Altered Lemonade

 "We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons."  Anna Katharine Green

Basil Lemonade

This is a simple recipe for a refreshing summer drink.  It's basically lemonade with fresh basil added.  Now, you ask, who in the world would want to add fresh basil to lemonade.  How about someone who's planted way too much basil and their freezer is already bursting with little frozen cubes of pesto.

Other reasons for adding fresh basil to lemonade is because the drink is delicious, basil is so darn good for you, and because somebody planted way too much basil.

To substantiate my claim of the nutritional goodness of basil I quote that source of infinite wisdom and knowledge, the Internet.  Simply Google, basil nutritional benefits, and learn, among other things, that basil is a great source of vitamin K, which is good for your bones, vitamin A, which is a great anti-oxidant, and iron, which helps with the oxygen carrying capacity of your blood.  All this just for getting rid of too much basil!

So there are two recipes for this drink.  One is to purchase frozen lemonade and whip it up in a blender with some fresh basil.  Option number two is a recipe for people who are trying to omit sugar from their diets.  The distructions follow.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup agave nectar, more or less according to taste
Fresh basil, according to taste
Additional sprig of basil for garnish if you're trying to impress someone, or if you just have too much basil. 

Whip up in blender.  Pour over a glass filled with ice.  Let it sit a bit to allow the ice to melt down.  Add more ice.  Enjoy!

Loveya
The Mom