Watermelon Shikanjvi

In keeping with the need of the summer season, here is a winner drink recipe. Watermelon juice spiked with Indian spices. These spices were chosen not just for the flavours but also for their ability to aid digestion and add essential salts to the body.

In my earlier post, I had promised to share a drink recipe that does not include sugar. This is especially so that diabetics can also indulge in a refreshing drink. Summer need not be tiring or exhausting if we have refreshing, nourishing, hydrating drinks such as this watermelon shikanjvi in our repertoire. The ultimate thirst quencher. Rich with natural salts to rehydrate, and full of fruit vitamins and minerals. The fruit is rich in anti oxidants which helps in maintaining skin tone as well. Something we could surely use in the dry scorching months!

 

In fact, most juices and colas are not advisable for diabetics since these release a surge of sugar into the blood stream almost immediately. A spike in blood sugar is dangerous for any diabetic. As is dehydration. In diabetics, if there is excess sugar in the blood, the kidneys will try to flush out some sugar through urine. It makes this happen by drawing on body water from blood, cells, saliva. This, in turn, increases the dehydration in the body.

Without further ado, here is the recipe for a super refreshing, very low calorie, drink. For ease, I am giving measures for 2 glasses. Of course, you can make a big batch ahead (do not add the soda ahead. Mix it in just before serving) and store chilled in the fridge. When you feel like downing a glass, pour yourself half a glass of this juice mixture, top with soda and sip for instant relief from summer.

 ALLERGY INFORMATION

• Does NOT contain lactose, soya, corn, yeast, gluten.

Preparation Time – 10 minutes + chilling time, Cooking Time – nil, Serves - 2

YOU NEED -

COOKWARE - Mixer grinder, lemon squeezer, and serving glasses

INGREDIENTS -

1. 1 heaped cup chopped, deseeded watermelon chunks
2. 250 ml chilled club soda
3. Juice of 1 lemon
4. a  big pinch of cooking salt
5. pinch each of roasted jeera powder and kala namak powder
6. Ice cubes to top up and serve

METHOD -

1. Whiz the watermelon chunks in the mixer until you get a smooth puree. .
2. Add the lemon juice also to the mixer jar.
3. Add also a big pinch of salt, followed by a small pinch each of roasted jeera powder and kala namak.
4. Whiz the mixture well, and divide between 2 glasses.
5. Top with club soda, ice cubes and serve chilled!

 

Technorati Tags: summer hydration,hydrating drink,summer drink,mocktail,sports drink,low calorie drink,refreshing drink,anti oxidants

 

Orange Basil Iced Tea

With summer on, in full swing, we search often for different drinks to soothe our parched throat! It is truly important to keep ourselves well hydrated in heat. Drinking plain water through the day can be boring, and nauseous at times. The trick, then, is to flavour our drinks with some palate pleasers. This way, we can drink enough fluids to keep the body hydrated well enough.

For more on hydration, and it’s importance, read my article here on importance of water.

Here is an idea which you can use to add fun to your fluid intake. Tea is a diuretic, which means it increases water excreted from the body. So to help maintain the fluid balance in the body, I have diluted the iced tea with plenty of water and added orange juice for extra vitamins and minerals.

• People who have special fluid restrictions like in kidney aliments will have to stick to their prescribed form of fluid intake. This drink may not be suitable for them.
• If you have diabetes, or are obese, this is not the best way to replenish fluids for you. Cheer up! I will be back with interesting drink recipes for you also.

ALLERGY INFORMATION

• Does not contain gluten, soya, corn, yeast, lactose.

Preparation Time – 10 minutes + 1 hour chilling, Cooking Time – 3-4 minutes, Serves – 4-6 glasses

YOU NEED

COOKWARE – Tea pot/saucepan, jug, glasses to serve

INGREDIENTS

1. Juice of 2 oranges, about 1/2 cup or more, freshly squeezed orange juice.
2. 3 tea bags of your choice of flavour. Lemon, ginger, mint teas all work well.
3. 2 cups drinking water + 4 cups chilled drinking water
4. A tiny fistful Basil seeds/sabja seeds
5. 2 tbsp honey
6. Ice cubes and orange slices to serve

METHOD

1. Bring 2 cups of water to boil in a saucepan. Place tea bags in the saucepan, remove from heat, cover and steep for 5-7 minutes.
2. Soak the basil seeds in the remaining 4 cups chilled water.
3. Squeeze out the tea bags. Mix in the orange juice, strained tea, chilled water and honey.
4. Stir well, chill for an hour.
5. Serve topped with ice cubes and slices of orange to garnish.

Technorati Tags: drinks,Iced Tea,Orange Iced Tea,Summer special,hydration,fluid losses

Cantaloupe smoothie

It feels like the worst April ever in my city, unimaginably hot these days.  To add to my woes, I suffered a hit in an amusement park that has left me with a broken rib. I expect it should heal in two months. Added to this are children having summer vacations who keep darting in and out of home in between their endless rounds of play – more thirsty than hungry.  Finding simple recipes to hydrate the children and the rest of the family while trying to ‘bed-rest’ my broken rib is quite a juggle.
In summer, we are naturally inclined to drinking more fluids to overcome thirst, cool the body and keep us sane! I am experimenting with more smoothies, shakes, juices as tasty ideas to rehydration and energy. This Cantaloupe smoothie is the result of one such experiment. When the fruit is made into a smoothie, it is more refreshing and filling. The well ripened fruit gives the drink an amazing flavour and we do not miss the sugar at all.

• Cantaloupe or Musk Melon, as it is called in India, is more available in summer than other seasons. The melon is very rich in Vitamin A, C, Folate, Niacin,  Potassium.
• These vitamins are important during pregnancy, so the fruit is a good choice along with others for a pregnant woman.
• The sweet taste of the melon comes from sugars, so diabetics need to work with your nutritionist to find it’s appropriate use in your diet.
• The fruit’s high moisture content makes it ideal for summers, for rehydration during workouts. The smoothie thus is a very good pre / post workout meal. Made even healthier with addititon of flax powder (Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids) or sabja seeds.

You Need

1. Skim Milk – 500 ml
2. Cantaloupe / Musk Melon – Skinned and chopped – 2 heaped cups
3. Honey – 1 tbsp, optional
4. Ice cubes – optional

Method

1. Wash, skin and deseed the melon.
2. Chop it into largish chunks and blend into a smooth puree in the mixer.
3. Add 1/2 cup milk, blend again. Pour into a large jug, add the rest of the milk and stir to homogenise. Taste and add honey if needed.
4. Chill for half an hour before serving. Serve with ice, if you like!