Finals are finally over, and Summer has officially begun! Here in Boise, that means we are soon going to be sweltering in 90-100 degree weather…talk about a heat wave! How do you stay cool during these miserable days?
Lucky for you, we here at Her Campus Boise State have come up with a list of drink options for you to share! Grab your sunscreen, sunglasses and some friends, and get out there and beat the heat!
Blueberry Limeade Slushie
Looking for something a little tart? This is your drink! Cold with the perfect balance of sweet and sour, the Blueberry Limeade Slushie is sure to please!
Ingredients
-
12 ounces frozen blueberries
-
2 limes
-
4 tablespoons honey
-
2 cups ice
-
2 cups lemon-lime soda
Instructions
-
Place all ingredients into your blender.
-
Blend until well combined and slushy. Taste with a spoon and if it’s too tart for you, add a couple spoonfuls of granulated sugar to sweeten it up.
-
Pour into individual glasses and add lemon-lime soda over top.
Watermelon Layered Drink:
Looking for something with a little less pucker than the limeade that doesn’t have the soda factor? The Watermelon Layered Drink is for you! Sweet with a slight tang, this drink is refreshing AND hydrating with extra electrolytes!
Ingredients
-
Ice {We prefer the pebble ice from Sonic}
-
Green Apple Gatorade
-
SoBe Pacific Coconut Lifewater
-
Fruit Punch G2 Gatorade
Instructions
-
Fill your cup to the top with ice.
-
Pour your Green Apple Gatorade over the ice and let it settle on the bottom.
-
Pour the SoBe Pacific Coconut Lifewater very slowly over the ice and let it settle on top of the Gatorade.
-
Add more ice, if needed, to keep it filled to the top. Then pour your Fruit Punch G2 Gatorade slowly over the ice and let it settle on top of the SoBe.
-
Repeat steps for remaining drinks and enjoy!
Ocean Water:
Perfect for picnics and the 4th of July, this one is a real crowd pleaser! The perfect shade of blue, it’s great for pool parties, too!
Ingredients
-
3 Tablespoons Water
-
3 Tablespoons White Sugar
-
1 Teaspoon Coconut Extract
-
(2) 12 Once Cans of Lemon Lime Soda
-
Blue Food Coloring
Instructions
-
In a small microwave safe bowl stir water and sugar together. Heat for 30-60 seconds or until sugar is dissolved.
-
Pour into a pitcher or punch bowl. Stir in soda, coconut extract, and food coloring.
-
Serve over ice.
Peach Green Tea:
With one batch serving 12 people, this one is great if you’re looking to entertain! Easy and inexpensive, this is a great one to have on hand for BBQs.
Ingredients
-
3 quarter water
-
5 green tea bags
-
4 peaches
-
½ cup simple syrup
Instructions
-
Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil.
-
Add in green tea bags and steep for about 5 minutes.
-
Let tea cool to room temperature or place into the refrigerator to chill.
-
Meanwhile peel and slice peaches.
-
Place peach slices into a food processor and blend until pureed.
-
Pour peach puree through a strainer.
-
Add strained peaches and simple syrup into tea and stir to combine.
-
Refrigerated and chill for at least 1 hour.
-
Serve over ice and garnish with additional peach slices if desired.
Homemade Lemonade
Last, but DEFINITELY not least, a summer classic! Who doesn’t love a tall glass of lemonade on a hot afternoon? Making it from scratch really isn’t as hard as people think, either, and then you can control how sweet or how sour you want it!
Ingredients
-
2 cups sugar
-
2 cups water
-
1 gallon cold water
-
2 cups fresh lemon juice
-
1 lemon, sliced, plus 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for garnish
-
Ice
Instructions
-
Make a simple syrup by adding the sugar and water to a medium saucepan.
-
Bring to a boil over low heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
-
Add a gallon of cold water and the lemon juice to a large glass pitcher.
-
Add the simple syrup and the lemon slices.
-
Stir well.
-
Pour the lemonade into tall glasses filled with ice. Garnish the rims with lemon wedges and enjoy icy cold!
Cheers to freedom from the textbooks; we hope you have a happy summer!