Basil ginger tea

This is an easy tea that can be served hot, for those chilly winter months and feeling under the weather, or over ice for a refreshing drink during the warm summer months.

Every ingredient in this tea has healing benefits:

Coriander – helps digestion, helps high cholesterol, anti inflammatory qualiites.

Cardamom – helps digestion, fights cold and flu symptoms, helps lower blood pressure, anti inflammatory qualities and has lots of antioxidants.

Black pepper – helps digestion, antibacterial effects and antioxidants.

Ginger –  helps digestion, fights nausea, anti inflammatory qualities and is full of antioxidants.

Honey – can help acid reflux, can minimize seasonal allergies and contains antioxidants.

Basil – reduces inflammation, full of antioxidants and anti-age properties.

Lime – rich in Vitamin C (one of the most important antioxidants), anti carcinogenic for cancer fighting and can help lower cholesterol.

Ingredients (makes 4 cups)                metric conversion                  print recipe

• 2 tablespoons ground coriander 
• 2 tablespoons ground cardamom
• 1/2 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• 8 tablespoons honey
• 4 cups water
• 1 lime, sliced
• 8 large leaves of fresh basil

1. In a small sauté pan, add the coriander, cardamom and black peppercorns.
2. Over low heat, warm the spices until they get fragrant, about 5 minutes,
3. In a medium saucepan add the water and bring to a boil, turn off the heat.
4. Add the honey and stir until it is melted.
5. Add the spices, grated ginger and basil.
6. Bring the tea to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Strain the tea through a fine mesh strainer or coffee filter into a jug.
8. Serve with sliced lime hot or over ice.

*You can squeeze in some lime juice to add tang.

Other recipes you might enjoy:

Basil oil

10 healing benefits of ginger and 5 healthy ginger recipes

The many benefits of ginger.  In addition to recipes (add to rice, grate into a lemon sorbet or even add to your juicer), did you know how it can help our bodies?  

1. Nausea, grate into tea or plain water
2. Overeaten?  Ginger can help digest food.
3. Ginger tea for nose and throat congestion.
4. Joint pain?  Ginger has anti-inflammatory qualities, even add some to your bath water
5. Feeling gassy? Ginger can reduce flatulence.
6. Ginger can even be an aphrodisiac 🙂
7. Ginger, when taken at the beginning of a menstrual cycle can help reduce the symptoms of menstrual pain in some women.
8. Ginger has a high level of antioxidents and can be a powerful weapon against cancers.
9. Applying diluted ginger paste to the forehead is believed to relieve migraine headaches by reducing inflammation in blood vessels.
10. Pregnant? Ginger is a great, healthy way to combat that morning sickness, but please consult your doctor first.

Here are some great healthy recipes made with ginger:

1. Ginger Lemon Tea from I Bake He Shoots

2. Ginger Chicken Hotpot from Daily Waffle

3. The Cheeky Monkey Smoothie from Boulder Locavore

4. Chickpea Edamame salad with Avocado Ginger Dressing from Let’s Dish

5. Homemade Minted Ginger Ale from  The Yummy Bits

Roasted carrot ginger soup

So we are just about half-way through January and if you’re like me, all you’re reading is, detox, cleanse smoothie, etc. This is my contribution to the bandwagon. This soup gets flavor from a couple of different techniques. Firstly, the vegetable stock (recipe), so important that this ingredient has as much flavor as possible. Secondly, roasting the vegetables gives huge flavor by browning and adding a lot of sweetness, especially roasted garlic, because who likes boiled vegetables?

Ingredients  (4 servings)                            metric conversion                         print recipe

• 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 1 medium, or 1/2 large onion, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 1 garlic clove, unpeeled
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt
• White pepper
• 6 cups vegetable stock (recipe)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Add the carrots, onions and garlic to a sheet tray and spread out evenly.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and an even sprinkling of salt and white pepper, mix until coated.
4. Roast in the oven for 35 minutes or until tender and golden.
5. In a large saucepan add the vegetable broth and bring to a simmer.
6. Add the carrots, onions, garlic, squeezed out of it’s peel and ginger.
7. Simmer for 15 minutes.
8. Add 1/4  teaspoon salt and small pinch of white pepper.
9. Using an immersion blender, or add to a blender in batches, blend soup until it is smooth and reaches the desired consistency, if it is too thick, add more stock.
10. Check for seasoning. * (see note)
11. Serve and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and Parmesan frico crisps (recipe).

* You can adjust salt, pepper and even the ginger flavor to your taste.

Here is a great side dish to go with the soup, parmesan frico crisps.

Ginger, ginger

The many benefits of ginger.  In addition to recipes (add to rice, grate into a lemon sorbet or even add to your juicer), did you know how it can help our bodies?  
1. Nausea, grate into tea or plain water
2. Overeaten?  Ginger can help digest food.
3. Ginger tea for nose and throat congestion.
4. Joint pain?  Ginger has anti-inflammatory qualities, even add some to your bath water
5. Ginger can even be an aphrodisiac 🙂