Sweet and Simple Homemade Lemonade (Soy, Wheat, Nut, Fish, Milk and Egg-Free, Can Be Diabetic Friendly)

One of the easiest, most refreshing and most delicious drinks to make from scratch is lemonade.  Trust me; once you've made it from scratch, you won't want it any other way.  Besides that, it is soy (if you use all soy-free ingredients), wheat, nut, fish, milk and egg-free and can be diabetic friendly as well (see variations)!  What have you got to lose?!?!

I got this recipe from my mother, but I'm sure it is probably not original to her.  Lemonade has been around for ages, so I'm sure everyone has a little bit of their own take or spin on it.  At any rate, I do hope you try it and that you love it and learn that homemade lemonade is just as easy as those little packets full of bad-for-you junk and tastes soooo much better!

 Sweet and Simple Homemade Lemonade

1 Cup lemon juice, fresh or concentrate

1 Cup white sugar

cold water

1. Place the lemon juice and sugar into a 2-quart pitcher and fill it with water until it is about an inch to half inch from the top; stir well. (Note: If you think that is too much lemon juice or sugar, feel free to start with half the amount of either or both and add more as you desire.)
2. Taste the lemonade.  If it is too sweet, add more lemon juice (a Tablespoon at a time, stirring and tasting between each addition).  If it is too sour, add more sugar (a Tablespoon at a time, stirring and tasting between each addition).  Once the mixture is to your liking taste-wise, serve immediately over ice if desired or put in the fridge to chill and serve later.

Makes 2 quarts.

Variations (Please keep in mind your individual allergen needs when using substitutions!):

• Diabetic Friendly: If you can have honey, you can sub that for the sugar, but the taste will definitely not be the same.  You can also sub any sugar substitute that you desire for the sugar.  The amount you use is based on preference, but remember that sometimes less is more, so start with less than you think you need (1/2 Cup tops) and then add more after you've stirred and tasted the mixture.
   
• Lemon-Limeade: Use half lime juice, half lemon juice and make as directed.
   
• Orange Lemonade: Cut the lemon juice and sugar in half and fill the pitcher until half full and stir well.  Taste to make sure that it is to your desired sweetness/tartness, and then fill the remainder of the picture with orange juice; stir well.
   
• Festive Ice: For a fun, festive flare, serve the lemonade or a variation of it over frozen berries instead of ice.
   
• Sparkling Lemonade: Use seltzer/carbonated water instead of the regular water.
• Other Flavors: You can also use grapefruit juice with the lemon juice and/or lime juice (up to 1 Cup total juice) and turn it into a grapefruit-lemon-limeade, you can make it half lemon-limeade then add orange juice, you can make it half lemonade and then add pineapple juice, you can add any frozen fruit as your "ice" after whatever variation of the lemonade is that you make is done and/or you can garnish it with lemon slices or whatever sliced fruit you like - you can do so many variations and combinations.  Have fun playing with the flavors!

And that's it!   Easy, right?

So simple and so many ways to fancy it up and make it work for you.  Gotta love that!

What's your favorite spring/summer must have food/drink (non-alcoholic) item?

(This recipe was originally posted on my original site, Natural and Free.)