Ginger is not only a fabulously tasty spice, it’s packed with a wide range of powerful compounds that offer a multitude of health benefits. With so many medicinal properties, many feel that it’s a must for your medicine cabinet too. Unmistakably aromatic, the spice of fresh ginger root can be used to add a wonderful zing to all types of dishes, but if you’re only using it to make the occasional pumpkin pie, you’re really missing out.
Consider these four ways of adding great flavor and a boost to your health with ginger.
Add ginger to your juice
You can add fresh ginger root to just about any homemade juice to reap its benefits. Just cut a one-inch chunk and toss it into your juicer. It goes great with carrots, apples and a little lemon juice. For a super immune boosting drink, add 2 chopped and peeled grapefruits, 5 chopped carrots and freshly grated ginger root into your juicer and enjoy.
Fresh Ginger Tea
Making your own ginger tea is easy and incredibly soothing. It’s especially good to sip when you have a cold, the flu or a sore throat. All you need is a one-inch piece of fresh grated ginger and two cups of water. Boil your ginger for about 10 minutes for a mild flavor, or up to 20 minutes if you’d like it more spicy. Once this is done, strain out the ginger. You can add a little raw, organic honey or lemon juice if you’d like for extra flavor.
Ginger Smoothie
Ginger can be added to many different types of smoothies too. It adds a warming spicy flavor to a fruit smoothie, working especially well with citrus fruits like pineapple, lemon, lime and orange, although it also goes well with vanilla bean and banana. You might even want to add other spices like nutmeg or cinnamon.
This pumpkin pie smoothie that incorporates these fantastic spices is a great one to try.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup organic coconut milk
- 8 ounces canned organic pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon fresh cinnamon
- 1″ chunk fresh ginger root, chopped or grated
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon raw, organic honey
- 8 – 10 ice cubes
Blend all ingredients except ice until totally smooth. Add ice and blend again.
Ginger-Honey Glaze for Salmon
Fresh ginger can be added to many different meals, tossed into any cooked meat or vegetable in a wok or pan. This recipe incorporates ginger and makes a delicious glaze for your wild-caught salmon.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup raw, organic honey
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon gluten-free soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, whisk until smooth and pour over cooked wild-caught salmon.
Be sure to add ginger root to your next shopping list. Get a little creative and have fun with it – ginger is fabulous for spicing up all types of drinks and meals all while providing a huge boost to your health!
-The Alternative Daily
Sources:
http://www.wholeliving.com/151377/grapefruit-carrot-and-ginger-juice
http://www.foodmatters.tv/articles-1/10-healing-benefits-of-ginger
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/01/ginger-recipes-health_n_1313493.html
http://www.howsweeteats.com/2012/03/toasted-sesame-ginger-salmon
http://www.smoothie-handbook.com/pumpkin-smoothie.html
