Turmeric Ginger Smoothie

A tropical and nutrient-rich anti-inflammatory smoothie! This smoothie not only looks vibrant and beautiful, it tastes delicious and is loaded with beneficial ingredients! Curcumin, a substance in turmeric, is high in antioxidants and is a powerful anti-inflammatory. A pinch of black pepper helps your body to absorb more of the curcumin (you won’t even taste it!). Ginger is also an excellent anti-inflammatory, plus it can help fight infection and aid in digestion. There’s fiber from the fruit and protein from the Greek yogurt which will help keep you full all morning long :)

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup frozen pineapple chunks (mango works too)

• 1 banana, frozen

• 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced

• 1 tsp ground turmeric 

• ½  cup plain Greek yogurt (I like 2%)

• ¾ cup dairy or non-dairy milk

• Pinch of black pepper

Directions:

• Blend together and enjoy!

Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup

This soup requires so few ingredients, yet it packs a ton of flavor! By roasting the carrots, they carmelize and add even more depth and complexity to this soup. Adding a little coconut milk adds richness and creaminess. I highly recommend doubling this and storing leftovers in the fridge or freezer for a quick weeknight meal!

Ingredients:

(serves 2)

• 8 medium/large carrots, halved and quartered

• 3 cups vegetable broth

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• 1 tbsp avocado oil 

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger

• ¾ cup coconut milk

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees

• Toss carrots with avocado oil and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes, or until caramelized and tender.

• Once carrots are almost finished in the oven, melt the coconut oil in a large sauce pan or dutch oven over medium heat.

• Add onion, a pinch of salt and cook for about 8 minutes (stirring occasionally) or until onions are soft and translucent.

• Add garlic and ginger and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently

• Add the roasted carrots and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Add in coconut milk and stir.

• Blend in a blender or use an immersion blender until smooth. Taste and add salt if needed.

• Optional - garnish with pumpkin seeds

Ginger Molasses Cookies

I love the holiday season! Everyone seems to be in good spirits, there are lots of parties, and also lots of treats! Sometimes too many parties and treats can be our downfall. While being too restrictive can backfire, having some healthier recipes in your back pocket can allow you to enjoy those treats without all of the guilt. Try these delicious ginger molasses cookies for crowd-pleasing festive dessert! They are soft, pillowy, sweet, and spicy. YUM :)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup melted and cooled coconut oil

• 3 tbsp honey

• 3 tbsp blackstrap molasses

• 1 egg,  room temperature

• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup almond flour

• 1/4 cup coconut flour

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 2  tsp ground ginger

• 1 ½ tsp cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

• In a large bowl, mix together the coconut oil, honey, molasses, egg and vanilla extract until smooth.

• In a separate bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.

• Add the dry ingredients into the wet until a sticky dough forms. Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for 5 minutes.

• Roll the dough into 10 balls. Place on cookie sheet and flatten with the back of your hand.

• Bake for 10 minutes.

• Let cool before serving

Miso Ginger Mushroom Soup

I had lots of mushrooms laying around this week, so I whipped up this delicious Miso Ginger Mushroom Soup for lunch yesterday. It was perfect for the chilly, foggy fall day we were having in San Francisco. You read all about the benefits of mushrooms my “Mushroom and Thyme Quinoa” post, but there are some other seriously nutrient-dense ingredients in this soup, like ginger, which is a powerful antioxidant, aids in digestion, and helps prevent inflammation. Also, there’s miso, which is a fermented food and helps to restore beneficial bacteria (probiotics) in our gut. This soup takes about 15 minutes and has only a small handful of ingredients. Enjoy!

Ingredients

(serves 2)

• 4 cups vegetable or mushroom broth

• 3 tbsp red or white miso paste

• 2 cups shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

• 2 cups spinach or kale leaves (roughly chopped)

• 1 tbsp grated (or minced) fresh ginger root

• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 1 tsp tamari or soy sauce

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• In a medium sized pot, heat sesame oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring often, or until softened. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.

• Ladle about ½ cup of the broth into a small bowl. Add the miso paste and tamari (or soy sauce) and whisk to combine. Return to the soup pot and stir. 

• Add mushrooms to the soup pot. Cover the pot and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the mushrooms are cooked through. Add spinach (or kale). Turn off the heat, but keep the lid on for 2-3 minutes, or until spinach is wilted. Serve.

