Sparkling Ginger Turmeric Lemonade
There’s nothing quite as refreshing on a sun-filled afternoon as an ice cold lemonade.
The sweet, puckering sip that meets your lips, the cold drip of drink perspiration that rolls down your glass and hits your sun soaked leg. Sitting outdoors with a glass of icy lemonade and a good book is the image I try to take my mind to when the real world has me feeling less than relaxed.
And when I am feeling particularly stressed, I know that this Sparkling Ginger Turmeric Lemonade will give my body the immune boost that it is crying out for.
I always keep a bowl of lemons within arm’s reach, and when I’m down to the last one, I get unreasonably anxious. I coax the juice out of at least one lemon a day- where it will end up whisked into a salad dressing, squeezed over fish, or stirred into a glass of water.
I’m happy to squeeze all of those lemons, because not only are they delicious, they also happen to be incredibly cleansing to our insides as well. Lemon juice (from real lemons, not a squeeze bottle that lives immortaly in your refrigerator door) aids in digestion, cleanses the liver, and gives the old immune system a jump start.
Plus, they’re tasty. So who can complain?
Not really fond of the old adage about life handing you lemons, seeing as I’m a lemon lover and all.
I think that when life hands you lemons, you ought to politely thank life, and swiftly squeeze them into a tall glass of lemonade.
If you’re really interested in making that lemonade work for you, then I would suggest throwing in some ginger and turmeric, too. On their own, these ingredients work wonders on an ailing body; together, they are sort of like the dream team.
I’m a huge fan of turmeric because of its long list of health giving properties, and there is now evidence that it is as effective or more than 14 prescription and over the counter medications. Good news for folks like myself, who prefer to steer clear of pharmaceuticals when at all possible.
The one side effect that I am aware of with turmeric usage is orange stained fingers. Worth the risk, for me anyway.
I keep jars of both ground ginger and turmeric in my spice cabinet, and I give both of them a shake or two almost daily. For this lemonade though, try to get your hands on the fresh versions. Fresh turmeric, in particular, has a completely different taste than its powdered alter ego- plus, you’ll get to live dangerously and get your fingers good and stained.
If you can’t find it fresh, don’t fret. We’re making lemonade after all, and our aim is to be as relaxed as possible when we sit down to drink it.
I like to use sparkling water for this lemonade, because the bubbles somehow make it feel a bit more fancy. So much so, that I almost forget I’m sitting in my backyard in a plastic fold out lawn chair.
Almost.
Ingredients
- 4 inches fresh turmeric
- 2 inches fresh ginger
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 6 lemons)
- 4 tbs coconut sugar or 3 tbs honey
- 12 oz sparkling water
Instructions
- Peel turmeric and ginger and dice into small pieces. Add to a small saucepan with one cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- While you wait, juice lemons.
- Strain turmeric/ginger pieces and return liquid to saucepan. Stir in coconut sugar or honey until dissolved.
- Combine sweetened turmeric/ginger liquid with lemon juice and stir well. Pour sparkling water over top.
- Fill glasses with ice, and pour lemonade. Sip, relax, and enjoy.
Notes
Depending on the tartness of your lemons and your preference for sweet, you may want to add more coconut sugar/honey.
Cheers to lawn chairs and immune boosting beverages!
7 responses to “Sparkling Ginger Turmeric Lemonade”
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[…] Get the recipe. […]
This sounds like an excellent recipe and will try this today. So glad we were blessed with a volunteer lemon tree that produces so much fruit.
It’s super hot and muggy here today, maybe I’ll do the same and join you for a virtual toast! (Unfortunately no volunteer lemon tree for me though) π
[…] 25. Sparkling Ginger Turmeric Lemonade […]
what amounts if you are using powdered turmeric and ginger?
Hi! I’ve never tried it with powdered, just fresh. I think the powdered may just sink to the bottom and not be as nice. If you give it a try, let me know!
[…] Recipe inspired from https://reclaimingyesterday.com/sparkling-ginger-turmeric-lemonade/ […]