Avocado & lemon balm green dream smoothie
This green avocado and lemon balm smoothie is especially velvety and refreshing.
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Lemon balm
Lemon balm
XLemon balm has a lemony scent and flavour, and it is used in cooking, herbal medicine, and honey production. The herb is used for making medicinal tea, while fresh and dried leaves are used for cooking. Lemon balm leaves and shoots should be used before flowering, as once the plant starts to flower, it develops a bitter taste.
As a flavouring, lemon balm is used in all kinds of dishes that go well with lemon due to its similar taste and aroma. It can also be used successfully with other herbs, though lemon balm should only be added after boiling. The somewhat hairy leaves, when used in moderation, can be used to wonderful effect in salads. This goes particularly for raw food salads containing apples, pumpkin, zucchini or carrots. Lemon balm is also used in soups, sauces, pea and carrot foods, cold green sauces, boiled fish, and egg dishes, and is one of few herbs used for flavouring compotes, juices, jellies, and sweet vegetable preserves. Fresh lemon balm leaves are used for garnishing desserts and cold dishes. Also used in the canning industry, and widely in the liqueur and vodka industries. Lemon balm is a great substitute for lemon, which makes it perfect for preparing stuffed fish. It can used to make vinegar as well as infused oils.
Lemon balm makes a wonderfully refreshing tea on hot days, and hot lemon balm tea goes well with any meal or dessert as an alternative to coffee.
To prepare a refreshing tea, try combining lemon balm with sweet wine and black tea. Prepare the black tea and lemon balm tea infusion separately, as black tea requires boiling water and 3 minutes of steeping, while lemon balm should be steeped in hot water for 10 minutes. After cooling, mix with wine and keep in the refrigerator or serve with ice. For extra flavour, try adding some tarragon. Lemon balm can also be used to prepare a tasty buttermilk drink by mixing chopped lemon balm leaves with dairy ice cream in a blender.
Lemon balm has a number of medicinal properties known since antiquity, when the plant was prized as an revitalising and uplifting herb. It has been especially revered for its soothing effect. Thanks to a mild lemon aroma, lemon balm acts quickly: a strong dose has a soporific effect, while a weak dose can be used to calm a nervous stomach. Lemon balm is believed to have a rejuvenating effect, and prevents vascular calcification. It can also be used for general pain relief, preventing spasms, easing digestion, as well as relieving gas, colic and menstrual pain. Lemon balm improves memory and helps with migraines. It promotes healthy heart function, helping prevent palpitations and oedema. When suffering from elevated blood pressure, it reduces dizziness and ringing in the ears, while inducing a moderate drop in blood pressure. To shake a cold quickly, drink 4–5 cups of lemon balm tea per day.
To prepare lemon balm tea, it is generally recommended to use 1 tablespoon of the dried herb for 1 cup of hot (not boiling!) water. Then steep for 10 minutes, or longer to treat certain illnesses, and drink while hot.
Lemon balm can also be used in some herb mixes, though it does not go well with all herbs. Good for combining with rosebay willowherb and birch leaves for regulating thyroid activity, not suitable for combining with mugwort in the case of intestinal problems. When treating illnesses, the combined effect requires careful consideration due to the biochemical mix (consult a specialist). In Lithuanian folk medicine, lemon balm is frequently used together with marjoram for enhancing memory.
Storage tips
Lemon balm is best stored between +4 and +8 °C. This means storage is easiest in a cool place, such as a pantry or refrigerator. For longer storage, you should also lightly water the plant once a day. You can keep the pot in a glass of water, but cool conditions are still recommended. Will also keep on the kitchen table or a window sill if watered properly, though not quite as long as when kept cool. Lovely to look at and fills the air with a wonderful aroma when kept on a table.
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Spinach
Spinach
XSpinach is a superfood that can be used in both hot and cold dishes. It is a versatile plant that can really unleash your culinary imagination. For example, recently spinach has become a popular ingredient in smoothies. Spinach is used in soups, purées, fish, omelettes, pies, fresh salads, and even pancakes.
Spinach is very rich in nutrients. It contains an abundance of antioxidants as well as vitamins A, C, E, K and B9, iron, magnesium, copper, calcium, and dietary fibre.
Storage tips
Fresh spinach lasts longest when kept between +4 and +8 °C. This means storage is easiest in a cool place, such as a pantry or refrigerator. For longer storage, you should also lightly water the plant once a day. You can keep the pot in a glass of water, but cool conditions are still recommended. Will also keep on the kitchen table or a window sill if watered properly, though not quite as long as when kept cool.
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Peppermint
Peppermint
XThe peppermint plant is commonly used for making aromatic peppermint tea. Fresh peppermint leaves are also used for flavouring and garnishing a range of desserts. Can be used equally well for seasoning meat dishes. Peppermint tincture has pain-relieving properties, reduces nausea and intestinal gas. Peppermint tincture can easily be prepared at home: just gather some peppermint flowers and leaves and soak them in vodka.
