This month’s “Savor Cooks” recipe features mint. Try our recipe for Cocoa Mint Smoothies.
Fresh mint will take your recipes to a whole new level, and the mint leaves can be used in both savory and sweet preparations.
Start simple and try making “nana” tea. The work “nana” means mint in Hebrew and Arabic. To make nana tea, pour boiling water over fresh mint leaves. Add lemon juice or sweetener if desired.
Once you’ve mastered tea, try adding mint to salads. Tabbouleh is a bulgur-based salad that typically contains chopped tomato, cucumber, onion, lemon, olive oil, and parsley. Add chopped fresh mint for a refreshing variation.
Don’t forget to check out our Food of the Month post on mint.
Recipe
Here’s a smoothie so good you can have it any time of day. It takes the classic combo of cocoa and mint and whirls in chia seeds for healthy fat and fiber, banana for natural sweetness and creaminess, and spinach that blends in so well you won’t even know its there.
Looking to add more calories in your diet? Add a tablespoon of nut butter. Need more protein? Use a flavorless or chocolate protein powder (if using a chocolate flavored protein powder, you may want to reduce the cocoa powder by half). Need fewer carbs? Swap one of the bananas for half a cup frozen cauliflower florets or use your frozen zucchini innards from last month’s Zucchini Boats.
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 medium bananas (previously chopped up and frozen)
- 8 large sprigs fresh mint, plus extra for garnish
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup ice, optional but recommended if bananas were not previously frozen
- Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Garnish with extra mint sprigs.
