Ginger isn’t just a tasty meal addition. Probably all of us have been given ginger ale by our moms when our tummies were suffering from nausea. Its root is a popular herbal remedy for such things but many more as well. Here’s a little ‘taste’ of what ginger can do for you!
Uses for Ginger
- Reducing the pain, stiffness, and immobility of arthritis.
- Antinausea herb recommended for morning sickness, motion sickness, and nausea that accompanies gastroenteritis (more commonly called stomach flu).
- Reduces gas, bloating, and indigestion, and aids in the body’s use and absorption of other nutrients and medicines.
- May improve some cases of constant severe dizziness and vertigo.
- May be useful for some migraine headaches.
- Prevents platelets from clumping together in the bloodstream. This serves to thin the blood and reduce your risk of atherosclerosis and blood clots.
- It is a warming remedy, ideal for boosting the circulation, lowering high blood pressure and keeping the blood thin in higher doses
- Powerful anti-inflammatory herb and there has been much recent interest in its use for joint problems.
- Try ginger root poultices on the chest for lung congestion or on the abdomen for gas and nausea. Powdered ginger and essential oils are the strongest form of ginger for topical use.
And here’s some promising news from the American Cancer Association:
Ginger root was recently the subject of a startling new research report presented at The American Association for Cancer research conference in Phoenix. In the study, ginger actually suppressed cancer cells suggesting that the herb was able to fuel apoptosis or the death of the cancer cells. Ginger has been shown to work against skin, ovarian, colon and breast cancer. But it had not been shown to halt the progression of cancer until now. However, more research is required to confirm.
So enjoy your ginger folks!
Here’s a couple of yummy ways to do just that. Though I certainly would not claim that these are healthy – they are tasty!
Ginger Peach Fizz
1 cup Sugar
2 tablespoons Minced Fresh Ginger
2 Very Ripe Peaches, halved, pitted, and thinly sliced
2 liters Seltzer, chilled
16 Fresh Mint Leaves, for garnish
1. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, bring 1 cup water, sugar, and ginger to a gentle simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, cover, and steep for about 30 minutes.
2. Over a medium bowl, pour syrup through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing minced ginger against sieve with the back of a spoon to extract flavor. Discard ginger. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until well chilled.
3. Evenly distribute peach slices among 8 tall glasses. For each glass, lightly press peaches with the back of a wooden spoon to release their juice. Pour about 2 tablespoons chilled syrup over peaches. (Store remaining syrup in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.) Add ice cubes; then top with seltzer. Stir to distribute syrup, peach juice, and seltzer evenly. Garnish with 2 mint leaves.
Ginger Peach Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
25 gingersnap cookies (about 6 ounces), coarsely broken
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Filling
4 small peaches (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled, pitted, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 tablespoons plus 1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
4 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Glaze
1/2 cup peach preserves
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 large peach, peeled, pitted, very thinly sliced
For crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grind gingersnaps in processor to coarse crumbs. Add butter and blend until evenly moistened. Press crumbs over bottom and 1 inch up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake crust until beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Cool on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
For filling:
Combine peaches, 2 tablespoons sugar, and lemon juice in heavy large saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and peaches are juicy, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until peaches are tender and juices thicken, about 5 minutes. Cool compote.
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add 1 1/4 cups sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in sour cream and vanilla. Spoon half of cheese mixture (about 3 cups) into crust. Spoon peach compote over by tablespoonfuls, spacing apart. Top with remaining cheese mixture.
Place large piece of foil on oven rack. Place pan with cheesecake on foil. Bake until puffed, set in center, and beginning to brown, about 1 hour. Place hot cheesecake on rack; cool 5 minutes. Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen. Place cheesecake, uncovered, on rack in refrigerator and chill overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep chilled.)
For glaze:
Combine preserves and lemon juice in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until glaze comes to simmer. Strain into small bowl. Release pan sides; place cheesecake on platter. Spread glaze over top of cheesecake to within 1/4 inch of edge. Chill cheesecake until glaze sets, at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours. Arrange peach slices in center of cake and serve.
Let us know what you think!
If you are in need of fresh peaches – there’s no better place to pick them than at Monroe’s Orchard! 6313 Pioneer Trail, Hiram, Ohio 44234