No-Cook Watermelon Recipes That Everyone Will Savor This Summer
Cooling no cook recipes featuring the summer’s star fruit Watermelon!
Watermelon Cooler
Watermelon the yummy classic cooling and delicious watery fruit of the summer. At our house we have been going through and eating a few watermelons a week. And yes the one doing most of the consuming of the watermelon is me, just give me some watermelon and a bottle of Tajin seasoning, such the perfect combo for my taste bud who prefers food that is on the savory side. When days are longer and hotter during the summer I have been noticing a difference in my appetite, sometimes not getting hungry until later in the day. Also with the warmer days I don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen so I love a good salad and since we always have watermelon on hand I have been finding creative ways to use it, including my smoothies, salads and cocktails. So let me share my hydrating recipes.
Smoothies
Watermelon Cleanser
Watermelon Refresher
1 Frozen Banana
1/2 of Smaller Watermelon, (Flesh Only, Seedless)
Handful Cilantro
2 Sprigs of Mint
1 Cup of Coconut Water
Directions: Blend if you want it a bit Thicker or Colder Add Ice
Tip: Blend up Watermelon, then Pour Liquid in Ice Tray. Add the Ice Cubes to smoothie then blend or Add Ice Cubes to Keep Drink Colder Longer
Watermelon Cleanser
1/2 Watermelon (seedless)
1 Romaine Lettuce
1 Apple
1 Lemon (juice)
Add Water or Ice to get desired consistency (hint: Add a little at a time)
Directions: Blend
Salad
Watercress and Arugula add a nice spice to the salad that offsets the Watermelon’s sweetness
Savory Watermelon Salad
1/2 of a Seedless Watermelon, Cubed into Bite Sized Pieces
Arugula and/or Watercress
1/2 Red Onion or more if you Love Onion like me
2-3 Sprigs of Mint and/or Basil
1 Can Garbanzo Beans
1 Avocado
1 Cucumber
2 Ripe Tomatoes
1 Package of Feta ( used Miyokos Vegan Feta)
Optional: Add Slivered Almonds, Or Pinenuts
Dressing: Mix together Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Chilli Pepper Flakes, Garlic Powder, Salt and Pepper. Add All According to your Taste Buds. Add Dressing to salad ingredients and enjoy!
Tip: If making ahead of time or going to have over the next few days add Arugula or Watercress as you serve salad, the lettuce won’t wilt and salad will last longer.
Cocktail
Watermelon Jalapeño Margarita
1-3 Cups of Blended Watermelon, Chilled
1 Lime, Juiced
2 Ounce of Silver Tequila
2-3 Slices of Jalapeño, Muddled
Add 2 leaves of Basil, Muddled
Ice
Directions: Put all ingredients in a shaker, Salt glass rim, Pour ingredients over ice.
Tip: Make ahead Watermelon Ice Cubes, Use as ice in Drink
Give Your Hair The Boost it Craves This Summer -With These Natural Styling Products
After a day of fun, sun and water our hair can use some help and protection.
Fun in the sun is what summer is all about, but with all this fun comes dry and frizzy hair for me. After a day of the sun, water, and fun I’ve noticed my hair can feel a bit grimy, oily at the roots and dry at the tips, frizzy, and not able to hold the styling I do to my hair.
Dry hair is not isolated to just the summer season for me, yet the fun in the sun does intensify hair conditions even more since I have thick, course, curly hair (not the unified curl/texture type, I wish), frizzy if not blow dried. About five months ago now I cut my waist length hair to a longer “Lob” length to above my shoulders, which meant I had to style my hair everyday. Previously when my hair was longer the length helped with weighing the frizz/curl down, or I was able to throw my hair up more easily, meaning a bit less styling was needed.
Side note here, I have a fascination with other people’s routines and products they use, so I thought why not share mine? So during the summer my routine is washing my hair once or twice a week which I will blow dry. Then on the daily I make sure to really brush my hair well, I believe it helps distribute my hair’s oils throughout my hair so my hair doesn’t get as dry on the ends, then I will put dry shampoo at the roots rubbing it in well. So depending on my schedule or time I will straighten my hair or do some quick curls, both ways of styling I use my straightener, and yes you read that right I use my straightener to curl my hair too. On days I don’t need to really style my hair, when the styling from the previous day has lasted, I will just brush a bit and smooth areas with a smoothing balm (flatten those baby hairs). Or if I know it will be a more active family day or just lazy, I will throw my hair up, or put a hat on which doubles as sun protection for both my hair and face.
With the products I use in my hair I do try to use clean non-toxic products, and I must tattle on myself a bit in the area of hair styling products. Shampoo and Conditioner I found a couple of options in the “clean” space that work great and that I really love. However hair styling products I hadn’t really found any clean ingredients options that really worked, so I have been using products that I would classify in a grey area of “ok”, not the best as far as ingredients, but also not as bad as many other brands out there….
