Zingiber officinale
The season for gift giving is fully underway my sweet friends! Have you been busy? The Bird’s nest has been hoppin'! This week I’ve been making gifts with Ginger! I know many of you love to make those yummy gingerbread cookies and houses but I’m taking a different route!
Medicine or Spice? Or Both?
Did you know…
Ginger is actually one of the healthiest spices in the world! Yes! Packed with so many powerful nutrients, Ginger is so beneficial to both your body and your brain! You know that wonderful ginger smell when you bake ginger cookies? That fragrance comes from the natural oil found in ginger called gingerol. Gingerol packs quite a healthy punch!
To name just a few…
Ginger helps with nausea; I remember my daughter ate ginger all the time to help with her nausea during pregnancy. It’s powerful! As an anti-inflammatory for sore muscles, joints? Ginger also helps lowers blood sugar and Cholesterol levels. The benefits of including ginger in your diet are worth checking out!
An easy Ginger treat…
can be made with two simple ingredients, Erythritol (Swerve) and fresh Ginger Root! Have you tried Candied Ginger from the market? They’re sugary sweet and full of ginger spice! Great as a treat or as a lifesaver after those overindulgent holiday parties! Beginning with 1 cup chopped ginger….
We’ll first need to remove the bitter taste!
How? Simply cover the chopped ginger with water, bring it to boil and simmer for two minutes. Strain the ginger, cover with water and repeat the boiling/straining process two more times.
Time to sweeten things up!
Combine ¾ cup Erythritol and ¾ cup water into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes and then toss in the ginger. Bring everything back to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. No need to stir just let it bubble along!
Times up and the Birds nest smells like Ginger! Yum!
This is hot my friends! Narrowly dodging a scald I carefully removed the ginger and placed it on a plate where I had sprinkled a bit of Swerve. I wanted to give them a nice sugar coat!
Left to dry…
for a few hours was perfect! When dry, candied ginger makes a wonderful Christmas Gift!
But wait….remember the syrup we used to cook the ginger?
You have just created Ginger Syrup! Another great gift! Served it over pancakes, ice cream and oh my goodness; a steaming bowl of oatmeal!
Cheers to a healthy (and spicy) holiday season!
Holiday Gifts from the heart! I’ll be wrapping these treats up and sending them off with love! Candied Ginger can have so many health benefits! I hope you’ll try making some, your family and friends will love it. So glad you stopped by today!
And as always, blessings to you all