Try this super easy and refreshing watermelon mint slushie. It will take the edge off of summer's heat for sure.
Today’s chill slushie is the perfect anecdote to hot and dehydrating summer days (and nights)! It’s refreshing and cooling to drink, and beautiful to look at. And one of my favorite ingredients–watermelon, is the base of the drink.
I just adore watermelon. For me, it brings back such happy memories. Some of them are kinda funny memories, too. More on those further down. . .
Watermelon always makes me think of my dad. Hmmmm, and this post is coming out a few days ahead of Father’s Day. Happy coincidence!
My dad and I would have a field day picking the best of the bunch! Photo courtesy of http://www.sxc.hu/
Anyways, I remember my dad going to the grocery store or farmer’s markets together and picking out the most beautiful, juiciest watermelons money could buy. He has a real talent for picking excellent produce. Oh, yes, that’s a deliberate plural on watermelons–my dad would rather buy extra melons than too few. After all, his reasoning goes, we can always share the extra fruit with others.
Our produce-buying missions were “our” thing as father and daughter–going to what my dad calls “fruit market” and picking out the best and best-priced veggies and fruits available. To this day, I say I learned just about all of the skills about how to pick good produce from my dad. And many of my cooking skills I learned from my mom. Both important parts of the equation–how to pick the best quality produce, and what to do with it once you get it home.
Frothy, delicious, and refreshing. I can't get enough of these lately!
As for the funny melon memories: the time my dad picked what he said was the most amazing watermelon ever–and left it in the shopping cart in the store parking lot of a Fiesta store (Texans know all about Fiesta 
). Or the time we went to the farmer’s market in Houston. At this market, you can buy wholesale. Why exactly we needed a few dozen watermelons, I’ll never know for sure. At any rate, one of the watermelon vendors quoted my dad one price before loading up the back of the pickup full of melons. Then he quoted him another price when it was time to pay, the truck fully loaded with probably at least two dozen melons. Sneaky jerk thought we’d not want to unload the melons and just pay the higher price. He was holding us as fruit hostages. My dad was having none of this bait and switch nonsense. Every single melon went back to the display, and you can bet my dad made the guy help offload the heavy fruits.
Gorgeous watermelons are rich in vitamin C and super-hydrating. Photo courtesy of http://www.sxc.hu/
So what makes a good watermelon? My dad taught me that it should be:
- Heavy for its size.
- It should have a hollow sound when you thump on it.
- The stripes should be very green.
- The skin shouldn’t have any mushy or pitted spots.
If you happen to get a subpar melon, you can salvage it by making this cooler. Of course, a perfect melon would be absolutely delicious blended into this chillaxing drink as well. Have fun with it and enjoy! Maybe while watching a World Cup match.
Watermelon Mint Cooler/Slushie
Ingredients (enough for at least 2 12 ounce coolers):
2 Cups watermelon, seeds removed
1 Cup almond milk (I prefer unsweetened; you could use rice or even coconut milk here)
Splash of vanilla extract
A few sprigs of mint, saving some for garnish
Ice
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend. Drink will be very pink and very cool. Garnish with a sprig of mint and enjoy!
I find watermelon to be the most refreshing thing in the summer months and paired with mint-absolutely divine. Almost like a watermelon mojito.
I loved the memories you have with your father, really sweet. It’s amazing how out parents help us become who we are.
A pretty pretty drink with lovely colors!
I agree, Nadia. I am my dad’s daughter in so many ways, my mom’s girl in many others. Like you, I love watermelon and mint. I’m sure this could somehow be made into a mojito.
I’ve been meaning to buy watermelon lately. There are some gorgeous ones in my supermarket now. I would definitely make this. It’s so perfect for surviving the Florida heat.
Yes, perfect for the Florida heat. And Florida has such amazing watermelons, you’d better get to the store fast before I fly down there with my dad and buy them all
This drink seriously looks fantastic! No joke, I showed the roomie and we’re heading out to the local farmer’s market soon to pick up ingredients. Awesome recipe, B!
Awesome. You guys got motivated. Let me know how it turned out and if you made any tweaks of your own. Xoxo!
Bria
You are so right; nothing beats the heat of summer like a cool and crispy and juicy slice of watermelon! I have never made one as a drink but after seing your photo and recipe I am going to try it this summer for sure.
I agree, watermelon’s unbeatable in the summer scorch! I, too, generally prefer to eat it, but this cooler is unbeatable. I drank like 32 ounces of it today alone. Ha!
I love your watermelon drink!! I eat watermelon almost every day in summertime!
I am hooked on watermelon in the summer, Sara. It’s just the best.
Bria, I made your watermelon slushie tonight and it was hit with my family! Very refreshing! Thank you for the recipe!
You are most welcome, my dear. Thanks for the update and I’m so glad it was a hit. It’s just so festive and tasty, if I do say so myself
Hugs!
This looks and sounds amazing! Such gorgeous photos. I am off to the store to buy some watermelon!
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This was OK. Not nearly as sweet as I thought it would be though my seedless watermelon was a tiny bit under ripe. I added some raw, organic, local honey to sweeten slightly. I used fresh mint from the garden and no ice per preference but my ingredients were all cold including homemade unsweetened almond milk. I think store bought almond milk whether it says sweetened or not contains an ingredient that makes it taste sweet in the mouth (like rice milk, the reason I don’t buy them is what the ingredient really is, it also may not be halal) Also this is not properly food combined as per http://www.rawplus.com/images/foodcom.jpg
Glad you tweaked the recipe. If halal and food combining are of concern, then people can certainly adjust the recipe as needed. You’re right, melons don’t “play well” with any other food. But I’m flexible, and don’t let rules (always) dictate each bit or sip I take.