Wednesday, 2 April 2014

Watermelon Strawberry Cooler

It's unofficial watermelon and strawberry day here at The Kitchn, from newfangled grilled watermelon to old-fashioned strawberry shortcake. We've also been enjoying these two summertime ingredients together lately in the form of a super refreshing, beautifully hued, non-alcoholic drink.

After playing around with various proportions in our juicer (you can use a blender or food processor, too), we settled on a 4:1 watermelon to strawberry ratio. Use too many strawberries and it veers into candy territory (which is not necessarily a bad thing; a friend excitedly called it "Now and Later Juice"), too few and the drink lacks a certain special sweetness. To amp up the refreshing factor, we added a bit of lime and freshly muddled mint.
Finally, a couple teaspoons of chia seeds give the drink a delightful texture – kind of like tiny tapioca pearls. Look for chia seeds at health food stores or Central American markets. However, if you can't find chia seeds (or don't like them – gasp!), the drink is perfectly delicious without.

Ingredients:
4 cups cubed watermelon
1 cup hulled strawberries
1/2 peeled lime (or juice from 1/2 lime)
2 teaspoons chia seeds
6 mint leaves, plus more for garnish
Ice (optional)

Method:
If using juicer: Juice the watermelon, strawberries, and lime according to juicer's instructions. Discard the pulp.
If using blender or food processor: Blend the watermelon, strawberries, and lime until smooth. Strain through a sieve, pushing the juice through with a spatula. Discard the solids.
Mix the chia seeds into the juice and refrigerate for about 15 minutes to let the chia seeds swell.
Muddle 3 mint leaves in the bottom of each glass. Fill glasses with ice (optional). Stir the juice to break up the chia seeds, pour into glasses, and serve.

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