I had a good time at our TBI support group meeting today. It was a small group with only about 6 of us. Drake has changed their rules and does not allow us to serve or bring refreshments. We are only allowed to have them if we order them from Drake directly, which our TBI group can’t do since it does not have any funds.And the recipe:
So, I told our local TBI contact person that I would like to share with the group, the therapeutic value of growing mint. I brought several plastic baggies with mint plants along with the directions on How to Grow Mint in a Container Garden. I also shared with them the therapeutic value of making something with the mint….like Non-Alcoholic Mint Juleps. Pulling out all of the necessary items and the directions, I asked the group to help me figure out what we needed to do.We worked on a variety of skills at the beginning of our meeting. Cognitive skills like gathering together necessary materials, figuring out what materials we should distribute to everyone first, reading and following directions, sequencing. Physical skills and coordination involved in scooping ice out of a container with a ladle and placing it into a cup, using tongs to grab the mint sprigs and place in their cups. One member new to the group said the mint sprig should be placed in the top of the straw…so we had the added challenge of using very fine motor skills! Social skills like enjoying each other’s company, “clinking” our plastic cups together and sharing our hopes for this year. Another member came in late, so we re-tested our memory as we worked together to make a Mint Julep for her.
Today’s group was a rewarding experience for me. I was able to do a skill I used to do prior to my TBI on a smaller scale. It was fun and I felt great! And now I have to take a nap and recover.
Cindy
TBI (ALCOHOL-FREE) MINT JULEP
IngredientsDirections
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white sugar
- _ cup (or more) fresh mint leaves, chopped
- Crushed ice
- Prepared lemonade
- Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
To Make Mint Syrup:
- 1. Combine water, sugar and chopped mint in a pan. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar has dissolved.
- 2. Turn off burner and set pan aside for about an hour to cool down.
- 3. Strain out mint leaves by placing strainer over the container you are using for your mint syrup. (If the holes in your strainer are large enough to allow some of the leaves to go through, place a paper towel or coffee filter inside your strainer.)
- 4. Refrigerate mint syrup.
To Make Drink:–Cindy Schneider
- 1. Fill cup with ice. (Crushed ice works best)
- 2. Fill cup about _ full with prepared lemonade.
- 3. Pour a small amount of the mint syrup into your cup of lemonade. Taste and adjust according to your preference, adding more lemonade or more mint syrup if desired.
- 4. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a straw. Sip slowly and enjoy. (Especially good on a hot summer’s day.)
- 5. Optional: Make some sun tea and use in place of lemonade.
Thanks Cindy.
