We adore you, water, but occasionally we'd like something a little less dull. While the obligatory lemon wedge is always welcome, we frequently find ourselves wanting more.

Let's look at some creative methods to add some flavor and turn your water from a simple hydration to a delectable thirst quencher. Use this easy cooking formula and a few other recipe ideas this summer.

The Formula

Save this formula to make a delicious quencher every time!

MUDDLED FRUIT + HERBS + LIQUID BASE + CITRUS + OPTIONAL ADD-INS

You may need to avoid ingredients such as bubbly water, citrus, and caffeinated drinks if you have symptoms of acid reflux. Customize as needed. Here are the details for each ingredient in the formula.

MUDDLED FRUIT

Soft fruits work best. A drink muddler is meant for this task ( the kind they use to muddle fruit in glasses for mojitos) but you can also place fruit in a bowl and break it up with a fork or use a mortar and pestle to gently break apart fruit.

• Berries

• Ripe nectarines or peaches coarsely chopped

• Pitted cherries

• Watermelon

• Melon

HERBS

Here are a few of my favorite combinations – just chop coarsely and muddle with fruit before adding liquids.

• Mint + Watermelon

• Basil + Peach

• Rosemary + Grapefruit

• Sage + Blackberry

• Lemon verbena + ANYTHING!

• Cilantro + Lime + Honeydew

LIQUID BASE

Go for color and flavor:

Herbal Tea – We love hibiscus for its gorgeous color and rich flavor. Steep four bags in a cup of boiling water to increase the density of flavor. My favorite brand is Republic of Tea.

Green Tea – Everything from matcha to yerbé mate, it’s all good. Be sure to select caffeinated varieties as the health-promoting flavonoids are destroyed during the decaffeination process.

Lemon Tea – Add the rind from a lemon to 2 cups of boiling water. Simmer for 5 minutes then let sit to infuse.

Ginger Tea – Peel and coarsely chop 2” piece of ginger and bring to a boil in two cups of water. Simmer for 5 minutes then let sit to infuse.

CITRUS

Squeeze in to finish and add some slices for visual impact:

• Lime

• Lemon

• Orange

• Grapefruit

ADD-INS

Splash of sparkling water – Everyone loves a little fizz!

Cucumber – Nothing screams refreshing quite like cucumber! Just peel and process in a blender to purée. About 1/2 cucumber per drink works.

Chia seed – Add chia seed to make a Chia Fresca! This seed holds more than 30x its weight in water and can help maintain hydration long after you have emptied your glass. Try adding 1 teaspoon to your glass and stir well. Let sit for 10 minutes before drinking.

Stevia or a touch of agave for added sweetness.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Try these delicious recipes:

Cilantro-Lime Melon Cooler: honey dew + cilantro + matcha green tea + lime juice + cucumber.

Ultimate Aqua Fresca: strawberry + mint + hibiscus tea + lime + sparkling water.

Fuzzy Peach-Basil Chia Fresca: peach + basil + peach green tea + lemon + chia seed.

Blackberry-Sage Cooler: blackberries + sage leaf (just one will do) + berry green tea + sparkling water.

Citrus Rosemary Refresher – nectarine + rosemary (just a few leaves with stem for garnish) + green tea + grapefruit + cucumber.

As a registered dietitian nutritionist who works with people experiencing cancer, I’d love to help. I offer clients support to plan, shop, and prepare more nutritious and healthy meals for yourself or your family. Here is my link to book a chat about making sure to meet your nutritional needs.