10 Cooling Summertime Foods

So, luckily I live in San Francisco where temperate weather is the norm, however this summer has been unusually warmer than most.

Typically with our foggy summers, us SF natives don’t often get to partake in hanging in the sun and consuming refreshing summertime foods. However, as I mentioned the weather the past few months has got me seeking out lighter, hydrating, and cooling foods and drinks that’ll lessen the effect of this heat on my body.

Give these 10 cooling summertime foods and drinks of mine a try if you’re also seeking relief from the heat:

1.   Hibiscus Tea, iced — (pictured above) Hibiscus tea has an amazing bold color which usually when it comes to nutritional powerhouse/superfoods means that they carry with them powerful nutrients like antioxidants. According to http://www.theteatalk.com/hibiscus-flower-tea.html hibiscus can help maintain healthy blood pressure, lower body temperature, and has diuretic properties. Tart tasting and refreshing, especially iced on a hot day.

2.  Cucumber Salad with Onions — take a cucumber or two, slice into very thin pieces (can leave skin on or off, depending on your preference), slice a red or white onion also into thin slices and toss with red wine vinegar and a little olive oil and sea salt and you have yourself a light salad, perfect as a side dish for your next summertime BBQ. Set overnight in fridge before eating to soak up vinegar and take on a more complex flavor.

3.  Fresh-Squeezed Lime Juice with Coconut Milk and Ice — how does that song go?, “You put the lime in the coconut…” Thinking of that just evokes sitting on a beach somewhere tropical. Take a lime, juice it and throw in blender with coconut milk (about 1/2 cup, unsweetened) and ice and you have yourself a tart/sweet combo of a perfect virgin beach “cocktail”. This could also be a base for a real cocktail too if you wanna skip the sugary-filled mixers available at most stores.

4.  Ceviche — I LOVE a good ceviche. Here’s a simple recipe, courtesy of paleoplan.com: http://www.paleoplan.com/2009/11-22/easy-ceviche/ A perfect meal for a hot day — good-quality protein, flavorful and light, and simply delicious, bite after bite.

5.   Gazpacho — there’s nothing better than a cold bowl of gazpacho to help cool you down on a sizzling day. Nom Nom Paleo has a great recipe which is different than most gazpachos in that it contains watermelon, also a typical summertime food — give it a try! http://nomnompaleo.com/post/28229882380/watermelon-and-tomato-gazpacho

6.   Lettuce Wraps — I know a lot of people don’t like to eat heavy meals in the heat, so light lettuce wraps are perfect. Cut back on the carbs that tortillas contain and turn a taco into a lettuce wrap. Be creative and the possibilities are endless — ground beef, turkey, pork, or fish paired with your favorite spices such as ginger, cayenne, chili powder, cumin, fresh-squeezed lime juice and cilantro make for mouth-watering bites that are an excellent choice in this climate.

7.   Jicama — crunchy, subtly-sweet perfect snacks for those who are hot and in need of a watery, healthy, low-calorie option. I wrote a whole blog post about jicama recently. Check it out: http://www.chewgoodstuff.com/healthy-food-highlight-jicama/

8.   Nectarines — Every once in a while a fruit comes along that just hits the spot and I think this summer the local organic nectarines that I’ve been getting from my Whole Foods are just the perfect bite of juicy deliciousness.

I was craving a dessert one hot night, so I made whipped cream in my NutriBullet by pouring in heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract and blended until it appeared whipped. I then topped these delicious nectarines with the cream et voila, I had myself a quick yummy treat.

9. Peppermint Infused Sparkling Water — On a hot day I like to take some fresh mint leaves, slightly muddle them to bring out their flavor and add them to iced sparkling water. Reap the benefits of mint (aids in digestion being one of them) while providing a cooling beverage and a perfect excuse to drink more water.

10. Coconut Water — I could guzzle this stuff, especially when I’m somewhere hot and tropical. Coconut water is high in potassium. If you’re looking to replace this electrolyte if you’ve been exercising outdoors in the summer heat coconut water is your best bet. One hundred times healthier than Gatorade, better tasting, and quite thirst-quenching. Make sure to purchase an unsweetened product if you’re buying in a can/jar, or better yet find a fresh coconut and crack it open and sip away.

Here’s my favorite brand, Harmless Harvest — Harmless Harvest Organic 100 Percent Raw Coconut Water, 16Ounce — 12 per case.

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Did I miss something? What foods and drinks do you enjoy in the hot heat of the summer?

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