gaxownOkay, Let’s Talk Summer Drinks!
Right, so Memorial Day weekend is coming up, and it always makes me think of that *one* cookout years ago where it was absolutely sweltering. Like, ridiculously hot. I swear, everything was melting, including me! I threw together something like this watermelon cucumber smoothie mostly out of desperation, using whatever looked cooling in the fridge. And honestly? It was a total game changer. Now it’s my absolute go to drink whenever the weather starts heating up. It’s just ridiculously refreshing and feels kinda fancy even though it takes like, five minutes. Seriously.
Why You’ll Be Making This All Summer
I whip this bad boy up basically anytime the sun is blazing. My family goes nuts for it because it’s sweet but not *too* sweet, you know? That cucumber cuts through the watermelon perfectly. It’s brilliant for using up that slightly-too-ripe watermelon that’s lurking in the fridge (we’ve all been there). Plus, it makes you feel vaguely healthy while still being delicious – major win! It’s also incredibly forgiving; you can mess with the amounts and it still pretty much works. Trying to get fussy with smoothie ratios is just asking for trouble, I reckon.
What You’ll Need (Give or Take)
- Watermelon: About 3-4 cups, seedless preferably (saves you hassle!), chopped up. Cold form the fridge is best!
- Cucumber: One medium cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped. I like English cucumbers ’cause the skin is thinner and fewer seeds, but honestly, whatever you have works. Just peel the regular ones well.
- Lime: Juice of 1 whole lime. Sometimes I add a little zest too if I’m feeling zesty myself. Ha!
- Mint: A good handful of fresh mint leaves. Maybe 1/4 cup loosely packed? Spearmint is ace here.
- Sweetener (Optional): A drizzle of honey or agave nectar if your watermelon isn’t super sweet. My grandad always swore by Local Hive Honey, but any runny honey is fine. Or just leave it out!
- Liquid (Optional): Maybe 1/4 to 1/2 cup cold water or coconut water if needed to get things moving. Start small.
- Ice (Optional): A few cubes if your watermelon isn’t chilled enough or you like it extra frosty.
How to Throw It Together
- Chuck the chopped watermelon and cucumber into your blender. Get a good blender if you can, it makes life easier. But honestly, any blender will do, you might just need to blend longer or add a splash more water.
- Squeeze in the lime juice. If you’re adding zest, pop that in now too.
- Add the mint leaves. Don’t be shy!
- Okay, lid on. Start blending on low, then crank it up. Blend until it’s super smooth. This usually takes about 30-60 seconds in my machine. If it’s too thick and struggling, add a tiny splash of water or coconut water and blend again. This is where I usually sneak a taste for sweetness… purely for quality control, of course.
- Taste it. Need more sweetness? Add a tiny bit of honey or agave and give it another quick whizz. Too thick? Bit more water. Too thin? Add a couple of ice cubes if you have them.
- Pour into glasses. Garnish with a mint sprig or a dinky little watermelon wedge if you want to be fancy. Serve immediately! Cold is key.
Some Notes I’ve Made Along the Way
- Seriously, *cold* watermelon makes a huge difference. Pop it in the fridge for a few hours beforehand if you can. Frozen chunks work too but you’ll definitely need more liquid.
- Don’t over blend! You want it smooth, but going for too long can sometimes make it warm up from the blender motor heat. Weird, I know.
- If you don’t have fresh mint, you *could* try a tiny drop of peppermint extract, but start REALLY small, like 1/8 teaspoon. Fresh is way better though, trust me on this.
- Getting seeds out of watermelon is my nemesis. Seedless is worth the extra quid or two in my book. If you need tips on picking a good one, wikiHow actually has decent advice, believe it or not.
Fun Experiments (and One Fail)
I’ve played around with this a fair bit:
- Ginger: A small knob of fresh ginger adds a lovely zing. Properly nice.
- Basil: Swap the mint for basil. Sounds weird, tastes surprisingly good!
- Coconut Water: Using coconut water instead of plain water gives it a tropical vibe. Love this version.
- Spinach: Tried adding a handful of spinach once to make it ‘healthier’. Yeah… the colour was frankly disturbing, and it just tasted… green. Not my fave, won’t be doing that again! Let’s just enjoy the watermelon and cucumber, eh?
Oh, random thought – isn’t it weird how cucumbers are technically a fruit? Blew my mind when I first found that out.
What Blender Do You Need?
Look, a high-speed blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec makes *everything* smoother, no doubt. But for years I used a basic countertop blender and it worked absolutely fine for this refreshing memorial day watermelon cucumber smoothie. You might just need to chop the cucumber a bit smaller first and maybe blend for slightly longer, perhaps adding that splash of water earlier. No biggie.
Storing Leftovers (If Any!)
Okay, real talk: this is best enjoyed fresh. Like, immediately. The ingredients can start to separate after a while. If you *do* have leftovers, stick them in an airtight jar or bottle in the fridge. Give it a good shake or stir before drinking. Honestly though, in my house, it rarely lasts more than an hour, let alone overnight!
How We Like to Drink It
I just pour it into tall glasses and sip away, usually outside if the weather’s nice. Sometimes for a party (like Memorial Day!), I’ll pour it into smaller glasses as a little welcome drink when people arrive. Looks dead fancy with a mint sprig!
Learn From My Mistakes (Pro Tips!)
- Don’t eyeball the lime juice too much: I once skipped measuring and just squeezed half a huge lime… way too tart. Had to add loads more watermelon to balance it. Start with one average lime, you can always add more.
- Taste your watermelon first: Some watermelons are sweeter than others. Tasting it *before* blending tells you if you’ll likely need that honey/agave or not. Saves adjusting later.
- Don’t forget to peel the cucumber (unless it’s English): I got lazy once and used a regular cucumber without peeling. The bits of dark green skin were… noticeable. And slightly bitter. Lesson learned!
Your Questions Answered (Probably!)
Can I make this ahead of time?
Mmm, I wouldn’t recommend making it hours ahead. Best fresh! But you *can* chop the watermelon and cucumber and keep them in the fridge, then just blend when ready to serve. That saves a bit of time.
Is it very sweet?
It depends entirely on your watermelon! That’s why the sweetener is optional. I find it perfectly refreshing without usually, but sometimes you get a less sweet melon and a drizzle of honey helps. Taste and see!
Can I use frozen watermelon?
Yep! It’ll make the smoothie extra thick and frosty, almost like a slushie. You’ll probably need to add a bit more liquid (water or coconut water) to help it blend though. And you likely won’t need any ice.
Help! Mine separated!
Yeah, that can happen if it sits around for a bit, totally normal. Just give it a quick stir or shake and it should come back together enough to drink. It’s just the water content form the fruit settling. It’s still perfectly fine!
Enjoy! Let me know if you give it a try this Memorial Day weekend!
gaxown
