Medicinal Recipes: Using Peppermint

There are many ways to use peppermint medicinally. Here are a few suggestions:

At the first sign of a cold:
Take a mixture of elderflower, peppermint, and yarrow. Infuse 1 tsp. of each dried herb (or 1 tbsp. of each fresh herb) per 1 cup of boiling water. Let it steep for 20 minutes. Strain, and add 1tsp. of honey and 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper.

This should decrease the intensity and the discomfort of a cold or a flu. In addition, sipping this tea during a cold or flu will promote perspiration and reduce body temperatures.

To reduce nausea:
Peppermint is good for nausea because it has antispasmodic actions in the gastrointestinal tract.

You can either make a tincture and add 10-15 drops of the peppermint tincture to water, or you can infuse 1 tsp. fresh or dried peppermint leaves to each 1 cup of boiling water. Let it steep for 15-20 minutes. Strain. Take it 3-4 times per day.

For irritable bowel relief:
Peppermint is an ideal remedy for people with irritable bowel syndrome, again, due to its' antispasmodic effects.

You can either make a tincture and add 10-15 drops of the peppermint tincture to water, or you can infuse 1 tsp. of fresh or dried peppermint leaves to each 1 cup of boiling water. Let it steep for 15-20 minutes. Strain. Take it 3-4 times per day.

For additional information, see: references and warnings

Mint Julep

I cannot wait to have a good mint julep with my husband. We shall sit on the back porch, sip our delicious minty drinks, and pretend that we already live in the south. :)

Mint Julep

Ingredients:
*1/2 cup water
*4 tbsp. chopped mint leaves
*2 tbsp. sugar
*juice of 1 lemon
*1 cup club soda
*1/2 cup whiskey
*sprigs of mint

Directions:
1) Bring the water to a boil and pour over the mint. Stir in the sugar until it dissolves. Leave to cool.
2) Add the lemon juice then strain. Just before serving, pour in the club soda and the whiskey. Add a sprig or two of mint to each glass. Enjoy!

Recipe found in: Lesley Bremness, The Complete Book of Herbs, pg. 192.

For additional information, see: references and warnings

Sweet Herb Sorbet

I haven't tried this yet, but it sounds delicious, plus, the possibilities of additional herbs and tastes mean fun experiments!

Sweet Herb Sorbet
*1/2 cup superfine sugar
*1 cup water
*1/4 cup leaves of either spearmint, apple mint, lemon balm, or rosemary
*juice of 1 lemon
*1 egg white
*extra leaves of chosen herb for decoration

Directions:
1) Place sugar in a saucepan and add the water. Bring to a boil, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.
2) Chop the herb leaves and add to the pan. Cover, then remove from the heat. Leave to infuse for 20-30 minutes. Test for flavor; if it is too light, bring to the boil again then leave to infuse for 15 minutes.
3) Strain the liquid and add the lemon juice. Transfer the mixture to an ice-cube tray and freeze for 2-3 hours.
4) When the sorbet is semifrozen, whisk the egg white until stiff and fold it into the mixture. Return to the freezer for a further 3-4 hours or until frozen.
5) Serve the sorbet in individual dishes, and decorate with extra herb leaves. Enjoy!

Recipe located in: Lesley Bremness, The Complete Book of Herbs, pg. 185

For additional information, see: references and warnings

Medicinal Recipe: Digestion

If you are having gastrointestinal problems, this is an excellent infused herbal tea to take to strengthen your digestion system:

* Peppermint leaves (2 parts)
* Lavender flowers (4 parts)
* Thyme (5 parts)

Steep 2-3 tsp. dried herb mixture or 2-3 tbsp. fresh herb mixture in 1/2 cup boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes. Strain. Take 1 to 1-1/2 cups a day, in small sips.  You may make a larger batch to last for a few days.

For additional information, see: references and warnings

Medicinal Recipe: Tension Infused Herbal Tea

 If you are having problems with tension or stress, try this herbal tea:

Tension-ease Infusion
1 part skullcap
1 part sage
1 part peppermint
1/4 part lavender

Infuse 1 – 3 tsp of the above blend of dried herbs (or 1-3 tbsp. fresh herbs) per one cup of boiling water for 10-15 minutes minimum. A longer infusion results in a stronger tasting brew with more medicinal effect, but the weaker infusion is perfectly fine & therapeutic. Feel free to add honey, lemon, and/or stevia to taste.

