Marvelous Maple Ginger Steamed Pudding in a Mug + Creamy Caramel Ginger Sauce + Cozy Chamomile Ginger Tea for One + Rainbow “Crudités” Veggie Sticks + Rad Ranch Dip for One
Marvelous Maple Ginger Steamed Pudding in a Mug
This simple dessert can be made quickly with common ingredients in a microwave, unlike traditional steamed puddings, which can be difficult and time consuming to make.
Happy & Healthy Cooking,
Shopping List
- FRESH AND FROZEN
- 2 T frozen orange juice
- 2 lemons
- 1 pinch fresh chopped parsley (or dried parsley/dried dill)
- Kid Chefs' Choice for “Crudités:”
- 4 to 5 baby carrots or carrot chips
- 1 to 2 celery stalks
- 1 mini cucumber or 1/4 large cucumber
- 3 to 5 cherry tomatoes **(see allergy subs below)**
- 1 to 2 red radishes
- 2 to 3 jicama sticks
- 1/2 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper **(see allergy subs below)**
- 3 to 5 mini sweet peppers **(see allergy subs below)**
- DAIRY
- 2 T full-fat plain Greek yogurt **(see allergy subs below)**
- 6 T milk **(DAIRY ALLERGY: substitute dairy free/nut free milk alternative)**
- 3 T heavy cream **(DAIRY ALLERGY: substitute aquafaba - liquid from a can of chickpeas)**
- PANTRY
- 1 pinch garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- 5 1/4 T granulated sugar
- 2 T coconut oil or other nut-free oil + extra for greasing mug
- 3 T maple syrup (or agave syrup or honey)
- 3/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 C all-purpose flour **(for GLUTEN ALLERGY sub gluten-free/nut-free all-purpose flour)**
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract**(GLUTEN ALLERGY: use only certified gluten free vanilla extract)**
- 1 chamomile tea bag
- HAVE ON HAND
- 1 3/4 C water
- 1 ice cube, optional for cooling tea
Fun-Da-Mentals Kitchen Skills
- dip :
to briefly put a solid food, such as chips, fries, battered fried fish, hot sandwich (French dip), or veggie slices, into a liquid, like beef broth or a thicker sauce, like ketchup, dressing, or a dip to impart moisture and extra flavor to the solid food.
- grease :
to spread a small amount of cooking oil or fat, like butter, around a pan or dish to prevent food from sticking when it's cooked.
- juice :
to extract or squeeze out the juice of a fruit or vegetable, like a lemon, orange, or carrot, often cutting open or peeling the fruit or veggie first to access its flesh.
- knife skills :
Bear Claw (growl), Pinch, Plank, and Bridge (look out for trolls).
- measure :
to calculate the specific amount of an ingredient required using a measuring tool (like measuring cups or spoons).
- microwave :
to heat or cook food or liquid quickly in a microwave oven, which uses high-frequency electromagnetic waves to generate heat in the food's water molecules.
- mix :
to thoroughly combine two or more ingredients until uniform in texture.
- pour :
to cause liquid, granules, or powder to stream from one container into another.
- slice :
to cut into thin pieces using a sawing motion with your knife.
- spoon :
to pick up and move food with a spoon from one place to another.
- squeeze :
to firmly press or twist a food with fingers, hands, or a device to remove its liquid, like shredded potatoes, frozen and thawed spinach, or tofu.
- steep :
to soak a food, like tea, in water or other liquid so as to bring out its flavor.
- tear :
to pull or rip apart a food, like basil leaves, into pieces instead of cutting with a knife; cutting breaks cell walls more, so herbs can discolor faster.
- whisk :
to beat or stir ingredients vigorously with a fork or whisk to mix, blend, or incorporate air.
