Chill Out! Food With Cooling Thermal Properties

The dog days of summer seem to be finally upon us. If you’re looking for ways to stay cool, you might be surprised that your food choices can actually determine how you handle the heat.  Ice cream, our favorite sweet and creamy summer treat, may provide but a brief respite. For a long-lasting cool, you should instead go for foods with cooling thermal properties that clear toxins and cool and calm the blood.

These recipes include a sampling of such foods, like cucumber, fresh mint, bok choy, apples, and dandelion greens. Bonus: They’ll make a colorful additional to any picnic.

Pretty in Pink Cooler
The summer cooler is fragrant, vitamin C-rich, and pink–which my kids loved.

Ingredients

• ½ cup cucumbers
• ½ cup strawberry
• ½ cup oranges
• ½ cup fresh mint leaves, stemmed

Directions

Wash ingredients.  Peel and slice cucumbers; core and half strawberries; and slice oranges. Add all ingredients to large pitcher, add water, and refrigerate. (You can refill the pitcher with the same fruit several times.)

Crunchy Cool-Slaw

Ingredients

• 3 heads baby bok choy, chopped 
thinly
• 2 apples, sliced
 thinly
• 2 stalks scallion, diced
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• ¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
• ¼ cup crushed peanuts
• Optional: 1/3 cup dandelion greens, sliced thinly

Dressing

• 1/8 cup toasted sesame oil
• ¾ cup fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
• 1 Tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Combine bok choy, apples, scallion, and greens in a bowl.

Prepare dressing in a bowl or shaker container and mix well. Pour dressing over salad and toss. Top with sunflower seeds, peanuts and pomegranate seeds.

Variations: Try cabbage and or kale instead of bok choy, or add fresh herbs such as cilantro, parsley, or mint.

Eat immediately or chill.