Mint! More than just Mojitos!

I gotta tell ya. I have some mint.

 

Not just… mint. I mean, I got… MINT. It’s there. Haunting me. It creeps around the greenhouse and looks at me. Sometimes, it pops up on the inside of the greenhouse and says hello. It’s kind of nice to walk around in the dead of winter and accidentally step on a sprig.

Maybe you’ve grown mint. It grows okay in pots, but when it REALLY shines is when it gets free. It runs. Literally. Those roots run from one end to the other, laughing the whole way, you just don’t know where it stops. You have to be so careful. But once it’s a freed mint, it’s a happy mint. It’s really hard to stay mad at such a glut of a wonderful herb. You are now questioning my sanity, I know. But let’s not get too dramatic here. Once you’ve met Goutweed, there’s no problems. Mint’s a good guy. But don’t free it.

Something, something, make lemonade when life gives you lemons. I’ve got a lot of lemonade solutions today. I haven’t got any plans yet to dig out this monster infestation. It’s nice to go out and get some when you need it.

Got mint? Don’t know what to do with it besides sniff it? I’ll help you with that.

Mojitos – I know, i know. I said it was more than just for mojitos. But if you sneered at the thought of mixing lime with mint, stop it. Just stop. Follow this recipe link and try it now.

I don’t drink a lot of real mojitos myself, due to the quantity of sugar/alcohol undermining my health progress. But I do like to crush the leaves with some lime wedges and drink it with some sparkling water and ice. I always recommend spearmint or “mojito mint” when making cold drinks with mint. It’s refreshing and sweeter.

Mint Tea – I’ve made this quite a bit in my years of growing mint. It’s dear to me because I have some digestive problems and it has often soothed them. I don’t even think I have commercial mint tea bags in my house anymore, because it’s easy to dry mint and make tea yourself. All you need is as many sprigs of mint as you’d like to dry, a dehydrator (either an oven or a dehydrator appliance, or the old way of hanging it upside down). When the mint is dry, you pluck the leaves off the stems and store it in an airtight container. Always keep herbs out of sunlight and heat. I just fill my yellow submarine tea leaf infuser with as much as I can, and let it steep for about 5 minutes. I don’t add anything, just drink it as it is. Peppermint is probably the most recommended type for mint tea, but I’ve had both. Both are good. Try them both and decide, or make a mix of both.

You could make peppermint extract. Seriously! Jazz up those chocolate cupcakes or hot chocolates!

Use it in Recipes. Most commonly used in mediterranean salads, and one of my favorite salads, Thai Mango Salad.

Pluck a few leaves and use them to infuse your water on the go. Alternatively, freeze mint in ice cube trays for a refreshing drink cooler.

Gild them in Chocolate and use them in your baking… Mmmm!

Mint is said to be an insect deterrent, particularly to ants. I can’t tell if this is true, or what distance does it remain effective. I can tell you I have mint growing wild, and I have ant nests in the vicinity of mint. Tread cautiously here. If you have had good experience with this method, speak up!

Snack on it for fresh breath. Or just chew on it while you’re wandering through the garden. You grow these herbs to enjoy. So enjoy them in their purest form. Make sure you check your teeth before you go out grocery shopping and smiling at people.

Use them in a bath. That’s right, steep your SELF in a giant tub of mint tea. It will really rejuvenate you to breathe in the mint infused steam.

Make a batch of mint jelly! I do not enjoy lamb in any shape or form, but it seems to be a crucial accompaniment. You can find oodles of mint jelly recipes online.

Make a little Peppermint essential Oil.

Now that you’ve enjoyed all the benefits of Mint,  you won’t second guess buying it again next year. You’ll just go for it! But I’m pretty sure you’ll just buy it again just because you like the smell of it.

I now want to try making some essential oil, and tea will be in my agenda soon. The big herb harvest is something I usually do every year, so mint will have its day in my kitchen.

Enjoy your week!