Minted Pea Soup is a budget friendly, delicious, super simple soup. While not uncommon to use peas, more ‘popular’ vegetables such as pumpkin, carrot or potato are what typically comes to mind for a vegetable based soup. So this pea soup with mint is a perfect recipe to let a different vegetable shine!! In yesteryear,…
mint
After Dinner Mints
These After Dinner Mints are very quick and easy to make low sugar sweet treat. I sometimes like to have something ‘treatish’ after my evening meal and these are just the ticket! Choc-mint is one of my all time favourite combinations and these little patties taste and smell so delicious. If you’re a choc-mint fan…
Mint Yoghurt
This Mint Yoghurt is a really versatile dip or sauce that pairs well with lamb (grilled, BBQ’d or roasted) and also Indian dishes. When my kids were little and I was teaching them to enjoy curries and spicy foods, I’d always had this Mint Yoghurt on the table, so they could add it to cool…
Peppermint Choc-chip Iceblocks
These Peppermint Choc-chip Iceblocks are currently my sons favourite snack and I’m not complaining. They take literally minutes to make and don’t require the oven which in QLD summer, is a godsend. Plus, all that goodness disguised in this tasty iceblock, what more could you want from an icy treat?
I freeze these in my Onyx stainless steel iceblock moulds. I also freeze them in little containers so the kids can pack them in their lunchbox. By morning tea they are soft enough to scoop out and eat easily.
Health benefits
These iceblocks are packed with nourishing ingredients like avocado, which provides healthy fats, and spinach, which adds a boost of vitamins and minerals. Coconut milk contributes a creamy texture while offering healthy fats. The optional cacao nibs provide antioxidants, and the peppermint adds a refreshing flavour that can aid digestion. It’s a guilt-free treat that’s both delicious and nourishing.
Ingredients
To make these healthy iceblocks, you’ll need canned coconut milk, baby spinach, avocado, and a sweetener of your choice such as rice malt syrup, honey, or maple syrup. You will also need peppermint oil or peppermint essence, and cacao nibs or dark chocolate chips.
How to make these peppermint choc-chip iceblocks
Start by placing the coconut milk, spinach, avocado, sweetener, and peppermint oil into a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste the mixture to check that the mint flavour and sweetness are to your liking. The flavour intensifies once frozen, so don’t worry if it tastes a little milder before freezing. Once you’re happy with the taste, fold in the cacao nibs or chocolate chips. Pour the mixture into iceblock moulds, insert the pop stick and freeze until firm. To release the iceblocks, run the mould under warm water, then enjoy!
Serving suggestions and how to store
These gluten-free ice blocks are perfect for a cooling snack on a hot day, or packed in lunchboxes for a refreshing treat. You can freeze them in reusable pouches or small cups for an easy, grab-and-go option. Store in the freezer until ready to serve.
Vary this peppermint choc-chip iceblocks to suit your needs
For a fructose-friendly version, use rice malt syrup as your sweetener. If you’re looking for a coconut-free option, substitute the coconut milk with cow’s milk or a nut milk of your choice. These iceblocks are versatile, and you can adjust the ingredients to suit your family’s preferences.
For more delicious, healthy and easy to make wholefood treats, click HERE
Peppermint Choc-chip Iceblocks
Ingredients
- 400 ml canned coconut milk (I used Ayam brand)
- 1 handful/s baby spinach
- 1 avocado/s -medium sized
- 115-170 g rice malt syrup, honey or maple syrup (⅓-½ cup)
- 15-20 drop/s food grade peppermint oil or peppermint essence - to taste
- 40 g cacao nibs (â…“ cup) or dark chocolate chips if you'd prefer
Instructions
- Place the coconut milk, baby spinach, avocado, sweetener and peppermint oil in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until creamy.
- Taste the mixture to check the mint flavour and sweetness is right for you. I do find the flavour intensifies and is much more delicious when the mixture is frozen.
- Fold in the cacao nibs or choc-chips and then pour into mould and freeze until firm.
- Remove from the moulds and enjoy. I find running the mould under water helps to release the ice-blocks.
