Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade

It’s been so hot around here lately, that anything cool sounds so good. The other night we had friends over for dinner and with the mrs. being pregnant, we coulndnt’ server wine or cocktails. Well, I guess we could have, and she would have had to have an alternate, but since Sean and I don’t drink that much, we were fine skipping for that night. We were having a barbeque with chicken shish kebab’s, kale feta salad and grilled multi-grain bread. I wanted to make a drink that was festive, more of a mocktail but also cool and refreshing.  This sparkling strawberry lemonade made with FRESH lemons and FRESH strawberries fit the bill. Adding the sparkling soda at the end made this drink festive and would be fun to serve for anything from a summer bbq to a bridal shower.

I prepped the strawberries and lemonade earlier in the afternoon and kept it cool in the fridgerator. Once our guests arrived, I added the sparkling soda, that way we didn’t loose any of the fizz.

Once cooked, strain the strawberries through a fine mesh sieve. Don’t throw away the strawberries! They will taste so delicious in another recipe or with some delicious vanilla ice cream.

Lemon is my absolute favorite and when it’s in a dessert or sweet drink I love it even more! From lemon drop martinis, lemon bars or lemonade, I can’t get enough. This drink is so perfect for the summers.

Once you make this Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade, don’t forget to check out some of my other summer drinks like Cold Brew Coffee and Ice Blended Mocha Frappuccino.

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Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade

Ingredients

• 2/3 cups white sugar
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups strawberries
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemonade (4-5 large lemons)
• 4-5 cups sparkling water or club soda

Instructions

1. Combine the sugar, water, and strawberries in a saucepan.

2. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the sugar is melted and strawberries are cooked. Using a fork or masher, mash the strawberries as they are cooking.
   

3. Remove from the heat and pass through a fine sieve. Let the strawberry syrup cool completely.
   

4. While mixture is cooking on the stove, start squeezing your lemons. Juice the lemons until you have 1 cup juice.
   

5. Combine cooled strawberry syrup and lemon juice.
   

6. If serving immediately, add sparkling water to taste (I like to use 4 cups, but if it's too sweet, use more, if adding a lot of ice, use less).
   

7. Serve immediately and enjoy!
   

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