4 Refreshing Summer Drink Recipes

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Hello everybody and welcome to summer! As I write this in mid-June in Prague, temperatures outside are currently in the low 30’s C (80’s F) which is fabulous but also means some measures must be taken to stay cool. While I would like to say that eating ice cream every day would do wonders to cool down, it may have an unwanted effect on the waistline. So instead, I’ve decided to put together a few fun and light summer drink recipes that you can make either at your next al fresco dinner party or to simply take with you to sip on throughout the day. 

The following are all healthy and make use of the wonderful produce in season this time of year. I’ve also included one with alcohol that you can enjoy (responsibly) with friends at your next BBQ. 

Passion fruit Lemonade 

Passion fruit is a wonderfully sour and tangy fruit that comes from the Amazon. Not only does it taste amazing, it also brightens up any drink or dish with its distinctive black seeds. When shopping for passion fruit make sure that the outside skin is a bit wrinkly and supple. When you’re ready to make the drink simply cut each fruit in half, spoon out the seeds and enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup fresh passion fruit juice (from 5-6 passion fruit)

  • 1/2 cup lemon juice (form 2-3 large lemons)

  • 1 cup water

  • 3-4 Tablespoons honey or agave syrup

Directions

1. In a pitcher, combine passion fruit juice (option to add back some of the passion fruit seeds if desired), along with lemon juice and water. 

2. Add 4 tablespoons honey or agave and stir to combine. Taste, then add additional sweetener as desired. Serve chilled over ice.

Strawberry Cucumber Lime agua fresca

Agua fresca originally comes from Mexico and can be made with any combination of fruit, cereals, seeds or flowers and is then blended with sugar and water. As this post is for refreshing summer drinks, and keeping with tradition here on the blog to make things slightly healthier, I’ve decided to stick with a fruit variation. This recipe makes a full pitcher’s worth so you can make it ahead and enjoy it for a few days or serve it at your next dinner party. 

Ingredients:

      • 2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped

      • 12 oz (400g) strawberries, stems removed and halved

      • 4 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

      • 4 cups (500 ml) cold water

      • 4 T honey or agave syrup

Directions:

1. Add the cucumbers, strawberries, lime juice and water to a blender. Blend until all fruits are completely blended, no large chunks.

2. Pour the contents of the blender into a colander over a water jug. Using a rubber spatula or a spoon press the pureed fruit into the strainer to get all of the liquid out and into the jug. 

3. Throw away the pureed fruit or freeze it to use in a future smoothie or oatmeal recipe. Continue this until the blender is emptied.

4. Pour in the agave or honey and whisk to combine. Add in ice to keep the drink cool. Enjoy!

Hibiscus Ice Tea Sparkler [1] 

Something about bright pink to me just screams summer. Maybe it’s all of the jewel-toned fruits in season this time of year- peaches, nectarines, rhubarb- but I never pass up on a chance to indulge in something that looks like it was made for a princess. This hibiscus ice tea recipe is a slightly upgraded take on normal ice tea. The mint and strawberry garnish make it extra refreshing- perfect for a warm summer night. 

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups boiling water

  • 8 bags hibiscus tea

  • 1/2 cup honey

  • ice

  • 2 cups sparkling water

  • 1/4 cup mint leaves

  • strawberries for garnish

Directions:

1. In a large pitcher, combine tea bags, honey, and boiling water; let steep 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how strong you like your tea.

2. Remove tea bags. Add ice to the pitcher and stir in sparkling water.

3. Add mint and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until chilled. 

4. Garnish with strawberries, serve and enjoy!

Delicious and refreshing Sangria [2] 

Who does’t love a good sangria? It’s a grown-up drinkable fruit salad :) I found this recipe for a slightly healthier take on the Spanish classic and it’s delish! The only thing to note with Sangria is to let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes for the fruit to soak up the wine and triple sec. The longer you let it marinate, the richer it will be. 

Ingredients:

      • 2 cups (500g) mixed fruit (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, diced peaches)

      • 1 bottle (750ml) red wine (e.g. chianti)

      • 1/2 cup (125ml) triple sec

      • 1/2 cup (125ml) 100% pomegranate juice

      • 1 cup (250ml) sparkling water

      • Ice

Instructions:

1. Place fruit in the bottom of a large pitcher.

2. Add wine, triple sec, pomegranate juice, and sparkling water. Stir to combine.

3. To serve, fill glasses halfway with ice. Pour sangria and fruit over top. Garnish with more fruit. Cheers!

Thank you all for stopping by this week and I hope that you found one or two drink recipes to enjoy during these long warm days. Do you have a go-to summer drink? Please share it below because the more tasty recipes out there, the better :)

See you all here next Tuesday for a new blog!

Xoxo,

Alexandra 

Sources:

  1. Herrera, Serene. “20 Refreshing Summer Drinks.” Yummy Healthy Easy, 6 June 2016, www.yummyhealthyeasy.com/20-refreshing-summer-drinks/.

  2. Kaleigh. “Health Benefits of Wine + Antioxidant Sangria.” Lively Table, 1 Oct. 2018, livelytable.com/antioxidant-sangria/.