HERBED LAVENDER LEMONADE
Growing lavender? This fragrant herb gives a subtle lavender flavor to lemonade.
Ingredients
1/3 cup fresh lavender flowers or 2 tablespoons dried
2 cups granulated sugar or 1-3/4 cup honey, or to taste
8 cups water
2-1/2 cups fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Make a lavender sugar syrup by combining lavender flowers and 2 cups of sugar into 2 cups of water.
Bring to a simmer to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, cover and let lavender infuse until syrup has cooled to room temperature.
Strain. Cool, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Keeps 2 weeks in refrigerator or 6 months in freezer.
Juice lemons.
Pour 6 cups water into a pitcher.
Add lemon juice and chilled lavender infused syrup.
Stir to combine.
TIPS
Swap it out
Other herbs like mint, lemon grass and lemon balm are good subs for lavender.
Fruity tootie
Right before serving, stir in a few blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or thinly sliced strawberries for a nutritional boost and pretty color.
Sub in stevia for sugar or honey
Stevia is a natural sugar substitute from the stevia plant. It is much sweeter than sugar, is non-caloric and diabetic safe. A little goes a long way.
If you sub in stevia, you won’t get a syrup, just a sweetened water.
Freeze whole lemons up to 6 months.
Let thaw and you’ll be amazed at the amount of juice!
This works for limes, as well.
Pucker power of lemon
Lemon contains vitamin C, good for immune system.
Add a squeeze of lemon juice to your morning drink of water.