NC summers are beautiful but when it gets too hot it hurts to go outside, I like to cool off with these non alcoholic drinks: mint Mojito limeade, lavendar lemonade, and rosemary grapefruit-ade. These drinks are lightly infused with just the right amount of herbal perfume to help you feel even more refreshed. If you want to venture away from the classic lemonade stand recipe, give these a try!
Mint Mojito Limeade
1/2 lime cut into 3 wedges
12 mint leaves
1 1/2 tablespoon simple syrup (recipe below)
1/2 cup sparkling water
Ice
Put lime wedges and mint leaves in a large glass. Muddle together until the lime juice and mint oils have been released. If you don’t have a special muddling tool, a pestle or a small ladle will work too. Fill the glass up with ice, add the simple syrup and top with the sparkling water. Give it one good stir and your only a sip away from thirst quenching bliss.
Simple Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Mix the two ingredients together and microwave for one minute. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Simple syrup can stay in the fridge for up to one month.
Lavender Lemonade
1 1/2 tb lavender simple syrup (see recipe below)
1/2 lemon
1/2 cup sparkling water
Juice 1/2 lemon into a glass. Add the lavender simple syrup and the chilled sparkling water. Stir and enjoy!
Lavender Simple Syrup
1 1/2 tb lavender buds
1/2 cup simple syrup
Follow the recipe for simple syrup. After dissolving the sugar in the warm water, add the lavender buds and steep for an hour. Strain before using.
Rosemary Grapefruit-ade
1 1/2 tb rosemary simple syrup (see recipe below)
1/2 grapefruit
1/4 cup sparkling water
Squeeze 1/2 grapefruit into a glass, add the rosemary simple syrup and top with chilled sparkling water.
Rosemary Simple Syrup
1/2 cup simple syrup
2 sprigs of rosemary
Use the same recipe for simple syrup. After dissolving the sugar into the warm water, add 2 sprigs of rosemary and let it steep for 1 hour.
These drinks are super easy to make and both kid and adult friendly. They are so good, you won’t miss the alcohol. The rosemary grapefruit-ade was my daughter’s favorite! You don’t have to wait for a special occasion to try out these drinks. These drinks are easy enough to make any ordinary day special. Sip, sip, hooray!
