Health for life

Mint green-tea is famous among North African countries where it has a longstanding history; this traditional beverage is normally consumed all the day long, by all people regardless of their social status. Whether they are members of the royal family or just ordinary commoners, Moroccans’ love towards this reshing and unifying beverage is unshakable.

Mint green-tea is an ordinary green tea prepared along with fresh spearmint and some sugar. What makes this beverage so exceptional is that it comprises synergetically two fabulous herbs: green tea (Camellia sinensis) and spearmint (Mentha spicata). Both of them have a howling array of beneficial properties
With about 2,500 studies in its capital, green tea is surely the most studied food-beverage so far. No other food can even come close to its firm standing in the face of a myriad of skeptical studies. I don’t think if there is anybody who still needs further proof to embrace this new green tea-mania.
Nevertheless, some people may still ignore the full range of green tea’s health benefits. Some of them have already been known for centuries by religious monks and healers while others have juts been discovered lately by up-to-date science.
Green tea has been scientifically credited to cure a lot of illness, such as reducing high blood pressure, preventing and treating diabetics, lung protection for smokers, preventing and treating cancers, rejuvenating body from heart strokes, clearing obstructed arteries, boosting immunity, losing weight and preventing tooth decay.
Besides its pleasant aroma and freshness, Mentha spicata can add more healthy proprieties to your cup of tea. Spearmint is an excellent antioxidant. It has also some unique anti-androgenic properties suitable to treat hirsutism in women. Spearmint is used to treat gastrointestinal ailments, as well as gas and fungal infections.
1.Wash your fresh spearmint
2.Put about 2 whole stems in a glass.
3.Put your tea bag and some sugar.
4.Pour hot water and wait 5 minutes.
5.Enjoy it.
PS: this is the most basic method, and the best-known, normally some people would add some absinthe.

Moroccans do not add peppermint; they use a local cultivar closely related to spearmint but has a more pungent aroma. In other words, classical Moroccan green tea contains spearmint and sometimes they add another kind of local "peppermint" which is related to spearmint with some sort of peppermint aroma. But they never add the "western" well-known peppermint.
_http://only-healthy-ideas.blogspot.com/2011/07/mint-green-tea-is-famous-among-north.html

Fruit salad always seems like a good idea for picnics and barbecues. It’s beautiful; it’s summery; and unless it’s overrun with marshmallows and bananas (barf), it’s yummy. However, one thing you can count on when you take fruit salad to a party: you’ll be taking it right back home.

You can be assured there will be no leftover cheese, no leftover guacamole. Crudités has slightly better odds if it is accompanied by a good dip, but fruit salad…unless there is just no other food, you’ll be eating it for breakfast the next few days.

Unless you make this fruit salad: based on Giada de Laurentiis’ Watermelon and Cantaloupe Salad with Mint Vinaigrette. It is seriously the best fruit salad ever. And there is nary a marshmallow (or banana) in sight.

I’ve made this salad several times, with various fruit combinations, and it never fails to please. Last summer, I made it for my birthday beach party, and two summers ago for a bridal shower fiesta. My mother even borrowed the recipe and wowed her Bible study group.

But never has it received the laud it got at the BBQ baby shower on Saturday. (No babies were BBQ’d, only meat and veggie burgs.) This gorgeous bowl of fruit went as quickly as the cheese platter and almost as fast as the guacamole. People were begging (okay, two people asked nicely) for the leftovers, of which there were few.

Luckily, it’s so, so easy, and cheap if the fruit you choose is in season. I strayed from the recommended melons, because A) I couldn’t find a watermelon that looked good and 2) I dislike cantaloupe almost as much as bananas. You can make this with any fruit you like.

Berries are fabulously in season up NYC way. For fun and color contrast, I threw in a mango and a peach. (For the crowd, I also doubled the recipe you see below; it’s easy to scale.)

Now, Giada’s giant smile calls for 1/4 cup of simple syrup for 4 cups of fruit. Hold up, pretty lady. That’s too much sugar, and, if you ask me, why most people avoid fruit salad. I cut the amount of syrup in half, even though I upped the amount of fruit by about a cup.

Otherwise, I kept the proportions the same. I also subbed almond extract for amaretto, since I didn’t have the liqueur on hand. There is probably some reason I should not have made the substitution in equal amounts, but it worked.

It’s a truly sublime concoction. Be prepared to give out the recipe and if you want some for yourself at home, make extra. That way you can still have fruit salad for breakfast.

