Earthly Eating

1. Add some ginger to your cabinet: It helps aching muscles, upset stomach, as well as nausea. Peel and thinkly slice a 2-inch pice of ginger root and add to a 4 cup glass of boiling water. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Strain the gingerroot and add some lemon juice or slice of lemon and honey to taste. Sip wherever you need it. Make some in advance and keep in the refrigerator to have on hand. Keeps for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator and 2-3 months in the freezer.

2. How to cut a mango: A. Lay the fruit on one flat side and slice through lengthwise, as close to the pit of the fruit as possible. Repeat with the flat side of the fruit. B. Cut lengthwise and crosswise inot the flesh of the fruit (but not the skin) on each slice of the mango. C. Press up on the skin of the mango to expose cubes of the flesh and slice cubes into a bowl.

3. Keep a sticky situation under control: Keep a jar lid on some sticky products from sticking together and causing a cementing action on the jar by placing a square, larger than the jar lid, of waxed paper under the lid of the jar before resealing it back together. This expecially helpful with jars of product that are in the fridge, such as jelly or jams.

**”Christina Milan has confirmed that her pal Xtina will be adding a little baby boy to the Bratman household come January,” states Robyn over at the Christina Aguilera blog here at 451 Press. Read the whole story here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe: (Day 2 of Week Of Sweets)

Cinnamon Snickerdoodles

Cookie Dough:
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp. baking powder
1 stick (4 oz. margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 vanilla soymilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Cinnamon Sugar:
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbs. ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. To make the cookie dough: Whisk together flour, cornstarch, and baking powder in a bowl. Beat the margarine in sepearte bowl with an electric mixer until soft. Add sugar, and beat until fluffy. Beat in soymilk and vanilla extract 30 seconds or until smooth. Add flour mixture, and beat 30 seconds or until smooth.

3. To make cinnamon sugar: Combine sugar and cinnamon on a large plate.

4. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar, and place 1 1/2 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies look dry on tops and are lightly browned on bottoms. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Store snickerdoodles in an airtight container.

Happy Eating!

Althought typically thought of as a root, ginger is actually a rhizome that possess buds and nodes. Native to India and China, it has been a crucial element in Chinese medicine for centuries and is referenced in the writings of Confusious. It also is mentioned in the Koran and was one of the earliest known Western European spices, used since the ninth century.

In cooking, ginger is enjoyed in many ways, whole raw and fresh roots, dried roots, powdered, preserved, crystallized and pickled. It can be sliced and eaten as a salad, but more commonly it is used in Asian pickles, chutneys and curry pastes, as well as in cakes, cookies, jams, ginger beer, wine and tea, such as ginger, lemon and honey in hot water. Another drink known to use ginger as one of the main ingredients is a smoothie that combines ginger and orange. It is sort of a wake-up drink that can be enjoyed in the morning hours instead of coffee. In Scotland, “ginger” means any carbonated soft drink.

Shaving ginger on a cheese grater and wrapping the shavings into cheese cloth is a great way to rid your body of toxins when combined with your hot bath. Or you could incorporate ginger when cooking chicken to give your chicken an added kick. Crystalized ginger has been used for many years to be an all-natural cure for nausea or motion sickness.

For the skin, ginger is known mainly for its anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxing properties, as well as its calming aromatherapeutic qualities. Its spicy scent uplifts, stimulates, helps relieve mental fatigue and improves memory. In the United Kingdom “ginger” is common slang for a red-haired individual and South Park® cartoon did a skit portraying this a few years back.

Ginger takes its name from the Sanskrit word string-vera, which means “with a body like a horn.” It also became so popular in Europe in earlier centuried that it was included in every table setting, just like salt and pepper are today. English pubs in the 19th century put out small containers of ground ginger for people to sprinkle on their beers, hince the origin of Ginger Ale. Ginger has long been considered an aphrodisiac. It is also known as a diaphoretic meaning it causes people to sweat.

Ginger was mentioned in the Kama Sutra and has been employed in the Melanesian Islands of the South Pacfic to gain the affection of women. In the Philippines, ginger is chewed to expel eveil spirits. Henry VIII instructed the mayor of London to use ginger’s diaphoretic qualities as a medicine for the plague as well.

Use the aromatherapeutic values of ginger to relieve stress, tension, muscle cramps, etc. Wheather through treatments, in cusine or as a fragrance. Feel the warm feelings that gingers aroma will evoke into your own life. You won’t soon forget your experience, especially when you smell calming gingers qualities. It will enhance your beauty regimen and will most certainly end in a memorable experience with Ginger.

**Ever wonder what’s been happening to Rachel (aka: Jennifer Aniston) off Friends? Over at Jennifer Aniston Watch, Erin catches you up on a few things as well as talks about the season nine episode and how the new image of “Rachel” really set with audiences. Read the rest of the story here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe: Week Of Salmon Recipes (Day 4)

Grilled Salmon Steajs with Cilantro Peasto and Cumin-Dusted Toasts
Serves: 4

Cilantro Pesto:
2 cups fresh colantro leaves
4 tbs. fresh lime juice
2 tbs. water
2 tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Grilled Salmon and Cumin-Dusted Toasts:
4 (5-ounce_ salmon steaks, about 1-inch-thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Olive-oil cooking spray
1 baguette, sliced crosswise into 1-inch-thick rounds
1 bunch fresh asparagus (about 1/2 pound), woody ends trimmed
1 tsp. ground cumin, or more to taste

1. Preheat grill.

2. To prepare pesto, in a blender combine cilantro, lime juice, water, Parmesan cheese, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper. Purée until smooth. Set aside.

3. Season both sides of salmon with salt and pepper to taste. Spray baguette rounds and asparagus with cooking spray. Sprinkle both sides of bread slices with cumin, and salt to taste. Place salmon on hot grill, and arrange bread and asparagus around the outside, where to grill is not as hot. Grill salmon, bread, ans asparagus 5 to 7 minutes then turn fish and bread halfway through cooking, while turning asparagus frequently. Cook until fish is fork-tender, bread is golden brown and the asparagus is crisp-tender.

Happy Eating!