Peanuts or Mango in Perilla and Peppermint

*Peppermint has long been a tradition of medicinal use, with archaeological evidence placing its use at least as far back as ten thousand years ago.
I marveled at the size and thickness of this Peppermint stalk. How its leaves are so green and healthy. They are to yearned for. She also had some Peppermint dried up in her kitchen spice racks. I wish Peppermint is as readily available in our garden as it is in hers. One can only try, right? So I plucked one very healthy and mature stalk and brought it home. It was planted in the middle of my Petunias. Every few days I check on it and wonder when will I be able to put some dry Peppermint on my wall spice rack?


*Peppermint has a high menthol content, and is often used as tea and for flavoring ice cream, confectionery, chewing gum, and toothpaste. The oil also contains menthol and methyl esters, particularly methyl acetate. It is the oldest and most popular flavor of mint-flavored confectionery. Peppermint can also be found in some shampoos and soaps, which give the hair a minty scent and produce a cooling sensation on the skin.

*Perilla is a genus of annual herb that is a member of the mint family, Lamiaceae. In mild climates the plant reseeds itself. There are both green-leafed and purple-leafed varieties which are generally recognized as separate species by botanists. The leaves resemble stinging nettle leaves, being slightly rounder in shape. It is also widely known as the Beefsteak plant. Its essential oils provide for a strong taste whose intensity might be compared to that of mint or fennel. It is considered rich in minerals and vitamins, has anti-inflammatory properties and is thought to help preserve and sterilize other foods.
*Cited source: Wikipedia.

Our family use Perilla mint and Peppermint in our salads, and noodle soup.

Honey Roasted Peanuts with Perilla mint and Peppermint Salad resembles a cold slaw made by sis IcyBC. IcyBc has a jungle of Perilla mint so of course I plucked some to take home with me too.

Ingredients: Honey roasted peanuts, medium cooked shrimp, iceberg lettuce, carrots thinly sliced, chopped 1/2" Perilla mint and Peppermint.
Preparation: Mix peanuts, shrimp, lettuce, carrots together. From your spice racks grab salt and pepper and season to taste. Garnish with Peppermint and Perilla mint and honey roasted peanuts. Dress with balsamic vinaigrette or Italian.

Mango with Baby Spring, Perilla Mint and Peppermint Salad from my sis Koko. She also combined both types of mint leaves, grown wildly from her garden. Lucky Lou!

Ingredients: Baby Spring leaves, sliced long mango, whole Perilla mint and Peppermint leaves.

Preparation: In your selective salad bowl, combine your Baby Spring leaves and both mint leaves, mix them well. Add mango and grab the salt and pepper shaker from your spice rack season to taste. Dress with balsamic vinaigrette or Italian.