Honey-Ginger Lemonade

MAKES 8 CUPS · VEGETARIAN, GF, DF

One of my favorite flavor combinations is lemon and ginger. This is a healthier version of lemonade and my kids love it. I sweeten it with both raw honey and freshly squeezed orange juice instead of loads of refined sugar. I love the kick that ginger adds; if you’re like me, feel free to add even more ginger!

6 cups room-temperature water

½ cup honey, preferably raw, plus more to taste

⅓ cup peeled, sliced fresh ginger

1½ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (9 to 11 lemons)

½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

3 to 4 cups ice cubes

1. Place 2 cups of the water and the honey and ginger in a blender and blend on high speed until emulsified. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl or pitcher.

2. Add the remaining 4 cups of water, lemon juice, orange juice, and ice to the pitcher and enjoy.

TIPS: If you don’t like the flavor of honey or want to prepare this recipe as totally vegan, you can use ½ cup of superfine cane sugar instead, but honey is much more natural.

Raw honey is unrefined (except by bees) and contains many enzymes, vitamins, and phytonutrients, making it a higher-quality choice over refined sugar. Pasteurized honey, however, has lost all of its live enzymes and may have actually been chemically refined. Raw honey is still a concentrated sweetener and therefore should be consumed in moderation.