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!
Sparkling Watermelon Basil Agua Fresca
note: If you are using watermelon that has seeds, add just the melon to the blender, pulse several times to liquify, then strain out the seeds through a sieve. Return the melon juice to the blender and proceed with the recipe.
4 cups melon (watermelon, honeydew, muskmelon, etc.)
1 very juicy lime
Large handful of fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup filtered water or coconut water
pinch of sea salt
Your favorite sweetener, to taste (optional)
Blend everything together until smooth. Taste and add more sweetener if you like. Chill the agua fresca before serving or pour it over ice. Makes 1 quart.
To serve: Pour your agua fresca into your preferred glass then top it off with an ounce or two of sparkling water.
From the Photos
I’ve got the sparkling agua fresca (recipe above) in my glass. The blue bottle contains a tulsi hydrosol I distilled here at home that I like to spritz on my face when I’m feeling flushed or need a pick-me-up. The clear bottle is a homemade room spray formulated specifically to the scents I find cooling and refreshing. It’s a blend of spearmint, lemongrass, and eucalyptus. For a more in-depth tutorial on crafting your own room sprays, check out this post. And last but not least, see if you can spot the special friend hanging out in the background in the shot where my drink is on the window ledge!
Other Cooling Recipes from the Archives
+ Cucumber Limeade with Mint & Lemon Balm
+ Hibiscus Fizz (use a summer fruit like blackberries or cherries in place of the mulberries)
+ Melon Boats with Blueberry Mango N’ice Cream
+ Buckwheat Porridge Parfaits with Banana & Passion Fruit (this is a soaked, raw porridge that doesn’t require the use of your stove!)
+ Rainbow Quinoa Salad with Cashew Tzatziki
Cooling Practices
+ If you’re a yogi, aim for taking more yin, gentle, meditation, and slow flow classes. Practice lunar breath or sitali breath pranayama.
+ If you’re into crystals, rainbow fluorite has cooling properties.
+ Use hydrosols (rose and tulsi are personal favorites) to stay refreshed and focused. I spray them on my face or bare skin when I am feeling too hot or draggy.
+ I transition to using peppermint based soaps in the summer so I don’t get overheated in the shower. Dr. Bronner’s is a particular favorite and is pretty affordable if you get the larger bottles. Fair warning: don’t use too much, especially around the more sensitive areas of the body.
+ This might seem like a no-brainer, but I try to avoid being outside during mid-day, which is the hottest part of the day. If I do have to be outside, my skin is covered, I’ve got a hat on my head, and I bring plenty of water to stay hydrated.
+ Reduce your intake of pungent/spicy foods, overly salty foods, and anything too drying. Increase your intake of sweet, bitter, astringent, and water-heavy foods (i.e. cucumbers, melons, etc.).
+ Use as much mint, sweet basil, cilantro, hibiscus, and lemon balm as you like whether it’s in a culinary sense, aromatherapy, or herbal teas.
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