How was your August?  I have to be honest; I have always dreaded the stretch of the dog days of August when the days feel endlessly long. The excitement of summer begins to fade, and it’s as if time slows down. Work drags on, the kids run out of things to do, and we’ve exhausted our list of things to do—lazy afternoons, endless barbecues, and the random ice cream runs at 9:00 pm lose their appeal. The air feels thick, and even the usual excitement of summer activities starts to wane, leaving us with a quiet restlessness.

It’s a time when I begin to crave the change that autumn promises just around the corner,  I dream of the cooler months ahead, shorter days, and longer nights.  And yet, isn’t it always the same? Wishing and longing for what’s ahead what’s next, while forgetting to savor and embrace the beauty of what’s here and now

But this time it was different, I was present, I embraced the heat and humidity, finding refuge in cooler spaces within my home, and I got to see family, and meet my nieces, I squeezed every last drop of my work-from-home schedule, with no schedules, no real bedtimes, no demanding or hurried paces, just days that melted into one another.

As I share this late-summer drink, still savoring the last of the season’s fruits, I can’t help but eagerly await the transition from summer’s vibrant warmth to the cozy embrace of fall. There’s something so comforting about the smell of spices in the air, apple picking, frosty windows, hearty comfort meals, baking, and the arrival of the holidays.

The ananas, or pineapple as it later came to be known in English, originates from the Amazon basin. Indigenous peoples such as the Tupi cultivated and spread this tropical fruit throughout South America, the Caribbean, and the Bahamas.

Pineapple and mint pair as naturally as idli and sambhar. My version is heavy on the mint, so if you’re not a fan, feel free to scale it back. The mint beautifully softens the tart acidity of lime, and with no added sugar, it relies solely on the sweetness of a perfectly ripe pineapple, creating a delightful lime-infused juice with a bright, bold mint finish. It’s refreshingly light and incredibly delicious. Make this guilt-free treat that’s as kind to your body as it is to your taste buds.

Vegan and Refined Sugar-Free

One of the things I love most about this Pineapple Mint Lime Juice is that it’s both vegan and refined sugar-free. It’s made with just a few simple ingredients: fresh pineapple, mint leaves, lime juice, and water. However, if your pineapple is not sweet feel free to add a touch of natural sweetener if needed.

A Taste of Nostalgia

During pineapple season, the streets came alive with street vendors sitting under the blazing African sun, beside mounds of golden pineapples laid out on gunnysacks or stacked high in plastic buckets. They would weave through traffic, balancing their vibrant buckets above their heads, calling out, “nanasi, nanasi” as the scent of ripe fruit filled the air.

For me, this juice is more than just a refreshing drink—it’s a nostalgic journey back to my childhood.  At home, it is customary to enjoy freshly pressed juices with meals at local restaurants or during casual gatherings with friends at ice cream parlors and juice stalls, where in-season fruit juices are always on offer. Sometimes walking through the streets and gully you would happen upon a small juice stall, stop for a quick break, and sit on rickety wooden benches sipping freshly pressed juice, these are among my most cherished memories.

The pineapple does not get much action in the Indian kitchen, and we only had it in fruit salads or as a juice, and perhaps much later as the exotic alcohol free Piña Colada. 

My mum would make “ananas no juice,” when pineapples were at their peak in sweetness, however, even at their peak, Tanzanian pineapples did not drip with a nectarous sweetness that seemed to capture the essence of summer like the ones I get here in the US.  Mum added plenty of sugar to sweeten the juice, often adding a pinch of salt to soften and balance any lingering tartness, and sometimes as all East African Indians do, she would add a pinch of freshly roasted and crushed cumin powder! Yes, cumin powder is something you will find in freshly squeezed orange juice as well.

My take on it is a bit different—I skip the sugar and salt, and instead, I add a splash of lime juice and a generous handful of fresh mint.

This pineapple refresher will give you your daily dose of manganese and is a great source of vitamins C, B1, and B6, along with copper and dietary fiber. This recipe is vegan and refined sugar-free.

You’ll need the following ingredients: 

• Pineapple – You can even buy it pre-cut if you prefer, but whatever you do make sure it is very ripe
• Mint – fresh mint leaves
• Lime
• Cold Water
• Ice cubes
• For an extra finishing touch, garnish with mint sprigs or a slice of fresh lime or pineapple.

