Now that we are full swing into summer, I’m sure that the heat is starting to set in depending on where you are.  Here are some yummy, refreshing summer drinks to keep your mind off the rising heat:

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Honey Lemonade with Fresh Mint

Ingredients:

• 1 cup honey, raw honey recommended
• 1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice, seeds removed
• 2 lemons, sliced into thin rounds
• 8 cups water
• 1/2 cup loosely packed mint leaves

Directions:

Heat 1 cup of water on the stovetop over high heat until steaming. Remove from heat and add honey, stir until dissolved. Allow to chill in the refrigerator.

Add to pitcher chilled honey mixture, remaining water, fresh lemon juice, and lemon slices, stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Add ice to individual glasses, if desired. Serve with fresh mint leaves. Enjoy!

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Thai Iced Tea

Ingredients:

Option #1 - Thai Tea Mix Ingredients:

• 1 cup (80g) Pantai Thai Tea Mix
• 4 cups (960ml) water
• 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
• about 1 cup (240ml) half and half (some folks also use coconut milk, whole milk, sweetened condensed milk)
• ice

Option #2 - Using Organic Tea Bags Ingredients:

• 4 cups (960ml) water
• 4 organic black tea bags
• 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 2 anise stars
• 1 green cardamom pod, smashed
• 2 whole cloves
• about 1 cup (240ml) half and half (some folks also use coconut milk, whole milk, sweetened condensed milk)
• ice

Directions:

Option #1 - Thai Tea Mix Directions:

1. Bring water to boil and add the thai tea mix. Add sugar and gently stir to completely dissolve sugar. Gently boil tea for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Allow tea to steep for at least 30 minutes and allow it to cool. The more concentrated the tea flavor, the better the Thai tea tastes.
3. If you are using the Thai tea mix, strain the tea leaves. Set finished Thai tea aside to cool.
4. You can make this ahead of time and have the Thai tea chilling in the fridge. We usually like to make this tea mix one day ahead.
5. Fill glasses with ice and pour in Thai tea leaving enough room to fill in your half and half (or other creamer). For an 8 oz. glass we like to add about 2-3 tablespoons of half and half for a creamier flavor.

Option #2 - Using Organic Tea Bags Directions:

1. Bring water to boil and add the tea bags, sugar, anise starts, cardamom pod and cloves. Stir until all the sugar disolves. Gently boil tea for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Allow tea to steep for at least 30 minutes and allow it to cool. The more concentrated the tea flavor, the better the Thai tea tastes. We prefer to allow the tea bags to seep for about 2 hours for maximum flavor. During this time, the thai tea can cool.
3. Remove the tea bags and spoon out the anise starts, cardamom pod and cloves. If tea is still warm, we will refrigerate it so it can be chilled.
4. You can make this ahead of time and have the organic Thai tea chilling in the fridge.
5. Fill glasses with ice and pour in organic Thai tea leaving enough room to fill in your half and half (or other creamer). For an 8 oz. glass we like to add about 2-3 tablespoons of half and half for a creamier flavor.

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Coconut Lavender Lemonade

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups fresh squeezed lemon juice, from about 9 lemons
• 1¾ cups sugar
• 8 cups coconut water
• 4 cups water
• ½ recipe Lavender Simple Syrup (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Place lemon juice, sugar, coconut water, and water into a pitcher and shake or stir vigorously until all the sugar is dissolved. I prefer to shake because it aerates the lemonade and makes a nice head on top.
2. Pour ½ of the lavender syrup into the pitcher and stir. You can add more or less lavender syrup to your personal taste. I personally find that ½ of the lavender syrup recipe is a good balance.
3. *add spirits for an adult beverage

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Strawberry Lemonade

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups fresh strawberries , halved
• 4 lemons
• 1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)
• water
• ice

Directions:

1. Place strawberries and 1 cup water in a blender. Blend until smooth and strain using a fine mesh strainer. Juice the lemons (you should get about 1 cup of juice).
2. In a small jar, combine sugar and 1/2 cup water. Shake until sugar is completely dissolved.
3. In a 2 quart pitcher add strawberry juice, lemon juice and about 3/4 of the sugar mixture. Fill the pitcher halfway with ice. Add4-5 cups of cold water and stir.
4. Add more sugar mixture if desired. Serve cold.

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Raspberry Peach Lemonade

Ingredients:

Raspberry Peach Puree:

• 4 fresh peaches, pitted, then diced into large chunks
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 1/4 cups water 

Simple Syrup:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water

Lemonade:

• 7 cups cold water
• 1 1/4 cups fresh lemon juice (from approximately 4 lemons)
• ice cubes
• additional raspberries, for garnish optional
• additional peach slices, for garnish optional
• mint sprigs, for garnishoptional

Directions:

1. Add diced peaches, raspberries and water to a food processor or blender and process until pureed.
2. Place a sieve over a large mixing bowl and pour peach raspberry puree into the sieve. Use the back of a large spoon to push the puree around so the liquid falls through the sieve and seeds/skin stay inside the sieve.
3. Discard seeds/skin from the sieve and set mixing bowl with liquid in it aside.
4. Add granulated sugar and 1/2 cup water to a small saucepan and heat over MED heat until sugar dissolves into the water, stirring occasionally. Boil about 3 minutes until liquid has become syrupy. Set aside to cool slightly.
5. Add 7 cups water, lemon juice and ice cubes to a large pitcher. Stir to combine. Pour in cooled simple syrup and peach raspberry liquid. Stir to combine again.
6. Store covered in refrigerator until ready to serve.  Serve chilled with garnishes, if desired

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Watermelon Lemonade

Ingredients:

• 6 cups cubed seedless watermelon, chilled
• 4 cups cold water
• 3/4 cup fresh strained lemon juice, chilled
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar (more or less to taste)
• Ice and fresh mint for serving

Directions:

• Add watermelon to a blender and pulse until well pureed (there should be about 4 cups). Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl.
• In a large pitcher whisk together water, lemon juice and sugar until sugar has dissolved. Stir in pureed watermelon. Stir in ice and mint (alternately add ice and mint directly to individual cups and pour lemonade over). Store in refrigerator.
• *If you don't have time to chill the ingredients then just use more ice in place of some of the water.