The Super Root: Ginger

I confess. I love ginger!

I love to eat anything with ginger in it. So, of course, it leads to me loving working with it in the kitchen. Besides having a fantastic flavor, it is zesty and has a little spicy kick to it.

Ginger--what is it really you say???? Well, it is the mostly underground root of the ginger plant. It has a thicker brownish skin on it and the color of the flesh inside ranges from white, yellow to even a little reddish.

I love that this root is great for many stomach problems such as nausea or vomiting. I find if my stomach isn’t feeling great that a nice hot tea made with fresh ginger and honey will help me to feel better very quickly. Ginger is full of antioxidants, immune boosters and has very potent anti-inflammatory properties. The super awesome and very distinct flavor we all love from ginger comes from gingerol. Gingerol is the main active component in ginger and may help inhibit the growth of some (colorectal and ovarian) cancer cells.

The top places that ginger is produced are Jamaica, India, Fiji, Indonesia and Australia. These are many places that also seem to use ginger a lot in their cuisines. When using ginger, fresh is always better. But it is also nice to keep some crystallized ginger on hand to chop up and toss into your favorite desserts.

The best way to get the outside skin off the ginger is by carefully peeling it with a pairing knife. Then you can chop up or zest the ginger flesh on the inside.

I have a favorite ginger sauce that I use for fruit skewers or for a simple fruit salad. It helps to give a zesty little bump in flavor to the fresh fruit. I also love it because it is a super easy way to make Foodgasm worthy food. Try it out today for a Gingeriffic Foodgasm!

 Ginger Lime Sauce

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons agave syrup

3 heaping teaspoons of grated fresh ginger

Directions

Mix all ingredients together till combined.

Toss sauce into a fresh fruit salad or drizzle over fresh fruit skewers before serving.

Vegetarian • Vegan • Gluten-Free • Dairy-Free