Wild Mint Growing In Our Backyard!

We stumbled upon several wild mint plants while strolling through our back yard over the weekend. There it was, happily growing out of the compost pile that the previous homeowners had left behind in a corner of our backyard. Fresh mint...in our own backyard. That's RIGHT! And in case you didn't catch what excites me most about this discovery - it is FREE. Yippee! I was already daydreaming about fresh mint tea with when two things occurred to me. First, that I had just depressed myself not even one week ago because mint was the only herb I had not started indoors or bought. Second, this little baby is going to come back next year and every year after that. I couldn't help but wonder, was the timing of this just a coincidence? God's gifts are truly wonderful. Even the tiny little "minty" ones, wouldn't you agree?

Anyway, the inaugural concoction using our unexpected gift from the ground:  fresh mint tea. Simple, fragrant, and warms the bones. I love it. For one serving, add 8 - 10 oz boiling water to 1 scant teaspoon green (or jasmine) tea leaves, and drop in a couple teaspoons worth of mint leaves lightly bruised between your fingers. Let steep for as many minutes as it suits you. Oh-so-good. Enjoy!

Now doesn't this look very warming? So. What will we do next with our minty bounty?  Maybe Mojitos!

Candy Cane Mocha!

Start the New Year off right by keeping five bucks in your pocket and make this at home! It is warm, richly comforting, and so delicious. Just as good as the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha, if you as us :) And you've got even more of a reason to make this if you got stuck with a bunch of candy canes over Christmas and you have no idea what to do with them!

Candy Cane Mocha

Serves 1

You will need:

1 cup prepared coffee with milk or cream or however you would normally make it
2 tablespoons finely chopped milk chocolate, or semi-sweet choc chips
1 teaspoon candy cane bits
Optional - 1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
Optional 1 tablespoon whipped cream
Optional - cinnamon for sprinkling

Heat coffee, chocolate, candy cane bits, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to ensure chocolate melts evenly and doesn't stick to the bottom. When warmed through, pour into a mug, top with whipped cream and cinnamon. Enjoy!

Green Goodness Smoothie

Drinkable green goodness. It's is my new favorite breakfast. This yummy smoothie (or juice?) is extremely filling and gives me a solid portion of my required daily dose of fruits and veggies, and it's fresh, cold, and delicious! I can already hear the mental "eww", but try it before passing judgement  :)

Green Goodness Smoothie

You will need:
1 granny smith or golden delicious apple, cored (but not peeled)
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
1/3 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon honey
2 or 3 ice cubes
optional - 3-4 mint leaves (adds cool refreshing flavor!)

Blend all ingredients. Pour into glass. Enjoy!

Blueberry Martini

Blueberry Martini. Do it.  I'm slowly discovering that "summer" in the Seattle area lasts only about 5 minutes. Thankfully, a martini is just as good at any time of year.

Blueberry Martini

You will need:

For the blueberry sauce -
2 cups fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup white sugar

Mix blueberries, lemon juice, and sugar together in a food processor until smooth, then strain the pulp through a mesh strainer. Discard the mucky seeds and stuff. You'll be left with a smooth seedless blueberry sauce that has a syrupy consistency. This makes about 1 cup of sauce. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to one week.

For the martini -
2 tablespoons blueberry sauce (per above)
1 oz. very cold vodka
2 or 3 fresh mint leaves

Put a couple ice cubes in a martini glass. Pour the blueberry sauce into glass, and pour vodka on top. Serve garnished with mint leaves. Enjoy!

Avocado Margaritas

An Avocado Margarita. Quite possibly the only thing better than a regular Margarita. Perfect on a warm summer evening. Or pretty much at any time of day or year. I skipped dinner altogether last night, in favor of this easy and deliciously hearty frozen green drink!

Avocado Margaritas

Serves 4

You will need:

1/2 cup tequila
1/2 cup margarita mix
2 cups ice
1 avocado
1/2 tablespoon red chili powder
1/2 tablespoon coarse salt
lime

Mix salt and chili powder. Rim four margarita glasses with lime and coat with salt mix. Blend together ice, tequila, margarita mix, and avocado. Pour into glasses. Enjoy!

Homemade Chai Latté

Save yourself $4 next time and, instead, invite your friend over for meaningful conversation over your homemade Chai Lattés.

Where I come from, the words chai and tea are redundant. They mean the same thing in several Indian languages. But when the western world speaks of chai tea, people are talking about a deliciously hot tea drink that is steeped with spices and served mixed with milk, simmered to spicy goodness. Here's my version of how to make Chai Lattés it at home with just a few pantry staple ingredients, (and you don't need a fancy steaming machine to do this):

Homemade Chai Latté

You will need:

1 cup milk

1 cup water

1 2" strip orange peel

3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick

2 or 3 black peppercorns

1 pinch nutmeg

2 teaspoons sugar (or more if you like)

2 teaspoons black tea leaves

Combine the milk and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. When warmed, add the orange peel, cloves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, nutmeg, sugar and tea leaves into the pan.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the color deepens to your liking - mine takes about 2-3 minutes. Strain, and pour into teacups. Enjoy!