Homemade Lemonade

Today, I finally got to use our new citrus juicier. Bri used it to make us fresh orange juice last week. It attaches to our Kitchenaid Stand Mixer and it works great! It's so easy, not messy and easy clean up.

{Kozell's Homemade Lemonade}

2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

6 1/2 cups water

In a medium saucepan combine 1 1/2 cups sugar and 2 cups water {the remaining water will be used later}, bring to a boil and dissolve sugar. Let cool down a bit and then chill. In a pitcher, add sugar water {mine came out to 2 1/2 cups} to the 2 cups of lemon juice. Then add remaining water which for me was 4 1/2 cups. You can adjust the water depending on how sweet/tart you like your lemonade.

This homemade lemonade is only the beginning. Slowly but surely I have been making changes to the things that I eat and drink. Bri is along for the ride for the most part. I think he'd tell you he doesn't have a choice in this matter. He does. He could buy regular milk and I'd buy organic. That just isn't practical. It means a lot to me that he supports my choices. The first time Bri reached for the organic milk or Publix Greenwise meats {no hormones/antibiotics, etc} without me asking for it I nearly shed a tear of happiness. Ha! It really is the little things.

I've been trying my hand at homemade recipes for things like pesto, hummus, OJ and now lemonade. Things I normally just purchased. I will share my recipes on here so stay tuned.

I've become much more aware of all the extras on the ingredients list of products. It's just gross. For example, we used to get Land O Lakes Spreadable Light Butter until I looked at the ingredients list. The regular includes sweet cream, canola oil and salt. Three ingredients. The light version {with less calories, which is why we bought it} has FIFTEEN ingredients. Take a few extra minutes the next time you go shopping and read the labels. Now, this doesn't mean I eat all the right things...I definitely don't. I still eat processed food and non-organic foods when I cannot get my hands on organic ones. My goal is to make little changes over time.

I hope you will try the homemade lemonade recipe. It is so delicious. It actually makes a full pitcher {the one from above} but we drank a bunch tasting it. The pitcher is from Crate & Barrel. I've gotten a lot of use out of it with iced teas and now lemonade. {Thank you for the pitcher, Lauren!}

The weekend went way too fast. Today was quite eventful though. Today, I've been working on my Easter door wreath, baked brownies from scratch {so delish & recipe to come} and made the lemonade.

What did you do this weekend?

xo

Ashley Kozell