If there is one food I love most it has to be bread. I don’t mean typical sandwich bread. I’m not a Wonder Bread girl by any stretch of the butter! I love artisan breads, bagels, croissants, and so many goodly tasting bready foods.
And they are all so bad for me! Why is the universe so cruel?
And yet there is a tasty way to have your bread and eat it too. It’s even healthier than many a bread-lover’s whitest dreams.
Do You Eat Italian Food?
I know what you’re thinking: “Girl! Italian food is SO fattening!” And delicious, baby! It’s delicious, too! But I’m not thinking about chowing down on an entire loaf of garlic bread. I have my moments but this time around there’s something a little more delicious involved.
Some Italian restaurants leave you a small plate of bread and a dish filled with olive oil and herbs. The herb mixes vary by restaurant but a lot of them like to use oregano. Another favorite ingredient of mine is fresh garlic. Mmmm! I can just taste it now!
When you combine the healthy benefits of olive oil with the healthy benefits of garlic, you’re getting the best of two of Italy’s most famous cooking ingredients. Both garlic and olive oil have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Now, throw in some of the healthier breads you can eat and you have a snack worth snacking on.
I’ve tried this with a high fiber, whole grain bread. It was delicious. Maybe my expectations affected my taste buds. Or perhaps I paired it with the right cheese and wine. It was a wonderful, tasty snack.
Here’s another tip for garlic lovers: if you don’t want to lose its healthy benefits, crush the garlic and let it stand for 10 minutes before cooking. My little bread, olive oil, and garlic snack doesn’t call for heating anything but that’s always an option.
I’ve also been known to eat a heavy toast with garlic butter. Mmm. I want some now as I write this.