Summer is coming, and what’s better than enjoying a refreshing treat or drink in the heat of the sun? Eating foods such as a fruit salad, a pasta salad, and a beverage of iced tea are great ways to refresh during the upcoming season.
Fruit Salad
Ingredients: fruits and berries of your choice, honey, lime juice
A fresh fruit salad, including a variety of different fruits, is a healthy and sweet choice for the summer. I made a fruit salad with a combination of sliced strawberries, grapes, pineapples, and with blueberries, raspberries, and pomegranate seeds in their original form. Then, I added some lime juice and drizzled honey on top to add some extra flavor. You can add as much as you would like depending on your preference.
Not only is this treat delicious and very easy to make, but it is also a recipe with easy-to-find ingredients. The balance of fruits and berries with the lime and honey makes a tangy yet sweet treat to enjoy during the hot summer months.
A fruit salad is also very modifiable, as you can add any fruits of your choice and alter the amount of each fruit you choose. Adding the lime juice and honey is optional, but I felt that it provided a delicious taste and different flavors than just the fruit in the salad.
Caprese Pasta Salad
Ingredients: pasta of your choice, mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper, olive oil, balsamic vinegar or glaze
Another savory option for the summer includes a caprese pasta salad, an Italian salad containing tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. For the dressing, add salt and pepper to taste, balsamic vinegar or glaze, and olive oil.
To make this light pasta dish, boil any pasta of your choice and then strain all the water. Toss in however many mozzarella pearls you like, along with sliced cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil, then add some salt and pepper. For the pasta salad dressing, add olive oil and balsamic glaze. As for measurements, I put multiple splashes of each and tasted it, then stopped when I felt it was enough.
For a meat choice, which is optional, you could add a cured meat like salami or prosciutto. Other optional ingredients are cucumbers, onions, and artichoke hearts.
The tomatoes and basil add a fresh taste to the pasta, and the balsamic glaze adds a sweeter taste. Adding meat makes the pasta more savory and salty, but the balance throughout the ingredients is perfect regardless.
This dish could be used for a light lunch, and should be served cold. I added salami for meat and added both cucumbers and onions to make it more flavorful. I made a larger quantity of this pasta salad, and was able to enjoy it for a few days after it was made. I enjoyed this dish as it was simple and light, as well as delicious.
The process of making this dish was very simple because you just put the ingredients together and mix them.
Iced tea
Ingredients: tea of your choice, sugar, ice, water
For a refreshing drink, iced tea is very simple to make and a delicious option for the summer. To make an iced tea, you can get any tea bags of your choice, boil them in water, and steep for about 10 minutes. Then, add cold water and some ice to enjoy.
I brewed Paradise Tropical tea and added white cane sugar to sweeten the drink. I left it in the refrigerator for some time to make the tea colder, and then poured it over ice.
This tea was very tasty and a great choice on a hot day. Adding a lemon or mint can make the tea more flavorful, if that is what you are looking for.
Enjoying a refreshing summer drink or food is perfect for the upcoming hot weather, and all of these recipes are very modifiable and simple to make!