Some things are embarrassingly easy.
And some are embarrassingly hard.
Today I have an easy recipe for you. Making lemonade in the blender.
Here’s the recipe: put a bunch of lemons in a high-speed blender (I’m biased towards my Vitamix) with some water and sweetener. Blend. Strain. Drink. Boom.
We could be fancy and add simple syrup, but who wants to make that on their own? Plus, I’d rather chew my sugar. Mmmm… cake.
For this super-easy recipe I used NuNaturals Nustevia Simple Syrup.
Check out the giveaway for a whole prize pack at the end of this post!
Homemade Sugar-Free Lemonade
- 5 lemons, quartered (about 4 cups)
- 4 C water
- 1/4 C NuNaturals Nustevia Simple Syrup
Cut the lemons into quarters. Place in a blender with water and sweetener.
Blend on high speed until the lemons are broken down and water looks like… errrr… lemonade (~1 min). Let the mixture sit for a bit so that the pulp rises to the top.
Pour the juice through a strainer over a large pitcher.* This will need to be done in batches.
*If you don’t use a wide mouth pitcher, I recommend pouring it into a large bowl and then transferring it to a pitcher (otherwise you’ll spill it everywhere – not that I’d know anything about that).
[Tweet “Sugar-Free Homemade Lemonade #Recipe & a “sweet” @NuNaturals #giveaway!”]
We’re still rocking the anti-inflammatory diet this week. Check out my day below, then see Jenn’s WIAW linky baby over at Meghan’s this week!
Breakfast:
I had the usual morning cocktail and morning sludge.
I couldn’t decide what I was in the mood for so I asked Vegas for a change (normally she’s at my mercy). She said grapefruit, which was a good call since I’d just bought a fresh one.
We ended up with roasted grapefruit, avocado, fried egg, and my own version of socca bread.
Fluffy Socca
- 3 T Garbanzo Bean (Chickpea) Flour
- 1/2 T Coconut Flour
- 1 egg white
- 2 T water
- 1/2 tsp Herbs de Provence
Mix everything in a small bowl and added spices as desired (I used Herbs de Provence). Cook like you would a pancake (about 3 mins each side).
Devour!
Lunch:
We had leftovers from last night. I made a new twist on an old recipe. The original recipe was my Sweet Potato Mexican Pie. The new twist was to make it Italian.
Vegas has that genetic thing where cilantro tastes like soap. Being that the original recipe had a lot of cilantro, I decided to sub in basil, omitted the cumin, and added some other dried Italian herbs. I also used ground turkey instead of chicken.
With a “martini.” I mixed equal parts lemonade and sparkling water for a midday mocktail.
I’m pretty sure Vegas would have been happier with a vodka-based martini, but we’re on the second and final week of our anti-inflammatory diet. No booze! Bwhahaha!
Snack:
Vegas and I are both obsessed with smoothie bowls after our workouts now. I’ve focused on getting extra anti-inflammatory benefits out of this these past couple of weeks by including cherries and ginger. (You can read more on that in my original cherry-ginger smoothie recipe here.)
This smoothie was similar to the original, but we used Growing Naturals Chocolate Pea Protein. Topped with hemp hearts, sprouted granola, and a cherry on top (just for good measure).
https://instagram.com/p/8g7ySPmjcW/
Dinner:
Vegas loves meat… balls… hee hee. After feeding her a booze-less cocktail and a pasta-less Italian pie, I decided to do her a solid for dinner and make spaghetti and meatballs.
We’re grain- and gluten-free on our anti-inflammatory diet, but decided quinoa was ok. I used a mix of quinoa pasta and spaghetti squash for the base of this dish. The balls here a mix of lean ground beef, ground pork, egg, herbs, and a little cornmeal. We baked them in the oven at 400 for about 15 mins.
Served with a side salad of arugula and errrrr… grapes. 😉
[Tweet “Socca, Sugar-Free Lemonade, & Turkey Sweet Potato Pie – a recipe-filled #WIAW!”]
NuNaturals is also offering a 15% discount on all orders at www.nunaturals.com. using discount code: BLG1215. Offer good until 12/31/15. There is free shipping on all US ordered over $35.
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I’m pretty excited with the results so far of our diet – my fingers don’t hurt anymore and I’m down a few lbs. Will next week!
Do you love lemonade? I used to drink Chick-fil-a lemonade like it was crack.
Have you used stevia before?
I love Nunaturals, and it really is my favorite sweetener. I even finally have my husband tuned in to using stevia.
HOW HAVE I NEVER EVEN HEARD OF IT BEFORE?? (she shouts)
I need to find and try.
I am so with your wifey about cilantro- YUCK! And as an Indian, it doesn’t work well for me as it’s 99% always used as a garnish!! I love drinking unsweetened lemonade i.e. lemon juice and sparkling/still water – so refreshing in the heat!
Haha! I bet that IS tough as an Indian! I’ll eat your cilantro and Vegas’. 🙂
I am a stevia junkie.
BTW, on the lemonade, you just throw the peel in and everything in the vitamix– then strain? the pith doesn’t make it bitter
Congrats on the win!!!
