Years ago, if you had asked me if I liked ginger, I would have said "no" emphatically. There was just something about that pungent root that I didn't care for. Perhaps my taste buds have simply changed; I've heard they do that as you age. Maybe I'm getting a bit more adventurous with foods, or it's possible that I simply never tried ginger in recipes that I liked. No matter the reason, I now really like ginger. And bonus, ginger is a great part of a healthy diet! Ginger is known for aiding in digestion and its antioxidants may help protect the cells in your body from free radicals. You can learn more from this article by Johns Hopkins University. In case you're interested in giving it a try, here are some of my favorite recipes using ginger. Combine these for an entire ginger-infused meal!
Ginger Lemon Spice Tea
I've gotten into making my own herbal teas and this one is my absolute favorite! I especially love that I can grow three of the five ingredients in my garden. This yummy tea is made absolutely decadent when served with a dollop of coconut cream.
Lemon Balm
Lemon Verbena
Lemon Grass
Cardamom
Ginger
*all ingredients are dried
For a single mug of tea, add a pinch of each ingredient to a tea strainer. Add boiling water and steep for 10 minutes. Remove the strainer and add sweetener and coconut cream, if you'd like. For more instruction on the art of making tea, and for more recipes, check out my post Healing Herbal Tea Blends.
Ginger Salad Dressing
Combine whatever veggies you like and top with this yummy dressing. Super easy to make and absolutely addictive! Seriously, just add everything to a jar and shake to combine (with the lid on, of course). Taste the dressing and modify as needed. This amount is sufficient for four salads, depending on how much dressing you like. Enjoy!
2T Rice Vinegar
2T Olive Oil
2T Sesame Oil
2T Soy Sauce
1/2t Sweetener (honey, sugar, maple syrup)
1t Grated Ginger
Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad
This recipe was adapted from Ambitious Kitchen. It's a lovely blend of sweet and salty, soft and crunchy! I use my homemade cashew butter to make it extra delicious!
3/4C Quinoa - Cook according to package instructions. Set aside to cool.
Sauce - Add sauce ingredients to a small bowl; whisk to combine.
1/4C Cashew Butter
1T Maple Syrup
1T Sesame Oil
3T Soy Sauce
1T Rice Vinegar
2t Ginger, fresh, grated
1/2 Lime, juiced
Salad - Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
1C Carrots, chopped or shredded
1/2C Cilantro, chopped
1/4C Green Onions, chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper, seeds discarded, chopped
1/4C Red Onion, chopped
2C Red Cabbage, chopped
Add quinoa and dressing to the salad in the large bowl. Toss to combine. Serve with a sprinkle of cashews on top. Cover and store any leftovers in the fridge.
Ginger Garlic Salmon
This recipe from Spend With Pennies is so good, I really didn't change a thing! The marinade makes the salmon incredibly tender and infused with delicious flavor. As a vegetarian, I don't eat seafood very often and would really like to try this marinade with tempeh. I'll let you know how it goes!
1/4 C Soy Sauce
1/4 C Water
2T Dark Brown Sugar (I used coconut sugar)
2T Sesame Oil
1T Ginger, freshly grated
1T Garlic, freshly minced
Up to 2 pounds of salmon (or tempeh if you want to try it)
Add all the marinade ingredients to a glass container with a lid that will fit the salmon (or tempeh if you're giving it a try). You can also use a sealable plastic bag if needed. Stir the ingredients together, add the salmon and make sure it's covered with juices. Let sit in the fridge for 45 minutes to marinate. You can shake it periodically to make sure the top gets recovered to ensure better infusion.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place salmon in an oiled baking dish and discard the marinade. Bake the fish for 12+ minutes depending on the thickness of the salmon and how "done" you like yours. Ours took about 17 minutes because they were so thick. Spend With Pennies suggests finishing with a 2-minute broil, but I forgot that part and it was delicious without. Spend With Pennies also suggested adding a small jalapeno, seeded and diced, to the marinade but I didn't try that. I don't think it needed it, but if you like a little kick, go ahead and give it a try.
Lemon Ginger Coconut Popsicles
I make no secret of the fact that I love popsicles! They are delicious mounds of portable frozen yummy goodness; what's not to love! I am continuously experimenting with new concoctions, and you can find a few of my favorite recipes in my Popsicle Palooza post. This is my latest creation and I am completely obsessed with it! It's the most refreshing, yet creamy treat on a hot day!
2 to 3 Lemons, juiced (1/2C to 3/4C)
2t Fresh Ginger, grated
3 Ripe Bananas
3T Maple Syrup
1/2t Ground Cardamom
1/2C Coconut Cream (the thick part of canned coconut milk)
1/2C Oat Milk (I make homemade oat milk but you can use any milk of your choice)
Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Take a taste and see what you think. The frozen version will taste exactly like the non-frozen version, so make any adjustments you'd like. If you want a stronger lemon and/or ginger flavor, amp it up! Then pour into popsicle molds or small glass jars and place in the freezer overnight before serving. If using glass jars, make sure you include 1/4 to 1/2 inch head space at the top to allow room for expansion (otherwise the glass might break). Tip: I don't normally like tons of kitchen gadgets, but if you love ginger, consider investing in a ginger grater. I have a ceramic one that makes life much easier!
Key
T = tablespoon
t = teaspoon
C = cup
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