Fresh Summer Flavor (with a Twist of Science!)

Pennington Biomedical Research Center has stood at the forefront of health and nutrition research. A vital component of the Center’s work takes place in Pennington Biomedical’s Metabolic Research Kitchen, which supports the Center’s dietary studies and nutritional research. In the research kitchen, dietitians and nutritionists design, prepare, and serve specialized meals that meet study-specific criteria. Each day, the kitchen’s staff prepare menus and recipes to exacting standards—sometimes measuring ingredients down to the tenth of the gram—designing dishes to deliver the specific amounts of calories, protein, fat, and carbohydrates that researchers need to accurately test the impacts of different diets on study participants. And while such a precise approach to food preparation might seem unfamiliar, many of the methods that the Metabolic Kitchen implements to create these participant meals can also be used to help anyone produce delicious, satisfying dishes, all while reducing consumption of potentially harmful ingredients like meat, fat, or salt.  So, just in time for the peak of watermelon season, here is a delicious, refreshing recipe for a highly nutritious, icy-fresh summer drink that’s easy to make, and far lower in sugar than typical store-bought alternatives. Try it at your next backyard barbecue or summer pool party. You, your family, and your health, will all be glad you did!

Recipe: Watermelon Mint Slush

Makes 6 cups

1 cup = 70 kcals, 0g fat, 17g carbohydrates, 1g fiber, 1g protein

Ingredients:

6 cups Watermelon cut into 1” cubes (3 cups frozen, 3 cups thawed)

1 cup Diced Cucumber

1 cup Orange Juice

½ of 1 Lime

5 Mint Leaves, sliced

2 drops Mint Extract

Instructions: 

Line a plate or cookie sheet with plastic wrap or silicone baking mat. Lay fresh watermelon cubes in a single layer onto the plate or cookie sheet, and place into the freezer until frozen.

Add 3 cups frozen watermelon cubes and 3 cups fresh (or thawed) watermelon cubes to a blender, along with diced cucumber, orange juice, juice from ½ of a lime, sliced mint leaves, and mint extract.

Blend together to desired consistency and serve. 

To learn more about Pennington Biomedical’s Metabolic Kitchen and the dietary studies it supports, visit labs.pbrc.edu/metabolic-kitchen/