Summer is a season filled with beach days, concerts, gardening, working, and generally spending time outdoors in the sun. The best part about summer for me is all the refreshing treats and drinks that can be made to keep cool in the heat. They all require minimal work to create and are downright delicious.
Watermelon Slushies
Photo Credit: Victoria Clendaniel
It is ridiculous how easy it is to make these. All you do is cut up a half or a whole watermelon and place in a plastic bag to freeze in the freezer. Half a watermelon makes about 5 servings (glasses). Whenever you are in need of a cool drink you can take some or all of the watermelon chunks and place them in the blender. Add lime juice and a little bit of sugar for taste, or not at all. Blend the concoction and you have yourself a guilt-free refreshing drink! If you like this idea, try putting some of the slushie in a small cup and freeze. This makes an Italian Ice you can enjoy later!
Agua Fresca
Photo Credit: Victoria Clendaniel
When I visited San Antonio I tried this drink called agua fresca. It was so refreshing and delicious I had to make it myself back at home. You can use many fruits to make it. Watermelon, honeydew melons, cantaloupe, pineapple, strawberry, and mango are some of the fruits you can use. What you do is blend the fruit, then strain it into a pitcher. You can make as much or as little as you want. After you have blended and strained it, you can add water, sugar, or honey for taste. While it sounds odd, my family’s favorite kind of agua fresca is cantaloupe. One melon can fill an entire pitcher and last us a week!
Homemade Popsicles
This is a cheap and healthy alternative to buying pre-made popsicles at the store. All you need are popsicle molds from Walmart or Marshalls (that’s where I got mine). Or you can just get some popsicle sticks and use small cups as molds. You can literally make anything! I took some of the agua fresca I made and made popsicles out of those. For those who want something healthier, you can put Greek yogurt and sliced fruits in the molds to add a little protein to your diet. I even tried mixing protein powder and milk to put into the molds and that wasn’t so bad either. What I love about this is that there are infinite possibilities for different types of popsicles to make.
Photo Credit: Victoria Clendaniel