Notes
Fructose Friendly
Choose rice malt as your sweetener.Coconut-free
Replace the coconut milk with cows milk or a nut milk.School lunchbox
You can always freeze this into re-usable pouches or little cups and pack from frozen for a icy morning tea. For heaps more lunchbox inspo (150 pages to be exact), take a look at my best selling ebook The Well Nourished Lunchbox. Â Â Â Â ÂI hope you and your kids love this recipe as much as we do. Post a comment below and let me know.
Orange Fennel Mint Salad
This Orange Fennel Mint Salad is a delicious dish perfect for any season. The crisp fennel, sweet orange, and fresh mint come together with a creamy yoghurt-based dressing for a light, nutritious side salad.
Christmas day for us is a day of grazing. My whole family are food lovers, so as much as there is excitement around presents, there is also a lot of anticipation for the feast ahead. Christmas lunch generally starts around mid-day with some simply prepared seafood – fresh prawns, oysters, and half shell scallops (this is my favourite way to eat them, recipe here). The main fare happens mid arvo with traditional meats but most of my time and effort in the kitchen goes into preparing beautiful sides, salads and sauces.
This fresh, flavour packed salad is a delicious accompaniment to Christmas meats. The fennel and mint as well as adding amazing flavour, are both brilliant digestive herbs so very helpful as part of a feast!!
Health benefits
Fennel is rich in fibre and vitamin C, promoting gut health and immune support, while the fresh mint aids digestion. The yoghurt in the dressing adds a creamy texture and calcium content, with an option for coconut yogurt to keep it dairy-free.
Ingredients
For the salad: thinly sliced red onion, large fennel bulb, fresh mint leaves, and a large orange with a sharp knife. The vinaigrette requires full-fat natural yogurt (or coconut yogurt), orange juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, sea salt, and a pinch of paprika. Baby spinach can be added as an optional leafy green.
How to make Orange Fennel Mint Salad
Whisk all dressing ingredients until smooth. Toss the sliced onion and fennel with half the dressing and let rest for 30 minutes. Arrange orange slices and mint leaves on top of the fennel mixture, drizzle with remaining dressing, and serve immediately.
Serving suggestions and how to store
This orange salad is best served fresh, but you can prepare the fennel and onion mixture ahead of time. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a day.
Vary this Orange Fennel Mint Salad to suit your needs
For a dairy-free or vegan version, use coconut yoghurt or cashew nut cream in the dressing. Replace red onion with thinly sliced radish if preferred.
Take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit many specific dietary requirements.
For lots more sides and salad inspo, take a look at my hugely popular ebook ËœWell Nourished Sides and Salads’– where vegetables become the hero of the dish! It’s great value at just $9.95, click HERE to take a look.
Orange, Fennel and Mint Salad
Ingredients
- 1 red onion/s (small) halved & thinly sliced
- 2 bulb/s fennel -halved & thinly sliced
- ½ bunch/s fresh mint leaves - leaves picked from stems
- 1 orange/s -peeled, halved & thinly sliced
Dressing
- 1 tbsp natural, Greek or coconut yoghurt
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil -extra virgin
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Pinch sea salt
- ¼ tsp sweet paprika
Optional:
- 100 g baby spinach (approx. or any leafy green)
Instructions
- Make your dressing by combining all of the ingredients together in a bowl and whisking to combine.
- Place the onion and fennel in a bowl and toss through half of the dressing. Allow to rest for 30 minutes (or more).
- Prepare your orange and mint leaves, arrange on top of the fennel and onion, drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve immediately.
TIP-
- You can bulk this salad out with shredded lettuce or baby spinach to make a bigger salad.
- If oranges are out of season, replace with nectarines or peaches. Pomegranate pearls are also beautiful in this salad.
Notes
Onion-free
Replace the onion with four radishes, sliced thinly.Dairy-free and vegan
Replace the natural yoghurt with coconut yoghurt (or cashew nut cream). ÂI'd love to hear how you enjoy this salad. Post a comment and rate this recipe below.Â
Zucchini Mint Feta Soup (in just ten minutes)
This zucchini mint feta soup is a comforting and nourishing dish that’s perfect for any season. Easy to make, it combines the mild taste of zucchini with the freshness of mint and the creaminess of feta, making it a delicious addition to your meal rotation.
