8 green tea bags
8 cups water
1/3 cup honey
1 3-inch piece of ginger, peeled
lemon wedges, for garnish

Cut ginger into half-inch slices. Bring water to a boil and pour over tea bags and ginger slices in a heat resistant pitcher. Steep for 5-10 minutes and remove tea bags. Stir in honey and steep ginger an additional 5 minutes. Remove ginger slices.

Serve immediately warm, or chill 1-2 hours and pour over ice and lemon wedges.

2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

Combine all ingredients in a small dish with cover. Store overnight in refrigerator before using.

To make a cup of chai: brew a cup of strong, black tea such as Assam or Darjeeling. Use 2 teabags for every 1 1/2 cups water and steep for at least 5 minutes. Remove teabags and stir in 2-3 spoonfuls of chai mixture (per 1 1/2 cups brewed tea).

I prefer to strain my chai before drinking because the spices do not dissolve and sediment (for lack of a better work) will fall to the bottom of the glass.

Chai can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for approx 2 weeks.

6 cups cold water, divided
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp chopped peeled fresh ginger
3 tbsp grated lime rind
10 mint leaves
1 1/4 cups fresh lime juice (about 6 limes)
lime wedges, for garnish

Combine 1/4 cup water, sugar, ginger, rind and mint leaves in a blender. Process until well blended. Cover and chill for 2 hours.

Add remaining 5 3/4 cups water and lime juice. Stir well to combine. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.

1/4 cup soy sauce
4 green onions, sliced
2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 large garlic clove, minced (about 1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 tbsp sesame seed oil
1 lb fresh broccoli, trimmed and separated into florets

Stir together first 7 ingredients and set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and saute 3 to 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in soy sauce mixture until thoroughly heated, coating well.

1 lb sirloin steak, chilled
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp sesame seed oil
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp lite soy sauce
1/2 cup fat-free reduced-sodium beef broth
2 tsp cornstarch
6 green onions, sliced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
hot cooked long-grain rice

Cut steak diagonally across the grain into very thin slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Chilling the beef in the freezer for 5 minutes makes it easier to cut into very thin slices.

Saute ginger in hot oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat for 2 minutes or until tan-colored. Add minced garlic and saute 30 seconds. Add beef, cook 2 minutes or until mostly cooked, stirring constantly. Stir in soy sauce.

Combine beef broth with cornstarch until smooth. Drizzle over beef mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute or until thickened. Add green onions and, if desired, crushed red pepper. Cook 1 minute. Serve immediately over hot cooked rice.

This recipe goes well with Coconut-Ginger Rice.

1 can (14 oz) unsweetened coconut milk
2 1/4 cups water
2 cups jasmine or Basmati rice
4 slices fresh, peeled ginger
garnish: chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Combine coconut milk and water in a heavy saucepan. Stir in rice and ginger. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low. Cover tightly and simmer 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender and milk mixture has been absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with fork. Let stand 5 minutes. Remove ginger before serving. Garnish if desired.

Sauce:
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 1/2 tbsp Triple Sec (orange flavored liqueur)

Couscous:
1 1/3 cups apple juice
3 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup uncooked couscous
2 tsp grated orange rind

Topping:
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 cups diced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 2 apples)
2 tbsp raisins (or golden raisins)
2 tbsp finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 1/2 tbsp Triple Sec
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Additional toppings (optional):
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
mint sprigs

To prepare sauce, bring orange juice to a boil in a saucepan. Cook until juice is reduced to 1/3 cup (about 6 minutes). Stir in 1 1/2 tbsp liqueur.

To prepare couscous, bring apple juice, 3 tbsp butter, and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Gradually stir in couscous and orange rind. Remove from heat and cover. Let stand 5 minutes and fluff with a fork.

To prepare topping, melt 2 tbsp butter in a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sugar and cook 1 minute. stirring constantly. Stir in apple and raisins, cook 5 minutes or until apple is tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in ginger, 1 1/2 tbsp liqueur, and cinnamon.

To serve: Spoon about 1/3 cup couscous into dessert dish. Top with about 2 tbsp topping, 1 1/2 tsp sour cream (if using), and about 1 tbsp sauce. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired. Recipe will make 8 servings.

1 ripe musk melon (cantaloupe)
2 limes
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg white, lightly whisked
fresh or frozen strawberries

Peel, seed, and cut melon into small chunks. Juice limes. Combine melon, lime juice, and grated ginger into a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Pour into a large bowl.

Stir in sugar. Beat in egg white. Transfer to a freezer proof container and freeze for 6 hours.

Serve in scoops with strawberries.

To make smoothies (and avoid the wait time):

After beating in egg white, pour approx 1 1/2 cups of melon mixture back into blender. Add 3-4 large ice cubes. Process until ice is blended. Garnish with strawberries.

Strawberry-Melon-Ginger Smoothie: Add 1/3 cup milk and several strawberries, cut into chunks. Process in blender until smooth.

Once sherbet has frozen, omit ice cubes when making smoothies and add 1/2 cup hot water instead (to get the blender going).

Add other fruit as desired. Honey can be added or substituted for sugar. Beaten egg white is not essential to making smoothies.

1 quart milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 ground cardamom
8 Assam or orange pekoe tea bags (or 3 tbsp loose tea leaves)

Using a 3 to 4 quart pan, combine milk, 1 quart water, sugar, ginger, and cardamom over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Add tea and simmer, stirring gently, 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove pan from heat, cover, and let stand until tea is a reddish brown color, about 1 minute.

Pour through a fine strainer into a hot teapot or carafe. Serve with cinnamon sticks.

To make iced, Sunset magazine recommends replacing milk with water and using Darjeeling tea. Brew tea up to 1 day ahead, chill over night, and pour tea into ice-filled glasses.

To make tea spicier, like chai, add 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 ground nutmeg and 1/8 ground cloves.

6 tbsp ground coffee (not instant)
1 tbsp orange zest
1 tbsp chopped crystallized or candied ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
6 cups cold water

Combine coffee grounds, orange zest, ginger and cinnamon in a coffee filter. Brew according to manufacturer’s directions using 6 cups cold water.

Serve coffee with cream and sugar as desired. Garnish with whipped cream, cinnamon sticks, or additional orange peel.

Kick up the spice by adding 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 1/8 tsp cloves.