The summer is here and we all are already exploring different ways to beat the heat. Whatever difficulty it brings, summer in India is always special! The annual vacation of the kids not only brings us joy, but also makes us visit families, friends and even places. And the delicious mangoes of this season make it much more special too!!

During summer, it is very natural to feel consistently thirsty. It is also natural to feel that water alone is not enough to quench the thirst.

In this post I’m sharing the recipe for ‘Mint Juice’ or ‘Minted Lemon Juice’. It is very easy to make, tastes so good and very healthy too. And most importantly it is a great thirst quencher and an appetizer!

You will need :

• Lemons 2 ( medium sized)
• Mint leaves – 1 cup or a handful
• Crushed ginger – 1/2 tsp (or crush an one inch piece)
• Sugar as needed
• Salt – 1 pinch (optional)
• Metal strainer

[The above will yield approximately 300 ml of juice and serves 2]

Method:

• Wash the mint leaves in running tap water twice and dab them with a kitchen towel.
• Squeeze the lemons and extract the juice. Discard the seeds.
• Add all the ingredients in a blender and blend it well for 2-3 minutes along with a glass of water (150 ml approx, preferably chilled).
• Strain it using a metal strainer into a large bowl. Gently press the remains in the strainer so that the juice of ginger and mint get through well!
• Add another glass of chilled water and mix well.
• Adjust the sugar and stir well.
• Add a tablespoon of crushed ice (optional)
• Garnish and serve!

Goodness of Mint & Lemon :

Mint helps in soothing the stomach and eases the digestion in cases of stomach upsets and indigestion. It is also a great appetizer.

The aroma of both the lemon and mint curbs the feel of nausea.

Lemon juice is a great thirst quencher and is loaded with vitamin C, vitamin B6, Vitamin A and lot more.

Needless to say that this juice is a great summer drink and ideal for kids too!

Tips

Instead of sugar you can also add organic sugar (unrefined sugar or organic jaggery powder). I found this wonderful link that explains the goodness of unrefined sugar.

Soda lovers can reduce the amount of water and soda instead!