famous refried beans dip. So delicious!
The press is easy to use and, while it is less of a hassle to clean than a traditional grater, it can be a pain to wash because of the garlic getting stuck in the prongs. The best workaround I’ve found is either rinsing out the press right away before the garlic dries or letting it soak in water for a minute or two prior to cleaning.
Aside from nachos, I also topped pasta, green salads and pizza with fresh pressed garlic. It was just so simple to peel some cloves and reach for the Vacu Vin press. So much less work than all that chopping and mincing by hand!
But my absolute most favorite way to use fresh pressed garlic is in my garlicky guacamole. It’s not for the faint of heart but it is certainly a tasty way to keep your immune system strong.
Harvest Garlic Guacamole
Recipe developed by Kareen Turner, MPH, RD
Makes 1 heaping cup
For that harvest touch, pair this dip with colorful sweet potato, beet and parsnip vegetable chips.
Ingredients
2 Hass avocados
1 tablespoon of fresh pressed garlic (about four medium-sized cloves of garlic)
1 generous tablespoon of cilantro, roughly chopped
1-½ tablespoons of fresh lime juice (about the juice of one lime)
½ teaspoon of sea salt
¼ teaspoon of chipotle chile pepper
Directions
- Peel and remove the seed from the avocados.
- Roughly chop the avocados into a bowl and add remaining ingredients.
- With a fork or potato masher, mash the ingredients together until desired texture is reached.