Optional:

• Add cooked soba or udon noodles just before serving

• Add cooked shredded chicken or cubed tofu just before serving

• Top with scallions and red pepper flakes

Pear Maca Ginger Smoothie Bowl

This energy-boosting smoothie is a refreshing way to start your morning! With maca powder, spinach, cauliflower, pear, and ginger, it is packed with nutrients that will leave you feeling nourished and ready to tackle the day ahead of you. Maca is an adaptogen (plant, herb, or mushroom that helps the body adapt to stress and to normalize bodily processes). It’s used to balance hormones, boost libido, and energy. The ginger in this smoothie bowl adds the perfect amount of spice and warmth, along with some powerful health benefits- it stimulates digestion, can improve blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and regulate blood sugar levels.

Ingredients:

Trader Joes has a great, affordable frozen riced cauliflower that I use!

• 1 ripe pear, cored and chopped into chunks

• ½ cup unsweetened almond milk

• ⅔ cup frozen cauliflower

• ½ frozen banana

• 1 cup spinach, packed

• ¼ tsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced

• ½ tsp Maca powder

Toppings (optional)

• ½ banana, sliced

• ¼ cup berries 

• ¼ cup walnuts, roughly chopped

Directions

• In a blender, add in all ingredients and blend until smooth

• Top with banana slices, berries, and walnuts

Health Benefits of Pears:

• They are a great source of vitamin C, which helps fight free radical damage in the body, promotes skin cell renewal, and boosts immune health

• Pears are a high-fiber food, which helps with digestion, can keep you regular, and can also maintain healthy blood sugar levels 

• They are full of antioxidants like polyphenols and flavonoids (mostly found in a pear’s skin), which helps fight inflammation and disease formation

• Pears have a high pectin content, which helps our body remove waste and toxins

Sources and additional reading:

• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-maca-root#section7

• https://draxe.com/nutrition/pear-nutrition/

• https://www.dovemed.com/healthy-living/natural-health/7-health-benefits-of-pears/

• https://www.naturalfoodseries.com/11-pears-health-benefits/

• https://chopra.com/articles/8-incredible-health-benefits-of-ginger

Ginger Lime Shrimp

I love cooking with ginger. Not only does it make your kitchen smell wonderfully aromatic, it adds spice, warmth, and overall great flavor when added to recipes. This shrimp recipe tastes elegant, bright, and fresh, yet it takes about 10-15 minutes to prepare, making it a perfect weeknight meal. I served it over black forbidden coconut rice with my roasted sesame broccoli (from last week’s post). Honestly, it was so delicious. I recommend making this when you need to spice up your regular weeknight meals or when you’re having friends over for dinner, but you don’t have time for a time-consuming dish. I gave my garlic and ginger a rough chop, but mincing will make it look a little more professional (and less rustic). Enjoy!

Ingredients: (serves 2)

• ¾ lb medium sized shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 2 tbsp avocado oil (or butter)

• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

• Juice and zest from 2 limes

• 1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)

• ½  cup of water

Directions:

• Mix together toasted sesame oil, lime juice, lime zest, tamari, and water in a bowl. Set aside.

• Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp of avocado oil.

• Add the shrimp to the pan.

• Cook for about 2 minutes a side or until cooked through (be careful not to overcook). Remove shrimp from the pan.

• Reduce heat to medium.

• Add 1 tbsp avocado oil, garlic and ginger. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, until fragrant but not browned. Stir frequently.

• Add water, lime juice, lime zest, sesame oil, and tamari and reduce until sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes, stirring every once in a while.

• Serve shrimp and sauce over soba noodles or coconut rice (see recipe)

Want to grill instead?

If grilling, mix together all ingredients but the shrimp and water. Add shrimp to marinade and let sit for about 30 minutes before grilling. Grill for about 2 minutes a side (or until cooked through).

Health Benefits of Ginger:

• Ginger has been used as a natural remedy for nausea. If dealing with morning sickness, try having ginger tea or making a lemon ginger tonic.

• It has been shown to aid digestion, and it helps to reduce gas and bloating.

• It has antifungal properties and can help fight off yeast infections and athlete’s foot.

• Ginger has many anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to help with joint pain and arthritis.

• It is antimicrobial and a powerful antioxidant, making it a useful natural remedy when fighting off a cold.

• It has been shown to help alleviate pain from menstrual cramps.

Sources and additional reading:

https://draxe.com/10-medicinal-ginger-health-benefits/

https://www.chinesemedicineliving.com/chinese-medicine/ginger-is-medicine/

http://acupunctureinthepark.com/food-therapy/twelve-things-you-need-to-know-about-ginger/

https://chopra.com/articles/8-incredible-health-benefits-of-ginger

https://www.boost-immune-system-naturally.com/health-benefits-of-ginger.html