Equipment Checklist
- Soap for cleaning hands
- Cutting board
- Kid-safe knife (a butter knife works great)
- Small bowl
- Citrus zester or box grater with small zesting holes
- Citrus juicer (optional, but encouraged)
- Measuring spoons
- Microwave
- Large microwave safe bowl
- Potholder
- Paper towel
- Spoon
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Liquid measuring cup
- Citrus squeezer or juicer (optional)
- Microwave-safe mug
- Microwave safe mug
- Plastic wrap
- Toothpick
- Plate
- Butter knife
Ingredients
Marvelous Maple Ginger Steamed Pudding in a Mug
- 2 T coconut or other nut-free oil + extra for greasing mug
- 3 T maple syrup (or agave syrup or honey)
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 C all-purpose flour **(for GLUTEN ALLERGY sub gluten-free/nut-free all-purpose flour)**
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 T granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract **(for GLUTEN ALLERGY use certified gluten-free pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla flavor—check label)**
- 1 T heavy cream **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub dairy-free/nut-free heavy cream OR aquafaba—more info below)**
- 6 T milk **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub dairy-free/nut-free milk)**
Creamy Caramel Ginger Sauce
- 2 T frozen orange juice
- 2 T heavy cream **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub dairy-free/nut-free heavy cream OR aquafaba—more info below)**
- 1/8 tsp ground ginger
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 lemon, squeezed (for 1/2 T lemon juice)
- 2 T granulated sugar
Cozy Chamomile Ginger Tea for One
- 1 to 1 1/2 C water
- 1 chamomile tea bag
- 1 ice cube, optional for cooling tea
Rainbow “Crudités” Veggie Sticks + Rad Ranch Dip for One
- Kid chefs' choice for “Crudités:”:
- 4 to 5 baby carrots or carrot chips
- 1 to 2 celery stalks
- 1 mini cucumber or 1/4 large cucumber
- 3 to 5 cherry tomatoes **(Omit for NIGHTSHADE ALLERGY)**
- 1 to 2 red radishes
- 2 to 3 jicama sticks
- 1/2 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper **(Omit for NIGHTSHADE ALLERGY)**
- 3 to 5 mini sweet peppers **(Omit for NIGHTSHADE ALLERGY)**
- Ranch Dip:
- 1 pinch fresh chopped parsley (or dried parsley/dried dill)
- 1/2 lemon
- 2 T full-fat plain Greek yogurt **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub dairy-free/nut-free plain Greek yogurt)**
- 1 pinch garlic powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- 1 tsp water
- 1 pinch granulated sugar, optional
Food Allergen Substitutions
Marvelous Maple Ginger Steamed Pudding in a Mug
- Gluten/Wheat: Substitute gluten-free/nut-free all-purpose flour. Use certified gluten-free pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla flavor.
- Dairy: Substitute dairy-free/nut-free heavy cream OR aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas) for heavy cream. Substitute dairy-free/nut-free milk.
Creamy Caramel Ginger Sauce
- Dairy: Substitute dairy-free/nut-free heavy cream OR aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas) for heavy cream.
Rainbow “Crudités” Veggie Sticks + Rad Ranch Dip for One
- Nightshade: Omit optional cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and sweet peppers.
- Dairy: Substitute dairy-free/nut-free plain Greek yogurt.
Instructions
Marvelous Maple Ginger Steamed Pudding in a Mug
grease + measure + whisk
Using a paper towel, grease a large microwave-safe mug with a little coconut oil. Pour 3 tablespoons of maple syrup into the bottom of the mug, then sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of ginger on top and whisk.
measure + mix
Measure and mix the following in a small bowl: 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. Make a well in the dry ingredients, then add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon heavy cream, 2 tablespoons coconut oil, and 6 tablespoons milk and mix until just combined, without overmixing.
spoon
Gently spoon the batter over the maple syrup in the mug. DO NOT MIX.
cover + poke
Cover mug with plastic wrap. Poke 10 small holes with a toothpick in the center of the wrap to vent.
microwave + rest
Microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes. Look through the plastic to see if it appears to be cooked. If the batter still looks raw, cook for 30 seconds more. Allow to rest in the microwave for at least 2 minutes.
transfer
Adults, help kids transfer the steamed pudding onto a plate by covering the mug with a plate and carefully turning it over, being careful not to spill hot syrup on yourself. It should slide out easily, but if it doesn't, just turn it back up the right way and run a knife around the edge and try again.
serve
After the steamed pudding has been transferred to a plate, pour Creamy Caramel Ginger Sauce on top.
