Today I made Warming Plant Blood (recipe at the end of this post), which includes one of my all-time favorite ingredients – Ginger. I always have fresh organic ginger in my house. I love adding it to juices, smoothies, salads, and other Raw vegan dishes (it’s so nourishing). I’ve often referred to garlic as the king of spices. The queen spot goes to ginger. It rocks.
Ginger offers multiple health benefits. It has warming qualities, as noted in the recipe title Warming Plant Blood. When I feel cold in the winter, I start adding more ginger to my diet. Even though most of my food is Raw (and sometimes a little chilly by nature), adding ginger helps make my digestion and body feel like it’s warming up. Speaking of digestion, ginger is a major helper in that department. Next time you have an upset tummy, try drinking some warm water with a little fresh grated ginger, lemon juice and maybe a dash of raw agave nectar or a drop of stevia. Or, simply drink some ginger tea from a box. I just picked some up at Whole Foods last night from the company Traditional Medicinals. They have a nice tea called Organic Ginger. If I think I’ll have a meal that might challenge my digestive system, I often drink a cup of this about a half hour before the meal.
Ginger is a rich source of powerful antioxidants which have anti-inflammatory properties, and there is evidence that ginger’s antioxidants might help fight/inhibit the growth of certain types of cancers. Not only that, but studies show ginger can also help boost the immune system.
Storing ginger is easy. Fresh ginger can be stored for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator (or up to 6 months in the freezer) when tightly wrapped.
Warming Plant Blood
Kristen Suzanne of Kristen’s Raw
Yield 1-2 servings
1-inch piece of fresh ginger*
4-5 carrots
1 medium/large-ish beet
1 bunch of baby red Swiss chard**
I used my Breville juicer to juice the ingredients.
* This is a lot of ginger and it definitely gives the juice a kick and immediate warming sensation. You might try half this amount and taste the juice. Then, decide if you want to add more.
** The baby red Swiss chard I used today was from the farmer’s market (locally grown, organic – YAY!). The leaves were little, which is why I referred to it as “baby” Swiss chard. If I was using a regular, full grown bunch, I probably would have juiced 1/2 – 3/4 of the bunch.
For more information on great juicers, check out my blog post, My Favorite Juicers – GreenStar and Breville.
