It's been a hot minute!

Make that a hot summer, and I think that I am absolutely correct. This season is beautiful up here in Canada (southern Ontario, to be exact), and the past few months have had me so busy that I have not had any time for you, dear readers! My profound apologies for neglecting you, but I have a few really exciting things coming up in the next few months for you, plus the book that I am writing on healing from a stroke or brain injury naturally is really coming along nicely. So big things are in the works! Please just continue to be patient with me while I get this all done, on top of balancing a full-time job, managing my herbal garden (where I grow nearly all of the herbs, tea leaves and veggies that we eat in the summer), running the homestead and taking care of my man.

In other words, life is busy. Great, but busy.

So what to do when the weather gets hot and sticky? Infused waters! Sparkling teas! And so many salads! (Did I mention that I love summer...?)

That is why today, I have a great new recipe to share with all of you that is totally outside-the-box thinking for many people, who only use mint in things like teas or ice cream. But the other day, I made some mojito mint and lemon balm from my garden into a super yummy salad dressing. The salad itself was nothing to sneeze at either - homegrown greens like rainbow chard and baby spinach... homegrown Thai basil, which goes great with the blueberries and orange segments I added... dried cranberries and a wee splash of this dressing... all that, and you have a salad that is destined for greatness.

(Would that make the salad EATER also destined for greatness? The amount of energy and focus that I got from eating this salad sure helped me achieve some great things that afternoon.)

The ingredients that I used (as with most of my recipes) were chosen for their benefits and how I knew they would help get me through a long afternoon as well. Things like the anthocyanins from the blueberries (to help with brain sharpness and focus), the variety of greens (chlorophyll for energizing the body ,plus ALL THOSE VITAMINS), even the type of mint that I used was strategic (true mojito mint is known as Mentha x villposa and it is very different from other mints. Mojito mint’s scent and flavour are mild and warm, not pungent or overly sweet like some other types of mints. I find it to be just simulating enough to give me a lot of focus without it making me jittery. Lemon balm, or Melissa officinalis, is a lemon-scented herb that is also in the mint family. Possible uses for lemon balm include sleep, anxiety and even health conditions like cold sores. My reason for using it is that it really seems to take the edge off my migraines and constant headaches, while soothing my nerves. Together, these herbs and ingredients really give me an edge over my day!

In any case, as with most of my recipes, the ingredients for this one are variable and I invite you to wander from this path I am showing you. Try adding things, changing things, whatever you want! Create your own delicious masterpiece.

No picture of this one (until I make it again), because it was just too yummy to pause and take one! Next time I will for sure.

Blueberry-Mint Summer Salad:

· At least 4 cups of a variety of homegrown greens (try rainbow chard and baby spinach)

· ½ small orange (like a clementine), broken into segments

· ½ cup fresh blueberries, halved

· ¼ cup dried cranberries

· 1” piece of fresh turmeric root, minced

· 1 green onion, chopped

For the dressing:

· ¾ cup white vinegar

· ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

· ½ cup lime juice

· 2 tbsp. lime zest (about 3 limes’ worth)

· 1 ½ - 2 tbsp. raw honey (I like using buckwheat honey for it’s rich flavour)

· ¼ cup fresh mojito mint, roughly chopped

· ¼ cup fresh lemon balm, roughly chopped

· Thai basil, shredded, for garnish

1) Wash the greens and shake dry. Place in a large bowl

2) Add the orange segments and berries. Add the turmeric and green onion

3) In a container with a tight-fitting lid, add the white vinegar, olive oil, lime juice and zest, raw honey (you can use agave nectar if you are vegan), the mojito mint and the lemon balm. Seal the container and shake to emulsify. Pour the dressing over the salad

4) Garnish with Thai basil and serve immediately

Blueberries and lemon balm are a great flavour combination!