For additional information, see: references and warnings

Great Summer Drinks...or how to pretend it's still summer :)

Here are a few delicious options for some fun drinks to make with all those herbs you have been dying to use:

*Summer Punch*

(1)1/2 gallon lemonade or limeade 

(2)1 large can pineapple juice 

(3) About 3 large handfuls of pineapple sage, lemon balm, lemon verbena, or mint leaves 

(4) 2 bottles of champagne or ginger ale 

(5) 2 lemons, sliced thin 

(6) 1 lime, sliced thin 

(7) Pineapple chunks, optional 

(8) Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours, use chilled beverages 

(9) When ready to serve, squeeze out the herbs and remove them. Pour in ginger ale or champagne just before serving.

*Iced Lemon Balm Tea*

(1) 8 cups of water 

(2) 15 orange pekoe tea bags 

(3) 3 (5 inch long) sprigs fresh lemon balm 

(4) 1 cup sugar 

(5) Juice of 1 lemon 

(6) Ice 

(7) In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and add tea bags and lemon balm. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and lemon balm and discard. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Add lemon juice. Chill for at least 1 hour. To serve, pour lemon tea over a tall glass of ice.

*Sweet Harvest Tea*

(1) ¼ cup loosely packed fresh lemon balm 

(2) ¼ loosely packed fresh peppermint leaves 

(3) 1 tsp. fresh or dried lavender blossoms 

(4) 3 inch slice of orange peel 

(5) 2 cups water 

(6) Place herbs and orange peel in a large teapot. In a small saucepan, heat water to almost boiling and pour over herbs in teapot. Cover teapot and let mixture steep for 10 minutes. Pour through a strainer to serve.

Eastern Herb Salad

Another recipe that I want to try, it looks really healthy and good!

Eastern Herb Salad

Ingredients:
*1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded, and diced
*salt and pepper
*3 tbsp. olive oil
*3 pita breads, toasted and broken into small pieces, or 5 slices of white bread, toasted and cut into strips
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*juice of 1 lemon
*2 tbsp. young Gotu kola leaves, roughly chopped
*4 tbsp. purslane leaves, removed from their stalks and chopped (or baby spinach)
*2 tbsp. flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
*2 tbsp. cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
*2 tbsp. mint, roughly chopped
*1 red onion, finely chopped
*5 ripe tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and roughly chopped

Directions:
1) Place the diced cucumber in a colander, sprinkle with salt and leave to drain for 20 minutes.
2) Toast the the bread. In a large bowl, mix together the garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil to make a dressing.
3) Add the herbs, the diced vegetables, the pieces of bread and toss well to coat with the dressing.
4) Season with salt and pepper, serve immediately. The salad does not keep. Enjoy!

I got this recipe from: Jekka McVicar, The Complete Herb Book, pg. 77

For additional information, see: references and warnings

Peppermint

Name:
*Peppermint (Mentha spicata piperita)


Description:
*Perennial
*zones 5-9 are best
*strew the leaves in cupboards and beds to deter ants and fleas

Parts Used:
*Leaves, both fresh and dried

Position:
*Moist, rich soil
*Partial to full sun

Propagation:
*Easily propagate mint from cuttings or by dividing clumps.
*It is best not to propagate by seed because it often is not as strong medicinally or in taste if done this way

Maintenance:
*Since mint can become invasive, you  must keep it under control with cuttings or you can grow it in a large pot
*This plant can have problems with pests such as mint fleas, beetles, and caterpillars

Harvesting:
*Mints dry well in a warm, airy place away from direct sunlight
*Store crumbled leaves in an airtight container
*Harvest fresh leaves as required/needed

Medicinal:
*known for giving you a feeling of renewal and refreshment
*produces relaxing effects on the gut and can help relieve indigestion, nausea, gas, and cramping
*highly effective for irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, and stomach pain

Cooking:
*mint does not compliment other herbs well EXCEPT: parsley, thyme, marjoram, sage, oregano, and coriander

Companion Planting:
*Plant spearmint and peppermint near roses to deter aphids

For further information, see: references and warnings