Summer Coolers

Summers are upon us. Its April and it gets hot during the daytime in the UAE. My throat itches to gulp down something chilled around noon and I am often found looking for ingredients in my fridge to make a cold something to drink down.

Back in Delhi while I was growing up afternoons used to be scorching hot. After school hours, I and my siblings would look forward to reaching home just to drink our glass of chilled roohafza or rose syrup water, nimbu paani or lemoade or Rasna. When we used to go for school picnics we would pester mom to fill our water bottles with chilled Roohafza instead of plain water. And night time post dinner would mean another yummy cold surprise in the form of a glass full of chilled mango milk shake. Such delightful were summers in those days that we barely complained about the scorching sun and would love to play outdoors for hours altogether. The best part used to be chilling ourselves in front of the cool air rushing out of the cooler.

Nimbu paani or lemonade is sold on every corner and devoured at all homes in India during the summer time. Rose water or roohafza is another favourite of all Indians. Other cold beverages slurped commonly by Indians are aam panna, falooda milk shake, mango milkshake, badam thandai, lassi, sugarcane juice, jaljeera, kaanji.

So keeping in mind the basic juices and lemonades I try to tweak and recreate with whatever ingredients are available in my pantry. These are the six beverages that were made, stirred and blended along with Little M and slurped hurriedly on our couch during the recent spring break.

 1) Watermelon Slush

Slush is something that continues to brighten up my eyes ever since I tasted one as a child. It makes me excited even now. I love how easy they are to make and such a wonderful way to eat fresh and seasonal fruits.

See the super simple recipe for this Watermelon Slush!

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2) Strawberry Mint Lemonade

This is a colourful and refreshing take on the regular lemonade. It is a perfect drink for summer parties and can add colour to any evening or afternoon along with a beautiful smile to your guests' faces. You have to try it to believe how yummy it is!

See the recipe for this lemonade with a twist of strawberry and mint!

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 3) Banana Milkshake

Is there anyone who has never had the good old calcium booster banana milkshake? Everyone has tasted the banana milkshake. This one comes with a pinch of cinnamon to add a beautiful aroma to the milkshake. Perfect to serve to our kids after school or after an hour of play at the park and this one is simplest and easiest of them all and always gulped down ecstatically by children.

See the method to make this super simple banana shake with a pinch of cinnamon!

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4) Strawberry banana smoothie

This one is simple with banana adding its natural sweetness and thickness and strawberries balancing it with their sweet-tangy flavour. I added some honey as I needed it to be more sweet than it was. This pink drink is my go-to breakfast these days.


See the method to make this easy strawberry banana smoothie made healthy with a drizzle of honey!

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5) Sweet Lassi

This one has been a regular drink after our late brunch on most Fridays. Little M and his dad love to stir up this simple drink which is creamy, sweet and every bit refreshing on a hot afternoon. Provide spoons to scoop out the soft and creamy yoghurt peaks and laugh off at spotting a white mustache of cream forming on each others mouth. :-)

See the simple sweet lassi recipe here!

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6) Banana Oats Smoothie

Don't want to eat your oats? Well, why do that if you can simply drink them up! :-)

This one is another snack or breakfast option on busy mornings. Easy to whip up and full of goodness of banana, oats and milk. Sweetened naturally by peanut butter and honey, this beverage will not make you feel guilty at all. One healthy drink to devour this summer!

See the super simple method to make Banana Oats Smoothie here!

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Hope you enjoyed these six drinks that are keeping us cool this summer! I promise to come up with more of such simple beverages that you can make within minutes using regular ingredients always available in the kitchen.

What are your summer favourites to drink up?

Tell me all that delights you during the hot summers!

I would love to read about them!

Thanks for reading! :-)