As the mercury rises and the summer sun beats down on the Lone Star State, staying cool becomes a top priority. Swimming pools and air conditioning sure work wonders, but did you know that what you eat can help cool you off too? Beat the heat from the inside out with these recipes that feature hydrating, water-packed foods with cooling properties like cucumber, coconut, zucchini, tropical fruits, and more. These mouthwatering bites will beat the heat while adding beautiful color and plenty of flavor to your summer table in the process.
South Indian Curd Rice
Rice has high water content and is a natural coolant. It’s a staple in many countries with hotter climates. This South Indian curd rice from Swasthi’s Recipes is loaded with flavor and a great way to keep the body cool in the heat. This dish mixes rice with curd (Indian yogurt), grated veggies, and spices like cumin seeds, mustard seeds, chana dal (split chickpea lentils), urad dal (black lentils), curry leaves, ginger, and more. Yogurt is also a coolant, as is cumin.
Cucumber Onion Salad
Believe it or not, cucumbers are 95 percent water so these are a must on your summer menu. Cucumbers will keep you cool on the hottest days and make a great snack to stay hydrated. This recipe from The Cookie Rookie pairs cucumber with red onion and mixes in some apple cider vinegar, a little sugar, salt and pepper. Refreshing and delicious!
Fresh Spring Rolls
These beautiful spring rolls are a great way to beat the heat. They might look hard to make but they couldn’t be easier. This recipe from Tastes Better from Scratch rolls up shrimp with vermicelli rice noodles, carrots, mint, basil, cilantro and cooling ingredients like cucumbers and mango. This flavor-packed parcel is a refreshingly light snack, lunch or dinner on a hot day!
Coconut Chicken Curry
When it’s hot outside, grab some coconuts! Coconuts are a great source of electrolytes that help keep the body cool, and coconut milk keeps the body cool and hydrated. This coconut curry chicken from Chelsea’s Messy Apron hits the flavor jackpot with ingredients like curry powder, red curry paste, yellow curry powder, fish sauce, and more. It also contains one can of full-fat coconut milk, which is a surefire way to cool you off on a hot summer day.
Garlic Butter Shrimp Zucchini Noodles
Zucchini is more than 90 percent water, which makes it a top body-cooling food. You’ll get a full dose of America’s favorite summer squash in this recipe by Damn Delicious. This low-carb dinner uses “zoodles” (zucchini noodles) instead of noodles and you’re better off for it! Tossed with garlic butter shrimp, this dish will likely find a permanent spot in your dinner rotation. Bonus: it takes less than 30 minutes to make!
Tropical Fruit Salad
Water-packed tropical fruits like mango, papaya, pineapple, bananas, and coconut are great hydrating foods to feature in your summer dishes. This simple fruit salad from SkinnyTaste is easy to make and it’s so delicious, you’ll want again and again! You can also mix in guava or passionfruit to tailor this salad to your tastes.
Aloe Vera Margaritas
Ohhh, margaritas are always good on a hot summer day! But this one from Wicked Spatula takes those feel-good cooling vibes to another level. We already know aloe vera can help relieve burns on the skin, but did you know drinking it produces an internal cooling effect? You can drink aloe vera juice on its own or mix it up in a margarita to take full advantage of its cooling properties. Hydration never tasted so good!
Cantaloupe Salad
This tasty, healthy cantaloupe salad from Feasting at Home is a perfect summer salad. Fruits with little or no sugar like cantaloupe, watermelon, pineapple, strawberries, mango, papaya and kiwi, all have a cooling effect. This beautiful salad is a quick way to cool off with an abundance of ripe cantaloupe paired with red onion, fresh herbs, jalapeno, lime, pumpkin seeds, spices, and feta cheese. Bonus: one cup of this salad (including the feta cheese) contains just 176 calories.
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