Cucumber Mint Cooler

This Cucumber Mint Cooler is a refreshing blend of cucumber, green apple, honey (or other sweetener of choice), lime juice, ice, water, and mint leaves. It’s deliciously paleo and/or vegan, and totally tantalizing. The color is incredible, too. Because if we can have nutritious food that’s also pretty, I mean, why not go for it? YOLO. {Paleo and/or Vegan}

So I guess technically this Cucumber Mint Cooler is a summer drink. But I gotta tell you, I am all about it all year round. It’s thirst-quenching (perfect for summer), minty (sort of a winter vibe thing going on), and sweet ’n sour (thank you honey and lime juice ~ you’re the best!). I’m always on the prowl for sweet and tasty ways to eat my vegetables. And this time I was inspired by Dr. Amy Myers’ Green Veggie Juice recipe in her book, The Autoimmune Solution and Paleo Grubs’ Cucumber Cooler recipe a friend shared with me offline several years ago.

In this recipe, I mixed and matched herbs and fruits and veggies to create a nutritious beverage that is my go-to drink now. If I’ve got one life to live, then I’m going to put this drink in it. Even the second born is in on the action. She isn’t big on cucumbers by themselves, but she’ll enjoy that culinary veggie tucked neatly away in a blended juice.

If you are ready to make a year-round refreshingly delicious drink, then grab your fruits and culinary vegetables, a few fresh mint leaves, and your blender, and MAKE THIS! You won’t regret giving this recipe a try!

This Cucumber Mint Cooler is

• Sweet and tart
• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free
• Paleo and/or Vegan
• Quick to make
• Easy to store in the fridge
• Perfect for an on-the-go treat

Cucumber Mint Cooler ingredients

Here are the ingredients to add to your grocery list if you’re in the mood for a Cucumber Mint Cooler!

• Cucumber. Sliced. I don’t bother to peel.
• Green apple. Cored and cut into wedges.
• Honey. This natural sweetener pairs well with cucumber and green apple. For a vegan variation, try maple syrup, stevia, or agave nectar.
• Lime juice. Fresh or bottled will work here.
• Ice cubes and water. Amounts of each are based on how thin and chilled you want your drink to be.
• Fresh mint leaves. There are two ways you can add the mint to your drink. One, blend it in with the other ingredients. Two, once the cooler is made, place several leaves in the mixture and let the mint flavor permeate the drink.

Side Note: The color of your drink will vary depending in large part on the color of the cucumber you use. I’ve had some batches turn out a deep, luscious green while others turned out a more subtle yellowy green, and each time, the drink was delicious!

How to make a Cucumber Mint Cooler

The awesome thing about this Cucumber Mint Cooler, other than its refreshing taste, is how straightforward it is to make. Okay, but seriously, add the ingredients to the blender and then…BLEND. That’s all there is to it!

1. Add the ingredients to a high-speed blender in the order listed and blend until smooth. If grinding the mint leaves into the drink, then add them now. If infusing, then add the leaves to the finished drink and refrigerate for a few hours before serving. Remove leaves before consuming.
2. Keep refrigerated for 2-3 days. Contents will settled so give leftover Cucumber Mint Cooler a brisk shake or stir before serving.

Should you blend the mint leaves or infuse them instead?

When you make your Cucumber Mint Cooler, you can add the mint leaves one of two ways, as mentioned above. And it really comes down to personal preference for which method you should select.

If you’re still not sure, then here are a few considerations:

1. How minty do you want your cucumber cooler to be? I like mine to taste minty, so I add fresh mint leaves to the blender and enjoy it that way.
2. How soon do you want to enjoy your cooler? If you want to enjoy it right away, then stick with option 1 above. If you have more time before you need it, then you can get away with tucking fresh mint leaves into your already-blended Cucumber Mint Cooler and then simply remove the leave before serving.

And if you STILL aren’t sure, then there is a third option. Make two batches, one for each option above, and see which version you like best. Since this is an easy drink to throw together, making a few batches is easy (and delicious)!

More sweet ways to enjoy vegetables!

This Cucumber Mint Cooler isn’t the only veggie driven sweet recipe on the blog. Here are three more to add to your recipe tin!

• Green Apple Ginger Juice
• Almond Butter Cauliflower Smoothie Bowl
• Green Apple Spinach Smoothie

Friends, take care of yourselves. I’m glad you’re here, and I hope you are well. ❤️

Myers, Dr. Amy. “Green Veggie Juice.” Recipe. The Autoimmune Solution. New York, NY: HarperOne, 2015. 259. Print.

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