Summer on a Plate
Hydration You Can Actually Eat
Whether you've come straight from our last piece on hydration or you've landed here hunting for summer recipes, one thing is clear: this is the perfect season to eat your hydration. We made the case before that drinking more water and being properly hydrated are not the same thing, and that the minerals are what make it count. Summer does most of the work for you, so here is how to put it on a plate.
Let the Market Lead
In the hottest months, roughly half your water intake can come from food, and right now the stalls are full of exactly the right things: watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes, peaches, strawberries, oranges, cantaloupe, courgette, leafy greens. Most are over eighty percent water, and they carry the fibre and minerals along with it, so they hydrate you almost by default. The trick is to stop chasing single "superfoods" and just put good, ripe things together. Cold melon with mint and a touch of salt. Tomatoes and cucumbers drowned in olive oil, bread for the juices etc. It should never feel like a rule.
Five Simple, Hydrating Recipes
Salted Melon & Yoghurt Breakfast Bowl
● 1 cup Greek yoghurt (or coconut yoghurt)
● ½ small cantaloupe or honeydew melon, cubed
● a handful of strawberries, halved
● a few mint leaves, torn
● pinch of flaky sea salt
● drizzle of raw honey (optional)
Method: Spoon the yoghurt into a bowl and pile the melon and strawberries on top. Scatter with mint, a small pinch of salt, and a little honey. The salt sounds odd but it lifts the fruit and helps your body hold the water. Cooling, gut-friendly, and ready in two minutes.
Watermelon, Cucumber & Feta Salad
● 3 cups watermelon, cubed
● ½ cucumber, sliced into ribbons
● 60g feta, crumbled
● a generous handful of mint
● 1 lime, juiced
● drizzle of olive oil, pinch of sea salt
Method: Toss the watermelon and cucumber together, crumble the feta over the top, and add far too much mint. Finish with lime, olive oil and salt. Salty, sweet and almost entirely water; the salad you'll want on the table most evenings until September.
Cold Andalusian Gazpacho
● 6 very ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
● ½ cucumber, peeled
● ½ red pepper
● 1 small garlic clove
● 1 thick slice of stale bread, soaked
● 3 tbsp olive oil
● 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
● sea salt to taste
Method: Blend everything until smooth, then taste and adjust the salt and vinegar. Chill for at least an hour and serve straight from the fridge. Hydration, minerals and lunch in one glass, and it only gets better on day two.
Melon, Bresaola & Burrata with Basil
● ½ ripe cantaloupe melon, cut into wedges
● 8 thin slices bresaola (or jamón)
● 1 ball burrata, torn
● a handful of basil leaves
● 1 tbsp pesto, loosened with a little olive oil
● good olive oil and flaky salt to finish
Method: Arrange the melon wedges and bresaola loosely on a plate, tuck the torn burrata in between, and scatter with basil. Spoon over the loosened pesto, then finish with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Cold wine optional but encouraged. Sweet, salty and creamy all at once, and the melon does the hydrating while you're not looking.
Whipped Feta with Plum, Tomato & Avocado
● 200g feta
● 3 tbsp Greek yoghurt
● 2 ripe plums, sliced
● a handful of mixed cherry and heirloom tomatoes, halved
● 1 avocado, sliced
● ¼ fennel bulb, shaved thin
● basil and dill, a few sprigs of each
● olive oil, lemon, black pepper, flaky salt
Method: Blend the feta with the yoghurt and a splash of olive oil until smooth, then spread it across the base of a plate. Pile the plums, tomatoes, avocado and shaved fennel on top, letting them overlap. Tear over the herbs and finish with olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, plenty of black pepper and a little salt. Soft, sharp and juicy.
The good news is that once you know your why, a habit becomes something to look forward to. And what a better excuse to start than summer? Becoming mindful of our habits shouldn’t be something to stress about but rather an opportunity to look around us and take advantage of all that is already there to help us, like the seasons.
Boa Vida Magazine encourages mindful living through seasonal, nutritious and sustainable choices. Let the heat send you to the market, not just the tap.