Creamy Caramel Ginger Sauce
measure + whisk
In a liquid measuring cup, measure and whisk the following together: 2 tablespoons orange juice, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 1/8 teaspoon ginger, and 1 pinch salt.
slice + squeeze + measure
Slice a lemon in half. Squeeze juice from 1/2 lemon into a small bowl. Measure 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice into a large microwave-safe bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar and whisk.
cover + microwave
Cover a large microwave-safe bowl with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 30 seconds on high. Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave using pot holders and whisk the contents.
whisk + microwave + whisk
Add the contents of the liquid measuring cup to the large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave using pot holders. Whisk the contents of the bowl. Cover and return to the microwave and cook for 1 more minute. Carefully remove the bowl and whisk the contents of the bowl again. Cover and return to the microwave and cook for 30 seconds more. Repeat this process, cooking for 30 seconds more each time, until the mixture just begins to turn brown. DO NOT OVERCOOK. It will burn and taste terrible if you do.
reserve + pour
Reserve 1 tablespoon of the sauce for the Cozy Chamomile Ginger Tea. Pour the rest onto the Marvelous Maple Ginger Steamed Pudding in a Mug after transferring it to a plate.
Cozy Chamomile Ginger Tea for One
measure + pour + steep
Measure and pour 1 to 1 1/2 cups water into a mug. Microwave for 1 minute. Add 1 chamomile tea bag to the water. Allow the tea bag to steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully remove the tea bag.
add + mix
Add 1 tablespoon of Creamy Caramel Ginger Sauce to the mug and mix gently.
cool + serve
Allow tea to cool before serving. You can add an ice cube to speed up cooling, if you’d like.
Rainbow “Crudités” Veggie Sticks + Rad Ranch Dip for One
intro
Each of our SFC Sweet Mug Recipes will include this recipe, so kids can snack on healthy raw veggies and dip while they cook.. All veggies are good for the brain! The purpose is to reinforce and encourage kids to eat veggies and have them learn a little about what each vegetable does for the body! Kids will show which veggie(s) they’ve chosen and share the benefit below. Snack on veggies and encourage kids to eat at least 3 pieces to power up their brains before making the mug cake! Green veggies help keep you from catching a cold! White veggies give you energy! Yellow veggies help make your bones strong! Orange veggies are good for your heart! Blue and Purple veggies are good for your memory! Red veggies are good for your blood!
tear + zest + juice
To make the dip, tear 1 pinch of parsley leaves into tiny bits! Add the parsley to a small bowl. Zest 1 lemon and add a pinch of zest to the parsley. Slice the lemon in half and add a squeeze of juice. Watch for seeds!
measure + mix
Measure and add 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt, 1 pinch of garlic powder, 1 pinch of salt, 1 pinch of black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of water to the bowl with the parsley and lemon. Use a spoon to mix! Taste! What does it need? Add more lemon, salt, pepper, or garlic powder a little at a time until your dip tastes great to you. Add 1 pinch of sugar to balance flavors if you wish.
slice + dip
Have kid chefs slice up their raw vegetables of choice into sticks or bite-sized pieces, and then dip their Rainbow “Crudités” Veggie Sticks in the Rad Ranch Dip! Delightful!
Hi! I’m Ginger!
"My name is Ginger, and I'm happy to make your acquaintance! You may have tasted me in lots of sweet foods and drinks, like gingerbread, ginger snap cookies, pumpkin pie, and ginger ale. But, I also add my unique flavor to savory dishes, like stir-fries and potstickers! If you use my fresh rhizome or root in a recipe, delicately peel my beige, papery skin (the back of a metal spoon works great!) and grate my juicy flesh into the food! I also come in a dried and ground form and as crystallized ginger. As a bonus, I might even make your tummy ache feel better!"
History
- Ginger is a native plant of India and China and is a common cooking spice used throughout the world.
- Ginger is one of the oldest plants used for medicine.
- Which spices do you think are most commonly found on kitchen tables around the world? If you said salt and pepper, you'd be right! It truly depends on where you are in the world. In the ninth century, Europeans placed powdered ginger on the table alongside salt and pepper.
- A long, long time ago, ginger was used to preserve food and keep it from getting rotten.
- Greeks used to eat ginger wrapped in bread to treat digestive problems. After a while, they added ginger to bread dough to create the first recipe for gingerbread!
- Ginger grows in many tropical countries, including the Caribbean islands. However, ginger from Jamaica is considered by many to be the best! Do you know where your ginger originated?
- Ginger is also grown in Florida, Hawaii, and along the eastern coast of Texas.
Anatomy & Etymology
- Related to cardamom and turmeric, the ginger plant is part of the Zingiberaceae or Ginger family. We use the "rhizome" part of the plant, which are underground stems. Sometimes we can eat the rhizome part of a plant, and sometimes we can't! For example, bamboo plants are rooted underground by rhizomes, but the rhizome is not the part of the plant we eat—instead, we eat the bamboo shoots that come up out of the ground. But we do eat the rhizomes of plants such as ginger, turmeric, and arrowroot!
