Minted

The health benefits of mint have been celebrated throughout history. It is known to improve digestion and prevent nausea, acts as an anti-inflammatory, aids recovery of colds, reduces fever, treats bad breath and improves mental awareness and reduces stress. Mint!

Mint is easy to grow and will spread through your garden so is best grown in a pot and can be submerged in your garden bed. This helps prevent the roots spreading.

There are many kinds of mint and whilst the overriding taste will be mint, some smell of lemon, grapefruit, banana and even chocolate and can be used in many ways.

The summer meal below consists of courgette, pea and mint fritters served with a watermelon, feta and mint salad and minted new potatoes.

A refreshing drink is mint tea where mint leaves are infused in hot water. This can be done from fresh or dried mint as well as purchased peppermint tea bags.

Other drinks include a mint julep consisting of bourbon, crushed ice, sugar and fresh mint. My own favourite is mojito where white rum is substituted for bourbon. Maybe this one should only be consumed after eight!