Mint

HEIRLOOM. Mint is relatively easy to grow, and people can cultivate it at home, making it a sustainable way to add flavor to meals.

Mint belongs in a contained area as it is an aggressive plant grown elsewhere.

When preparing mint, use a sharp knife and cut gently. Using a dull knife or over-chopping will bruise the herb and lead to a loss of flavor on the cutting board surface.

Middle Eastern cuisines, such as lamb, soups, and vegetable salads often contain mint for flavor.

Other ideas include:

Making a mint limeade by mixing lime juice with sugar or stevia and muddled mint leaves. Top it off with filtered water and ice cubes.

Incorporating mint into a fresh fruit salsa with chopped apples, pear, lemon or lime juice, jalapeno, and honey. Serve with cinnamon pita chips or on top of baked chicken.

• Jazzing up your water by adding mint leaves and cucumber for a refreshing treat.
• Adding a few chopped mint leaves to your next chocolate chip cookie dough.
• Pouring hot water over mint leaves and steeping for 5-6 minutes for homemade mint tea. Try using chocolate mint leaves for a twist.
• Chopping mint and tossing with fresh pineapple for a quick snack.