The Brunette Diaries

“Add a little spice to your life”, is what we hear from people whenever our life gets boring; same is with food. To make any dish delicious, we add spice. Spices are simply the best thing in the world. It can make any food item so exciting, like Christmas in your mouth. Spices, not only do they add a touch of flavour and warmth into our food but many of them also have secret superhero abilities. The power to heal, to improve and to help us feel healthy both inside and out.
But what are these super spices and how exactly do they have an impact on our bodies?

1) Turmeric

Turmeric, the spice that gives curry powder its yellow hue, is used in Indian medicine to stimulate the appetite and as a digestive aid. But lately it’s grabbing some serious attention as a potentially powerful cancer fighter. The chemical responsible for turmeric’s golden color, called curcumin, is considered a top anticancer agent, helping to quell the inflammation that contributes to tumor growth and working in much the same way as broccoli and cauliflower to clear carcinogens away before they can damage cellular DNA and to repair already damaged DNA.

2) Cinnamon

Cinnamon is highly concentrated with the very potent antioxidant polyphenols. This high potency as an antioxidant allows for cinnamon to also be a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. It has also been linked to improving heart health, blood sugar reduction and having a powerful anti-diabetic effect. Cinnamaldehyde the main active ingredient in cinnamon may also help to fight various types of infection. It has been used to treat infection of the lungs by fungus, and can also inhibit the growth of certain bacteria, including Listeria and Salmonella.

3) Black Pepper

Putting black pepper on your food can be the easiest most affordable way to increase your health. As our food’s nutrient values decline and supplement costs increase using black pepper is a great way to maximize our nutrient absorption. Piperine is the main alkaloid found in pepper responsible for its remarkable ability to increase the bioavailability of nutrients and supplements. So dash on that black pepper! It is allowing for more of those vital nutrients, and vitamins to be absorbed by your body.

Also, check out this amazing article that gives us more insights about the spices world: Click Here

4) Rosemary

Rosemary is also a rich antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. However, it is more notably known for its link to neurological protection. Carnosic acid, found in rosemary has been found to fight off free radical damage in the brain. It has also been linked in keeping the brain from aging, and enhancing memory and concentration.

5) Ginger

When it comes to settling any digestive issues, our mothers always turn to ginger. However, what they may not realize that this popular spice can also help when you feel the burn after a workout. Studies have shown that people who consume just one teaspoon of ground ginger a day for 11 days saw a 25% reduction in the pain they felt after a workout. This is because it contains gingerol, a chemical that is thought to reduce inflammation and block pain signals being sent to brain.

6) Coriander

Coriander seeds yield cilantro, a staple herb in Mexican, Thai, Vietnamese, and Indian cooking. The seeds have been used for thousands of years as a digestive aid. Try making a strong tea from crushed seeds (strain before drinking). The herb can be helpful for some people with irritable bowel syndrome, as it calms intestinal spasms that can lead to diarrhea. Preliminary studies in animals support another traditional use for coriander-as an anti-anxiety herb. Its essential oil appears to fight bacteria, including E. coli and salmonella. It’s also being studied for its potential cholesterol-reducing benefits and has been shown to lower cholesterol in animals.

7) Fenugreek

Due to its estrogen-like properties, fenugreek seeds have been found to help lessen the effect of hot flashes and mood fluctuations that are common symptoms of menopause and PMS. In India and China it has also been used to treat arthritis, asthma, bronchitis, improve digestion, maintain a heathy metabolism, cure skin problems (wounds, rashes and boils), treat sore throat, and cure acid reflux. So a definite all rounder.

Hope these secret powers help you lead a healthy life 😀

I think I speak for all when I say Gingerbreads are synonymous with “holidays are approaching”. Can you think of a scent so warm, comforting and ah!, so delicious that your mouth start watering. Gingerbread was first baked in Europe around the 11th century when Crusaders brought ginger as well as other new and exotic spices back from the Middle East. At first, gingerbread was mainly baked by Catholic monks and used in religious ceremonies, but over time it became more and more popular throughout the continent.

The Germans started the tradition of baking a house out of gingerbread around the holidays in the 16th century, but the practice didn’t become as popular as it is now until the publication of a certain fairy tale a few centuries later. German immigrants to America brought the gingerbread house tradition across the ocean with them, and now we see it everywhere, from home kitchens to department store holiday window displays.

People in Europe had been eating gingerbread for centuries, but we can thank the Brothers Grimm for the popularity of gingerbread houses. They published Hansel and Gretel in the 19th century—remember that one? It’s the fairy tale where a witch lures a brother and sister duo into captivity with her house made out of gingerbread and candy, and then tries to fatten them up to eat them. The story became immensely popular in Germany, and people started baking gingerbread houses at the holidays as a result.

So, let’s celebrate this day with baking loads of Gingerbreads with the help of this traditional Gingerbread recipe:

Ingredients:

150g Unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 cup (125ml) golden syrup
1/2 cup (110g) firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
3 cups (450g) plain flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, lightly whisked
Writing fudge, to decorate
Rainbow choc chips, to decorate

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 large oven trays with baking paper.

Place butter, golden syrup and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Remove from heat. Add bicarbonate of soda and stir to combine. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl. Set aside to cool.

Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and baking powder over butter mixture. Add the egg and stir until combined. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until smooth. Divide dough into two portions. Shape each portion into a disc and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 45 minutes or until firm.

Roll one portion between 2 sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick. Using a 6-7cm Christmas pastry cutters, cut shapes from dough, re-rolling scraps. Place on the lined trays, 3cm apart to allow for spreading. Repeat with remaining gingerbread portion.

Bake in the preheated oven, 1 tray at a time, for 8 minutes or until just firm to touch. Remove from oven and set aside on trays for 5 minutes to cool before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate gingerbread using writing fudge and rainbow choc chips, if desired.

Now, you can use these Gingerbreads to make your own cute little or big house and celebrate this day with your family and friends.

Happy National Gingerbread House Day to all <3

Tag: ingredients

Do You Know The Secret Powers Of These Spices?