Mint Condition

My last post this week will cover the versatile and mentha flavor of mint. You enjoy it with chocolate, you enjoy it with mojitos or tea, you can even enjoy it with garlic! Mint has been known to soothe an upset stomach or irritable bowels. Research also suggests that it has anti-cancer properties, as well as asthma- and allergy-alleviating qualities. If you have some fresh mint in your backyard or just picked up a bunch from the farmers market, but you don't want to steep it all as tea, here are some other easy suggestions:

Ice cubes. Freeze mint leaves in an ice cube tray to keep it fresh for later use, if you find yourself with an abundance. Mint ice cubes are also a great addition to a glass of water, lemonade, or iced/hot tea (or mojitos).

If you like shakes or smoothies, throw some mint leaves in the blender with your vanilla or chocolate ice cream or yogurt. If you're feeling ambitious.... homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream????

Mint is widely used especially in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. Try using mint with tabouli or in a cous-cous salad: mix together with scallions, peppers of any kind, cherry tomatoes, avocado, rice vinegar and lemon juice. This is an extremely quick salad to put together and makes for a great side dish or lunch! You may also replace cous-cous with another grain; quinoa, orzo, or plain old brown rice.

Mixing mint with minced garlic and adding to plain yogurt makes a light but flavorful topping on almost anything, from meat to fish to roasted veggies. Especially good on grilled eggplant.

Surprise surprise: Mint Pesto!!! Use pesto recipes from older posts, but try adding walnuts, bread crumbs, olive oil and crushed red pepper. Spread on pita chips or bread or even chicken.

Are these pictures making you hungry? :) 

Happy herb-ing!