My dog has thrown up twice this morning. I’ve been awake since 3-ish anyway, so the cleanup was swift. I’m still happily finding grains of sand in my ear from our beach camping adventure over the weekend. There was a gross, totally rotted, long-gone avocado half in the fridge that squished under my hand when I reached for some coconut milk in those early hours. Then I got bummed about the food waste over my third(!) coffee. Summer is pretty good at throwing me off of my structured eating game.
Insert here my devotion to smoothies. We don’t plan dinners/meals this time of year. I just fill the fridge with whatever looks good at the market/what’s exploding out of our garden, and then try to bring something together when the time comes. I’m not as committed to spending time in the kitchen this time of year. And as a general rule, I avoid the oven and stove as much as possible from June to August. Sometimes 9 pm rolls around and I remember “Oh yeah, dinner!” So smoothies. Yes, this is where they come in.
Blender concoctions save me during busy times. They also fill in nicely when it’s just way too hot to even think about what to cook. I can always muster up the energy to lightly chop and blitz some good stuff on high. And that ridiculous load of greens in my garden right now? Smoothies help take care of that too. (Seriously, 10 lacinato kale plants alone–what was I thinking?!)
For a time, when I walked into any given Williams Sonoma store and saw Tess Masters’s green smoothie-drinking ways on display, I got pretty excited. It seemed clear as day that the movement towards wellness was becoming more commonplace. The recipe I’m sharing today is from her new book, which is actually based on that app. There’s loads of inspiring combinations and a perfect little sprinkling of health and wellness information in there too. It’s all written about in a very accessible and fun way. Flipping through this book will get you energized about being kinder to yourself. Tess makes it all seem so easy.
This frozen rosemary watermelon-ade, found in the “Light & Fruity” section, should be enjoyed in the searing heat of July. It’s all hydrating from the watermelon and tart with lemon. The rosemary gives it an interesting herbal background. I crave it every day now. I think you could use mint or basil with equally delicious results here. More blended watermelon goodness: here with lime and coconut water and here with strawberries and sparkling water.
Frozen Rosemary Watermelon-Ade
Ingredients
- 3 cups chopped seedless watermelon
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 lemon, peeled and chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- ½ cup frozen pineapple
- ½ cup frozen strawberries
- 5 drops liquid stevia or other sweetener of choice (optional)
Equipment
Notes
- -From The Blender Girl Smoothies: 100 gluten-free, vegan & paleo-friendly recipes
- Tess adds that you can boost this smoothie with some frozen cauliflower florets (sneaky vegetables!), some extra virgin olive oil, or some chopped fresh jalapeño.
Instructions
- Throw all of the ingredients into the blender and blast on high for 30-60 seconds, or until well combined and even in consistency. Divide the smoothie between two glasses. Garnish the rosemary watermelon-ade with a slice of lemon or a sprig of rosemary, if you like.
Gosh, it looks so yummy and tastes even better. I was lazy but really wanted to try it, so I sent the link to my mom asking her to make it for when we visit her next time. She did! It was fantastic to say the least. We had it in the backyard; lying in our loungers under sun-umbrella…Life is good.
This smoothie was so refreshing and I highly recommend it. Highly recommend it in the morning for a quick energy boost or in the evening if you decided to skip dinner for the night. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you thank you thank you for posting this! I make a green smoothie every morning, but sometimes I find myself wanting something a little pinker. Can’t WAIT to try this!
I need to go buy a watermelon pronto and make some for myself! Thanks.
This is my first time visit to your blog! I love watermelon! This is so refreshing! Thanks for the post!
Well, I’m pretty late to the game here, but I’m feeling you on this post now! Cookie nabbed at least four slices of bread from the counter when I wasn’t looking (must have been a very stealth move, as the bag appeared undisturbed after the fact) and made herself sick the other day. :( Hope you’re having a stellar summer, lady. Looks like you have been busy!
I totally sympathize with your feeling of summer throwing you off. Every winter I get so psyched for the sticky heat and the abundance of produce – but once I am in it, I remember that I am exhausted by the sun, my allergies are killing me, and the tomatoes are taking over my kitchen. I am ready for fall. Great recipe, Laura!
Delicious!
I love adding watermelon to smoothies for sweetness and increasing the liquid without watering them down. I also find blending some frozen berries with watermelon, coconut water, and a splash of non dairy milk is the MOST refreshing hydration smoothie. :)
Thank you thank you thank you for posting this! I make a green smoothie every morning, but sometimes I find myself wanting something a little pinker. Can’t WAIT to try this!
