Watermelon-Cucumber Cooler (a most refreshing drink)

What’s more cooling than cucumber? Maybe watermelon. Put the two together and you have an incredibly refreshing watermelon cucumber drink. With a hint of mint and ginger, it’s a blissful way to stay hydrated.

Watermelon is my favorite summer fruit, and cucumber is one of my favorite summer vegetables (too many to choose from), so combining the two in this beverage is amazing.

In the U.S., July is National Watermelon Month, unsurprisingly! And that’s also when it’s at its best and cheapest, so eat plenty. 

Both watermelon and cucumber are so watery, in fact, that you need not add much if any extra liquid when you blend them. A high-speed blender makes this really smooth but any regular blender will do.

I find this sweet enough using summer’s sugar-sweet watermelon, but if you think it needs a sweetness boost, use a few drops of liquid stevia or your favorite liquid sweetener.

Why is watermelon good for you? Watermelon is so sweet and juicy at the height of its season (midsummer), a fruit worth having often while it’s available and at its best.

Packed with vitamins A and C, it’s also rich in antioxidants, especially lycopene, the compound that, like in tomatoes, give it that bright reddish-pink color.

In addition, watermelon is, not surprisingly, incredibly hydrating. Here’s a full rundown of watermelon’s nutrient values and benefits.

About seedless watermelon

You may have noticed in the past few years that seedless watermelon has become predominant. Though it isn’t a GMO food, it has been bred to produce less seeds with three sets of genes rather than two.

The result is less time spent seeding (or spitting), making watermelon ever more practical for using in recipes and blending. There’s a myth that seedless watermelons are less sweet, which simply isn’t true.

Explore more …

• Tomato and Watermelon Gazpacho
• Vegan Feta and Watermelon Salad with Cucumber and Mint

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Yield: 1 quart, 4 to 6 servings

Watermelon-Cucumber Cooler

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I hope you’ll love love the hydrating synergy between them in this watermelon cucumber beverage as much as I do.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 heaping cups peeled watermelon chunks
• 1 smallish medium cucumber, peeled
• A few mint leaves or a couple of drops mint extract
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh or jarred ginger
• Juice of 1/2 to 1 lime, to taste
• 1/2 cup deep red juice like pomegranate, optional

Instructions

1. Combine the ingredients in a blender. The deep red juice is for giving the beverage a brighter pink color, but honestly, it’s more for appearance than taste. Otherwise, it’s kind of a muted pink that's kind of nice, too.
2. Blend until thoroughly smooth. Pour into a quart container or distribute between glasses. Serve at once over ice or chill in the refrigerator until needed.

Notes

For an even more bracing beverage, add a tablespoon or two of organic raw apple cider vinegar

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 171Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 61mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 4gSugar: 32gProtein: 0g

Nutrition data is always an estimate depending on program used to calculate and exact products used. This is given for informational purposes only and accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

See lots more easy vegan recipes and refreshing beverages.