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{Note from Jessica: Today’s post is shared by my sweet, longtime friend, Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri, author of the Recipes to Nourish website. Emily’s blog focuses on gluten-free real food and holistic health. She’s a real foodie, passionate about nourishing home cooking and advocate of “green” living. Her passion and mission are to make healthy and natural living as easy and enjoyable as possible. Stop by her site, Recipes to Nourish, for her latest recipes and natural living tips.}
The heat is on!
The summertime heat that is, not the theme song from Beverly Hills Cop. Although it does kind of make you want to sing the popular Glenn Frey song. Just me?
Moving forward …
It’s hot out, summer is definitely in full swing where I live. Brown is the new green when it comes to lawns here in Northern California and we are drying up fast in this hot, scorching heat.
I don’t know about you, but I’m not a big fan of the heat.
Don’t get me wrong, there are things I love about summer like longer days, spending time with my family, no school schedule, sipping on slushy watermelon lemonade all day long, going with the flow, enjoying ice cream + getting into a relaxing summer rhythm.
But the heat … not so much. I prefer the 70s and 80s.
So what’s a real foodie girl to do when it’s roasting outside? Make agua frescas of course!
Have you ever had an agua fresca before? If not, you’ve been missing out. If you are a fan of Mexican food, you have most likely seen some in your local taqueria.
Agua frescas or “fresh waters” are a popular drink that you can find pretty much anywhere in Mexico. Authentic ones are made with water, sugar, and usually fresh fruits.
My husband grew up drinking the authentic ones … so of course, I had to real-food-ify them and make my own version for him. I started making them a few years ago during the summer, making some of his favorite flavors like honeydew, pineapple, and horchata. This year he asked if I’d make a cucumber lime one. Of course, I said yes!
Cucumber lime agua fresca might seem odd to some, but don’t let the summer vegetable throw you off. It sounds strange, but wow … it’s so amazingly good! It’s crisp, clean, slightly sweet + so refreshing. Plus it’s the perfect healthy drink to replace sugary drinks, sodas, and sports drinks. The mint is optional, but it adds such a wonderful flavor to the already delicious combo. Feel free to omit it if you don’t like mint.
Since summer is here, potlucks, barbecues, and parties are in full swing. It’s always a good idea to have an arsenal of healthier beverages to serve or bring to share. Agua frescas are perfect for company, to take to parties or just to enjoy at home. They’re light + refreshing … a perfect thirst quencher on a hot day. Plus they’re so easy to make! You can whip up several batches in minutes!
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Cucumber Lime Agua Fresca :: Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free
Cucumber lime agua fresca might seem odd to some, but don't let the summer vegetable throw you off. It sounds strange, but wow ... it's so amazingly good! It's crisp, clean, slightly sweet + so refreshing. Plus it's the perfect healthy drink to replace sugary drinks, sodas, and sports drinks.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. organic cucumbers {about 2 large cucumbers}, ends removed, roughly chopped
- 3-4 organic limes, juiced
- 3 tablespoons light-colored raw honey {not wildflower}
- 3 cups cold coconut water or filtered water
- Pinch sea salt
- 1 bunch fresh mint leaves (optional)
- Ice made from filtered water
Instructions
- Wash and prep cucumber and limes. Remove ends of cucumbers. Optional - peel cucumbers. If the seeds are bothersome to you, by all means, remove the seeds {you can easily do this by cutting the cucumber in half and use a teaspoon to scrape out the seeds}. Roughly chop the cucumbers and add to blender. Cut limes in half and squeeze the juice into the blender.
- Add honey, 2 cups coconut water, and sea salt to the blender. Blend until pureed and no chunks remain.
- Place fine-mesh strainer over a large pitcher, large bowl or 8-cup glass measuring cup. Pour cucumber lime agua fresca through the strainer. Use a spatula or back of a spoon to extract as much liquid out as possible. Discard solids.
- Add remaining coconut water, stir to combine. Stir in the mint leaves.
- Refrigerate until cold or serve over lots of crushed ice.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 25Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 9mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 1g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered from Nutritionix and we often find their calculations to be slightly inaccurate based on the whole food ingredients we use on this site. Nutrition information can vary for a recipe based on many factors. We strive to keep the information as accurate as possible, but make no warranties regarding its accuracy. We encourage readers to make their own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
You Know What Else Cools You Down on a Hot Day? Ice Cream!
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