Watermelon Basil Lemonade

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To Salt & See || Watermelon Basil Lemonade-3.jpg

Summer is coming to a close soon, but I’m still holding on (mostly because I still have a few summer recipes to release!!) I’ve taken an unintentional slowdown from the blog due to starting my first full-time nursing gig. As a bedside nurse, I worked 6 days one week, then 2 days the next week. So I had a lot of random days off, which was GREAT(!) because not only did I get all my blog related things done on these days, but I also did all my errands during the middle of a weekday thus avoiding all the crowds and people who don’t know how to function in a busy parking lot. 

But now as a procedural nurse I am working a “normal” person’s schedule - Monday through Friday. It has been a bigger adjustment that I had anticipated and there have been many days where by the time I get home from the gym after work and take a shower, I am just dead beat. I feel like my entire body is weighted down and moving seems impossible. And even if I do have energy, I have been spending it studying all things cath lab. 

SO! That’s all to say that I have had zero energy to devote to the blog this past month. I am starting to see it as a blessing in disguise though because I can feel a renewed excitement for the creativity of the process and a desire to not get bogged down by the numbers as I had been earlier this summer. 

Speaking of summer, let’s get to some of those recipes I talked about earlier. This watermelon basil lemonade was one of my favorite recipes I made this summer! Watermelon and lemonade are both refreshing on their own, but combine them together!? It is a whole new level of refreshing, which was very needed to get me through some of those miserably hot Southern California days. To spice things up, as my husband would say, I added some homemade basil simple syrup for added flavor. Not only is this recipe easy to make, but it also takes minimal time to make as well! 

Watermelon Basil Lemonade

Prep time:

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 cups water, divided
  • 1 cup basil leaves
  • 4 cups watermelon, cubed
  • 3 large lemons

Instructions:

  1. Make the basil simple syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, 1 cup water, and the basil. Let simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat to cool completely. Strain to remove the basil leaves. Transfer to an airtight container.
  2. Cut the rind and white pith off the lemons.
  3. In a blender, combine the watermelon, 1/4 cup of the basil simple syrup, lemons, and 1 cup water. Blend for 2 minutes or until well blended. Strain through a fine mesh to create a smooth drink.
  4. Store in the refrigerator, and stir before serving leftovers.