One of the recent trends in the wellness world is Kombucha. Several companies have started producing the drink commercially and offering various flavors to suit different pallets. This naturally carbonated drink is an acquired taste for sure but has long been deemed a wellness tonic, although there is little scientific evidence to back that up, mostly due to lack of research.

How Kombucha Is Made

This wellness tonic originates from China and has been around for nearly 2000 years. It spread to Japan and Russia, followed by Europe where it became popular in the early 20th century. The drink has taken the wellness world in America by storm in recent years, promoted as a health and energy drink. Many people globally have taken to homebrewing this drink.

Although the preparation process may vary, what’s needed for it is sugar, green or black tea, and SCOBY. This means a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast which forms into a pancake-like shape and can be re-used to make more of the drink. The liquid ferments for 1-3 weeks and is then bottled and kept in the refrigerator.

The First Sip

Because of the fermentation process that occurs while making Kombucha, it has a bit of natural carbonation. The taste is sweet and sour with a tangy and tart aftertaste. Commercial brands available in stores come in a variety of flavors including blueberry, strawberry, lemon ginger, apple cinnamon, and even pumpkin spice. That means that there are plenty of options for those whose pallets might not enjoy the original taste of this tonic. It’s an acquired taste so be sure to get past the first sip and keep drinking.

Potential Benefits

Not enough scientific research has been done on this drink to confirm its alleged health benefits. It does, however, act as a probiotic which can help with digestion and balance one’s intestinal flora, and it’s rather rich in antioxidants. If it’s made using green tea, then the consumer will gain the positive effects of the tea as well.

In 20 minute you can prepare honey garlic shrimp. Yes, it is that quick and incredibly simple to prepare. The end result is a gastronomical adventure. You can serve this delicious dish with veggies and brown rice or simply toss it on a salad. The best part is that this dish is also a healthy one. So, read on and learn this recipe to make this dish a part of your regular meal.

Ingredients

1/3 cup of honey 1/4 cup of soy sauce 2 garlic cloves (finely minced) 1 tsp minced ginger (optional) 1 lb medium of uncooked shrimp (peeled and deveined) 2 tsp of olive oil Green onion chopped (for garnish but optional)

Method

Step 1

Take a medium sized bowl and add soy sauce, honey, ginger (if you are using) and garlic. Whisk it nicely. You will be using half this mixture for the marinade that will take place in the next step while the other half will be used for cooking all the shrimps.

Step 2

Place the shrimps in a huge sealable container or even a zipped-top bag. Pour half the marinade on top and give it a good shake or you could even stir it. Keep the entire container or bag inside the refrigerator and let all the shrimp marinate for about 15 minutes. You could also let it stay for about 8-12 hours. Stow away the other half of the marinate mixture in the refrigerator. If you want to save some time, you can steam some broccoli and also microwave some brown rice as the shrimps are marinating.

Step 3

On a medium-high flame, heat some olive oil using a skillet. Remove the shrimps from the refrigerator and put them on the skillet. One the shrimps have turned pink on one side, flip them. Close to 45 seconds on either side should be enough. Take the other half of the marinade that you had refrigerate separately and pour it in. Cook it for another 1-2 minutes until the shrimps are cooked through.

Step 4

Garnish some green onion on this dish and it is ready to be served.