• 1 ripe pineapple, cored and sliced (about 6 cups of pineapple chunks)
• 2-3 cups COLD water
• 10 to 12 mint leaves, or to taste- add more if you like it more minty
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice or ½ lime or more really depending on what you like
• 1 cup ice cubes
• Garnish: tall mint sprigs, lime wedges or pineapple slices

1. Give your mint a slap to release the aroma
2. Combine all the ingredients in the jar of a high-speed blender.
3. Blend until smooth.
4. If you prefer a no-pulp version, you can strain the puree through a fine mesh strainer.
   

Try a Pineapple Chia Drink!

If you haven’t had a chia drink before, you’re in for a treat, especially when paired with pineapple mint juice. Simply mix 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 1/3 cup of warm water and let it sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or overnight in the fridge. Once the chia seeds have gelled into a pudding-like consistency, stir in 1/2 to 1 cup of chia seeds with 1 cup of pineapple juice. It’s a refreshing, nutritious twist on a classic drink!

When chia seeds are soaked, they absorb a significant amount of water, which makes chia drinks a refreshing and hydrating option, especially during summer. Chia seeds are incredibly versatile and easy to incorporate into various beverages, from smoothies and juices to flavored water.  They blend well and add a pleasant texture without overpowering the flavor of your drink.

More about Mint:

Mint comes in a variety of types and each variety enhances dishes and drinks with its distinctive flavor profile, from the crisp and clean to the bold and sweet.

Here are a few of the most popular varieties that I grow in pots:

Cuban Mint: The leaves are bright green. It has a gentle mild aroma and sweet flavor and is traditionally used in Cuban mojitos.

Mojito Mint: ( Hemingway mint or cocktail mint): This has a less sharp flavor, is light and refreshing, and pairs well with lime, which makes it ideal for muddling into cocktails like the classic mojito.

Moroccan Mint: It has robust, peppery, and spicy undertones, commonly used in traditional Moroccan tea or savory dishes.

Chocolate Mint: Its deep green, slightly tinged purple leaves release a sweet, chocolatey fragrance when rubbed.  This mint has a subtle cocoa-like aroma, making it a favorite in desserts, teas, and baking.

How to Pick a Good Pineapple

The Color

As a general rule, the more yellow a pineapple’s exterior is, the riper the fruit will be. You want a pineapple that is a proper golden from top to bottom, bits of green is fine.   Pineapples are considered “non-climacteric” fruits, meaning they stop ripening once picked, which means that the greener, less-ripe ones you see at the grocery store, well, walk past those.

The Feel

The heavier the pineapple the riper it probably is, so pick up the pineapple and feel it’s weight. A pineapple is heavier when there is more juice in the pineapple, which also makes it sweeter. It should give a little then pressed. A rock-hard pineapple is going to be just that- a rock.

The Smell

Give the base of the pineapple a sniff. Put your nose near the stem side of the pineapple and inhale. It should smell aromatic, with a scent that’s sweet, tropical fruity and bright sunshine, it is good to go. 

If there’s no scent, and this can happen if the pineapple is cold, this is an indication that the pineapple’s not ripe. And if it smells funky and fermented, like vinegar, the pineapple has gone a bit too far. 

The Leaves

If the spiky green top of a pineapple, called the fronds, leaves are brown, yellow, or anything other than green, it probably means its rotting, a tried and tested method to check for ripeness try to gently tug on one of the fronds, if it feels loose or comes off, your pineapple is ripe.

Notes:

Can I ripen an underripe Pineapple?

Unfortunately, no, Pineapples are considered “non-climacteric” fruits, meaning they stop ripening once picked.

You can try a couple of tricks to help soften the fruit.

Store the pineapple upside down- cut the top of the pineapple off; place the body of the pineapple, cut-side down, on a plate, cover the pineapple, and let it rest in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. to let the natural sugars at the bottom seep into the rest of the fruit.


You can also try storing it with bananas, mangos, peaches, and other fruits that give off ethylene, a natural gas that speeds up ripening.

If you tried this recipe and loved it, let me know how you liked it with a comment!