When we were in Las Vegas a few weeks ago, one of the places Big-O kept eying was a juice bar located on the casino floor of our hotel. Every time we passed it, he would look longingly at the cold-pressed juice concoctions in the refrigerated case, and tug my arm. Eventually, I relented, and we joined the queue of sleep-deprived adults in line for the the “Back to Normal” and “Hangover Be Gone” remedy cleanses.
My ten-year-old (who, for the record, was not hung over) opted instead for a bottle of “Aloha Sunrise,” a blend of watermelon, coconut water, lemon juice, and salt. But then, I saw the sticker price on a single-serving bottle: $11.00.
Seriously?
By then, we were at the front of the line, and Big-O already had a big anticipatory smile on his face, so I pulled out my wallet. And to be honest, the beverage was pretty darned refreshing. But I knew I could recreate it at home for a fraction of the price—and without the accompanying whiff of desperation and cigarette smoke perfuming the air.
And I did!
This watermelon cooler is perfect for your summertime parties—just blend it ahead of time, and it’ll keep in the fridge for up to two days. When it’s time to serve it, shake well and pour over ice!
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds (1.4 kg) seedless watermelon cubes
- 1 cup coconut water
- Juice from 1 lime
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
Equipment:
Method:
Crack open your watermelon.
It’s totally fine to purchase pre-cubed watermelon, but chopping it up yourself isn’t that hard—and way cheaper.
The size of the cubes won’t matter; just roughly chop ’em up the same size.
Throw the cubes into a blender and pour in the coconut water. (If your blender has less capacity than 64 ounces, you can divide the recipe and blend everything up in two batches.)
Add the juice from one lime…
…and a smidge of sea salt.
Blitz until liquefied. If your blender isn’t super powerful and you end up with some chunky pulp, just strain it out.
Chill it in the refrigerator, and then serve over ice. Or if you’re as impatient as I am, just pour it over ice and enjoy immediately.
You can store this summery beverage in a sealed container for up to 2 days, but remember to shake the heck out of it before serving.
By the way, it’s absolutely fine with me if you prefer to make these coolers a little more “adult” by adding your favorite fermented beverage. Your secret’s safe with me!
Enjoy!
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013) and Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017)!
