flesh and seed: cooling cantaloupe milk smoothie

Summer has arrived, and marking the start of this hot and juicy season comes a bounty of the most delicious, refreshing and cooling produce – melons. This recipe could have very well been the result of our lengthy conversations had while escaping heat-induced comas under the weak stream of a single standing fan. One such conversation lead us to debate over whether one could navigate this heatwave solely sustaining themselves on this quenching fruit, since it seemed to be the only thing we were craving.

While we may not encourage living off fruit for more than a couple days, the real answer to this question may lie in the part of the fruit most of us discard without a second thought – the seeds. Seeds are often the most nutritious and nutrient dense parts of a plant. In them are the potent vitamins and minerals needed to fuel life, to sprout and reach maturity.

It’s the seeds of the fruit that contain the most protein of the plant, omega-3 fatty acids, as well as trace minerals that contribute to sustainable nutrition and calories. The fruity flesh compliments the seeds with their own hydrating electrolytes, revitalizing antioxidant content and anti-inflammatory benefits, and host of vitamins, especially vitamins A, C, E and B’s.

One of the more mildly sweet melons, the beautiful pastel orange-colored cantaloupe makes the perfect cooling summer-time snack or meal with a host of health benefits. We’ve taken this ambrosial-scented fruit and combined the fiber, pulp, and seeds with the cooling and hydrating properties of coconut water, the delicate floral essence of orange blossom, and the tanginess of lime to create what is sure to be one of the most satisfying, hydrating, and skin-beautifying beverages you will taste all summer.

Flesh and Seed Cantaloupe Milk Smoothie

ingredients:

1 medium sized cantaloupe, chopped and frozen, seeds reserved for milk (approximately 3 cups)
8 ounces of young Thai coconut water, or juice of approximately 1 young Thai coconut
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon orange blossom water
1 teaspoon raw honey (optional)
pinch of sea salt
mint for garnish

directions:

1. Cube the flesh of a ripe cantaloupe and freeze the meat for at least 1-2 hours.

2. In a high-speed blender, combine the cantaloupe seeds and surrounding pith with the young Thai coconut water and blend until smooth. Using a fine mesh bag, cloth or nut bag, strain the liquid from the ground seeds, and reserve this seed milk for your smoothie.

3. Once the cantaloupe is frozen, add about 3 cups of cubed cantaloupe, Thai coconut water/milk, fresh lime juice, orange blossom water, honey, and salt to the blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

4. For a thicker and creamier smoothie, feel free to add the young Thai coconut meat as well. If you choose to do so, use approximately 1 1/2 cup of young Thai coconut meat and cut down the cantaloupe quantity to about 1 1/2 cup.

5. Garnish with fresh mint leaves, rosemary, spirulina powder, or an extra squeeze of lime and serve immediately. Enjoy!