Purple Basil Lemonade

In this recipe, basil is crushed with sugar to release the oils. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, process the basil, sugar, and about 1/4 cup of the water in a food processor or blender.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4  cups  water
• 1/2  cup  fresh lemon juice
• 1/2  cup  loosely packed purple basil leaves (about 1/4 ounce)
• 6  tablespoons  sugar
• 4  cups  ice
• 4  purple basil sprigs

Preparation

1. Combine 4 cups water and juice in a large bowl. Place 1/2 cup basil and sugar in a mortar; pound with pestle until a paste forms. Add sugar mixture to juice mixture; stir until sugar dissolves. Strain mixture through a sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Place 1 cup ice in each of 4 glasses. Pour about 1 cup lemonade into each glass; garnish each serving with 1 basil sprig.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

82

Fat:

0.0g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.0g)

Protein:

0.3g

Carbohydrate:

21.6g

Fiber:

0.4g

Cholesterol:

0.0mg

Iron:

0.2mg

Sodium:

5mg

Calcium:

16mg