Spice of the Month: Ginger

Spice of the Month: Ginger

By Laura Coffee, Marketing & Owner Services Manager, Co-op Owner

I’m particularly excited about this month because ginger is one of my favorite spices. It has so many uses, both culinary and medicinal, and the flavor is utterly unique. Ginger is spicy, without being hot in the way peppers are, equally at home in sweet and savory dishes, and it ‘wakes up’ just about anything you put it in! I hope you enjoy these recipes and find that you love ginger as much as I do! Check out this video for more information and visit the CRDL website to sign up for future Spice of the Month content!

Ginger Citrus Shortbread

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup cane sugar
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp powdered ginger
  • 1 tsp dried orange peel
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Heat your oven to 350F. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a uniform texture is reached. (If you don’t have a food processor begin by creaming the coconut oil and sugar, then fold in the other ingredients until well combined.) The mixture will be crumbly but should easily press into a ball. If the mixture does not stick try adding 1 tsp of warm water. My preference here is to shape the mixture into a long roll and slice it into 1/4″ thick rounds. If you prefer, you can roll the dough out 1/4″ thick and slice with cookie cutters. (Tip: I do not recommend chilling this dough before rolling and slicing. Coconut oil becomes very stiff when refrigerated, so it is easiest to work at room temperature.) Once your dough is cut, place the cookies on a parchment paper covered cookie sheet and bake for about 12 minutes or until the edges are just beginning to brown. Do your best to let them cool completely before devouring them. (I definitely ate one while it was still hot, but they are very crumbly when hot so be careful.)

Roasted Carrot Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound carrots
  • 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 cup onions, leeks, or shallots
  • 1-2 tsp powdered ginger
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Roughly chop the carrots and onions and roast at 375F in a lightly oiled pan for about 45 minutes or until cooked through. For a sweeter soup, roast them uncovered so the sugars can caramelize. Once the vegetables are done combine with the ginger, salt, and broth in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. That’s it! This soup can be served hot or cold. Using 1 teaspoon of ginger will create a subtle warmth, 2 teaspoons will have a stronger ginger taste and more heat.

In addition to these recipes I also suggest trying ginger in your smoothies (about 1 tsp powder per serving), tea, salad dressings, stir fries, and muffins!

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