Ginger Juice, Tea and Spice (Zero Waste Recipes To Use Up Ginger)
This zero waste recipe trio, including ginger juice, tea, and spice, is a perfect way to use up a large ginger root!
Have you ever ended up with more ginger than you could possibly manage? I shop for some of my groceries online, and when it comes to fresh produce, it’s a bit of a gamble. The other day, I ordered some ginger with the rest of my shopping, and they sent me the biggest ginger root I’ve ever seen!
I took it as a challenge to make sure none of it goes to waste. I created a trio of zero waste recipes that would use ginger, and so I present to you:
- Supercharged Ginger Juice
- Anti-Inflammatory Ginger Tea
- Ginger and Turmeric Spice
Next time you have an abundance of ginger, you should give it a try! Ginger is a such a versatile and nutritious spice, it can be consumed in a variety of ways to help support overall health and wellness.
Why You’ll Love These Recipes
- I used a minimal amount of ingredients for this ginger juice, tea and spice, to really highlight the star of the show, the ginger root!
- The reason I am so passionate about creating Scrappy Cooking recipes like this one is because food waste can largely be avoided!
- Due to the amazing properties of ginger, all three recipes can help your well-being. The ginger juice, tea, and spice can add some flavor into your life, but they can also act as a digestive aid and immune system boost.
- These recipes are just one amazing example of the multitude of forms ginger can take. For instance, ginger juice has an energising effect, while ginger tea is great for a calm afternoon.
Nutritional Benefits of Ginger
Ginger is a popular spice that is not only used for culinary purposes, but also has many nutritional and medicinal benefits. Some of the benefits of ginger include:
- Anti-inflammatory properties. Ginger contains compounds that can help reduce inflammation in the body, which may help alleviate symptoms of conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Digestive health. Ginger can help promote digestive health by reducing inflammation in the gut, and may help alleviate nausea, bloating, and constipation.
- Immune system support. Ginger contains compounds that have antiviral and antibacterial properties, which may help support the immune system and protect against infections.
- Pain relief. Ginger has natural pain-relieving properties and can help alleviate pain caused by conditions like headaches and menstrual cramps.
- Cardiovascular health. Some studies suggest that ginger may help improve cardiovascular health by reducing blood pressure, lowering cholesterol levels, and improving blood flow.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
- Ginger Turmeric Wellness Shot
- Lemon Ginger Ice Cubes
- Whole Lemon Loaf
- Pomegranate Powder
- Orange Peel Powder
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Ginger and Turmeric Juice
This vibrant and beautiful juice is made with fresh ginger root, lemon juice, turmeric and a pinch of black pepper. It certainly packs a punch but trust me, once you try it, you will be obsessed!
How to Make This Recipe
This is as simple as it gets. And the best part? You don’t need a juicer!
Simply blend all of your ingredients together until smooth, then run it through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth and bottle to store.
Hack It!
- If you’ve ran out of lemons, try this recipe with limes, oranges, or grapefruits instead. The flavor will be slightly different, but delicious and healthy nonetheless!
- Not sure what to do with lemon rinds? How about the zero waste DIY kitchen cleanser or lemon peel powder recipe?
- Since the flavors are quite strong, this juice can be enjoyed as a wellness shot or diluted with more water (still or sparkling) and served with ice for a long refreshing drink.
The Recipe: Ginger Juice
Ingredients
- 1 ginger root, approx. 3 inches, with skin, washed and chopped
- 2 lemons, juiced (or 4 tbsp of lemon juice)
- ¾ tsp turmeric
- 3 cup filtered water
- pinch black pepper
Equipment
- Fine sieve or cheesecloth
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Using a cheese cloth or a fine mesh sieve, drain the juice, reserving the pulp for our anti-inflammatory spice.
- This juice is quite strong and can also be taken as ginger turmeric wellness shots. If you find it too strong to drink as a juice, you can dilute with more water or sparkling water.
- Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Anti-Inflammatory Ginger Tea
If you enjoyed the ginger recipe above, you can take it further by making these delicious ginger tea ice cubes.
How does it work? Oh-so-simple! Use the ginger tea ice cubes essentially act as “teabags”. Once you make a batch, you can enjoy a delicious and aromatic hot beverage all week.
It’s naturally caffeine-free, and it has anti-inflammatory properties that are able to aid your digestive system.
How to Make This Recipe
l you need to do is grab your favorite ice cube tray and fill each “compartment” with 1/2 tsp chia seeds. Top it up with ginger juice and freeze.
When you’re craving a hot cup of tea, just pour hot water over two ginger tea cubes and enjoy!
Hack It!
- These zesty ice cubes can be served as hot tea, refreshing cold drink, or even added to a smoothie.
- If you ran out of chia seeds, ginger juice works just as well on its own. Freeze it into cubes, and enjoy.
- You can even use these cubes in cooking! For instance, if you are making a curry or a stir-fry.
The Recipe: Anti-Inflammatory Ginger Tea
Ingredients
- 2 cup ginger juice
- 4 tbsp chia seeds
Instructions
- In an ice cube tray, add a 1/2 teaspoon of chia seeds to each "cube". Then pour the ginger juice over top, and freeze.
- When you're ready to make a cup of tea, add 2 of the ice cubes to a mug, and pour the boiling water over top. Enjoy immediately. Can also be served cold.
Ginger Turmeric Spice
Don’t forget, this ginger recipe trio is zero-waste! Remember the pump leftover from straining the juice in the first recipe? We’re going to make it into a vibrant and flavourful spice!
How to Make This Recipe
Spread the leftover ginger pulp on a dehydrator tray or sheet pan. Dehydrate using your preferred method until there is no moisture left.
It’s very important to make sure that your pulp is fully dried. Otherwise, any leftover moisture will be trapped in the spice jar and the entire batch will spoil faster.
Once dry, pulse it in a blender until you have fine spice. Gorgeous!
Hack It!
- You can use a dehydrator, an oven on the lowest setting (3-4 hours) or simply on a sunny windowsill or even outside. The latter depends on the weather, of course!
- As for processing the spice, if you only have a large blender, you may prefer a food processor or even a coffee grinder.
- You can use this spice with so many recipes! Add it to curries, stir-fries, pasta dishes, or sweet dishes like cakes or oatmeal.
- Store in a spice jar for up to 3 months.
The Recipe: Ginger Turmeric Spice
Ingredients
- 1 cup leftover ginger pulp, all that you have left after straining ginger juice
Equipment
- Dehydrator or oven
- Sheetpan
Instructions
- Spread the pulp on a lined sheet pan or dehydrator tray. Dry fully in the dehydrator, oven on the lowest setting, or a sunny spot.
- Break up the dried pulp into pieces and add to a blender. Pulse until you have a fine powder.
