Summer is finally here, and having spent so much time locked inside our houses during the Covid-19 Pandemic, it’s time to get outside and enjoy the sun. When the weather is scorching hot, however, all we want is some chilled food or cold drinks to enjoy with our friends and family. To help you stay cool this summer, here is our ultimate guide to the best summer refreshments.
IMAGE: UNSPLASH
1. Watermelons
One of the most refreshing summer fruits, if not the best, is the mighty watermelon. Whether it’s just a cold watermelon slice, watermelon juice, or a watermelon, feta and mint salad, watermelons are perfect for summer and staying refreshed during a hot summer’s day.
There are many innovative recipes for delicious watermelon drinks, such as combining watermelon with lemonade or freezing watermelon cubes to use as ice for other drinks. Kids and adults all love watermelons, so make sure to always keep one in your refrigerator when the summer season starts.
2. Banana Ice Cream
Banana ice cream is so creamy and rich and is perfect for a summer treat. It is so easy to make and not only tastes great but is also very healthy and dairy-free. All you need is a blender, some frozen ripe bananas, vanilla almond milk, and some cocoa powder or peanut butter. Put all the ingredients together in a blender and blend until smooth. Your homemade all-natural ice-cream is now ready to serve!
3. Popsicles
One of the best things to return home to after a hot day is a refreshing juicy popsicle. All you need to do is get some Summer Shandy drinks or your favorite juice, pour it into a popsicle mold and freeze. Now you can have popsicles every day until the summer ends!
One cool way to make popsicles is with different layers. Partly fill a popsicle mold with one juice and then when it is frozen, add another juice on top and freeze again. Keep doing this until you have a rainbow of different colors and flavors.
4. Whipped Cream Parfait
If you are looking for a light, chilled and tasty snack, just make yourself some whipped cream parfait! All you need to do is layer berries with whipped cream, some nuts, chocolate chips, thin slices of strawberries, and anything else really that you love, and voila! Your whipped cream parfait is ready!
5. Frozen Drinks
Frozen drinks are an absolute must-have in the summer. If you like to drink sangria, you can try making a sangria slushie, as this is one of the most refreshing drinks ever. You simply need to pour some sangria and frozen berries into a blender and let it work its magic. If you prefer keeping your drinks alcohol-free, fruit smoothies are a refreshing and healthy alternative, and the best part is that you can use any of your favorite fruits to make a good smoothie.
Berries, mangoes, peaches, and kiwis all make a great smoothie and it is so much fun to experiment with different combinations. Try mixing a handful of strawberries, 1 banana, 2 peaches, 1 cup of orange juice and blend them with ice. Delicious and refreshing!
6. Iced Tea Or Coffee
If you are not into making homemade drinks and just want a quick fix, simply make your usual sweet tea or coffee and then add some ice. For a change, you can also try to make the famous Vietnamese iced coffee that tastes fantastic in the summer.
You simply need to add sweetened condensed milk and lots of ice to any coffee that you have (or get some instant Vietnamese coffee from an Asian store). Condensed milk adds a rich creaminess to the strong coffee flavor which balances out the bitterness perfectly.
7. Mango Salad
A mango salad is a vibrant dish with a great combination of sweet, sour, and salty flavors. Make sure you buy the green mangoes or unripe ones, shred them and mix them with shrimp, cilantro or basil, crushed roasted nuts, and salad dressing.
The dressing is key to the dish, and you can make it by mixing fish sauce (2 tbsp), sugar (2 tbsp), lemon juice (1.5-2tbsp), and water (6 tbsp). You can also add some optional chilies if you like your food a little spicy. It is super simple to make and is perfect for a summer lunch.
Hopefully, these summer refreshment suggestions have got your taste buds tingling and have given you some inspiration. Keep exploring and experimenting with new drinks, salads, and summer desserts and you will be in for a truly tasty summer!
If you are interested in even more lifestyle-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
COMMENTS