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Summer recipes: 10 cool drinks for a hot day

Beat the heat with these refreshing mocktail recipes.

Come summer and all we crave for are refreshing thirst quenchers.

While it is important to increase your fluid intake to stay hydrated through the day, you must try and avoid caffeine and all kinds of soft drinks.

So here are some healthy summer mocktails that will help you beat the heat. Go have fun!

Mulberry and lemon mocktail

Mulberry is high in minerals and vitamins. Make this tangy summer drink and serve in shot glasses to get 'high' on health!

Ingredients

• 1/3rd cup of mulberry pulp
• The juice of one lemon
• A cup of crushed ice

Method

• Blend all the ingredients together
• Take shot glasses and brush lemon juice over its rims
• Dip in salt for the perfect 'salty rim'
• Now add the juice and serve it chilled.

Note: If it is too tangy for you, add a couple of spoons of brown sugar.

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Peach and cinnamon mocktail

Peaches are rich in Vitamins A and C.

Ingredients

• 5 peaches (don't use the over ripe ones)
• Half a cup of sugar
• 2-3 small cinnamon sticks
• Juice of half a lemon
• 2 soda bottles
• Crushed ice

Method

• In a pan, take two cups of water.
• Add the peaches, sugar and cinnamon sticks. Boil on low heat.
• Cook till the fruit is tender.
• Strain the liquid and keep it aside, covered.
• Peel the peaches and remove the seeds
• Add the pulp in a mixer with the strained liquid and the lemon juice. Blend till smooth.
• In a glass put some crushed ice and pour the peach drink.
• Top it with soda.
• Garnish with cinnamon powder and a peach slice.

Khus and lemon mocktail

Hosting a party? Serve your guests this refreshing summer cooler.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons each of garden cress seed, khus syrup and kewra water
• Juice of one lemon
• A large bottle of a lemon soft drink
• Crushed ice

Method

• Soak the garden cress seeds in water for half an hour.
• Drain it and keep aside in a covered dish.
• In a cocktail shaker, add the lemon juice, khus syrup and kewra water and shake.
• Add crushed ice and shake again.
• Pour in tall cocktail glass and top it with the lemon soft drink.
• Garnish with the garden cress seed and serve chilled.

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Raw mango and mint mocktail

Add a minty flavour to the traditional aam panna and see the summer heat evaporate.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of peeled raw mango chunks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• A few mint leaves
• Crushed ice

Method

• In a pan add sugar to a cup of water and bring it to a boil.
• Once the sugar dissolves add the mango chunks and cook on low flame till they are tender.
• Let it cool.
• Put it in a blender and blend it till the mixture is smooth.
• Put the raw mango pulpy juice in a bowl. Add mint leaves.
• Muddle it well using a hand blender.
• Place crushed ice in a glass and pour the cool minty juice over it.
• Garnish with mint leaves and serve chilled.

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Coconut and pineapple mocktail

The sweet coconut water combined with tangy pineapple makes for a wonderful refreshing drink.

Serve them in coconut shells for the extra summery feel.

Ingredients

• 3 cups of chopped pineapple
• 2 cups of coconut water
• 2 cups of coconut meat (tender)
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Crushed ice

Method

• Add all the ingredients except the ice in a blender.
• Blend well till the mixture turns smooth.
• If you are using a glass then add crushed ice and top it with the mocktail.
• Garnish with a pineapple wheel and serve chilled.

If you are using the coconut shell as your serving glass, then add the juice and then add ice.

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Coconut and papaya mocktail

The sweetness of coconut milk combined with the juice of papaya makes for a yummy summer treat.

Ingredients

• 1 cup tender coconut meat
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup chopped papaya
• 1/2 cup sugar 
• Crushed ice

 Method

• Add all the ingredients except the ice in a blender
• Blend well till the mixture is smooth
• Add crushed ice in a margarita glass and top it with the mocktail.
• Serve chilled.

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Cucumber and mint mocktail

The cool cucumber will bring the temperature down by a few notches.

It also improves your skin's complexion.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of chopped cucumber
• Juice of half a lemon
• A few mint leaves
• A pinch of black salt
• Crushed ice

Method

• Blend cucumber, lemon juice.
• Strain the juice.
• Add mint leaves and muddle it with a pestle.
• Put crushed ice in a glass.
• Pour the juice over it.
• Garnish with a mint leaf and serve chilled.

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Apple and banana mocktail

A refreshing, delicious and nutrition-packed mocktail.

Add a pinch of ground pepper for the extra punch.

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped apple (without the skin)
• 2 ripe bananas (chopped)
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 3-4 tea spoons of honey
• A pinch of pepper powder
• A pinch of salt
• Crushed ice

Method

• Boil the apple in water till it is tender.
• Mix the boiled apple, banana, lemon juice, orange juice and the honey in a blender and blend well till a smooth thick mixture is formed.
• Add salt and pepper and stir well.
• Put crushed ice to a glass of your choice.
• Pour in the mocktail and garnish with pepper powder.
• Serve chilled.

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Apple lemonade

A a healthy and refreshing drink for both kids and adults.

Ingredients

• 4 large apples
• Half a cup of sugar (you can replace this with honey if you wish)
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 bottle soda
• A cup of assorted summer fruits, chopped (or mint and cucumber)
• Crushed ice

Method

• Boil the apples in water till tender
• Put it in a blender
• Add sugar
• Blend till a smooth paste forms
• Strain so that only the clear liquid juice is obtained
• In a glass put the crushed ice and a layer of the assorted fruits
• Add a few drops of lemon juice
• Add soda to the apple juice
• Pour into the glass of fruits and ice and garnish with a lemon wedge
• Serve chilled

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Indian Gooseberry and Honey

The tangy sweetness of the Indian gooseberry (amla) and honey in small shot glasses makes a wonderful summer cooler. Add to it a pinch of star anise for a special flavour. 

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

• 4 Indian gooseberries (amla) seeds removed and chopped
• A few amla candies - chopped - for the garnish
• A pinch of star anise
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 cup of crushed ice

Method 

• Mix the amla and star anise together in a cup of water.
• Blend them well in a blender
• Strain the juice
• Add honey to the juice. mix well
• Put crushed ice and a few pieces of chopped amla candies in a glass
• Pour the juice and serve chilled.