One vegetable my kids really dislike is zucchini (or spew-kini as they like to call it). For those of you who have followed me for a while, you’ll know that my kids have a great appetite for whole foods and genuinely love a wide range of vegetables. One of the reasons this is the case is because no matter what, I have and always will, persist with offering them vegetables, even the ones previously proclaimed ‘gross’!
Spew-Kini or not, they eat zucchini most days because it sits well behind other flavours, undetected. But not one to hide every unliked vegetable (more about why hiding food is not the best approach here), I also regularly present it in its whole form and like with this soup, often they surprise me and love it. This Zucchini Salad is another surprise favourite (apparently raw is less like ‘spew’)
The best part about this soup is that it is incredibly quick and easy to make and the result is surprisingly very tasty (because lets face it, it’s not the most flavoursome veggie).
Health benefits
Packed with nutrients, this creamy soup offers a great way to boost your vegetable intake. Zucchini is low in calories and high in fibre, which supports digestive health. The feta cheese provides calcium and protein, essential for strong bones and muscle health. The mint and home-made bone broth, are a fabulous digestive tonic, perfect for keeping those important good bugs happy, happy. With just a few simple ingredients, this soup is a great choice for a healthy meal.
Ingredients
For this recipe, you’ll need onion, clove garlic, zucchini, and chicken stock or bone broth. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and add fresh mint leaves picked from the stems, along with crumbled feta cheese.
How to make this creamy zucchini soup
In a medium-sized pot, sauté your diced onion in a little olive oil, butter, or ghee for about 2 minutes until translucent. Add the crushed garlic and diced zucchini, followed by the broth and seasoning. Bring everything to a boil, then simmer for 7-10 minutes until the zucchini is tender. Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then stir in the fresh mint before pureeing it in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy.
If you own a Thermomix, we’ve also included Thermomix instructions for this recipe.
Serving suggestions and how to store
Serve your zucchini, mint, and feta soup warm, topped with extra feta and additional seasoning, if desired. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage. Reheat over a medium heat until warmed through.
Vary zucchini mint feta soup to suit your dietary needs
To make this soup vegetarian, simply substitute the chicken stock with vegetable broth. For a dairy-free version, omit the feta or replace it with cashew cheese or coconut yogurt, and choose olive oil for cooking. If you’re looking for a vegan option, follow the same substitutions. If you want to skip onion and garlic, you can use finely diced fennel sautéed with a pinch of cumin and chilli flakes for a different twist.
Take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit many specific dietary requirements.
For more delicious, quick and easy to make healthy soups, click HERE.
Zucchini Mint Feta Soup
Ingredients
- 1 onion/s - diced
- 1 clove/s garlic - crushed or diced
- 300 g zucchini/s - diced
- 250 ml chicken broth or stock (1 cup)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
- ¼ bunch/s fresh mint leaves - picked from the stems
- 90 g feta cheese - crumbled (½ cup)
Instructions
- In a medium sized pot, sauté your onion in a little olive oil, butter or ghee for about 2 minutes.
- Add your garlic, diced zucchini, broth and seasoning and bring to the boil. Cook at a rolling simmer for 7-10minutes or until the zucchini has softened.
- Allow to cool a little, add the mint and then puree in a blender until smooth and creamy.
- Serve with a dollop (or crumble) of feta and more seasoning (if needed).
Thermomix Method
- Chop the onion and garlic, 5 seconds, speed 4.
- Add the fat of your choice and sauté the onion for 2 minutes, temp 100, speed 1.
- Add the zucchini and process 5 seconds, speed 5.
- Add the broth and seasoning and cook for 8 minutes, 100, speed 2.
- Allow to cool a little, add the mint and puree 30 seconds, speed 7-8.
- Serve as above.
Make-ahead
- Re-heat in a pot over a low heat until just hot.