- Rhizomes are also the storage compartment of the plant. What do rhizomes store? Starches, proteins, and other nutrients—that's why we eat this part of the plant (because it's nutritious!).
- Ginger Root is characterized by its aroma: it smells strong, sweet, and woodsy. Its skin is not something we eat—we peel the skin to reveal ginger's coarse, stringy, aromatic flesh.
- The ginger plant looks like a reed and has been used in the kitchen and as medicine for the past 5,000 years. A ginger plant can reach three to four feet tall.
- The word "ginger" comes from late Old English "gingifer," from medieval Latin "gingiber," from Greek "zingiberis," and from Pali, a Middle Indo-Aryan language "siṅgivera."
How to Pick, Buy, & Eat
- Fresh ginger is available year-round, where you can find it in the grocery store produce section.
- When selecting fresh ginger, choose robust, firm roots that feel heavy, and have a spicy fragrance and smooth skin.
- Ginger root length is a sign of age, and mature rhizomes will be spicier and more fibrous than younger roots.
- Ginger should not be cracked or withered—these are signs of aged ginger past its prime.
- To store ginger root, wrap it in a paper towel or plastic wrap or put it in a plastic bag before placing it in the refrigerator for two to three weeks. You can also freeze it for up to three months.
- According to many chefs and cooks, fresh ginger is best and can be added to sauces, soups, and stews. Dried and powdered ginger has a more spicy, intense flavor and is often used in baked desserts like gingerbread, gingersnaps, and ginger cake.
- Ginger can be sliced, minced, grated, or left whole to steep in recipes (minced ginger has the most intense flavor). It can also be dried, pickled, crystallized, candied, or preserved.
- Ginger tastes sweet, spicy, and pungent and increases flavor in a range of dishes, from stir-fried beef or tofu to ginger tea.
Nutrition
- Ginger continues to be used to treat nausea and to prevent seasickness.
- Ginger may also have anti-inflammatory properties and increase digestive function.
- Despite its natural properties, any medicinal use of ginger should be discussed with a doctor. Limiting the amount you take will help avoid heartburn. It may also interfere with anticoagulant medicine.
History of Steamed Pudding!
- A steamed pudding is actually a sponge cake that is steamed rather than baked and has a sweet syrup, like golden syrup or molasses, poured over it.
- Steamed pudding originated in Great Britain. The British may refer to it as treacle sponge pudding. Steamed plum puddings, also called Christmas puddings, are a traditional Christmas dessert.
- To make a steamed pudding, a batter of flour, sugar, egg, milk, butter, baking powder or soda, and sometimes ginger or other spices and dried fruit is pressed into a greased mold resembling a bucket with a lid. The mold is put on a rack in a pot of boiling water to steam for a few hours. When it is done steaming, the mold is inverted onto a plate to release the pudding, and a sauce or syrup is poured over the top.
Let's Learn About the United Kingdom!
- The United Kingdom (UK), officially the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is a country in western Europe. Its constituent countries* include England, Scotland, and Wales on the island of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the northeastern part of the island of Ireland. (*A constituent country is part of a larger country.)
- The total area of the United Kingdom is 93,628 square miles with over 67 million people. That is almost the size of the state of Oregon; however Oregon's population is only six percent of the UK's population.
- The UK government is a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. The official and national language is English, and several regional languages are recognized, too, such as Scots, Cornish, Irish, Welsh, and Scottish Gaelic.
That's Berry Funny
How do you tie up a cloud?
With a rainbow!
The Yolk's On You
Why is maple syrup always so sad?
Because it’s sappy!
Lettuce Joke Around
What do teapots wear to a tea party?
T-shirts!
THYME for a Laugh
A skeleton walks into a restaurant and says…
"Waiter, I'll have a ginger ale and a mop."
The Yolk's On You
This dessert isn't quite cake or pudding, and it isn't angry.
It's steamed pudding!
The Yolk's On You
Why must you be careful of tea at night?
Because it might mug you.
Lettuce Joke Around
What kind of singers do caramel candies like to have around?
Wrappers!
That's Berry Funny
A pilot-in-training passed through a rainbow on their flight test.
They passed with flying colors!
Lettuce Joke Around
What is the noisiest spice?
Ginger Snap!