Now entering the picture to save my hair is Rahua hair care brand that is outstanding. I started using their shampoo and conditioner over 10 years ago now. I must admit I wasn’t even looking for a cleaner formula when I found this brand, I hadn’t really gotten into researching that area of clean, non-toxic, organic hair and skin care yet. Rahua Classic shampoo and conditioner got my attention I believe while on vacation, and I was shopping at a random store I again will say I was drawn to the brand by my infamous smell test of every product I use, and their products smell AMAZING! The other important factor that sold me was that both the shampoo and conditioner formulas didn’t seem like they would dry my hair out and the conditioner specifically seemed hydrating. Now fast forward, they have a Hydration formula of their shampoo and conditioner which I have used since it came out a few years ago, and again love this formula and scent, keeping my hair hydrated even during summer activities. I recently brought the shampoo and conditioner with me on a family vacation, knowing Rahua has clean ingredients also gives me peace of mind when my little boy wants to use my shampoo and conditioner. And my son loves the scent too, just like his mom.
Like I mentioned I have had a harder time discovering clean hydrating hair styling products, and I admit to feeling a bit silly that I didn’t check Rahua’s website to see what products that they offered in the range of styling products. Just for reference after I towel dry my hair, brush it out (at this point if my hair is seriously knotted and tangled I can tell if the conditioner didn’t really work, not a problem I have ever had with Rahua) and then add a oil, even if I don’t plan on blowdrying my hair, I always add an oil to the tips to help seal them, and add extra moisture into my hair for protection against daily environmental elements, especially with my recent activities of enjoying pools, beaches, lakes, hikes and bike rides. When adding oil to my hair I also find it helps keep my hair from getting less tangled from all the activity. Rahua’s hair oil (Rahua Legendary Amazon Oil) works like a miracle in a bottle. First off other hair oils that I have used I usually have to do a few pumps, with the Rahua hair oil you seriously need just a few drops. It just smooths all the ends immediately helping me not to turn into a big hair poof ball whether I am blow drying my hair or not, also my hair is just more manageable after summer activities not feeling gross, odd texture and lifeless at the end of the day, instead it’s easy to brush and revive.
I don’t know about you but getting a professional blow out is amazing not only do I find it so relaxing, yes even with all the loud noise I easily could fall asleep, and the results pure Goalzzzz. Now flash to me in my bathroom sweating and cursing as my hair clips that are sectioning off my hair get tangled and my brush keeps getting caught in some invisible knot, the frizz continues to grow like some new character from Stranger Things (Season 3 Out on Netflix), the blow dryer cord keeps getting caught on the vanity drawer knobs, and my face looks like a tomato from the heat and frustration. All while pretending I can understand what my son is saying to me because I just want to get done with blow drying. So a bit of a process blow drying my hair and that isn’t even styling it lol, and yes I know first world problems, don’t worry I roll my eyes at myself too.
Thankfully the task of blow drying my hair has been made more streamlined with again another product by Rahua called Control Creme so this you can use if you want to define your curls, or to help control with anti-frizz. So I usually have slightly air dried hair by the time I blow dry it, I add the Control Creme to semi pretty damp hair. This creme reminds me a lot of makeup primers that are silicon based with the texture of this formula, and the bonus of its amazing gorgeously light yet beautiful scent. My hair is more easy to manage during the blow drying process and there is very little frizz so I don’t have to repeat going over a section of hair as often, cutting down on drying time. The Creme (again its not really a creamy texture more silky, dense without weighing down) helps also when I style because I don’t have to go over certain known frenemie pieces of frizz strands repeatedly, so the styling goes quickly as well. Then for all my baby hairs or random hairs I use the Rahua Control Balm this helps hold pesky hairs in place especially when I am going to be outdoors enjoying the weather, this smoothing balm smooths my over all look giving a finished polished look. I use the Smoothing Balm to even touch up my hair later in the day or the day after I have styled my hair, and the scent of lite Gardenia making me feel even more refreshed. I loved using the Balm on my vacation so from the pool, to the lake, and other activities where I was in the sun for longer periods of time I would use this balm to help refine my look, while helping moisturize any hairs that were starting to do the frizz thing.
Summer month’s fly by I can’t believe we are about to head in to August shortly, the time seems to speed up when you are enjoying moments with friends and family. My desire in sharing my current favorite hair products with you is that it saves you time and money, so you don’t have to waste your effort with products that don’t work, and you can have the peace of mind that the Rahua brand is focused on creating products that are safe for our bodies and our environment. I don’t want to waste my time on needless beauty steps when I can be out making memories with those I love, and I am wishing you all your very own amazing summer memories and great hair while your making those precious moments.
