Cucumber Mojito - nonalcoholic version

   During summer, many people suffer from dehydration so they tend to consume a drink that replenishes the liquid and required body salts lost from perspiration. Drinking juices in summer has so many benefits; they boost energy, help to overcome fatigue and work wonder to prevent dehydration. Also, they are an excellent source of vitamins, enzymes and minerals. Additionally, they are low in calories and have immune boosting properties. Summer is a great season to enjoy ice-cold, berry-laden milk shakes, old-fashioned lemonade, smoothies and punches. For healthy summer fruit drinks, try to include wide range of fruits as you can, such as raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, red and black currants, etc as these are the excellent sources of restorative nutrients. These easy beverage recipes allow you to chill out and relish sweet 'n' flavorful summer fruits.

Juicy grapes, water melons, melting pears and mangoes are all packed with the goodness of summer. Throw the fake chemical concoctions in support of natural cocktails that emphasize wholesome ingredients like fruits, vegetables, coconut water and herbs. The king of the fruits, mango is the hot favorite of summer season. While selecting summer drinks, keep in mind that fresh fruit juices are a hundred times healthier, tastier, and cheaper than juice mixes and bottled aerated drinks. Some ready-made drinks contain dyes, artificial fruit-flavors, high fructose corn syrup, and gums to thicken the drink to a desirable consistency. Thus, it doesn't sound like an energizing way to enjoy a hot summer days. So enjoy this delicious and healthy Summer Fruit Drinks.

Cucumber Mojito

This natural drink includes cucumbers that contain a mineral named "silica" which may be advantageous for healthy skin, hair and nails.

You need:
lime, juiced - 1
seedless cucumber, partly peeled & sliced - 2 cups
cold water - 2 cups
fresh mint, loosely packed - 1/2 cup
raw honey - 1 tsp
Crushed ice

Method

First puree lime, cucumber, honey and water in a blender until it becomes smooth. Then, pour this puree on cluttered fresh mint and crushed ice. Make use of a wooden spoon to crush mint & ice together. Mint leaves can be cut with the rough ice edges and release their flavor. Or you can blend them together and then filter. I prefer to drink this way!


Have a fresh & cool summer day!

Skin freshener Juice

Savor the summer with juices!

Grape-strawberry-orange combo

 Fruit juices are extremely easy to digest, usually taking only 10-20 minutes to pass through an empty stomach. They are requiring little energy to assimilate and producing very little waste. They have a laxative effect encouraging prompt elimination and thus the detoxification of the body.
Strawberry Grapes Juice along with Oranges.  contain high Vitamin C which helps our immune system and provide anti aging function. The grape fruit and skin is good for fighting against the free radical. It’s also believed that Strawberry Grapes Juice is able to replenish our energy, increase metabolism rate and reduce tiredness.

You need

1 1/2 cups grapes

1/2 cup strawberries (10 approx.)

juice of 1-2 oranges

1 cup of water

Clean Strawberry and Grapes with water

Put the grapes and strawberries into a blender and evenly blend. If you have already made orange juice, add 1/4 cup of orange juice for every 3/4 glass of the strawberry-grape blend. 

Serve fresh with a slice of orange.

If required add sugar to taste.

The fruits were very sweet, I did not use sugar for the juice.

Traditional Thirst Quencher

Buttermilk is ready to make in a minute thirst quencher. Especially during summer, not just as thirst quencher but also cools your body to a great extent.

Ingredients

Curd - 1cup
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Cumin powder - 1tspn
salt  - 2 tspn
Curry leaves - 1 bunch
Coriander leaves - 1 bunch
Green chillies - 1-2 cut lengthwise
Lemon - 1tspn

1. Beat the curd with 2 cups of water.
2. Take curry leaves, coriander leaves, and green chilli and rub ingredients together with fingers in the glass untill its spice is dissolved in the buttermilk.
3. Now add the asafoetida, cumin powder and salt. Also add lemon if required.

Some facts about buttermilk;
Cultured buttermilk is lower in fat and calories than regular milk because the fat from buttermilk has already been removed to make butter. It is high in potassium, vitamin B12 and calcium. Buttermilk is more easily digestible than whole milk and it also contains more lactic acid than skim milk. Due to being more easily digestible (a result of the bacteria added to the milk), protein and calcium can be taken up more easily by the body. There are 99 kilocalories and 2.2 grams of fat in one cup of buttermilk (fat content may be different with some buttermilk brands, as some brands are made with skim milk while others are made with reduced fat milk), as opposed to whole milk that has 157 kilocalories and 8.9 grams of fat.