Ahh – summer time 🥰. There is nothing more fun than soaking up the sun (responsibly – with some sunscreen of course 😉) whilst enjoying the longer days, warm weather, and kind of ease of life that comes with this time of the year. And in honor of long, summery days, and little time spent in the kitchen I am bringing you a super fast and easy Summer Day Lemonade today.
I do not know about you – but I sometimes struggle with staying hydrated during those warmer days. Unfortunately, proper hydration is so important as our cells simply cannot function optimally without it. They need water, amongst others, to remove waste (and therefore toxins from the body), to control our heart rate, blood pressure, and other bodily functions. Once it is warm, we are also sweating, so the need for hydration becomes even more important. Which is the reason why I created today’s recipe 🥰.
This Summer Day Lemonade is mainly water-based and only uses a limited amount of sweetener. It is also super simple to make but definitely does not taste like it. Of course, for a lemonade, I had to use one of my favorite ingredients (Lemons 🍋🙋🏼♀️) but I also wanted to do something with a bit of a twist that you would not necessarily expect. Enter the rosemary. It provides subtle hints of flavor (I find) and smells fantastic as part of the drink. This drink is a bit fancier than water, quenches thirst, and feels super refreshing, but also continues to hydrate me throughout my day.
Why is this Summer Day Lemonade good for you?
Lemons
One of my favorite accessories to any dish. Ask my dear husband – if he cooks and asks me whether something is missing I usually reply that it is a squeeze of lemon 🤣. I mean – it is called Life & Lem🍋ns for a reason after all. Where to begin? Lemons have so many amazing health benefits!! The most obvious one is that Lemons are really high in Vitamin C. Vitamin C plays a key role in both supporting our immune system so that we stay healthy. It also plays a role in producing collagen, which helps our skin to continue to look younger for longer. But besides the obvious one(s), Lemons also contain an antioxidant called “flavonoid”. Flavonoids may help lower the risk of ischemic stroke (= the most common form of the stroke where a blood clot is clotting your arteries) in women.
Rosemary
This herb has an absolutely beautiful smell and it is actually pretty easy to grow on your own. I think we possibly have about 4 pots filled with rosemary by now. Rosemary is part of the mint family, along with, e.g. oregano, thyme, basil, and lavender. Consuming Rosemary can be a great source of Iron, Calcium, and Vitamin B6. Rosemary is both anti-inflammatory and rich in antioxidants. The antioxidants found in Rosemary appear to be particularly beneficial for supporting your immune system, as well as improving your blood circulation. There is also a compound found in Rosemary called “carnosic acid”. This appears to be able to fight off free radicals in the brain. Which may make it particularly useful for people who have experienced a stroke. Additionally, the aroma of Rosemary may help to improve your concentration, performance, speed, and accuracy of thinking.
How can I adjust this recipe to my dietary requirements?
This recipe is both vegetarian and vegan, depending on the sweetener of choice you use (I provide options in the recipe). Due to the limited amount of sweetener used, this recipe would also be eligible for the paleo lifestyle.
And there you have it for this week – not a complicated recipe but something that will hopefully provide you with an awesome option for your summer days 🤗. Please let me know how you like the recipe – both in the comments below and/or over on Instagram. You know I love hearing from you and I so, so enjoy seeing you enjoying the recipes!
Summer Day Lemonade
Course: DrinksCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Super easy3 – 4
servings5
minutes1 – 2
hoursFreshly squeezed lemon juice meets rosemary with a touch of natural sweetener for a super refreshing, quickly homemade Summer Day Lemonade.
Ingredients
2 lemons
2 tbsp honey, agave, or maple syrup (see notes)
2 – 3 stalks fresh rosemary
Ca. 850 – 1l sparkling water
How to
- Start by washing the rosemary stalks and lemons. Cut half a lemon into fine slices. Juice the remaining 1 + ½ lemons and add along with the maple syrup and rosemary and cut lemons to a pitcher.
- Add the sparkling water. Do a taste test – the Summer Day Lemonade should be quite tangy but if you need a bit more sweetener – adjust now. Put into a fridge to cool for 1 to 2 hours. You may have to stir the mixture once to get everything everywhere evenly. Enjoy on a summer day!!
Notes
- Use clear, runny honey for a vegetarian option, and/or agave and maple syrup for a vegan/paleo option.
