Super Fruit Blitz

Summer. I love summer. I love to complain about how hot it is. I love being able to jump into a crystal clear pool after sweating out toxins stored over winter. I love the tan my pale and pasty legs sometimes accomplishes. And I LOVE the fruit that come into season when the weather is hot, hot, hot! And I love making my favorite frozen drink to share with the family on those days that is just perfect for grilling and picnics.

Before I get to telling you my secret recipe, let me tell you a few secrets about this easy fruit blitz. As a mom, and someone who came from a messy combo of crazy genetics with all kinds of messed up family illnesses running through my blood- I am pro-super foods in an obsessive way. And in my opinion - the only three necessary ingredients to my blitz drink are all pretty darn super.

First let’s talk about fruit number one: Watermelon. I have only met a couple people in my life who do not like watermelon. My two year old could eat watermelon for every meal if I let her. It’s sweet with natural sugars so it keeps me away from the junk food cabinet. It’s juicy, it’s messy, it’s pretty much just amazing. But it’s also full of antioxidants- which helps prevent free radicals in our body. Translation: it can be anti-cancerous and good for your heart.

Plus with it being 90% water, and choked full of electrolytes, it can help replenish what that summer sun (and all that soda we drink) takes away from our bodies. Like Gatorade... but better. Way better.

Also one cup of watermelon provides about 15% of our daily vitamin C. What a way to fight a summer cold (which are way worse than winter ones let’s be honest - who wants to be down during the summer when we could be playing outside?).

Without boring you with all the details, watermelon also fights bad cholesterol and high blood pressure, and systolic blood pressure. Funny enough- I have found that many women with cholesterol and blood pressure issues actually crave watermelon. Also fellows- I bet you didn’t know that watermelon has an antioxidant in it that can help prevent prostate cancer.

Watermelon also has choline, an antioxidant that helps brain function and the nervous system. Meaning watermelon is good for muscle movement, muscle soreness, learning and memory, early brain development in children, and the transmission of nerve impulses.

Watermelon is also great for weight loss believe it or not. It has good fiber content, and people who eat 4 cups of watermelon weekly will see improvement in their weight loss efforts- especially those with metabolic issues! Watermelon has natural diuretic properties- and people who retain water and suffer from adema should play around with eating watermelon as studies have shown that watermelon is an almost equal natural match for furosemide pills (other-wise known fondly in my family as “per-a-lot-pills).

Oh and it reduces the physical effects of stress. Have I sold you on the watermelon yet? Let’s talk about our berry friends now.

Strawberries. Full of antioxidants once again- it’s great for prevention of cancers. Strawberries are also an excellent source of vitamin C, which not only helps prevent and fight flu and colds but prevents cateracts and prevent skin wrinkles by helping form collagen.

Strawberries also have Ellagic acid and flavonoids. Which basically means it helps with and prevents heart disease. Not to mention they’re a natural anti inflammatory. Pretty neat huh?

Blueberries do all of the above- with the added benefits of helping your bones die to iron and zinc, aids in digestion health, oh and boosts your mental health!

So basically- this drink is a triple whammy for total body goodness- and this drink is quite surprisingly healthy for diabetics (provided in moderation of course.)

A little too healthy for your taste? Don’t worry- at the end of the recipe I’ll show you how to make it more adult friendly.

Recipe:

1 cup strawberries

1 whole package of blueberries

1 half large watermelon (or whole mini watermelon)

(Optional: 1 cup of tequila or vodka or moscato wine)

After gutting watermelon and trimming leaves off of strawberries, throw the fruit in a blender (in batches if you have to) and blend until smooth.

If you like it a little sweeter- add a few teaspoons of Splenda or Truvia.

For a colder frozen beverage- freeze your fruit first!

Add your alcohol of choice - mix well. And enjoy.

Literally easiest drink. Ever.

Hope you all enjoy!