Sunday, July 8, 2012

Watermelon Agua Fresca: a Sip of Summer



Photo by: Rachelraymag.com


I hope everyone had a happy 4th of July! Despite the heat, mine was filled with fun and relaxation:  picnic at Pier 84, indoor swimming, city's best margaritas at Anejo  (my new fave Mexican spot -- though no A/C!), topped off with fireworks viewed from the balcony.  All around a great summer time :)

To beat the heat and get a taste of summer, fiance-Matt and I recently made Watermelon Agua Fresca: a deliciously refreshing (nonalcoholic) watermelon beverage.  It was just sweet enough (though you can make it sweeter by adding honey), and felt like an indulgence even though it is rather healthy.  Here's the recipe, as found in Rachel Ray's Everyday magazine. 

Ingredients:
8 cups seedless watermelon (we bought pre-cubed melon from the Food Emporium)
6 tablespoons of honey or agave nectar (we used honey)
1/3 cup fresh lime juice plus 1 sliced lime (it took us 2 limes to get about 1/6 cup of lime juice, so I would recommend buying 5 limes)
A few sprigs of mint or rosemary (we used mint - it is just a garnish and does not get blended in)

How to Make?
1.  Puree in a blender or food processor the cubed watermelon.
2.  Strain the puree using a fine mesh colander.  
3.  Stir in the lime juice, 1.5 cups of water, honey, sliced lime and mint.
4.  Enjoy!

When Matt and I made the drink we forgot to add the water, so we were drinking more of a thick watermelon puree drink... but it was still delish!  Next time I might try actually blending it with ice to get a frosty treat.  Hope you all try it and love it for summery sipping :)



Our version :)





What are your favorite summer drinks? What did you do for the fourth?

No comments:

Post a Comment