Spice up your winter with these three recipes.
For centuries, ginger has been used by the Chinese as a medicinal remedy. It has been said to aid digestion, and relieve nausea and pain, among other uses. Ginger has also inspired various cuisines—with its unique aromatic and spicy flavor, it lends an Eastern influence to many popular dishes. Here are some terrific ways to enjoy it.
Apple and Pork Stir-fry with Ginger
4 Servings
2 Tbsp. peach jam, preferably fruit sweetened
2 Tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. water
½ tsp. cornstarch
1½ tsp. dark toasted sesame oil
½ pound (8 ounces) pork tenderloin, cut into thin strips
1 Tbsp. finely minced fresh ginger root
1½ tsp. canola oil
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 firm apples, such as Fuji or Gala, cut into one-inch pieces
½ cup scallions, thinly sliced
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups steamed brown rice or whole-wheat angel hair pasta
In small bowl, combine jam, soy sauce, water, and cornstarch. Set aside. In large non-stick skillet, heat sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add pork and ginger and stir-fry until pork is browned and just cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer pork and ginger to bowl with slotted spoon. Add canola oil to skillet. Stir-fry peppers, water chestnuts, and apples until peppers are crisp tender, about 3 minutes. Add pork back to skillet along with scallions. Stir-fry 30 seconds. Add jam mixture. Continue to stir-fry 30 seconds to one minute, or until sauce thickens. Season to taste with black pepper. Serve over brown rice or whole-wheat pasta.
Nutrition facts per serving: 355 calories, 8 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 55 g carbohydrates, 17 g protein, 10 g dietary fiber, 345 mg sodium
Vegetable Miso Soup with Ginger
4 to 6 Servings
½ cup onion, chopped
2 or 3 carrots, chopped or diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
2 cups bok choy
1½-inch cube fresh ginger, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 medium zucchini, diced
2 cups chopped cooked chicken or ½ block extra-firm tofu, diced into small cubes
2 to 3 Tbsp. miso (Available at most grocery stores in the refrigerated Asian food section)
Sauté onions and carrots in olive oil for about 4 to 5 minutes. Add broth, soy sauce, and ginger, and bring to a boil. Simmer until carrots are almost done. Add zucchini and bok choy. Simmer until vegetables are cooked, about 5 minutes. Do not overcook. Add chicken/tofu and miso and simmer for another minute. Remove chunks of ginger and serve.
Nutrition facts per serving: 215 calories, 8 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 11 g carbohydrates, 26 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 575 mg sodium. Note: The nutrition facts are for the chicken version of recipe. The tofu version has 164 calories and 9 g of total fat.
Ginger Spice Biscotti
Makes 40 biscotti
Canola oil spray
1¼ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour or whole-wheat pastry flour
4 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. allspice
¼ tsp. salt
2 large eggs
¼ cup canola oil
¼ cup unsweetened apple butter or applesauce
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup dried cranberries, chopped dried pineapple, or other dried fruit
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray large cookie sheet with canola oil spray and set aside. In medium bowl, mix next seven ingredients and set aside. Using electric mixer or food processor, combine eggs with oil and apple butter for 10 seconds. Add sugar and blend for 30 more seconds. Add half of dry mixture and process until smooth. Add remaining dry mixture and process until a soft and sticky dough forms. Transfer dough to a large bowl; fold in dried fruit. Divide dough in half and place on either end of cookie sheet. With damp hands, form each piece of dough into a log 3 inches wide and about ¾-inch high. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Logs will spread during baking. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. With serrated knife, slice each log into ½-inch cookies, cutting on a diagonal. Bake 10 minutes. Turn each cookie over and bake 10 more minutes. Turn oven off and leave biscotti in oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack. Store at room temperature.
Nutrition facts per serving: 60 calories, 2 g total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 10 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein, <1 g dietary fiber, 36 mg sodium
Source: Apple and pork stir-fry and ginger spice biscotti recipes are reprinted with permission from the American Institute for Cancer Research. For more recipes, visit aicr.org.
