Well friends, watermelon season is once again upon us, and I couldn’t be happier!  I bought my first one at Trader Joe’s a couple of weeks ago, and have had a watermelon in the fridge on rotation ever since then.  And while I normally just chop it up and snack away when the mood strikes me, I decided to transform the last chunks of my first melon into one of my favorite beverages – watermelon water.

The first time I tried watermelon water was at my job at Sam’s Club about 5 years ago (I used to run the test kitchen at their corporate office, such a fun time!).  The sales team for WTR MLM WTR (watermelon water, get it?) came in to present their product, and pitched it to me as something that Beyonce drinks to stay hydrated.  Now, anything the Queen Bey does is good enough for me, and I really liked their product as well, and I’ve been hooked ever since! 

When I set out to make my own, I kept hydration in mind and used coconut water as a mix-in for my recipe.  Coconut water contains some natural electrolytes and is lightly sweet but low in calories, which is why it’s my go-to choice for smoothie bases.  I added just enough to get the watermelon moving in the blender, so the final result is mostly watermelon juice, with a hint of coconut water.  I’ve personally been enjoying this base thinned out with more coconut water for added hydration, but this is very good as-is if you are looking for a more pure watermelon juice experience.

This recipe would also be a really fun base for summer cocktails and smoothies.  If you want to add additional flavors to your watermelon water, lemon, chopped basil or mint, or grated ginger would all be very nice candidates.  This base can be mixed and matched for any fun, summer vibe, so give it a try!

Recipe down below, photo up top!  This makes enough for about 4 glasses of watermelon water, and can be thinned out with more coconut water for more.  Scale up if making for a party!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups watermelon
  • This is about ¼ of a smaller watermelon
• 2 cups coconut water

Method:

1. Remove the rind off of the watermelon, and chop the fruit into large chunks.  Roughly measure the chopped watermelon to be sure that you have about 4 cups.
2. Add the chopped watermelon to a blender, and add the coconut water.  Blend on high until the watermelon is completely smooth, about 30 seconds.
3. Drink as is, or use as a base and thin out with additional coconut water as desired.  Enjoy!