If there’s one flavor I could never live without, it’s got to be garlic. I use it a lot, and I do mean a lot. But anyone stepping into my kitchen would know that — even if their nose didn’t tell them — by the twin pair of garlic-shaped sconces flanking the 6 foot garlic braid hanging on my wall. I love the stuff.

Between the walnut pate that I’ve been eating for lunch lately and the flourless chicken picatta I made for dinner last night, it’s a wonder I don’t positively reek of it. Maybe I do and just don’t know it. But if that’s the case then my family does, too, so who cares?

Turns out, garlic is an amazing cancer-fighter, thanks to its ability to cause cells to emit hydrogen sulfide which acts as an anti-oxidant and increases blood flow.

Science suggests that most of us aren’t getting the most out of the garlic we use, though. To maximize its benefits, one doctor recommends keeping garlic at room temperature then letting it sit for 15 minutes between crushing (or mincing or whatever) and use i a recipe.

But how much is enough? Research indicates a minimum of 5 cloves a day, which might sound like a lot but is easy enough to accomplish if you put it in every meal. (I go through around 9 cloves per day in my cooking.)

So here’s my low-cal, flourless chicken picatta recipe to help get you started!

Flourless Chicken Picatta
(Serves 4)

Calories: 136; Total fat: 1.6 grams

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• juice of one lemon, freshly squeezed
• 1 tbsp. capers, rinsed
• salt and pepper to taste

Direction:

1. Spray a nonstick skillet with Pam then heat to medium.

2. Sautee garlic until flavor is released (around 2 minutes). Don’t let it turn brown!

3. Add chicken to pan. Salt and pepper non-cooking side. Cook 5-7 minutes on each side (or until done and browned on both sides), adding S&P when you flip them.

4. Remove chicken from pan, set aside and keep warm.

5. Add broth and lemon juice to pan and bring to a boil. Scrape the sides and bottom of the pan as you do so to get the brown bits into the liquids.

6. Add capers and stir well.

7. Return chicken to pan and flip so each side sits in the liquid 10-20 seconds.

8. Pour remaining juice from pan onto chicken when you plate it.

Serving suggestion: This goes very well on top of rice cooked in chicken broth with steamed broccoli and a tossed green salad on the side!