When someone asked me to make some lemonade, I couldn’t just take the traditional route…I had to make it extra special. I started think about the tinctures and elixirs I had been making and thought, well, why not apply these concepts to lemonade!
Plus, creating a concentrate allows you some flexibility in how you serve this! We used sparkling water to create a super refreshing and special drink, but you could also mix this directly into some vodka (:o did we just say that?!) or whatever you wish! This would definitely make a great cocktail…especially for those fourth of july festivities! And you would be giving yourself a little nutritional boost too!
Lemon juice is so beneficial, and if you’ve been following HR for a while then you know how much we love drinking lemon water for its detoxifying and beauty boosting benefits. Lemon makes its way into most of the recipes I share here and I don’t go a day without my warm lemon water in the morning…well I suppose once or twice a year I forego this ritual š
Not only is the juice beneficial though! The rind is so full of vitamin C and bitters that help with digestion and provide even more nutritional benefits. I love using lemon zest in recipes or to top salads or desserts to add a bit of this nutritional powerhouse, but why not concentrate this madness into a liquid! This is how this recipe was born…
Plus, while biking, I spotted some spearmint and lemon balm which made the perfect addition to these drinks! Who doesn’t love a little urban foraging! We simply muddled these fresh herbs in and used them for decoration, but you could also extract more flavor from them by adding the fresh leaf in to the original recipe…I will give these directions below.
- 3 (or more) lemons
- water (3-4 cups depending on pot)
- 2 tbsp honey
- Optional add ins:
- Lemon Balm
- Mint
- Limes
- Juice 3 or more lemons and then cut into slices (the more lemons you use, the more water you may need/ the stronger your concentrate will be!)
- Place lemon juice and slices into a pot and pour just enough filtered water over them to cover them (I needed about 3-4 cups)
- Bring water to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cover!
- Allow this to simmer for at least 20 minutes, but you can definitely go for longer!
- Once you have removed from heat, add honey! You add the honey last so that you aren't boiling away all of the beneficial constituents in honey!
- You are ready to strain now...or you can go to the directions below!
- Now is your chance to add in the fresh herbs! You don't want to add the fresh leaf to water that will be boiling or simmering for a period of time, so if you want to add in fresh leaves, add them after adding in the honey and then allow this to steep for 10-20 more minutes
- (You can also let this sit over night to extract even more constituents and flavors)
- When you are ready, strain the liquid and enjoy!
Mocktail/Cocktail Recipe:
1/2 cup lemonade concentrate
1/2 cup sparkling water
ice
(and a shot of vodka or gin if you’re feeling sassy)
We hope you are feeling thirsty and ready to celebrate with this awesome cocktail! Let us know what you thought of this recipe! Did you add anything else into your mixture? How did you drink your finished product? We love to hear your feedback! Peace and Love, HR
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Blair is a Nutrition Consultant and Natural Chef with a passion for helping others achieve optimal health through a holistic approach that focuses on body, mind, and spirit. 
