Mint is a beautiful and tasty herb. Try it in your drinks and cooking for a refreshing change in your routine. Use mint in ice cubes, sugars, fruit salads and more. To use mint in drinks, it's best to smack it with your hands to wake it up and not to muddle it.
1. Mint as a garnish - add mint leaves as a garnish for smoothies, sliced fruit, juices, teas, lemonades, water, sparkling water, flavored water, yogurt, ice cream, and light sodas (like Sprite, Ginger Ale and Mountain Dew).
2. Mint frozen in ice - put baby mint leaves in ice cube trays and top with water. Use these ice cubes in juices, teas, or any drinks from the garnish list.
3. Mint in boiling potatoes - add some mint leaves to boiling potatoes.
4. Mint in potato salad - combine 1/2 medium red onion (chopped), 1 red bell pepper (cored, seeded, cut in match sticks), 1 clove garlic (minced), 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt. Boil potatoes (cut into 1/2 inch slices) for 15 minutes, drain and cool. Add 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil to 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint, 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, and toss. Add potatoes and freshly ground black pepper and gently toss.
5. Mint in hot cocoa - smack a handful of mint and add hot cocoa.
6. Mint and melon smoothie - blend in high-powered blender (like VitaMix or Blendtec) 2 cups crushed ice, 1 cup honeydew melon (peeled and seeded), 1 cup orange (peeled, or 1 cup of orange juice), 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves.
7. Mint jelly - great with lamb.
8. Mint vinaigrette - combine 3 tablespoon finely chopped red onion, 2 teaspoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoon grated orange zest, 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoon raspberry vinegar and 2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint. Whisk in 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Smoked Chicken with Mint Appetizers - Cut 1 1/2 lbs boneless smoked chicken into 3/4 inch chunks. In bowl, whisk 2 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar with 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Toss chicken with vinaigrette. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours. Cut mangoes into 3/4 inch cubes. Assemble on skewers with 1 piece of chicken, 1 mint leaf, 1 mango.
10. Mint-scented syrup for fruits- whisk 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint with 1/4 cup fresh lime juice and 3 tablespoon honey. Spoon syrup over melons or other fruit.
11. Mint added to chocolate cake topping - Add sour cream to a layer cake mix to make it rich, top with minty whipped cream. Garnish with fresh berries and slivers of fresh mint and some orange or raspberry liqueur.
12. Mint with flowers - use mint stems in your flower bouquets like with roses or carnations.
13. Mint in liquors - use in your favorite mint julep and mojito drinks, or with gin, rum, or vodka.
14. Mint-scented sugar - layer 2 inches of white sugar with one layer of mint leaves. Repeat until you get to the top of the jar. Screw lids on and put in a dark cabinet for a few weeks. When sugar has absorbed the mint, sift out mint leaves. Rebottle into pretty jars, add a few mint sprigs on top and give as gifts. (This would also work well with lavender.)
Bonus Ideas for Mint 15. Mint-scented bath salts - mix 5 cups of Epsom Salt with 2 cups baking soda. Wash and dry glass jars (can use swingtop, cork, or screw-on lids). Layer 2 inches of the mix with one layer of mint leaves. Repeat until you get to the top of the glass container. Add ribbon to the jar. Add "Mint Bath Salts" label and tag with directions. Directions for use: add 1-1/2 cups to warm bath, enter tub and soak. Can sooth aches and pains.
16. Bug repellent - dried mint can be used to keep ants and bugs out of cabinets. Sprinkle dried mint along doorways and inside cabinet corners. Refresh as needed.
Types of Mint · Spearmint: Most common and widely grown mint variety. It has a more mild flavor than peppermint. Spearmint is used in chewing gums and toothpastes and is popular asin milkshakes. Spearmint leaves have serrated edges and in summer have purple flowers.
· Peppermint - Most peppermint varieties have long, pointed leaves with serrated edges. It has the greatest percentage of menthol.
· Apple mint - Has slight apple scent and aroma with a somewhat bitter aftertaste.
· Curly mint - Has frilly-edged leaves with mild flavor that is similar to mint and parsley.
· Pineapple mint: Apple-green leaves with creamy white edges. It has a subtle tropical-fruit scent.
· Chocolate mint: has a dark chocolate-colored stems with a chocolate scent.
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