Leafy Lemon Balm Lemonade
Nothing tastes better on a hot day than lemon balm lemonade. Its soothing, sweet, and sour taste helps cool the body and uplift the spirit.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh lemon balm leaves (or ⅓ cup dried)
- 1 quart water preferably spring or filtered
- ½ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- ½ cup raw local honey approximately or to taste*
Directions
- First, you’ll want to make a light infusion of lemon balm by adding the leaves to a French press, stainless steel pot, or teapot and pouring just boiled water over them (Safety note: some herbalists use mason jars for their infusions, but this is not a recommended practice, as mason jars sometimes have cracks and can break when exposed to boiling water.)
- Let this steep for 7-10 minutes, then strain out the leaves
- Next, add fresh-squeezed lemon juice and honey
- Mix everything up until the honey has dissolved
- Place this lemonade in the fridge so it can cool
- When you’re ready to serve, pour over ice and add a little sprig of lemon balm to each glass
Notes
*VERY IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE: Do not give honey to babies under one year, as there is a possibility that botulism (Clostridium botulinum) endospores can be present. The risk is that these spores can grow into a potentially fatal botulism infection in a baby’s immature digestive system.
