May 24, 2008 | Filed under Beverages, Features, Sweet Stuff

If you know anything about Houston, you know that the days of summer can be quite brutal here. Even late spring days have been known to reach, and occasionally surpass, the 90 degree mark. This spring is no exception. With temperatures hovering around the low to mid 90s (and it’s only May! God help us this summer), I’ve been looking for ways to cool off in a hurry and keep my body well hydrated. Aside from staying indoors as much as possible with the air going full blast and drinking lots of cold water and drinks, I can’t think of much else to do.

I’ve been drinking iced green tea by the jugs, it seems, and today I wanted something different; something healthy without a boat load of calories. Not wanting to brave the afternoon heat, I decided to concoct something from ingredients I already had on hand. What I came up with is this simple little melon cooler. A blend of sweet honeydew melon, fresh ginger root, fresh lime juice and honey, this quick and easy drink is utterly delicious. The mild flavour of the honeydew marries well with the lime, which has a cooling affect, and the ginger root provides a bit of a kick and lends an additional bit of texture. Just be sure to use a ripe melon and chill it in the fridge for at least 4 hours before using.

Melon Ginger Cooler Recipe

Source: Own creation
Serves 4

1 large honeydew melon
4 limes, juiced
1 lime, thinly sliced for garnish (optional)
3 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup honey (or to taste)
2 cups ice

Cut melon in half, remove seeds and peel. Cut into small chunks and place in blender along with ginger slices, lime juice and honey. Blend until completely pureed. Add ice and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.