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Ginger is one of the most versatile and beneficial ingredients you can have in your kitchen. Whether you’re using it for cooking, brewing tea, or even for its health benefits, this root spice adds warmth, depth, and a host of health benefits to your diet. I love keeping it in the freezer to quickly add flavor to dishes while reducing waste.

In this guide, we’ll explore how to use ginger in cooking, its health benefits, the differences between fresh and ground ginger, and the best ways to store it for maximum freshness.

Why Use Ginger?

This spice is more than just a seasoning—it’s a powerhouse of flavor and nutrition. Used in cuisines around the world, it is known for its slightly spicy, zesty taste that enhances both sweet and savory plant-based dishes. Beyond the kitchen, it offers numerous health benefits, including aiding digestion, reducing inflammation, and boosting immunity.

Cooking with Ginger: Fresh vs. Ground

One of the first things to understand when using this ingredient is the difference between fresh and ground forms.

Fresh Ginger

Fresh ginger root is widely available and has a bright, slightly citrusy aroma. It’s commonly used in stir-fries, soups, teas, and marinades. When cooking with fresh ginger:

• Peel it first: Use a spoon to scrape off the thin skin easily.
• Grate or mince it: This helps release its potent flavor.
• Add it at the right time: For a strong, fresh taste, add it at the end of cooking. For a more mellow flavor, cook it earlier.

Ground Ginger

Ground ginger is dried and powdered, offering a more concentrated and slightly different flavor than fresh ginger. It’s commonly used in baking, spice blends, and beverages like chai tea. When substituting ground for fresh, use 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger for every 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger.

How to Store Ginger

To keep the root fresh and flavorful, proper storage is key.

• Refrigerator: Store fresh in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag with the skin intact. It will last up to 3 weeks.
• Dried and Ground: Store the ground spice in a cool, dark place in an airtight container to maintain its potency.
• Freezer: You can grate the frozen root directly into dishes. Just keep the whole root in a zip lock bag in the freezer.

Pro Tip: Freezing the root (and similar foods like turmeric root) allows you to grate them straight from the freezer without the hassle of peeling and chopping every time. This trick also helps reduce waste, since you won’t have to throw out unused, shriveled pieces. I use this grater, and it works great!

Health Benefits

Beyond its culinary uses, this root is known for its impressive health benefits:

• Aids Digestion: Helps relieve nausea, bloating, and indigestion.
• Reduces Inflammation: Its natural anti-inflammatory properties can help with muscle pain and arthritis.
• Boosts Immunity: Has antibacterial and antiviral properties that help fight colds and infections.
• Supports Weight Loss: May help increase metabolism and reduce appetite.

Using Ginger in Cooking

Now that we understand the different forms, let’s explore various ways to incorporate this root into your plant-based meals.

1. In Stir-Fries

This spice is a staple in Asian cuisine, adding a warm, slightly spicy flavor to stir-fried vegetables and tofu. Simply grate fresh ginger and sauté it with your other ingredients.

2. In Soups and Broths

A small piece of the root adds depth to broths and soups. Try adding slices to miso soup, lentil soup, or a spicy coconut curry.

3. Tea

One of the easiest ways to enjoy this ingredient is as a soothing tea. Here’s a simple recipe:

• Boil 2 cups of water.
• Add 1 tablespoon of freshly sliced ginger.
• Simmer for 5-10 minutes, then strain.
• Add maple syrup or lemon to taste.

4. In Smoothies and Juices

For a refreshing and healthy kick, add a small piece of fresh ginger to your morning smoothie or juice. It pairs well with citrus fruits, carrots, and apples.

5. Baking

Ground ginger is a key ingredient in cookies, cakes, and muffins. Try adding it to gingerbread, spiced banana bread, or even pumpkin pie for extra warmth.

6. Marinades and Dressings

This spice works well in marinades for tofu, tempeh, or plant-based proteins. Combine the freshly grated root with soy sauce, garlic, and maple syrup for a delicious glaze. It also enhances salad dressings.

Recipes with Ginger

Here are some of my favorite recipes that include this spice. They are all plant based and full of flavor. I hope you like them as much as I do!

• Egg Roll in a Bowl
• Chopped Asian Salad
• Easy Ramen Stir Fry
• Chana Masala
• Sweet Potato Curry

Ginger is an incredibly versatile ingredient that enhances both flavor and health. Whether you’re cooking with fresh ginger, adding ground ginger to baked goods, or making soothing tea, there are countless ways to enjoy this amazing spice. By understanding how to use ginger, store it properly, and incorporate it into different plant-based dishes, you can make the most of its benefits and delicious taste.

We just opened enrollment to our weekly Plant-Based Diet Meal Plans! Enrollment will stay open through January 10th, then close again until Spring!

Do you ever struggle deciding what to make for dinner?

Do you wish it were easier to get all the ingredients you needed from the store without forgetting things or overbuying items you don’t need?

Do you want to try more plant-based recipes but struggle to find easy and delicious recipes?

