Homemade Lemon/Lime-Ade

   Let's face it. Homemade Lemon/Lime-Ade is a cruddy title for this post because what recipe on this blog isn't homemade? But I felt like it should be thrown in there since even all natural beverages can be chock full of unhealthy ingredients. That average lemonade from the grocery store is still loaded with processed sugars(most likely GMO) and can add a few extra Lbs a year if drank on a regular basis.

   The truth of the matter is, that even drinking the right amount of water each day for me can still sometimes be difficult. I prefer to jazz my water up with a slice of lemon, ginger, or even mint. When I was pregnant with my son, one of the only cravings I had was for lemonade. I drank that lemonade like there was an imminent drought about to suck every last drop out of my glass. But at the end of the day, even when I watered it down halfway with water, that lemonade was still full of empty calories that I did not need to be consuming.

   So now, I just make my own. It's a pretty simple ratio for either lemon or lime, depending on which one you are using and how strong you like your lemon/lime-ade to taste. I myself prefer a very tart flavor, so I used less water/lemon ratio. I will post a simple recipe and you can adjust the taste accordingly. However, I recommend that you drink the lemon/lime-ade shortly after making it, as the longer it sits in the refrigerator, the less fresh and more sour it will taste. I typically make enough to enjoy about 4 cups myself and if I no longer am interested in drinking it after that, I just pitch it.


Recipe:
6 cups filtered water
1 lemon or 2 limes juiced
1-2 tsp Stevia (an all natural sweetener)

My personal preference is 6 cups water: 2 lemons juiced: 3 stevia packets(or 3 tsp) because I like mine tart.

Directions:In a blender, combine water, lemon or lime, and Stevia. Blend until fruit is broken down. Using a mesh sieve or small strainer, strain excess pulp from liquid and pour into glasses. Store remaining liquid in a glass jar in the refrigerator.