Garden-to-Table Recipe: Infused Water

Infused water takes the boring out of H20.

Years ago, I used to crave the carbonation of an ice-cold can of Diet Dr. Pepper, but I ditched soda when I got serious about my health. Now I'm one of those people that takes their water bottle with them everywhere! Most of the time I'm content with just plain water, but on those hot days when I’m out weeding the garden, or if we are having friends over for dinner, I do like to step it up and add a little flavor with infused water.

My favorite infused water recipes for summertime are simple lemonade and lemon balm tea, and they are made with herbs I grew in my kitchen garden. It doesn't get fresher than that!

Simple Lemonade Infused Water Recipe

This lemonade is easy, simple and clean with just three ingredients! Amp it up by adding mint, ginger or berries!

Ingredients

4.5 cups of water
½ - ¾ cups of fresh squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup maple syrup

Directions

Blend or whisk all ingredients together. Add a few berries or mint sprig or change it to lemon-lime for a twist!

Lemon Balm Tea

A friend introduced to lemon balm tea this past summer. I’ve had lemon balm growing in the garden for years, but I never really knew what to do with it. Lemon balm is known to have calming effects, helps with digestion and improves cognitive function, so I was excited to find a way to incorporate it into my diet. My recipe for lemon balm tea infused water isn’t an exact science, but it’s been a refreshing drink to have, hot or cold, throughout the summer. Experiment with your own variations and let me know what twist you put on it!

Lemon Balm Tea Infused Water Recipe

Ingredients

8 cups of water
A large bunch of Lemon Balm leaves – ¾-1 cup (I cut a bunch and toss it in a pot of water)
A few spoonfuls of honey, to taste

Directions

Throw the lemon balm in water in a pot and simmer for a few hours – sometimes, I let mine sit overnight and strain in the morning. Add honey and strain into a pitcher. You can drink it warm or refrigerate for iced tea. I prefer to drink it cold in the summertime!

Enjoy! You can catch up with more of my favorite garden-to-table recipes by following me on Pinterest!