Tag: lemonade

Strawberry Lemonade Smoothie

Colleen James4 Comments

Sweet, tart, tangy, creamy, and refreshing in every sip!

Last year, I wanted to create a strawberry lemonade after posting my spiced lemonade (found here: https://anticipatingadventure.com/2021/05/16/spiced-lemonade/) and frozen watermelon lemonade recipe (found here: https://anticipatingadventure.com/2021/07/12/frozen-watermelon-lemonade/). Unfortunately, I didn’t get around to it, but I have had it on my mind ever since, so I was determined to create a strawberry lemonade recipe before this summer slipped by.

I’ve known for a while that I wanted to use freeze-dried strawberries in my recipe to really draw out the sweet, strawberry flavor, but this summer I also opted to try my hand at a creamier version of strawberry lemonade. I knew that a creamier drink would help to balance out the acidity of the lemons as well as the tangy and tart flavors of the strawberries and lemon juice, which sounded like the best option.

After several attempts, I’m very pleased with the final outcome. This smoothie is tangy, tart, sweet, creamy, and utterly refreshing all at once. Packed with vitamin C and a healthy dose of protein, this lemonade would make for a great breakfast on the go or an afternoon snack. Or, enjoy it as a post-dinner dessert with friends and without the guilt! This smoothie tastes so decadent that no one would ever guess how nutritious it is!

 Although the summer is quickly racing by (can you believe it is August already?!), there is still ample opportunity to enjoy this easy, healthy, and delicious smoothie, so make yourself one today and see just how good and refreshing it is! You won’t regret it!

STRAWBERRY LEMONADE SMOOTHIE

Ingredients

  • 2 c frozen sliced strawberries
  • 1 c strawberry yogurt
  • 1 c milk of choice
  • 1/3 c freshly squeezed lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 2 T honey or more, to taste
  • 1 package (0.6 oz bag) sweetened freeze-dried strawberries

Instructions

Add the strawberries, yogurt, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and honey to a blender and blend thoroughly, then add the freeze-dried strawberries and blend again for a few seconds. Pour into glasses and enjoy! Serves 2-4 cups.

TIP: Freeze any leftovers into popsicles for a tasty, frozen treat! My 4-year-old wholeheartedly approves of this method!

Frozen Watermelon Lemonade

Colleen James10 Comments

I thought I was so clever when I first “created” this recipe. It came about when I discovered a plump, ripe watermelon sitting on my counter after a 4th of July potluck I had hosted the day before.

My younger sister, who was also my roommate at the time, came home later that day from a trip out of town and realized my predicament. I don’t like watermelon. Fortunately, she does. She cut up the juicy fruit and enjoyed some, and then she decided to freeze the rest so that we could figure out what to do with what remained.

A few days later, we still had some lemonade in the refrigerator from the party, so I decided to blend some of the then-frozen watermelon with the juice on a whim. I figured I might be able to consume the watermelon in that manner and avoid wasting it in the end.

Fortunately, the watermelon lemonade combination was fantastic! It was refreshing, tangy, and sweet, and I found myself making more with the remaining frozen watermelon soon after and then making it in the summertime in the years to follow.

Years later, when my older brother and his family came to visit my family and me, I decided to make them this special “creation” and impress them with my culinary skills. I quickly discovered, however, that they had been making a version of this lemonade for years themselves! Since then, I’ve seen this recipe pop up quite a bit online as well.

All that to say, I may need to consider quoting Ecclesiastes 1:9 in all of my recipe blogposts from now on—the verse that reminds us that there is nothing new under the sun. 😊

This recipe may not be new, but it is definitely the perfect summer drink, so if you haven’t tried it for yourself, here’s an updated version of what I made so many years ago. Also, be sure to check out my Spiced Lemonade recipe, found here: https://anticipatingadventure.com/2021/05/16/spiced-lemonade/. And as always, please let me know what you think of these recipes if you try them. I would love to hear from you!

FROZEN WATERMELON LEMONADE

Ingredients:

  • 3 large lemons, juice of (slightly over ½ cup)
  • 4 c frozen watermelon*
  • 1/3 c monk fruit in the raw (or sweetener of choice)
  • 1 c water

Instructions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Serve and enjoy! Makes 3-4 cups.

*When freezing watermelon, I suggest cutting the fruit into cubes and freezing it in smaller, one-cup portions in sealed sandwich bags. This will make it easier to fit into the blender when it comes time to make the lemonade.