This drink's vibrant color and tangy sweet combo will definitely excite your tastebuds. After one sip, you'll be saying that this is your favorite refresher for summer time.
During hot summer days, having an ice cold, and truly refreshing drink is a must have. Luckily, I have the perfect fix for those cravings: Strawberry Hibiscus Lemonade. Yup, you heard that right. This drink is a combination of one of my favorite flowers to use in teas, sweet strawberries, and fresh lemons. Plus, you only need 5 ingredients, how easy! Happy making friends!!
Health Benefits:
Hibiscus is a crazy beneficial flower. For starters, it's super rich in antioxidants and can prevent cell damage caused by compounds called free radicals. Not only that but many studies have shown that it can actually lower blood pressure and lower blood fat levels. Both of these are risk factors for heart disease. Another amazing benefit to these flowers is that it can actually promote weight loss and can protect against obesity. One study conducted in 2019 has shown that after 12 weeks, the hibiscus extract resulted in a decrease in body fat, body mass index, and body weight. The health benefits found in the strawberries and lemons are also great. These fruits are packed with vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, potassium, manganese and many more.
Recipe Details:
Yield: 3 servings
Time spent
Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes | Total time: 1 hour
Ingredients
Hibiscus Base
2 tbsp + 1 tsp dry Hibiscus
2 1/2 cups water
Strawberry Puree
Handful of strawberries
2 tbsp granulated sugar
Liquid sugar
1:1 ratio; sugar to water. This step really depends on how sweet you like your drinks. (I did 1/2 cup of both water and sugar)
Lemonade
1 Lemon
Instructions
Start by putting your water and hibiscus in a pot
Place the pot on a stove at medium heat for about 5 minute. Let it steep or about 25 minutes.
Prep your strawberries by cutting off the leaves and cutting them into smaller pieces.
Start a double boil (a heatproof bowl set over a post of simmering water) at medium heat and place your strawberries on it. Add your sugar.
Strain your strawberry puree through a sieve and set it aside.
Juice the lemon.
Combine the hibiscus (without it's flowers), strawberry, and lemonade. Put it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Serve cold.
Tips
When using the sieve to strain for juice, do not press on the strawberries. Stir gently. This will prevent the juice from becoming cloudy instead of clear.
Hibiscus tea and lemonade are super sour. To decrease it's tartness you can add more of the liquid sugar or even just add some plain sugar. I'm a sour kinda gal so this recipe is on the tangier side.
Add ice!! This recipe is best served cold for those hot summer days.