Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Recipe: Mint Lemonade

(This is so simple, it really shouldn't count as a "recipe.")

Boil 2 cups of water. Remove from heat and add mint leaves to steep. Cool in the refrigerator.

Once it's cool, strain (or pick) the mint leaves out of the water. Use the mint water as part of the liquid for making lemonade. For example, I like the Minute Maid Lemonade that's made from concentrate. Use the mint water, then any additional water that the concentrate directions call for.

Use additional mint leaves for garnish, if desired.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

MinuteMaid = Coca Cola. Just sayin...

Sundari Elizabeth said...

Yes, Minute Maid does contain high fructose corn syrup (but it's missing the caffeine, caramel color, and other goodies that are in Coke). There are slightly healthier versions of lemonade concentrate available, like Cascadian Farms organic. And, of course, people can always make lemonade from scratch. I'm sure that anyone who has the wherewithall to make scratch lemonade would understand how to use mint water as part of the base.

There's a puritanical streak that sometimes appears in the local food movement that I find unattractive. My diet is not perfect, and I'd bet that yours isn't, either. Of course, we all strive to eat healthy, whole foods. It's good to educate and inspire people to use more whole foods when they cook. I don't make a practice of including processed foods in this blog. However, there are some times when I'm in a rush and make Mint Lemonade from concentrate as a treat. I don't think that makes me unhealthy or a bad local foodie -- I just think it makes me human. And I think that message is helpful to convey once in a while.

Stephanova said...

Lemonade is also amazing with basil! Just muddle it. Vodka can also be a nice touch.

Sundari Elizabeth said...

I totally agree -- basil in lemonade is wonderful! You can also try tarragon. I have a friend who recently introduced me to the joys of adding vodka to the mix. Perfect for a summer afternoon on the patio!