Recipes From My Mint Garden

A generous collection of Recipes From My Fresh Mint Garden To You, from sweet to savory, and of course, a few drinks too!

There Is One Great Way To Experience Fresh Herbs – Grow Them!

I grew up in a home where gardening wasn’t really part of life, so it never crossed my mind as something I’d take up as an adult. 

But surprisingly, after buying my first house and becoming a single mom of four, the urge to grow things really took hold of me!

With only a small piece of land, a house full of teens and preteens, and a hair salon business running right in my home, you’d think I had no room for one more hobby. 

Still, it turned into something we all enjoyed together, and honestly, the payoff was wonderful then and absolutely essential now. 

Home Cooking Is An Amazing Way to Experiment With A New And Delicious Herb

Back in the 60’s, mint leaves were mostly something you’d spot in iced tea at a restaurant. 

We’ve certainly come a long way since those days!

Coming from a Mediterranean-influenced background, a lot of the foods I grew up eating and cooking were packed with fresh herbs. 

The first time I ordered a salad at a restaurant as a child, I remember wondering what was missing that made it taste so different from my mom’s salads. 

What was that missing ingredient? 

Mint. My mom had been finely chopping mint into every salad we ate since I was little. 

And that’s when I realized, even if only in the back of my mind, that I needed to learn a whole lot more herbs to cook with!

And learn them I did. 

Allow Me To Broaden Your Usage Of Mint In Ways That Will Excite You To Perhaps Grow Your Own Mint, If Only As A Window Potted Plant!

An herb that practically grows by itself, and plays a role in cooking, natural remedies, aromatherapy, and even insect repellent, definitely deserves our attention!

Various Types Of Mint

The first herbs I ever planted, years ago, were probably a mint plant, mainly because I love using fresh mint leaves in so many of the dishes I make. 

As I got more serious about growing herbs, I experimented with a few other kinds, including:

• Chocolate mint – which didn’t taste like chocolate at all, just had brown-tipped leaves that reminded me how quickly basil turns brown after it’s picked. 
• Orange mint – I liked the subtle citrus note, but it still tasted a lot like peppermint or spearmint. 
• Apple mint – this one caught my attention too, so I bought the plant, snipped some leaves for a recipe, and never got around to planting it because it tasted just like peppermint to me. 

So really, Peppermint and spearmint are the only two mint varieties I grow on a regular basis. 

Really, they grow on their own now, since I planted only a few and they’ve spread all through my gardens, coming back year after year. 

How To Harvest And Dry Mint For Year Round Recipes

Once mint gets going, you end up with far more than you can possibly use.

So what do you do with all of it?

Dry it!

The simplest method starts with cutting plenty of mint before it starts to flower and go to seed (those little blossoms at the top).

Wash the mint, pat it dry, then spread it on a cookie sheet and dry it in the oven on the lowest setting. 

I set my oven to 175, leave the mint in for about 15 minutes, then turn it off and let the leaves sit inside for several hours. 

Once it’s dry, just crumble the leaves into a dark green powder and keep it in a glass jar with a lid. 

And don’t toss the leftover stems. Bundle them up and save them for the grill or for winter fires. 

Fresh Mint Recipes From My Garden You Are Sure To Love

Now that we’ve spent some time in the garden, let’s head into the kitchen and get into some fabulous mint-filled recipes. 

Recipes that range from hot tea to chilled soup. 

I’ll wait while you go pick a handful of mint from your garden, or maybe from a nearby farmers market. 

Cucumbers And Mint Are Going To Be A Great Place To Start

If you enjoy a good cucumber salad, then on a hot summer day you’re going to love a really good cucumber salad called Tzatziki. 

Unlike a cucumber salad dressed with something from a bottle, tzatziki is made with thick plain yogurt (homemade yogurt in my kitchen), plenty of mint, lemon juice, olive oil, red onion, and salt. 