This membership solves all of those problems!

Each week, members get a brand new meal plan that includes:

• Dinners for 5 days
• A Meal Prep/Batch Plan
• Shopping list
• Oil-Free, Plant-Based Recipes

Weekly Plant-Based Meal Plan Membership

What else do you need to know? The Batch Cooking plan includes a few things. It usually includes either a breakfast, a snack, or both. It also includes one meal, usually a soup that can be made ahead. If other meals on the dinner meal plan could benefit from some meal prep, we will include those too.

Example Meal Plan

The weekly meal plans vary every week. We don’t follow a formula but we have discovered some strategies that work best for our members.

A typical week could include:

• Hearty Veggie Soup
• Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burrito Bowl/Salad
• Lentil Bolognese with Pasta
• Tostadas
• Veggie Wraps

For this example, the batch plan/meal prep part of the meal plan would include:

• Big Baked Oatmeal
• Hearty Veggie Soup
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes to be used in the Burrito Bowl/Salad
• Hummus to use in the veggie wrap

The Big Baked Oatmeal, Hearty Veggie Soup, roasted sweet potatoes and hummus can easily be made in about an hour if you choose to make those ahead of time.

The rest of the meal plan consists of quick meals that are made in less than 30 minutes. If we have a menu item that takes an hour (or so) to make, we let you know so you can choose the best day to make that option.

The forth and fifth meals of the week are often really quick meals that can be made on the busiest days or saved for another time.

What are Members Saying?

Thank you so much for all of your hard work on these meal plans. I appreciate you making it so simple to learn how to batch cook. Thank you for occasionally doing the live cooking sessions. It really helps to see how you do things & also to hear you say “It’ll be fine”. I’m learning to be more creative about substituting when I don’t have an ingredient on hand.

Keri, Member since September 2020

I love all the meal plans, I like to know what to have for breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner. Instead of trying to wing it and figure out what to cook on my own… I love it, they love it, my husband’s happy, my daughter’s happy. To me, it’s awesome. I love all the food. Everything is great!

Yvonne, Member since September 2020

Enrollment Ends Soon

Enrollment closes January 10th. We will open enrollment again in spring of 2021.

Why Sign Up Now?

This weekly plant-based meal plan membership will save you time and money. You’ll know exactly what to eat for dinner, you’ll be able to prep some of the items ahead of time making week night meals quick and easy, and you won’t waste food because you’ll have a plan and purpose for everything you buy.

What do our Meal Plans look like?

This video will show you behind the scenes of what our meal plans look like. The link is set to start the video about a minute and a half into the video to save you a little time.

If you want to view a longer, in depth explanation and Q&A about the Weekly Meal Plan membership you can view it here.

If you are looking for a way to simplify eating a plant-based diet, even if you are short on time and don’t have family support, this Weekly Plant-Based Diet Meal Plans may be the solution you’ve been looking for! Sign up here!

If you are looking for a plant-based gift or looking for something for your own wish list, check out the three packages we’ve made available for our Plant-Based Diet Meal Plan Membership!

We opened up enrollment to Plant-Based Diet Meal Plans last September for a week. If you’ve been kicking yourself for missing it, or have decided now is the right time to prioritize plant-based eating, you are in luck!

Between now and December 25th, you can purchase a 3 month, 6 month or 12 month membership! This membership includes plant-based meal plans delivered to your in box each week! Each meal plan includes dinner for five days, a breakfast or snack option, and a plan for items that can be batch cooked or meal prepped ahead of time.

Limited Time

This option is only available for a limited time. We will open enrollment a few times per year. The next open enrollment will be in January 2021 but the price will increase. If you are interested in trying this membership at the current price, sign up before December 25th.

What Recipes are in the Meal Plan

All our recipes are whole food, plant-based, oil-free recipes. Some recipes do use salt but you can easily omit it.

Each week, our dinner meal plan usually includes a soup, a hearty salad or bowl, and a quick and easy recipe. We always include tried and true reader favorites. Our members often get a first look at new recipes too.

Each recipe offers substitution ideas if you are missing an ingredient or have food allergies. We also include suggestions to keep your meat and dairy eating family members happy.

How Much is the Membership

We’ve never offered membership packages like this before. During our regular enrollment, we have only offered monthly subscriptions. We know that some people may want to gift a membership so we created these three packages to fit multiple budgets.

We have three packages available! A 3 month package that is $45, a 6 month package that is $75, and a 12 month package that is $150.

What are Members Saying About the Membership

Thank you for all of the wonderful recipes and meal plans. We are enjoying them and the meal plans are helping me.

Amy, Member since September 2020

Giving a meal plan membership is a great way to support a loved one’s plant-based goals. Heading into the new year with a plan will give you a head start toward your plant-based goals. We will also include a PDF certificate you can print and wrap for the holidays.

Visit Plant-Based Diet Meal Plans to learn more!

