The summer heat always makes an ice cold drink taste so much better- and I want to share some ways to amp up your regular liquid refreshment. From mixing up an easy cocktail to getting creative with a glass of water, these drink ideas will put a little spark in your normal routine. Try one or try them all- and tell me below which one you think you will enjoy the most!

If you follow me on Instagram (and if you don’t, you can click here to follow!), you may have seen the live video that I did with my fun friend Ellen. Ellen and I created this drink for Mother’s Day and it turned out so great!! We were pretty impressed with ourselves with the finished product. Ellen figured out the proportions that we needed while I worked away at squeezing all of the lemons in the house!

As you can see from Ellen’s notes above, we started with 4 ingredients- but then decided to add a fifth ingredient. We added a lemon-flavored sparkling water to top it off. We really loved the flavor that the sparkling water added, but you may prefer it without. It is totally up to your preference, but I think it complements the flavors nicely and ties it all together! Ellen also wanted to use a flowery flavor and so she chose St. Germain to mix with lemon juice, a simple syrup, and vodka. It’s a perfect combo!

Ellen’s Elderberry Lemonade Cocktail

Lydia Menzies

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Servings 2 drinks

Ingredients

  

• 8 oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 6-8 lemons)
• 2 oz. vodka (we used Tito's)
• 2 oz. St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
• 2 oz. Simple Syrup* (sugar and water)
• Lemon-flavored Sparkling water to top off
• Shaker with ice

Instructions

 

• *Make simple syrup (it really is simple!) by heating 1 cup water with 1 cup sugar and stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool before using in your drink.
• Juice the lemons and pour the juice into cocktail shaker.
• Add vodka, St. Germain, and simple syrup.
• Close shaker and shake.
• Pour liquid into glasses filled with ice.
• Top with desired amount of lemon sparkling water.
• Garnish with lemon slice and a flower and enjoy!

INFUSED WATER

For another simple but delicious way to add a little oomph to your summertime drinks, try infusing water with some of your favorite fruits or veggies. There is a reason a spa always adds a little cucumber or lemon to the water that they make available- it is refreshing and healthy! I love this method for adding flavor to water while also adding nutrients!

For my family, I first tried 3 different variations in 3 different pitchers. These were our favorites in order of our favorites. 🙂

1. Celery and Cucumber (adult favorite)
2. Apple Grape (kid favorite)
3. Kiwi Pear

To infuse water, all you have to do is chop the desired fruits and/or vegetables. Place the fruits and veggies in a pitcher of drinking water and let set for 2-8 hours. I usually make it at night and then it is fully infused in the morning.

After the water is infused, remove the fruits and veggies as they will have absorbed water and will not be so great to eat. My kids didn’t believe me and wanted to taste the water-logged fruit- they are believers now. 🙂 I did add freshly cut fruit and veggies to the glasses just before pouring to serve. A striped straw adds an extra fun touch and some extra color!

There are so many options of what to add to water to infuse it- from herbs to berries. I would love to hear some of your favorite choices! Leave me a comment and tell me what sounds good to you!

PITAYA SPARKLING WATER

Mmmmm…just typing that heading makes me wish for a glass of pitaya sparkling water right now! I have been so happy to discover pitaya powder to add to my drinks and recipes. The color is fabulous and all-natural- it kind of just makes you feel happy when you make it and drink it! This is truly as simple as it gets- and the return on time spent making this is almost foolproof- it always seems to be a hit! It is as easy as adding a pinch or a 1/4 teaspoon to a glass of sparkling water. Pitaya powder has a sweet flavor and so you can start there and add more as you like to discover just how much you like to add.

Another option is to make ice cubes using water with pitaya powder. Simply mix pitaya powder (1 teaspoon to start and add more if you like) in a small pitcher of water and stir well. Taste and add more pitaya powder if you would like. Pour the water mixture into ice cube trays and freeze. When the ice cubes are ready to be used, place them in a glass and pour sparkling water over the cubes and watch the color magic happen. Add a paper straw in a pretty design, and sip away!

What is pitaya powder you ask? And, where do you find it?

Pitaya is also known as dragonfruit. It has a bright pink natural color and is full of nutritional goodness. It is as healthy as it is beautiful! Pitaya is full of Vitamin C, Vitamin B proteins, fiber, and essential acids. It is known as a “super fruit” and helps with digestion, the immune system, and with metabolism. I buy mine at Suncore Foods. The ladies that run the company are wonderful to work with and really love what they do! If you would like more examples of how I use pitaya powder, I will share more soon.

I hope these ideas inspire you to perk up a plain drink or serve something creative and fun at your next get-together! I always love greeting guests with something fun to sip – and I enjoy making something special for my family on a regular night at home, too! Variety is definitely a spice of life and so I encourage you to spice it up with a simple tricks that turn ordinary into extraordinary! You know I love to hear what you think! Leave me a comment below and share any feedback or ideas that you have!

Happy Sipping!

xo,

Lydia