Anti-oxidant-rich mint power bowl
By Mercedes Kay Gold, CNP, CPT
Home gardening is a bounty of body-boosting benefits for boatloads of reasons. Touching the earth is exceptional for lowering inflammation throughout the body. Add a little sunshine to provide essential vitamin D and digging in the dirt turns into time well spent for overall health. Nature soothes the soul. Not everyone is handy with a hoe and shovel, but gardening can be made simple with heaps of herbs in pots. Plants are powerful ancient remedies.
This season, magical mint is mandatory for homestead farm-to-table top-notch remedies. First off mint is easy to grow in both partial shade and full sun, loving moist soil. Who knew there were over 20 types of mint? The most popular being peppermint or spearmint. This holistic herb is a super scintillating scent in sweet or savory dishes. A culinary delight as well as medicinal, mint is a go-to globally.
It’s amazing how even a small sprig can support the body. Mint contains trace minerals and vitamins such as A, manganese, iron, and folate. Because it’s an antioxidant, mint combats free radicals throughout the body. Mint is connected to dreamy digestion. Menthol, the active ingredient in peppermint, helps banish bloat, relieve an upset digestive system, and stop stomach pain. There’s even good news for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) sufferers according to a review of nine studies in 2014.
Mint is also a marvelous mask for bad breath! Chew a few leaves fresh from the garden and ta-da, no more conventional chemical derived gum and mints.
Mint is also mother nature’s answer to garden pest control. Planting mint near doorways helps repel ants and mosquitoes.
Mint is versatile. Hot or cold tea, refreshing mojito, yogurt topper and sidekick to roasted lamb, feta and fresh berries. Mint is a pick-me up from hum drum menu options. How about pesto to add pizzazz to protein?
Mint is a summertime love, adding fresh fabulousness to any dish.
On-the-go and a powerhouse of nutrient dense ingredients fuels fun. My power bowl is simple and an array of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, good fats, and protein. Buffalo cottage cheese is easier to digest than conventional cow. Wild blueberries contain two times more antioxidants than cultivated due to higher anthocyanins. Nuts and seeds are an extra protein boost plus healthy fat. Always add a couple of Brazil nuts for much needed selenium and zinc. Need a touch of sweetness? Unpasteurized honey is gut love.
Power bowl for one
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of Buffalo cottage cheese
- 1 cup of fresh or frozen wild blueberries
- ¼ raw nuts or seeds of choice
- Fresh mint sprigs
- Drizzle unpasteurized honey
Don’t forget to freeze fresh mint. Place chopped pieces in an ice try and cover with water or into freezer bags.
Happy summertime fun times!
Mercedes Kay Gold is a Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Holistic Nutritionist who loves helping others live their best life when not spending time with her children and grandchildren, Theodore and Aila. She can be reached at mercedeskaygoldfitness@gmail.com