Sublime Fruit Salad with Mint
Adapted from Watermelon and Cantaloupe Salad with Mint Vinaigrette by Giada de Laurentiis.
Yields approx 10 1/2-cup servings


1 pt strawberries, sliced
1 pt blueberries
1 mango, peeled and cubed
1 peach, peeled and cubed
1/8 cup simple syrup (see instructions)
1/4 cup lime juice (about 3 limes)
1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/8 tsp almond extract

1) Make simple syrup and chill while prepping fruit.

2) Simple syrup = 1 part sugar to 1 part water. Bring water to a boil, stir in sugar until dissolved completely. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

3) Wash, peel, and chop fruit as desired.

4) In a blender, combine simple syrup, lime juice, chopped mint, and almond extract.

5) Toss syrup over fruit.

6) Chill (overnight is good) and serve. Practice saying, “thank you.” You’ll be getting lots of compliments.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price per Serving
56.6 calories, .1g fat, $.60

Calculations
1 pt strawberries: 98 calories, 0g fat, $1.99
1 pt blueberries: 168 calories, 0g fat, $2.50
1 mango: 87 calories, 0g fat, $.75
1 peach: 68 calories, 0g fat, $.19
1/8 cup simple syrup: 104.6 calories, 0g fat, $.07
1/4 cup lime juice: 28.5 calories, .1g fat, $.30
1/2 cup fresh mint: 40 calories, 1g fat, $.50
1/8 tsp almond extract: negligible calories and fat, $.04
Totals: 594 calories, 1.1g fat, $6.34
Per Serving (Totals/10): 59.4 calories, .11g fat, $.63

Dude. It’s watermelon season.

Last week, it went on sale for $0.39/pound, so I dragged a 13-pounder home from a supermarket half a mile away. Its been parked on my kitchen table ever since, like some giant, edible bowling ball.

Yesterday, I finally cowboyed up and gutted the thing. And now, as you can see from this picture, we have enough watermelon to fill two man-sized storage containers.


The problem is, Husband-Elect and I are but two people. True, we’re two people who really like watermelon, but we’re two people nonetheless.

Consequently, over the next week, we’re gonna have to get creative with this thing. I’m thinking Watermelon Margaritas, Watermelon Salsa, and of course, more Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint.

I have to admit: I didn’t think dropping feta into a bowl of fruit would do much. But it adds two things: salt and creaminess, which are both unexpected and very welcome. The mint and lime provide additional freshness and lightness, which keep the dish from being murky.

Beyond that, the dish boasts three huge pluses:

1. It takes less than 10 minutes to make.
2. There are no mandatory ratios. You can tailor the amount of feta, melon, mint, and lime to your liking.
3. If you’re feeling adventurous, the recipe can be expanded to include olives, red onions, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil, cilantro, cotija cheese, jicama, and many, many more exciting ingredients. Guidelines abound online.

Alas, there is a minus, as well. In my experience, the salad doesn’t store particularly well. The fruit juice eventually breaks down the cheese, and you’re left with a thick, fruity mess. So you gotta eat this fresh, or within a day of making it. Otherwise … to the trash, Robin. Still, its good. And I will be eating again. Probably several times tomorrow.

And with that, readers, any suggestions for watermelon recipes? We, uh, could use ‘em right now.

P.S. All-watermelon barbecue at my house tomorrow!

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If you’re thinking about making this, you might also whip up some:

• Plums with Orange and Mint
• Strawberry and Avocado Salad
• Sublime Fruit Salad and Mint

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Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint
Serves 1 or more.
Adapted from many, many sources, but especially Whipped.


A few cups watermelon, balled or cut into 2-inch chunks and chilled
A small block of feta cheese
A small handful mint leaves, chopped
Fresh lime juice

1) Place desired amount of watermelon in a bowl or on a plate.

2) Crumble desired amount of feta over watermelon. (The more, the better.)

3) Sprinkle mint over watermelon-feta mixture.

4) Squeeze lime over it all.

5) No. Seriously. That’s it.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
147 calories, 6.5 g fat, 1 g fiber, 5.5 g protein, $0.79

NOTE: As this recipe is totally/completely adaptable to your tastes and perences, I’m making up some arbitrary numbers for calculations, just to give y’all an idea of the nutrition/price breakdown. Your numbers will undoubtedly be different, so please take this as a rough guide, only.

Calculations
1-1/2 cups watermelon: 69 calories, 0.5 g fat, 0.9 g fiber, 1.4 g protein, $0.26
1 ounce feta cheese: 75 calories, 6 g fat, 0 g fiber, 4 g protein, $0.37
1 tablespoon mint leaves, chopped: 1 calorie, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, 0.1 g protein, $0.10
1 teaspoon lime juice: 2 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.06
TOTAL: 147 calories, 6.5 g fat, 1 g fiber, 5.5 g protein, $0.79