Every summer back in Austin, I put on five pounds, easy (and willingly, I might add). My daily mineral water habit gives way to an afternoon IPA (there’s no good beer in Mexico, as far as I’m concerned), a general avoidance of baked goods for their refined sugars, wheat and dairy makes me a kid in a candy shop every time we hit a Whole Foods, and though I’m not a big meat eater, absurdly tender, falling-off-the-bone smoked and saucy ribs? I’ll pay a few pounds for the pleasure, any year.
By far the greatest shift in my daily diet in Austin vs. Tulum, though, is the substitution of morning juice for breakfast tacos. Come to think of it, fresh squeezed juice, for its variety and availability, is the breakfast taco of Tulum. On nearly every block and for about the same price, I can buy a beet/orange/chaya or an apple/celery/ginger or a grapefruit/lime/sugarcane for the price of an egg/bean/avacado or a Dirty Sanchez on corn (pardon the nasty name, but it’s simply the best breakfast taco on the planet). Juice here, on the other hand, will run me 8-10 bucks and require an hour in traffic, so it’s pretty much not happening.
This morning though, feeling a little sluggish and taco-ed out, I decided to behave myself and busted out the blender. I thought I’d share with you the juice I make myself nearly every morning in Tulum (when I’m not enjoying a carrot/parsley/cucumber on the street corner).
This one’s a personal favorite for five reasons:
1. It’s simple
2. It’s cheap
3. It’s green but still delicious
4. It doesn’t require a juicer
5. My kids will drink it
And apparently (according to my waistline), you can drink a whole blender of it for less calories than a breakfast taco, so…bonus!
Agua de Sandia y Espinaca (Watermelon Spinach Agua Fresca)
Less than 1/4 of a sweet watermelon
Juice from 1 lime
Hefty handful of spinach
1-2 cups ice
Touch of maple syrup (optional)
Pack 3/4 of blender with watermelon, cut into chunks. (I don’t bother removing the seeds, I just blend them well and rather enjoy the bit of crunch at the bottom of the glass.) Add lime juice, spinach and ice to top. Blend until ice is crushed and spinach is no longer leafy. (The watermelon, if packed in tightly enough, will create all the liquid you’ll need). Add more lime or a touch or maple syrup to taste.
That’s it! Delicious, nutritious, refreshing and just green enough to blame the color on the lime and get some greens in your kid.
Happy summer, friends! Hope it’s been a sweet one.
9 comments
Mmm, I juiced a watermelon for breakfast today too!
After making a very memorable brown pesto (that I threw some red tomatoes into some beautiful green basil puree), I’ve faithfully stayed away from mixing my reds and greens, but if you insist, I’ll give this a try next time we have some watermelon in the house. In western Montana, it doesn’t happen as much as I would like, but it will happen eventually. 🙂
Well, it does end up a little on the swamp brown side, so if that’s not your thing, proceed with caution! 😉
Simple, delicious and brilliant!
I’ve had watermelon nearly every day since it started showing up at the stand down the road, and have been known to eat the whole thing myself. Perhaps the spinach will temper the mild sugar crash I’ve been enjoying. Thanks!
Great idea! I would use some of the wonderful Yucatecan honey available here in Sisal in place of the syrup. Thanks!
I’m going to have to try this. Thanks!
I hope this time You are able to taste the Pitayas (also known outside Mexico as dragon fruit) from your garden. Pitaya is native to the Mexican Caribe and Central America.
Are you in Tulum? I went on a retreat there this May. It’s a magical place.