And yes, I just throw it ALL in. Not bitter at all with the stevia. I was surprised too!
She doesn’t like cilantro? I don’t understand it when people tell me that. I love cilantro!
I know, I know… I guess if it’s genetic I can’t judge.
I know so many people who have the “I don’t like Cilantro” excuse. I say you just don’t like fun is all.
I like NuNaturals stevia the best, but I’ve not had it since I ran out a while ago! I just recently tried another brand, and it was…. not so successful.
I found the same thing with another brand… it’s weird how much they can differ!
That fluffy socca looks DELIGHTFUL!!!
I have used dates or unsweetened applesauce for a sugar substitute, but I also love my stevia! I just got the vanilla creme flavor and I love it!
The lemonade looks so refreshing!
i never knew it was possible to make lemonade in a blender!!! Im trying that asap and totally entering in this giveaway, nunaturals is awesome!
Let me know if you do try it! It was crazy-easy!
I’ve never tried nunaturals interesting! I do love lemonade though thanks for sharing
That lemonade sounds perfectly refreshing. I always loved truly fresh made lemonade like that. And NuNaturals is honestly my absolute go-to for a sugar sub. It’s been ages since I’ve made socca. Need to pull back down that chickpea flour!
I go through phases with socca… I think I want it more in the winter for some reason.
I always use stevia! It is my go to sweetener for anything!
I don’t know what I would do without my naturals syrups! I could literally drink the stuff straight 😛
Me too! I miiiight be know to pour a little chocolate syrup on my finger mid-afternoon and lick it off.
Yum I love smoothie bowls after I workout as well – they are so refreshing and you can add whatever you want to them! I also love spaghetti and meatballs and your dinner is making me want some!!
They are awesome – I love having the blank canvas to throw in whatever I’m craving post-workout.
I used to be a Splenda gal, but now I don’t really like it all. I use stevia a lot for baking. The cocoa NuNaturals sounds really good!
I’m interested to hear how you felt after the anti-inflammatory diet. Is it much different from how you normally eat?
I just posted the recap yesterday. I definitely noticed a difference!
My favorite substitute is Truvia or Monkfruit! I usually use a truvia/brown sugar blend.
My favorite substitute is definitely stevia! It’s the only one I use.
Mmmm I love a cold glass of lemonade & that chik fil a one is crack indeed lol! I love NuNaturals stevia!! Yay for the giveaway.
Isn’t it?! That and their ice cream cones. Mmmmm…
I use stevia! Nunaturals when I can find it 🙂
I never thought to actually blend the lemons and strain. You are genius. I am slow. But i want
Think what our powers could do combined… 😉
favorite substitute: Stevia!
I’m a stevia fan all the way. And completely surrounded in my family by stevia haters. More for me!
I *think* Vegas is coming around to stevia in most things…
Hope the move is going well!!!
NuNaturals vaniilla liquid stevia!
Stevia is and has been a favorite for years now. Took a while to learn how to cook with it, but it’s ohhhh so much more satisfying!
I generally turn to stevia and especially like the liquid drops for beverages, smoothies and baking!
Isn’t it the best smoothie add? Balances all the spinach in mine. 😉
I NEED that mocktail in my life—minus the “mock” 😀
Hahaha! I like the way you think.
I think my favorite sugar substitute to use is the vanilla stevia in the dropper bottles. So easy and I love the flavor
Same here!
I love a good tart lemonade…delicious. And yeah, I love love love Chik-fil-a’s lemonade. So good.
for sugar free, i love stevia! for sugar-filled, honey or maple syrup 🙂
I love maple syrup too. 🙂
I don’t get the cilantro hate! And spaghetti and meatballs has to be one of my all-time favourite meals!
We really should have been Italian.
Stevia is definitely my favorite 🙂
I use that simple syrup to make my virgin mojitos – which gets me through comp prep! 🙂 This reminds me, I need to blog about that at some point! 🙂
Didn’t you already? Or did you just tell me about them… terrible memory! Either way, you should have a REAL one now. 🙂
That lemonade sounds so refreshing. I love my vitamix too.
I make my own simple syrup when it comes to cocktails. Like Martha Bloody Stewart. Also sometimes I affect a British accent too.
Let Vegas have a beer.
I let her have the beer. Poor Vegas. And you. 😛
my favorite sub is def stevia! what an awesome prize pack – especially curious about the choco mint syrup!
I guess i’m one of the few who like cilantro! I have never tried NuNatural but would love to! Especially the cocoa flavored!
I’m with you!
I like stevia
NuNaturals stevia is definitely my top choice when it comes to sweeteners. I’d love to win this prize pack! Thanks for the giveaway!
Stevia is my favorite!
maple syrup or honey
I like stevia! some people don’t like the bitter after taste but I don’t notice it!
I don’t notice it either!
I love lemonade, and I used to drink sugarfree crystal light all the time until I developed digestive issues that made it impossible to tolerate artificial sweeteners anymore. Is NuNaturals like sweet n low or equal? