My daughter had a lemonade stand at our yard sale yesterday so I was inspired to find some cool recipes to share – and these drinks can help increase consumption of water too. These recipes looked very yummy – but I’d use splenda as a sweetener to cut out the sugar calories (or an even better choice instead of sugar: Sweet Perfection or Stevia).

I am espcially interested in trying the one with ginger juice because of all the healing benefits of ginger.

Summertime Litchi Iced Tea

(From Emeril Live show, but w/o the vodka he added)

Yield: about 1 gallon

4 quarts water
10 litchi tea bags
1/2 cup ginger juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup sugar or splenda (to taste)
2 cups unsweetened cranberry juice
Lemon and lime slices, for garnish

Bring the water to a boil in a large pot, and remove from the heat. Add the tea bags, ginger, lemon, and lime juices and sugar. Allow the tea to steep for 10 minutes, remove the tea bags and cool the tea. Stir to be sure that the splenda is dissolved, and place in a large pitcher. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

FYI: To make ginger juice, grate fresh gingerroot using the smallest holes on a cheese grater. Gather the pulp in your hand and squeeze out the juice. It is also availabe already bottled.

Sweet Ginger Lemonade – Serves 4
4 cups filtered water
4 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbsp. fresh squeezed ginger juice
2 Tbsp. raw honey
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve honey. Adjust honey to preferred sweetness and serve hot or chilled.

REFRESHING AND UNUSUAL LEMONADES (by Claudia Dávila)

ICED TEA LEMONADE: 4 lemons, 2 tea bags (orange pekoe, darjeeling, english breakfast, earl grey, or green tea) sweetener to taste (ie. 1/3 cup maple syrup), 8 ice cubes. In a mug, pour 1 cup boiling water over the tea bags. Let steap for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, juice the lemons and pour into a large pitcher. Remove the tea bags and stir the maple syrup or sweetener into the tea. Add this sweet tea to the pitcher, add ice cubes, and top up with cold water.

FRUITY LEMONADE: 4 lemons, 2 bags fruit & herb tea, sweetener to taste (i.e. 1/3 cup maple syrup), 8 ice cubes. In a mug, pour 1 cup boiling water over the tea bags. Let steap for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, juice the lemons and pour into a large pitcher. Remove the tea bags and stir the maple syrup or sweetener into the tea. Add this sweet tea to the pitcher, add ice cubes, and top up with cold water.

LAVENDER LEMONADE: 4 lemons, 2 tbsp dried lavender flowers, Sweetener to taste (ie. 1/3 cup maple syrup)8 ice cubes. In a mug, pour 1 cup boiling water over the dried lavender. Let steap for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, juice the lemons and pour into a large pitcher. Strain and discard the lavender and stir the maple syrup or sweetener into the tea. Add this sweet tea to the pitcher, add ice cubes, and top up with cold water.

CITRUS-ADE: 2 lemons, 4 limes, 2 oranges, Sweetener to taste (ie. 1/3 cup maple syrup), 8 ice cubes. Juice the lemons, limes and oranges and pour into a large pitcher. Add the maple syrup or sweetener and stir well to dissolve. Add ice cubes, and top up with cold water.

MINT LEMONADE: 4 lemons, 1 cup packed fresh mint leaves, Sweetener to taste (ie. 1/3 cup maple syrup),8 ice cubes. In a mug, pour 1 cup boiling water over the mint leaves. Let steap for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, juice the lemons and pour into a large pitcher. Strain and discard the mint and stir the maple syrup or sweetener into the tea. Add this sweet tea to the pitcher, add ice cubes, and top up with cold water.

MORE VARIATIONS: Combine any of the above, such as Lavender Citrus-Ade or Mint Iced Tea Lemonade. Use sparkling water instead of mineral water. For extra citrusy flavour, shave some of the lemon, lime or orange rind and add to the lemonade.

Serve in tall glasses filled with ice. Garnish with lemon and or lime slices.

Happy Sipping!

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