Ingredient of the Week: Mint

Refreshing and delicious, mint does more than just freshen your breath. From plant to oil, it doesn’t take too much digging to find its benefits, like providing sinus relief when inhaled, or relaxing those tense muscles. Herbalists believe inhaling mint oil incense helps open the mind and calms the nerves. It has some antioxidant properties and can be used as an anti-itch relief for bug bites or other skin irritations.

Though you can buy mint by the handful at the grocery store, it’s just as easy to grow mint. But a word of caution: it spread like wildfire! To prevent it from taking over the garden, consider planting it in a clay pot, then sink that pot into your herb garden. You can also grow mint fairly easily indoors or bring it inside for the winter months.

Here are the recipes that Lisa and I are going to be giving a test-run this week. What will you be cooking?

• Silver Monk Cocktail (Food & Wine)
• Homemade Girl Scout Cookies: Thin Mints (Baking Bites)
• Chickpea, Barley and Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Mint and Feta (The Kitchn)

This week, join us in trying out these or other mint recipes and sharing your results. We are looking for tried-and-true mint recipes to add to our recipe book. Share your favourites below!

Ingredient of the Week: Zucchini

This week’s ingredient can be found in abundance this time of year, and is probably one of the most versatile green veggies. From cakes to salads – it adds a nice fresh flavour and texture wherever you add it, but never takes over. The most popular kind of summer squash, zucchinis are sometimes called courgettes and pack serious amounts of vitamin C, fiber, potassium, and folate.

Opt for zucchinis with dark green skin for the maximum amount of nutrients, and don’t go peeling it off! Keep the skin, as that’s where the majority of the nutrients are.

Here are the recipes that Laura and I are going to be giving a test-run this week. I’m really excited about the Blueberry Zucchini Loaf because I don’t think I’ve ever tried that particular combination. What will you be cooking?

• Grilled Chicken and Ratatouille {Epicurious}
• Blueberry Zucchini Loaf {Allrecipes}
• Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats {Skinnytaste}
• Zucchini Ribbon Salad {Proud Italian Cook}

This week, join us in trying out these or other zucchini recipes and sharing your results. We are looking for tried-and-true zucchini recipes to add to our recipe book. Share your favourites below!

Ingredient of the Week: Fennel

Another ingredient that has an alter ego. Sometimes called anise, this crunchy slightly sweet vegetable is a great source of antioxidants. Generally, the green stalks aren’t the star of the show, but they do make great broth so don’t throw them out just yet. The bulk of the goodness can be found in the white bulb. It’s believed that it can aid in people with inflammatory problems like arthritis.

When you’re standing at the grocery store this week looking at fennel, consider picking one that has a white or light green bulb, with green stalks. The stalks shouldn’t have any sign of flowering, as that might indicate it’s past it’s prime. Fennel is one of those ingredients that is best used sooner than later. The longer it sits in your fridge, it may lose flavour. There are great videos out there on how to prepare fennel.

We really should give a shout out to fennel seeds too! Fennel seeds are a well-known digestive aid. Anethole, in the plant’s oil, can reduce inflammation and help prevent cancer. Try a crust of crused, toasted fennel seeds on seared tuna.

Here are some recipes we’ll be trying out this week:

• Pasta with Sausage and Fennel Ragu (the Kitchn)
• Vegetable Soup with Fennel, Herbs and Parmesan Broth (Food & Wine)

As always, we’re on the hunt for the tried and true recipes, and this week we’re looking for your fennel recipes. Let us know what successes you’ve had in the comments below.

Ingredient of the Week: Chocolate

No, we are not teasing you! This week’s ingredient of the week is none other than (wait for it…) chocolate! Now, before you go grabbing a Mars bar, keep in mind that we are talking mainly about about dark chocolate here – let’s not get completely out of hand.

The higher amount of cocoa content, the healthier the selection when it comes to chocolate. Rich in antioxidants and minerals, there is absolutely no reason why having some of this (not so) sinful treat in your life has to be a bad thing.

We say this is the week to let the chocolate-lover within take the reigns in the kitchen!

Here are the recipes we can’t wait to get cooking this week:

• Chocolate Chip Chili with Sausage (Simple Bites)
• Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding
• Chocolate Hazelnut Flourless Cake

Have any great sweet or savoury chocolate recipes to share? Share them below!

Ingredient of the Week: Black Beans

Black beans are becoming increasingly popular, and for good reason: few foods can rival the fiber, protein, and anti-oxidant cocktail that they serve up. They are superstars for digestive and heart well-being. Native to the Americas, you will often find them lending their rich, smokey flavour to the deliciousness of Latin-inspired cuisine.

Because cooking beans from scratch is a time-consuming venture, buying them canned is often a more convenient, perfectly reasonable alternative. Just watch for the sodium level in the canned varieties.

We are on the search for go-to recipes that include black beans! Have an easy, favourite recipe that includes this ingredient of the week? Share below!

Here are the recipes that Laura and I are going to try this week:

• Black Bean and Mushroom Burgers
• Brazilian Feijoada {Slow Cooked Pork and Black Bean Stew}
• Baked Black Bean Taquitos
• Quinoa Salad with Black Beans, Avocado, and Cumin-lime Dressing