Summer is here!
The days are getting hotter, and the need to stay hydrated is a must. Lately, I've been infusing my regular boring water with slices of lemon and lime. It really got me thinking about creating homemade juice while incorporating mint and basil, two of my favorite herbs. One morning my son asked for pineapple, and I started concocting this delicious and refreshing summer drink. Now you can too!
Here's what you'll need:
4 cups chilled water
2 cups pineapple juice
2 cups pineapple chunks (canned, fresh, or frozen)
3 fresh limes
1/4 cup sugar
Handful of mint leaves
Handful of basil leaves
Fill your pitcher with the chilled water. I wrote down 4 cups because that was the halfway mark on my pitcher. Pour in the pineapple juice and stir. I used canned pineapple chunks, so the juice was drained from that.
Cut each lime in half and squeeze the juice into the pitcher. Place the halves of lime in a small bowl and set aside.
Stir in the sugar and pineapple chunks. Use this time to test the sweetness of the limenade and adjust the flavor by adding a tablespoon of sugar to make it sweeter or a 1/4 cup of water to make it less sweet. I added a bit of extra sugar...What can I say, I'm a rebel!
Now toss in all those luscious herb leaves! Take one half of the squeezed lime, cut slices, and add to the pitcher. Stir for about 30 seconds. Take a large glass, drop in a few ice cubes, and fill 'er up!
Enjoy being refreshed by the yummy lime zest and sweet pineapple. The combination between the real fruit and herbs makes this drink a nice detox cleanser that will help boost energy, especially after a long hot day of fun. Spice up the glasses at a party by using pineapple, lime slices, and a mint or basil stem as a garnish.
