10 Smart Ways to Use Fresh Mint, From Cooking to Gifting Fresh, fragrant, and surprisingly versatile. Close Credit: Getty / Glasshouse Images Mint is known for growing fast and plentiful, and having too much fresh mint is never a problem—especially if you know what to do with it. Mint can be grown on the windowsill or in an outdoor garden and has a multitude of health benefits, including aiding digestion and freshening breath. Do your mint stalks runneth over? Here’s what to do with all that fresh mint, including some of Martha's favorite uses. 8 Surprising Ways to Use Cinnamon That Go Beyond the Kitchen 01 of 10 Brew Mint Tea Credit: karandaev / Getty Images Making mint tea is as easy as pouring hot water over a bunch of fresh mint leaves and letting it steep for 10 minutes. The longer the leaves sit, the more flavor you can extract. 02 of 10 Chew Mint Leaves No gum? No problem. Grab a few mint leaves to chew on to instantly freshen breath, help with nausea, or aid digestion. Of course, wash the leaves before you ingest them. 03 of 10 Make Mint Jelly Credit: Grant Webster This easy-to-make mint jelly condiment uses two cups of fresh mint and is a great addition to any dish using lamb or other meats. Using a canning method, a jar of mint jelly will last for a year—perfect for spring! 04 of 10 Make Infused Water Credit: PeopleImages / Getty Images Infusing water with fresh herbs and produce can help boost your hydration levels while adding some spa sensibility to a mundane beverage. Try making infused water with mint, cucumber, and lemon for a nice, refreshing sip. 05 of 10 Gift Your Fresh Mint A friend showed up at my house with a fresh mint bouquet from her garden, which I thought was the sweetest gift! The herbs made my kitchen smell fresh and fragrant, and I could use the leaves throughout the week as garnish. 06 of 10 Shake Up a Cocktail Credit: Bryan Gardner Mint is an excellent cocktail ingredient, thanks to its brightness in flavor. Plus, fresh mint looks great as a garnish. Try making a classic mint julep, or get creative with an orange mint margarita or smoky serrano mint margarita. 07 of 10 Make Mint Pesto Credit: Gentl and Hyers Pesto may traditionally be made from basil, but any tender herb works when making the herbal sauce. Martha’s mint caper pesto recipe is a great condiment on top of salmon but can also be enjoyed however you would typically use pesto—on pasta, as a spread on a sandwich, or even as a dip. How to Store Fresh Herbs So They Last Longer 08 of 10 Freeze Fresh Mint Fresh mint freezes nicely and can last for months to make tea or other recipes with. To freeze your fresh mint, wash and dry thoroughly; you don’t want extra moisture. Once it’s fully dried, add the mint to ziplock bags, press out extra air, seal, and freeze. You can also make mint ice cubes by adding mint to an ice tray and pouring water on top, then freezing to use in drinks. 09 of 10 Make Mint Vinaigrette Credit: Chris Simpson Add an extra note of freshness to salad with Martha’s mint mustard vinaigrette. It’s tangy, herbal, and so good on all types of greens. Any leftovers can also be used as a marinade. 10 of 10 Repel Pests Credit: Kinga Krzeminska / Getty Images Among pest-repelling plants, mint is one of the best. It can help deter bugs and rodents like cabbage moths, ants, mice, and fleas from invading your space or garden. Explore more: Garden