It’s August.
It’s hot.
It’s humid.
It’s not my favorite time of the year.
My only solace is that Fall ( which IS my favorite time of the year) is right behind it. It’s like a consolation prize for suffering through the California heat that beats down on me like a drum every summer. I would move, but heck. I kinda like it here. Except for the heat.
Did I mention I don’t like the heat?
Or the humidity?
Or August?
Forgive me. The heat tends to make me a little nutzy. Maybe more often than I’d like to admit actually. But we’ll move this along. Shall we?
When the days are this blistering hot, I love to make a tall pitcher of ice-cold lemonade. I also like to jazz it up a bit. Typically with strawberries, but occasionally… with lavender. It’s a really yummy twist on an old summer classic.
Make yourself a pitcher, sit back, and try to forget about the heat.
(I said try).
Clean Eating Lavender Lemonade
(Makes approximately 5 cups)
Ingredients
5 cups water
1 tbsp. lavender flowers (2 tbsp. if you like a strong lavender flavor)
3/4 cup agave (honey is good too)
1 1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh is best)
Directions
Step 1 – Put half your water into a pot along with the lavender and bring to a boil. Once it boils, turn the heat off and allow it to steep for about 20 minutes (preferably with a lid on the pot).
Step 2 – You have two choices here.
A)You can heat up the agave or honey in the microwave for about 30 seconds and pour it into the second (NON lavender) half of your water and blend well.
Or B) you can heat up the remaining (NON lavender) water in a separate pot and add your sweetener to the hot water. Stir well to combine.
The idea here is to get the sweetener to dissolve into the water. Any way you accomplish that is fine.
Step 3 – Strain your lavender water into a pitcher and then add the rest of your ingredients. (Discard the lavender flowers) Stir well. Serve over ice.
Note: If this mixture is to strong, just add water until it reaches a strength you like. I like mine strong, and this recipe definitely reflects that.
Eat and Enjoy!
Munchkin Helpers:
If you have little ones, here’s how they can help (With close supervision, of course).
Let your munchkins add the ingredients to the pots. They can stir, add ice cubes to the serving glasses, and with a little help, they can even “pour their own glass”. Just let them get involved any way you can think of. It may get a little messy, but messes clean up. And “lemonade making memories” last a lifetime.
RELATED READING:
Nutritional Content
1 serving = 1/2 cup
Calories: 156
Total Fat: 0 gm
Saturated Fats: 0 gm
Trans Fats: 0 gm
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 0 mg
Carbohydrates: 43 gm
Dietary fiber: 0 gm
Sugars: 40 gm
Protein: 0 gm
Estimated Glycemic Load: 26
Nutritional Information estimated at Nutritiondata.com. Data may not be accurate.
Caution: Any time a child is in the kitchen, they will require close supervision. Munchkin Helpers suggestions should be applied with common sense to your own child, taking their own capabilities into account. Do not assume that because it says here that your child can do something, that they can, in fact do it. Please use common sense when in the kitchen with your child(ren).
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