Store
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
Vegetarian
Use vegetable broth (stock) instead of the chicken stock.Dairy-free
Omit the feta or replace with cashew cheese or coconut yoghurt. Choose olive oil to cook in.Vegan
As per vegetarian and dairy-free above.ÂOnion and garlic-free
Replace the onion and garlic with a small bulb of fennel, finely diced and sautéed with a pinch of cumin and chilli flakes. ÂLet me know how you like this simple soup. Post a comment below.Â
Mint Chocolate Fudge
Before kids, my husband and I lived in Ireland and made many life-long, dear Irish friends. After we left Ireland we backpacked through South America where we decided to ‘just get married.’ Now when you’re travelling, you have no idea what the date is, so we were really thrilled when we realised that we just happen to share our vows on St. Patricks Day (a lovely co-incidence).
So given today’s double special occasion, I thought I should share another of my favourite treats, a raw, gluten-free, dairy-free Mint Chocolate Fudge that I can’t make too often because I just can’t stop eating it! This green delight is for all my nearest and dearest Irish mates too – Happy St. Patricks Day.
Health benefits
Macadamia Nuts contain numerous health benefiting nutrients, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins that are essential for optimum health and wellness. They are a great source of protein, fibre and essential fats (and are my favourite tasting nut). The health benefits of coconut I’ve written about here and coconut oil here. A little spinach adds anther source of plant-based nutrition and is a wonderful natural ‘green’ colouring.
Ingredients
The mint layer uses desiccated coconut, macadamia nuts, peppermint oil (or peppermint extract), and a sweetener of your choice. The chocolate layer is made from cacao butter or coconut oil, cacao powder, and your preferred natural sweetener.
How to make healthy Mint Chocolate Fudge
Process the coconut and macadamia nuts into a smooth paste, then blend in the sweetener, peppermint oil, and optional spinach. Spread this minty mixture into a tray lines with baking paper (parchment paper) and freeze. Melt the cacao butter or coconut oil with cacao powder and sweetener, pour it over the mint layer, and freeze until set.
Serving suggestions and how to store
Store this fudge recipe in the fridge or freezer as it melts easily in warmer temperatures. Serve directly from frozen for the best texture and flavour.
Vary this mint chocolate fudge to suit
For a fructose-friendly version, use rice malt syrup. Make your own raw chocolate to keep it dairy-free and vegan. If you’re out of macadamias, cashews work just as well. No mint oil? Try using peppermint essence or even fresh mint!
Take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit your specific dietary requirements.
For more delicious, healthy sweet treats, click HERE.
Mint Chocolate Fudge
Ingredients
Mint Layer
- 160 g desiccated coconut (2 cups)
- 300 g macadamia nuts (2 cups)
- 10-15 drop/s food grade peppermint oil or peppermint essence (I like a strong minty flavour, but you can adjust this to suit your taste by adding and tasting)
- 85 g rice malt syrup, honey or maple syrup (¼ cup)
- 1 handful/s baby spinach -stalks removed (optional)
Chocolate layer
- 200 g cacao butter (1 cup) OR raw, extra virgin coconut oil (or a combination of 100 gram of each), melted. I used 100% coconut oil for this slice. You could also just melt dark chocolate if you'd prefer.
- 30 g cacao powder (â…“ cup) unsweetened Dutch process or raw
- 2-4 tbsp rice malt syrup, honey or maple syrup (you can adjust the sweetness to your taste)
Instructions
- In a powerful blender or food processor, process the coconut and macadamia nuts, scraping the sides ever few seconds. You are looking to make a smooth paste. Don’t over process or it may separate. If you have a Thermomix, blend 30 seconds, speed 7-8.
- Add the sweetener, peppermint oil, and spinach and blend until the spinach has been fully pureed, though. You don't have to add the spinach if you'd prefer a white over green mint layer. If you have a Thermomix blend 30 seconds, speed 5-6.
- Spread over a small slice tin lined with baking paper (approx. 17 x 27cm) and freeze until firm to touch (approx. 30 minutes).
- Make your raw chocolate once the mint layer is set by combining all of the ingredients over a very low heat, whisking together well. If you have a Thermomix, heat temp 37, 1 minute, speed 4.
- Pour immediately over the mint layer and return to the freezer to set (approx. 10 minutes).
Store
- Cut and store in the fridge or freezer. Like most raw treats it doesn't hold up in the heat so serve from frozen.




