Summer has started in earnest - and with it the sunny, hot days. When the heat is pouring from the sky, it is worth paying special attention to daily hydration. And how do you ensure you drink the right amount of fluids? By opening up the production of... homemade lemonade! Here are some recipes for tasty, refreshing lemonades just in time for this hot spell - perfect for old and young alike.
Traditional lemonades - a dose of health and refreshment
When we talk about lemonade, we usually mean a strongly lemony drink with a hint of honey or sugar. It is this classic variant that is so beloved by big and small. Not only does it taste delicious, but it is also great for hydration and guarantees a dose of valuable vitamin C. When you prepare it yourself in your kitchen, you can decide on the amount of fruit, sugar or favourite additives - so that the whole family can delight in its taste.
A classic of all classics - lemonade
Ingredients for 1.5 litres of lemonade:
- 6 large lemons;
- 1 lime;
- one litre of water;
- 4 tablespoons of sugar;
- ice cubes;
- mint leaves.
Preparation:
1. Wash the lemons and lime, peel and squeeze well - so that about 400-500 ml of juice is produced. You can use a slow or manual juicer to do this.
2. Pour water over the sugar and cook over low heat until you have the consistency of syrup, then leave to cool.
3. Pour the citrus juice and syrup into a jug and fill to the top with water.
4. Refrigerate the lemonade for at least 30-60 minutes.
5. Serve the refreshing drink with ice cubes and mint leaves.
You can replace the sugar with your favourite honey or sweetener - and if you like extremely sour, crisp lemonade, you can do away with the 'sweetener' altogether!
All the citrus squeezers are waiting here!
How about... strawberry lemonade?
Summer is a favourite season for strawberry lovers. Round, sweet and juicy, they guarantee not only a great taste but also plenty of vitamins and valuable polyphenols. What about making lemonade out of them? It's a simple-to-prepare drink that the whole family will love.
Ingredients for 1.8 litres of lemonade:
- half a kg of strawberries;
- 1 lemon;
- a litre of water;
- ice cubes;
- 3 tablespoons of fine sugar or icing sugar.
Preparation:
1. Wash the strawberries under running water and remove the stalks.
2. Squeeze the lemon juice into the finished fruit and add the sugar.
3. Blend the whole thing to a smooth pulp, then pour it into a jug.
4. Add water, stir and put the lemonade in the fridge for about 30-60 minutes.
5. Pour the drink into glasses with ice cubes - you can also use mint leaves to decorate.
If you need a professional fruit blender, it's waiting here!
Cucumber, cucumber, cucumber... in a version of refreshing lemonade
It might seem that the only right ingredients for a refreshing lemonade are fruits. However, it turns out that this unique summer drink can also be made from... cucumbers! After all, it is precisely at this time of year that they are the tastiest and juiciest. What else do you need to enjoy the taste of a perfectly crisp cucumber lemonade?
Ingredients:
- half a large cucumber;
- 1 lime;
- mint leaves;
- 2 litres of water.
Preparation:
1. Wash the cucumber well and slice it lengthwise into long, very thin slices - without peeling it (you can also cut it into classic round slices).
2. Place the cucumber pieces in a jug.
3. Squeeze most of the lime juice and cut the rest into slices with the peel.
4. Pour the lime juice into the jug with the cucumbers and add the lime slices.
5. Pour water over the lemonade, add the mint leaves and stir.
6. Chill the lemonade in the fridge before serving.
Summer in the tropics - wonderful exotic lemonades
Lemonade has more than one name - and although the classic version with lemon and sugar is the most popular choice, other versions are just as delightful. For all fans of exotic drinks and cocktails, today we have lemonade recipes with tropical fruits that taste like nothing else in summer!
Watermelon loosie... or watermelon lemonade perfect for relaxing in the garden
Watermelon lemonade is one of the most popular options next to the traditional lemon variant. It is the ideal choice for the hottest weather - watermelon is made up of almost 93% water and also has plenty of potassium and small amounts of sodium. As a result, its consumption (in any form) perfectly hydrates the body. How do you make homemade watermelon lemonade that will steal many a heart?