Oh, my. Rosemary and watermelon? That sounds amazing. I am lucky if i have time to brush my teeth these days, let alone make dinner,but I think I could manage making this lovely recipe.
absolutely love it! looks so refreshing and the color is great! hope your dog feels better soon :)
wow thanks for the hemp seed suggestion. I didn’t even know hemp seeds have a lot of protein — as much as nuts!
Every time I see you’ve posted something new, I no joke set aside some time during the week to sit down, slow down and pour through your post/a couple recipes. I’m only 3 days behind on this one! ;) I love the addition of rosemary. It makes a quick, simple blend seem a little more… artisanal? Definitely fun. Beautiful photos, Laura. I wish there was a way I could take some of that garden-fresh kale off of your hands!
Yes… summer has a way of doing this to us. And going by WAY TOO QUICKLY! Poor pups, too. I know how rough those times can be. Hope he’s recovered.
This ade/smoothie creation looks like something I’d totally go crazy over. Mind you, I immediately thought about how great some vodka or tequila would be in it. So, there’s that.
There’s heaps of great summer ingredients in this drink! I’m planning on throwing some flax seeds in there for an added boost. Thanks!
Its too funny, I was thinking about how I had wrote in a previous comment that I would be your adventure cheerleader, and was about to send you a little message encouraging you – and then your camping pic popped up on my Insta feed! I was so so so happy for you when I saw it :) glad you got some r&r time out of town (and on that gorgeous beach, jeez!). I wish I had a Vitamix to blend up everything in site, especially on hot days like today. This watermelon-aid sounds amazing! <3
I’ve had a lot of those ‘Crap, it’s 9pm and we haven’t even thought about dinner’ moment recently (+ almost as soon as I have them, I realise that I’m starving). Love the combo of watermelon + rosemary here, just a perfect blend of sweet/tart/savoury/floral/everything.
Oh no!! I hope your pup feels better. My baby is a little under the weather too, she has kennel cough :( Hopefully they both feel better soon!
I love the rosemary in these!! Photos are lovely. And big love to you and your pup… what a ways to start the day. xo
The rosemary is so unexpected! But that little hit of “pine-y-ness” is so nice with the citrus. And pup is back to normal these days, so all good :)
-L
We love Tess Masters and all of the healthy and innovative ingredients she uses. We’ll have to try this recipe!
It’s true–she is such a whiz with the combining of flavours and health benefits!
-L
These photos are utter perfection, Laura! I adore them. Summer is an icky time of year (at least in my opinion ;) ), but these refreshing drinks make it worth it. :D
It can definitely get sticky out there ;) Thanks so much, Abby! xo
-L
This looks so refreshing, my goodness! I’m a total fan of herbs and watermelon, especially in drink form. Going to make this and stand by the AC (heaven on earth!)
xx Sydney
Hope you enjoy! :D
What about protein? Think it would be work to add a quarter cup of soaked cashews? Would a different nut be better?
thx
If I were to add a protein source to this one, I’d probably go with a tablespoon or two of hemp seeds, just because their mild flavour/texture won’t take away from the freshness of the smoothie.
-L
What a beautiful smoothie! I love the jalapeño idea so much! During summer I crave the foods of my SoCal upbringing and peppers + watermelon = a big ol’ YES. On the need for routine- I feel ya girl. I cannot function without knowing what’s ahead most of the time. Spontaneity is wonderful, but should be used as a seasoning, not a base in the recipe of my life. That was a gross analogy k bye.
I kind of liked the analogy!! haha
-L
Holy moly, this looks perfect! I’ve been on a watermelon juice kick lately (mixed with gin and seltzer, it’s amazing!), but I’m kind of digging the healthiness of this version. Also, tossing an avo is always so heartbreaking. I’m sorry for your loss!
How did I forget the gin?!?!?! ;)
-L
Wow – if this isn’t the most perfect summer refreshment, I don’t know what is! I love playing with my blender, adding in whatever ingredients I have on hand to create a kick-butt drink. I love that you added fresh herbs to this – I’ll have to try that next!
I have a serious abundance of herbs this time of year because of the garden, so they’ve been going into every shake. Mint + basil in a green shake is so heavenly ;)
-L