Ginger has long been one of the most highly valued spices in the world — not just because of the wonderful flavor it adds to food (think gingerbread and gingersnaps), but also because of its healing properties. The ancient Greeks used it to counteract the effects of poison, and traditional Chinese medicine recommends it today for problems such as respiratory issues, toothache, and other pain.

And medical researchers are backing the Chinese on this — they’ve found that ginger is superior to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Tylenol or Advil because NSAIDs work only on one level: they just block the formation of inflammatory compounds.  Ginger, on the other hand, not only blocks the formation of the inflammatory compounds – prostaglandins and leukotrienes–but it also has antioxidant effects that break down existing inflammation and acidity in the fluid within the joints.

With this information in mind, we would be smart to add more ginger to our cooking and baking. This wouldn’t be hard to do, because fresh or dried ginger can be added to stir-fries, curries, soups, cakes and cookies, or made into tea.  In fact, I add a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger to my green smoothie every morning, and I also make my own ginger tea:

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Ginger Tea

1 three-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and diced
1 quart water
2-4 drops Sweet Leaf brand Vanilla Cream Stevia

Boil water with ginger on the stove for 30 to 60 minutes. Add Sweet Leaf Vanilla Cream Stevia to sweeten each cup of tea.  Strain tea mixture into a cup and enjoy. (I refrigerate the ginger pieces and toss them in the next day’s green smoothie.) It’s recommended that we drink three cups daily for arthritic or muscle pain.

Now, if you think you’d like to ditch the drugs and opt for more ginger in your diet, here are a few recipes to get you started:

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Asparagus in Fresh Ginger Sauce

Yield: 2 main course servings over rice

1 pound medium or thick asparagus
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock or canned broth
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon rice wine
1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon water
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 green onion, minced (2 Tablespoons)

Peel asparagus and trim ends. Cut stalks diagonally into 2-inch pieces. In a bowl mix stock, soy sauce, sugar, and rice wine or sherry wine. In a small cup, mix cornstarch and water.

Heat oil in wok or skillet over high heat. Add ginger and green onions, and stir-fry for 15 seconds. Add asparagus and stir-fry a few seconds more. Add broth mixture and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over medium heat about 3 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender.

Push asparagus to side of pan. Stir cornstarch mixture, stir it into simmering liquid, and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Toss with asparagus. Serve immediately.

Note: For a more substantial main course, add 1 small can straw mushrooms, drained, or 8 ears of cooked fresh or drained canned baby corn.

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Ginger, Beet and Carrot Salad

Dressing:
1/4 C minced shallots (scallions will do)
2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 garlic clove minced
1/4 C rice vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 C olive oil
Tabasco sauce (a few drops)

Make dressing using a blender. Add olive oil last. Mix dressing with 4 cups grated carrots (could be less) & 4 cups grated beets (could also be less).

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Ginger Molasses Cookies

3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup dark molasses
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4-1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
2 drops lemon extract
1/4 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
2 cups flour
granulated sugar

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add everything but the flour. Mix in the flour a little at a time. Refrigerate dough until firm. Form into small, ping-pong-sized balls. Roll in sugar. Bake at 375°F for 8-10 minutes on ungreased cookie sheets.

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Cherry Pecan Bread

Yield: 1 loaf

1/4 cup red and green Maraschino cherries, whole
3 cups flour
1-1/2 Tablespoons nonfat dry milk
2 Tablespoons granulated white sugar
1-1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon butter
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
3 teaspoons yeast
1-1/8 cups water
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Drain cherries well and pat dry. Set aside. Add flour, dry milk, sugar, salt, butter, cinnamon, ginger, yeast, and water in the order according to bread machine manufacturer's suggestion.

Add the raisins, whole cherries, sunflower seeds, and pecans at the beep at the end of the first kneading cycle.

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