watermelon, lime and mint with watermelon drinks

Even though the weather has been fairly weird in Vancouver this summer, some of you are probably enjoying scorching hot weather and coping by drinking gallons of water. Is it getting a bit boring?

As much as it pains me to say this, even the dietitian needs a break from plain water sometimes. So, I’m switching to watermelon (at least sometimes)!

One of the greatest things about watermelon is that it practically juices itself. Watermelon is a great hydrator without being loaded with sugar, like all the other ‘summer drinks’ out there.

This is a great drink for skin health too: watermelon is high in lycopene, which helps to combat UV damage while the omega 3 fatty acids in the chia seeds both help improve absorption of lycopene, fight inflammation and nourish the skin further.

This watermelon mint fresca is so refreshing when the ingredients come straight out of the fridge. You could even add a couple of ice cubes to slush it up (tequila optional). Cheers!

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Watermelon Mint Chia Fresca

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Watermelon is great to help prevent UV damage, so enjoy this refreshing drink in the warm summer weather!
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Ingredients

  • 4 cups chilled watermelon chunks
  • 2 cups chilled water,, divided
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon chia seeds
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup or agave syrup
  • a small handful of fresh mint leaves,, washed

Instructions 

  • In a large mug, whisk chia seeds into one cup of cold water for one minute, let sit for ten minutes and whisk again for one minute. Use right away or let sit for up to 30 minutes. You are doing this to fully hydrate the chia seeds before adding it to the drink...otherwise, you would end up with watermelon chia pudding.
  • In a blender, blend remaining cup of water with watermelon chunks and mint. Blend until liquified. Stir in chia mixture and taste. Use maple syrup to adjust sweetness based on how sweet your melon was.

Notes

Note: If you want the fresca a more vibrant red like in the picture, don't add the mint. Muddle it into the individual glasses and then top with watermelon fresca instead. But it will taste less minty.
Cuisine: American
Course: Drinks
Author: Desiree Nielsen, RD

Photo Credit: Melissa Quantz

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