Ingredients for 1.5 litres of lemonade:
- 1.5 kg of watermelon;
- ¾ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3 pieces);
- 100 g of fine sugar - optional;
- 500 ml of water;
- Ice cubes.
Preparation:
1. Remove the skin from the watermelon and remove all the hard (black) seeds, then dice it.
2. Add the lemon juice and sugar to the watermelon (you can also replace it with honey or sweetener).
3. Blend the watermelon and the additives to a smooth paste, e.g. using a blender, and in order to get rid of the remaining seeds, strain the whole thing through a sieve.
4. Add cold water to the watermelon juice.
5. Chill the lemonade in the fridge and serve with ice cubes.
Lemonade carafes and jugs await!
Tango with mango - lemonade with mango and lime
Mango is a truly summer fruit that we immediately associate with tropical climates. Lemonade made from its pulp is another delicious drink for hot weather. You can prepare it in just a few moments!
Ingredients:
- 2 ripe mangoes;
- freshly squeezed juice from 2 limes and half a lemon;
- tablespoon of sugar - white or cane;
- 750 ml of water;
- lime slices;
- mint leaves.
Preparation:
1. Peel the mango, remove the stone and put it in a container to blend.
2. Add the citrus juice and sugar to it and blend everything until smooth.
3. Pour the mango pulp into a jug, top up with water and mix the whole thing.
4. Add the mint leaves and lime slices and put the lemonade in the fridge before serving.
The mango can also be swapped for melon - with either fruit the lemonade will taste unique!
With coffee drinkers in mind - lemon espresso
Lemonade does not necessarily have to mean a mixture of fruit, sugar and water. You can also add ingredients that are not so obvious, such as... espresso! Fans of the coffee experience will certainly enjoy the lemon espresso - lemonade iced coffee.
Ingredients:
- espresso or other strong coffee;
- freshly squeezed lemon juice;
- water;
- sugar, sweetener or honey;
- ice cubes.
Preparation:
1. Prepare an espresso or strong "brewed" coffee and let it cool.
2. Mix the fresh lemon juice with water and sugar, then pour the cooled coffee over it.
3. Chill the whole thing in the fridge and serve with ice cubes.
Tasteful lemonade glasses can be found here!
Ginger not just for winter - citrus-ginger lemonade
Ginger should not only be reserved for winter warming drinks - you can also use it for summer lemonade. Combined with citrus fruits, it will guarantee a unique flavour and at the same time provide you with lots of valuable vitamins. Check out how to prepare a citrus and ginger lemonade just in time for a hot summer afternoon.
Ingredients:
- 4 lemons;
- 1 orange;
- 3 cm piece of ginger;
- 100 g sugar;
- one litre of water;
- ice cubes;
- mint leaves.
Preparation:
1. Peel the ginger, grate it on a fine mesh and put it into a jug.
2. Scrub the peels of the citrus fruits, scald them thoroughly and cut them in halves.
3. Cut two slices of fruit and put them into the jug with the ginger, and squeeze the juice from the rest.
4. Add sugar, water and mint leaves.
5. Put the lemonade in the fridge and place ice cubes in the glasses before serving.
If you want to take your delicious and refreshing lemonade with you on a picnic or on your bike, don't forget a suitable beverage bottle!
Refreshing and cooling cocktails from celebrity recipes
Lemonade is an effective way to cool down, hydrate and refresh on a summer day - and popular celebrities know this best, as they share recipes for delicious cocktails with their followers on their social media. For example, Jennifer Garner from the TV series Agent with Two Faces sips a classic lemonade with sugar syrup in the summer, while Anna Lewandowska opts for the refreshing variant with ginger we already mentioned. Also very popular among celebrities is the so-called switchel - a refreshing drink that stimulates like a good cup of coffee, while effectively boosting immunity. It is a unique combination of water, lemon juice, ginger, maple syrup and a special ingredient - apple cider vinegar. The drink has been dubbed Hollywood's beauty elixir - why not add it to your summer menu too?
You already know how to prepare delicious, refreshing lemonades for the next hot days - so all that's left is to assemble the ingredients and try out different variants of the drink. And if you are lacking kitchen accessories which will make it easier to prepare it, in the FormAdore shop you will find both citrus squeezers and water jugs or original sets of glasses.
