First Post (Thanks Les for setting me up!)

This yummy version of lemonade is the perfect start to my blog, because it tastes fresh clean and sparkly, which is how I feel right now! I have been given a fresh start in life, and not only do I feel good but optimistic about the future. I recently underwent a surgery that not only saved my life; it also totally changed the quality of it. Having a nutrition disease that affected both my absorption of food (so my body only got maybe half of what I was eating to actually do its thing, like, supporting life and such) and on top of that, it made me feel sick so I didn’t even feel like eating. Now I am healthy and trying to build up my body from everything it lost! Weight, strength, and energy. This drink is just so refreshing, especially in the Florida heat of summer, that it leaves you wanting more.

This is my journey to rebuild myself!

Here is the recipe for this drink, so you can taste it too!

-Mrs. A

Herbed Lemonade Spritzer

(my family calls anything with syrup or sparkly soda in it a "spritzer" haha, and of course you need a pretty garnish!)

Cook Time: 5 min

Ingredients:

· 2 cups Sugar

· 3 cups water – divided

· ½ cup Mint Leaves (washed and stemmed)

· ½ cup Basil Leaves (washed and stemmed)

· 2 cups Fresh Lemon Juice (12-15 lemons)

Directions:

Place sugar, 1 cup water, basil and mint in a pot and simmer for 5 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved. Let steep for an additional 5 minutes or until liquid turns a little golden in color. Set aside to cool. Strain out the herbs, pressing them to remove all simple syrup.

Pour 2 remaining cups of water, lemon juice, and the simple syrup in a pitcher. Stir and serve over ice. (The serving over ice bit is very important! somehow the ice makes all the flavors meld and blend together in a really nice way.)

To mix it up a bit - try the simple syrup from above with fresh squeezed juice from 1 Pink Grapefruit and use Diet Sprite, Sprite Zero, or carbonated water instead of regular water. Yum! My Mom invented this twist and it totally changed the taste - zippy and floral!- but still the same wonderful citrus and herb after taste.

my mom is my lovely drink model ;)

The original Recipe from Tasty Kitchen Blog found here -

http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/drinks/herbed-lemonade/