Beat the Heat: Green Tea and Cantaloupe Agua Fresca

I've been a good little chubby panda lately and have been logging between 2 and 4 miles each day. What's more, I've been pushing a stroller that could double as a small parade float with two "large for their age group" kids, adding 60+ pounds to my struggle uphill-both-ways.

Would it be a stretch of your imagination to guess that by the time I pull the jalopy (double stroller) into the garage and offload the kids and all their snacks and toys, I'm tired and sorta thirsty in the drink from the puddle sort of way.

My mom started exercising this past spring and kept singing the praises of this cantaloupe drink she'd fashioned to slurp down when she'd finished logging her 45 minutes on the treadmill. She said it was similar to an "agua fresca," yet she threw in a dose of yogurt now and then for good measure.

Good on her, right? I'm all on board, except I can't stomach yogurt this summer (especially when I'm hot and sweaty!) and wanted to find an alternative.

I found your basic agua fresca formula on a site or two and it's basically the same: 1 to 2 cups fresh fruit, 3 cups water, 2 to 3 tbsp lime juice, 1 to 2 tbsp sugar.

I saw a recipe in a magazine last month and quickly forgot the particulars, but the gist was about soaking honeydew melon in jasmine tea and covering it in mint. Genius, right? How's'about we take an idea like that and convert it into the melon cooler/agua fresca of the millenium?? (Ok, I'm exaggerating, but it was pretty damn good.)

I decided against mint at the last minute...but mostly because I didn't have it and didn't feel like lugging two kids to the grocery for some overpriced leaves. But feel free to drop a sprig or two into yours and then let me know how it went.

Ready?

Green Tea and Cantaloupe Agua Fresca

4 cups diced cantaloupe
1.5 cups strongly brewed green tea (or jasmine)
1.5 cups water
2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar

Blend together the  cantaloupe with the tea, the lime juice and the sugar at high speed until smooth. Strain through a medium strainer into a large pitcher or bowl. Stir in the remaining water. Refrigerate for 1 hour or longer. Fill a glass with ice, pour in the agua fresca, garnish with a mint sprig, and serve.