Summer is here, and good old Mr. Sun is sure doing his job. The scorching heat is everywhere, all the way from the rocky slopes of the mountains and down to the plains below. Summer is the season for fun in the sun, but everyone looks for ways to cool off.
Whether it is a shady gazebo in your backyard, a lush wooded area, or a comfortable air-conditioned room, we are constantly on the lookout for the perfect place to run away from the heat. While some may look for the perfect spot under the shade, others will focus on cooling themselves with drinks – cold, icy drinks, that is. Fruity ice creams, smoothies, frozen yogurts, ice teas or coffee are great ways to beat the heat and make that shady spot even cooler.
Let’s see how you can make these great frozen treats all by yourself:
1. Frozen fruit yogurt
This delicious frozen delight is easy to make, and you will only need some fruit, ice and a cup of simple yogurt. Raspberries, blueberries or strawberries are ideal, but you can also go for mangoes, bananas or peach slices – any fruit you can get your hands on. Put in a blender a cup of yogurt and half a cup of berries (or any fruit) and pour it into some small styrofoam cups. Cover the cups with a plastic wrap and place them into a freezer for a couple of hours. If you want to have an instant frozen yogurt, you can add a couple of ice cubes in the mix.
Tip: this recipe is even better if you use flavored yogurt (vanilla is wonderful, and it goes with almost any fruit)
2. Iced vanilla coffee latte
Coffee is an excellent drink when served hot, but a glass of iced coffee latte can be a real blessing during those super-hot summer days. To make your own iced vanilla coffee latte, you will need one tablespoon of Vanilla Roast Coffee granules, one cup of nonfat milk and crushed ice. Pour the coffee granules into the nonfat milk cup, add half a cup of crushed ice and you are done. If you want to have a smoother latte, you can use the pulse function on the blender for a few seconds.
3. Fruity Slush
These frozen delights are by far the easiest to make and will cool you off instantly. Just pour your favorite fruit juice (preferably with a 100% concentration) into an ice cube tray and put everything in a freezer. After a couple of hours, you can add the ice cubes directly into a blender and pulse everything until they turn into a slush.
Tip: you can also make an alcoholic slush – just replace the fruit juice with your favorite wine and you’ll have a refreshing frozen wine delicacy
4. Frozen smoothies
Smoothies are fabulous for those scorching days. Put a cup of light ice cream, yogurt or sherbet in a blender and add ice cubes or fruit juice to the mixture. You can also add frozen fruit (raspberries, strawberries or even watermelon) and blend away to a delicious result. You will impress your guests and scare away the summer heat in no time.
5. Creamy fruit shakes
Creamy shakes are awesome frozen treats that you can make for your guests on any hot summer day. Stir a tablespoon of wheat germ or flaxseed into a blender together with low-fat vanilla ice cream or yogurt. Add half a cup of orange juice and another half a cup of low-fat milk and start blending. After 10 seconds, you will have a delightful refreshing dessert that everyone will love.
The writer of this article, Flaviu Mircea, can always be found out in the summer sun having the time of his life. He often makes his own drinks and snacks, but sometimes doesn’t feel like going through the effort, and so recommends finding a frozen yogurt shop like Mochi when you are heading out – just in case. If you wish to learn more about Flaviu you can visit on Google+.