I’ve been working on a secret project. I’ve only shared it with those on my email list and social media. Today is the last day so I thought I should share it here. I’ve just opened a Weekly Plant-Based Meal Plans membership!

Each week, members get a brand new meal plan that includes:

• 5 dinners
• a batch cooking plan
• a shopping list
• oil-free, plant-based recipes
• recommendations for pleasing your meat and dairy eating family members
• plus new bonuses every month

Weekly Plant-Based Meal Plan Membership

Here are all the things you need to know. The Batch Cooking plan includes a few things. It usually includes a breakfast a snack, or both. It also includes a big soup and sometimes a meal prep salad, so you have plenty of healthy options during the week.

It also includes the parts of the dinners that would take a long time to cook. We like to cook those things on the weekend so our week night meals are quick.

Enrollment Ends Soon

Enrollment started last week and ends today, September 21st. That means if you want to sign up, today is your only chance. We will open again sometime in the future but it will only be to those on our wait list. It may be in 2021. We don’t know yet.

Why Sign Up

This weekly plant-based meal plan membership will save you time and money. You’ll know exactly what to eat for dinner, you’ll be able to prep some of the items ahead of time making week night meals quick and easy, and you won’t waste food because you’ll have a plan and purpose for everything you buy.

Gabi purchased the meal plans as soon as they were available. She had participated in our sponsored challenge the week before where I provided a meal plan and batch cook plan similar to what’s in the membership. She said

I have found the new plan in the members area. I am so excited… The last week was easier, because of your batch cooking video. I had enough breakfast for the whole week and more time in the morning for other things.

Gabi, Plant-Based Diet Meal Plans member

Family Not Plant-Based

In a perfect world, families would all get along and be happy eating the same thing. We know that isn’t reality. In many families, there may be one or two plant-based family members and others who eat a Standard American Diet (SAD).

If that is your family these meal plans can help. The meals plans and recipes are completely plant-based but each recipe has a note that includes substitutions, storage instructions and recommendations for adapting the recipe for your family members. For example, this week we have Taco Soup in the meal plan. The note mentions that you can cook and add ground beef that is seasoned with taco seasoning along with dairy products. Since the recipe is for the plant-based version, those additions don’t appear on the shopping list but you can add them if it will keep the peace with your family.

What do our Meal Plans look like?

This video will show you behind the scenes of what our meal plans look like. The link is set to start the video about a minute and a half into the video to save you a little time.

If you want to view a longer, in depth explanation and Q&A about the Weekly Meal Plan membership you can view it here.

If you are looking for a way to simplify eating a plant-based diet, even if you are short on time and don’t have family support, this Weekly Plant-Based Diet Meal Plans may be the solution you’ve been looking for! Sign up here!

Update: The Next Step Challenge is over. If you’d like to hear about other opportunities, plus get weekly plant-based tips for free, sign up to my weekly plant-based email.

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Do you need help taking the Next Step on your plant-based journey? I’m so excited to invite you to the Next Step Challenge!

We’ve created this challenge to help you reach your plant-based goals! If you are brand new to plant-based eating, or if you’ve tried but struggled to eat a plant-based diet, this challenge is for you!

Free 7 Day Plant-Based Challenge

The Next Step Challenge starts September 10, 2020. You’ll want to sign up now because we will be sending out all the information you need ahead of time. You’ll get:

• A 7 day dinner meal plan + recipes + shopping list
• A live class where we show you how we prepare for the week
• A guide to easy plant-based breakfasts
• Our favorite snacks your family will love
• A supportive community cheering you on

This challenge is designed to help you regardless of experience level.

Feeling Alone Since Going Plant-Based

We often hear from people who are eating plant-based without any support. Maybe you don’t know any other people who are plant-based? Maybe your family is giving you a hard time about your food choices.

We know it can be a struggle. That is why we will be hanging out in a private Facebook group. We will be encouraging one another and celebrating all of our success together! You will not be alone.

Will This Work if My Family isn’t Interested?

It can be incredibly challenging to cook Standard American Diet (SAD) foods for your family when you are plant-based. No one wants to cook multiple meals to keep everyone happy!

One of the features of our meal plans during the challenge will be providing plant-based recipes and including a way to adapt the recipe to keep your family interested. I know this may not be popular with some hard core plant-based eaters but I’m not making this challenge for them. I’m making it for people like you and me that want to thrive on a plant-based diet but that may not have their whole family on board.

Where will the Challenge take place?

The challenge is a virtual event and will take place where ever you have an internet connection. The meal plans, recipes and other materials will be delivered via email. These will start coming before the challenge starts so don’t wait til the last minute to sign up.

The videos will be available online, everyone who signs up will be sent a link to watch them and a schedule so they can plan ahead.

The group will be on Facebook. After you sign up you’ll get an invite to the group. These will be sent out at least a week before the challenge starts.

Sign Up Now!

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Is eating a plant-based diet as easy as you thought it would be? Take a chance and spend 7 days completely committed to eating a plant-based diet! You won’t be alone! What have you got to lose? Sign up here!