We're in the middle of May and though areas across the region are experiencing some downpour, the cool intermittent showers don't seem to be doing something about the humidity. If we're not melting during the extremely sunny days of this scorching summer, it's hot and sticky, making our #StayHome setup a bit more stifling than it would normally be. Heat stress and dehydration impair our cognitive functions, according to a report by CNN, which definitely won't help your productivity as you work from home. You're lucky if you can have your AC turned on all day long, but even then, nothing beats the added refreshment of ice-cold drinks to help you cope with the fickle season. You could never go wrong with drinking water, of course, but to make your days a bit more fun, how about trying these easy summer drink recipes from time to time?
Strawberry Lemonade
Give the old-fashioned lemonade an upgrade this season with the slight sweetness of strawberries. Follow I Heart Recipe's video above for a quick and easy way to do the quintessential summer drink. All you'll need are lemons, strawberries, a bit of sugar, water, plus a high-powered blender to liquefy them all together. Serve with ice in a dainty wine glass and garnish with sliced strawberries for a chic addition to your feed.
Take it up a notch: Forget the ice. Blend in frozen strawberries rather than fresh ones. Frozen strawberry packs are usually a whole lot cheaper than fresh ones, plus, they can survive in your fridge for longer too!
Watermelon Slushie
Indulge in the freshness of watermelon with a slushie — after all, nothing works better to quench your thirst than the iconic summer fruit. Because the fruit is naturally juicy, you won't need to add water nor ice when you blend your drink. Just make sure to freeze it beforehand to help battle the heat. For a tinge of tartness, you can follow this recipe from Fifteen Spatulas, which is really helpful as she also guides you on how to properly cut the round fruit.
Take it up a notch: For a creamier texture, instead of adding lime juice, you can pour in fresh milk or yoghurt. If the watermelon fruit you got is unfortunately not sweet enough, you can add a bit of sugar to suit your taste.
Milo Drinks
Speaking of sugary tastes, satiate your sweet craving with summer drink recipes that incorporate everyone's beloved childhood refreshment: Milo. Aside from merely stirring it in cold water, check out Nyonya Cooking's video on how to make Milo Dinosaur and Milo Godzilla — two other fun ways to create your Milo drink. Indulgently good, the Milo Dinosaur amps up the creaminess by incorporating condensed milk to the mix, finishing it delectably with heaps of choco-malt powder on top. Meanwhile, those who want to take it further can try the Godzilla version, where you add either a scoop of ice cream, whipped cream, or even both on top.
Take it up a notch: To balance the sweetness, add a bit of coffee to your mix. The bitterness of coffee deepens the chocolatey taste and transforms it into a rich mocha treat.
Matcha Latte
Matcha is a pretty versatile ingredient and it's one you can incorporate into your summer drink recipes for healthier refreshments. If you feel like you've been relying so much on coffee to boost your energy lately, the antioxidant-rich tea is a lighter alternative. Get your caffeine fix by creating your own iced matcha latte. Follow this fuss-free recipe from MoLaLa Cook and instead of completely mixing in the matcha with the milk, pour it gently on top of the iced milk. With that, you'll have the vibrant green tea gradually dissolving into the pure whiteness of milk — a sublime instance that will let you appreciate the latte more.
Take it up a notch: It's not too late to get on with the Dalgona trend. So don't just dissolve your matcha powder. Whip it up with heavy cream for a frothy sip.
Iced Tea Sangria
Of course, summer nights set the perfect atmosphere for unwinding. Just imagine lounging on your balcony, gazing at the empty streets with a glass of sangria in hand — that's what you call bliss. Instead of just throwing a bunch of apples and oranges into your wine, why not give the classic drink a twist by incorporating the deep flavour of tea with the Tipsy Bartender's unique sangria recipe? Under a liquor ban? Well, swopping with sparkling wine will still lift up your spirits.
Take it up a notch: Experiment with flavours. Switch up your fruits and go with just berries for a tangy drink. For a richer mix, try it with the classically bold profile of red wine.
Next, here are five ways to make TikTok's pancake cereal trend more fun.
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