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Unless you live in outer space (or the southern hemisphere) you are well aware that we are deep into the summer season. And, depending on various factors, you may love this season or dislike it with a passion as intense as a thousand suns. Thanks to my Scandinavian roots and fiery pitta constitution, you might be able to guess which side I fall on. And if not, well, I’m writing this post with shades drawn, fan on full blast, and a cool drink in my hand.

This past weekend I taught a workshop at Yogaleena about plant energetics and how to harness the power of plants, foods, and other practices to keep you cool this summer. Since I had a lot of people interested that weren’t able to make it for various reasons, I decided to gather a handful of helpful tips and recipes here in a post. That way you can peruse at your convenience and share your tried and true methods for staying cool in the comments below. Sound good? Let’s get to it!

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Cucumber Limeade with Mint & Lemon Balm (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes via The Sweet Miscellany Blog

This cucumber limeade with mint and lemon balm is a super refreshing and hydrating beverage that is perfect for hot days. All of the elements in this vegan and gluten free limeade work to cool the body plus the trace minerals from the lime juice and cucumber juice will help to replenish what you’re sweating out!

I’ve reached the point of the year when I’m constantly on the verge of sweating. You know that feeling when you aren’t sweating yet but you can feel the heat building and rising? My Scandinavian roots run deep so it’s a challenge to thrive in the Houston summer (which lasts like half of the year TBH). I used to cower inside and curse the sun but I realized recently that if I don’t spend a certain amount of time outside each week, I feel un-grounded, stagnant, and a bit uninspired. So, I deal with this brutal weather and try to spend time outside either in the mornings or evenings.

Since I’m so hot-natured I rely on various methods of keeping cool in the summer that go beyond blasting the AC and shoving ice down my pants. What I eat and drink during the summer plays a vital role in keeping me cool. The great thing is that Mother Nature has always been on top of this whole hot summer thing because a lot of summer produce like cucumbers and melons can not only be eaten raw (raw = no added heat in the kitchen) but they are cooling for the body. Let’s have a moment of silence to marvel at the fact that nature knows best…

To give you something a little more exciting than ice water to sip on this summer, I’ve whipped up a cucumber limeade infused with mint and lemon balm. All of the elements in this beverage work to cool the body plus the trace minerals from the lime juice and cucumber juice will help to replenish what you’re sweating out. Feel free to make up a big batch of this stuff because it will keep for a few days in the fridge. Just make sure to shake it well before drinking 😉

Cucumber Limeade with Mint & Lemon Balm

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Author: Courtney West
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 2–4 servings 1x
Diet: Vegan

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Description

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 cup just boiled water
1 tbsp dried mint
1 tbsp dried lemon balm
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 cups cucumber juice (about 2 cucumbers-worth)
6 tbsp fresh lime juice (I was able to get this from 2 1/2 very juicy limes)

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Instructions

Add the dried mint and lemon balm to a heat-proof glass or mug, then pour the cup of just-boiled water over them. Cover and allow them to steep for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, strain out the herbs then add the tea to a quart-sized jar along with the maple syrup, cucumber juice, and lime juice. Shake or stir well to combine. Serve chilled over ice.

If you like, you can add thinly sliced limes or cucumbers to your glass along with some fresh mint.

Makes 2-4 servings.

Notes

You do not have to have a juicer in order to juice your cucumbers. You can simply liquify them in a blender then strain out the solids through a sieve.
If you don’t have dried lemon balm, feel free to double up on the mint or use dried sweet basil in its place.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Steeping Time: 15 minutes
Category: drink