Most people think of tzatziki as a savory side dish served in Greek restaurants. 

But a version of it has been part of Arabic cooking for just as long, often made with Labneh (a thick yogurt cheese) and served over meat dishes. 

That’s why, when I made Lamb Koftas on Guy’s Grocery Games for Food Network, I naturally paired them with tzatziki. 

Have You Ever Had Cold Soup?

I’ve started growing the cutest cucumbers I’ve ever seen.

These are heirloom lemon cucumbers, and they look just like little lemons, though they taste only like cucumber. 

Their shape, size, and color inspired me to make a Lemon Cucumber Cold Soup, with flavors similar to tzatziki, served inside hollowed-out cucumber balls.

It’s playful, and absolutely delicious!

Simple Ingredients Make A Great Salad

In the middle of winter, what’s the first fruit that comes to mind when you’re dreaming about summer?

Watermelon, of course! Though strawberries work beautifully too!

A fast, easy Watermelon Salad on a bed of spinach or mixed greens, with lots of mint and feta, is exactly the kind of salad I love.

And by all means, cut stars from the watermelon and serve this salad to kick off summer for Memorial Day, again around Fourth of July, and one more time for Labor Day, all with those star-shaped watermelon pieces on display!

Do You Like Mint Drinks?

Of course, my first and favorite mint sip is the best herbal tea of all, mint tea. 

From the jar of dried mint leaves we’ve saved from the summer harvest, a scoop of mint tea leaves goes into a teapot with hot water, and that’s all there is to it!

And yes, that’s pretty much what Moroccan mint tea is: hot peppermint tea made from homegrown leaves. 

And let’s not forget how good a few Lemon Mint Scones would be alongside that cup of mint tea!

And if you want something even easier, how about mint water in the peak of summer heat—Sparkling Mint Water, to be exact!

If Hot Chocolate with Mint is more your style, we’ve got that too, especially during the holidays with a splash of peppermint vodka to give it an extra kick. 

For cold and flu season, or just a refreshing summer drink, the classic Mint Lemonade always belongs on the list! 

Lemonade, because its nutritional benefits are impressive, especially when you sweeten it with honey instead of sugar. 

And mint, because it’s also a wonderful addition to lemonade—hot or cold—when you want something soothing for an upset stomach. 

How About A Few Boozie Mint Drinks!

For y’all southerners, there’s always the classic Mint Julep, the one served every year at the Kentucky Derby. 

Still, if you want an all-around great boozie mint cocktail—one that also works as a mocktail—who wouldn’t love a Mint Watermelon Cocktail!

This mint watermelon drink is so good that I made it on The Great American Recipe with PBS to pair with Chicken and Waffles for the “Portable Meal” challenge!

And if you were expecting a mojito recipe next, I’m going to take it a step further. 

Chocolate Mint Mojito Mousse?

There’s lime juice, and then there’s Finger Lime Caviar Juice!

Oh yes, this is a brand-new recipe I recently created, and it’s going to knock your socks off.

All you have to do is find some finger limes for my Citriburst Finger Lime Mojito Mousse. 

With all the flavor of mint chocolate ice cream and the elegance of an English trifle, a simple mint syrup is whisked into yogurt, thickened with agar agar, and layered with crushed chocolate cookies. 

You’re welcome!

Who Likes A Good Pesto?

We usually think of basil when pesto comes up, but let me tempt you with a Pea Mint Pesto. 

It’s perfect for spooning into tart shells with a roasted shrimp in the center, just like my Pea Pesto Wonton Cups with pea shoots. 

That same pea mint pesto is also incredible as a thick schmear on a white plate, topped with seared scallops; Seared Scallops Over Mint Pea Pesto. 

Mint Is A Distinct Herb That Practically Grows By Itself So Do Consider A Pot Or Plot Of Dirt For Mint As One Of Many Fresh Ingredients You Love To Cook With As You Will Always Find From My Fresh Mint Garden!