Strawberry lemonade (refined sugar-free)

You should imagine the fresh strawberry garnish, not in the photo!

Summer is almost here, time to get the cold drinks out!  Using the recipe from ‘Color Me Vegan‘ by Coleen Patrick-Goudreau, I substituted granulated sugar for fruit sugar, for the usual benefits of avoiding refined sugar.

Ingredients

• 7 ice cubes
• 1 cup (235 ml) fresh lemon juice (about 6 medium lemons)
• 5 cups (1175 ml) cold water
• 120 g fruit sugar, (instead of 200 g granulated sugar) – adjust to your sweetness preference
• 6 – 8 whole strawberries, stems removed, plus more for garnish

Method

1. Dissolve the fruit sugar in the water on a low heat on the hob; this stops it being too crystaline, which can happen with fruit sugar.  Allow the water to chill again before continuing. (You can skip this step if using granulated sugar.)
2. In a blender, whiz the ice up a little, then add the lemon juice, water and sugar.  Blend and taste – you may wish to add more sugar, lemon or water to suit your taste.
3. Next, add the strawberries, and blend to the texture you prefer.
4. Serve in a pitcher or glasses.  Makes about 1.5 litres.

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