Beauty Foods
Summer is arguably the best season for eating: everything is ripe, juicy and colorful, making even the simplest plate look like an objet d’art. The fruits and veggies of the season also happen to be especially beautifying thanks to their hyper-hydrating water content and mega antioxidant levels: think blueberries, watermelon, cucumbers and luscious stone fruits. With H2O on our minds, we sourced three delicious, hydrating recipes from some of our favorite food people. With recipes like this in your back pocket, you’ll be eating pretty all summer long.
Daphne Oz
Daphne first had a version of this salsa on a family trip to the Caribbean. She returned from her trip inspired to create something similar. The original recipe for this luscious salsa appeared in her book, The Happy Cook: 125 Recipes For Eating Every Day Like It’s The Weekend. The mix is chock full of hydrating summer melon and offers a thirst-quenching burst of flavor atop any grilled protein of your choice.
Melon Salsa Fresca
Makes 4 Servings
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups cubed (1/2 inch) cantaloupe or watermelon
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup diced mango
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/4 habanero (hottest), jalapeño (medium), or Fresno (mild) chile, minced (optional)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, including stems
Juice of 2 limes or 1 lemon
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced
In a medium bowl, combine the melon, scallions, mango, ginger, chile (if using), parsley, citrus juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Gently stir in the avocado.
TIP: Any kind of seasonal fruit works in the salsa—you can use pineapple, peaches, plums, or nectarines in place of the mango or melon if you like.
Beatrice Peltre
Flip through French food stylist Beatrice Peltre’s My French Family Table and prepare to be endlessly inspired. The meals, treats and salads are all crafted with a healthy joie de vivre that stuns the eyes and delights the palate—especially these gorgeous ice pops. When berries abound in summer, there’s nothing fresher than an icy treat that’s bursting with the season’s juicy flavors. On a super-hot day, pulling one of these pretties from the freezer beats store-bought popsicles hands down.
Red Berry Ice Pops
You will need: ten 2 1/2-oz (0.75 ml) ice pop molds.
Makes 10 ice pops
8-3/4 oz (250 g) raspberries
8-3/4 oz (250 g) strawberries
6 oz (170 g) red currants
1-1/4 cups (295 ml) Lemon Thyme–Infused Syrup (see below)
8 mint leaves
2 tablespoons lime juice
*Note: If you can’t find red currants, replace them with an additional 6 oz (170 g) strawberries.
In a blender, purée the fruit with the syrup and mint. Add the lime juice. Pass through a chinois or fine sieve, then pour the fruit purée into the ice pops molds. Freeze for 30 minutes. Insert ice pop sticks/tops and return to the freezer until the ice pops are completely set.
Lemon Thyme–Infused Syrup
Makes 2 cups (475 ml)
2 cups (472 ml) water
1 cup (7 oz; 200 g) blond cane sugar
3 lemon thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
In a pot, combine the water and sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the lemon thyme. Cover and set aside to infuse for 1 hour. Strain and discard the thyme. Add the lemon or lime juice and let cool completely. This syrup keeps in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Jolene Hart
Former beauty editor Jolene Hart’s Eat Pretty is a wellness bible that we never shelve—it’s constantly in rotation for reference and recipe inspiration. As a health coach, Hart is always singing the praises of beautifying foods, and this smoothie is an all-star. It packs an incredible amount of hydration-supporting beauty nutrition, from electrolyte-replacing coconut water and mineral-rich greens and herbs to healthy fats from avocado that support skin cell moisture retention and water-rich pineapple. Add the optional scoop of collagen peptides to further support skin hydration, increase the water absorption capacity of your skin and boost its elasticity.
Green Hydration Smoothie
Serves 1
1-1/2 cups coconut water
Large handful leafy greens (try kale, spinach, or dandelion greens)
Small handful fresh herbs (try parsley, mint, or basil)
1/4 avocado
1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1 serving collagen peptides (optional)
In a high-powered blender, combine all ingredients and process until smooth.