Storage tips
Peppermint is slightly easier to preserve than most other herbs, as long as you protect it from the cold and water it well. While not as delicate as basil, peppermint leaves will turn dark in cool conditions. To keep it fresh longer, ensure an even temperature: temperature fluctuations reduce the shelf life of the plant. The most convenient way to store peppermint is to place it on the kitchen table in a decorative pot. This way, it is lovely to look at and will freshen the air with its wonderful aroma. Provided the plant is kept sufficiently moist, it will keep this way for a relatively long time.
Korean cucumber salad
This Asian-style salad is a more exciting take on the classic cucumber salad.
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Cucumber
Cucumber
XCucumbers are low in calories and offer many health benefits, making them great for daily consumption. To ensure maximum freshness and nutritional benefits, you should always choose locally produced cucumbers.
Provides a quick boost of energy. Cucumbers are rich in vitamin B, which helps nourish the brain and improve your mood. If you need a quick pick-me-up, grab a fresh cucumber.
Hydrates the body, helps you lose weight and promotes healthy digestion. Cucumbers are low in calories and have a 95% water content. This helps hydrate your body, manage you weight, flush out toxins, and promotes healthy digestion. Avoid peeling your cucumbers, as cucumber peel is a good source of vitamin C.
Helps care for your skin and hair. Cucumber peel can be used instead of aloe for alleviating skin irritation or sunburn. If your eyes are puffy in the morning, placing a slice of cucumber or cucumber peel on your eyelids will help reduce the swelling. Fresh cucumber juice is great for rinsing your hair after washing. It makes your hair stronger and reduces the risk of hair loss.
Helps keep blood pressure under control and reduces cholesterol levels. It has been scientifically proven that compounds known as sterols contained in cucumber help lower cholesterol. Fibre, potassium, and magnesium help keep your blood pressure stable.
Fortifies joints and reduces arthritis pain. Cucumbers are an excellent source of silicon dioxide, which helps alleviate joint problems by strengthening connective tissues. Cucumber juice mixed with carrot juice relieves gout and arthritis pain by helping lower uric acid levels in the body.
Freshen your breath. Hold a slice of cucumber against the roof of your mouth for 30 seconds – the compounds contained in the cucumber kill the odour-producing bacteria in your mouth.
Helps prevent headaches and hangovers. Eating a bit of fresh cucumber after a night of partying provides your body with the sugar, vitamin B and liquids necessary for reducing the risk of developing a headache the morning after.
To relieve heartburn, eat a couple of slices of cucumber with every meal.
Before showering, rub the surface of your bathroom mirror with a slice of cucumber to prevent the mirror from misting up.
Storage tips
Plastic-wrapped Grüne Fee cucumbers are best stored between +12 and +14 °C. Due to the high water content of cucumbers, keeping them in a warm location will slowly cause the water to evaporate and the cucumbers to become shrivelled. While cucumbers are sensitive to cold, it is still better to keep them in the refrigerator than in a warm location.
Note! Avoid storing cucumbers next to bananas or citrus fruits: this will trigger chemical reactions that can cause cucumbers to yellow and spoil rapidly. Sour varieties of apples and tomatoes can also have the same effect. Therefore, you should keep cucumbers separately from these fruits for a significantly longer shelf life.
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Chives
Chives
XChives are commonly used for adding flavour to salads and soups. Also suitable on sandwiches. Milder than scallions. For a simple and tasty side salad, combine fresh chives with tomatoes, cucumber, and sour cream. Chives are best when fresh, but also great when dried.
Storage tips
Fresh chives last longest when kept between +4 and +8 °C. This means storage is easiest in a cool place, such as a pantry or refrigerator. For longer storage, you should also lightly water the plant once a day. You can keep the pot in a glass of water, but cool conditions are still recommended. Will also keep well on the kitchen table or a window sill if watered properly, though not quite as long as when kept cool.
Double chocolate cake with mint
This cake combines copious amounts of both dark and white chocolate. The two are brought together by a refreshing taste of mint.
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Peppermint
Peppermint
XThe peppermint plant is commonly used for making aromatic peppermint tea. Fresh peppermint leaves are also used for flavouring and garnishing a range of desserts. Can be used equally well for seasoning meat dishes. Peppermint tincture has pain-relieving properties, reduces nausea and intestinal gas. Peppermint tincture can easily be prepared at home: just gather some peppermint flowers and leaves and soak them in vodka.
Storage tips
Peppermint is slightly easier to preserve than most other herbs, as long as you protect it from the cold and water it well. While not as delicate as basil, peppermint leaves will turn dark in cool conditions. To keep it fresh longer, ensure an even temperature: temperature fluctuations reduce the shelf life of the plant. The most convenient way to store peppermint is to place it on the kitchen table in a decorative pot. This way, it is lovely to look at and will freshen the air with its wonderful aroma. Provided the plant is kept sufficiently moist, it will keep this way for a relatively long time.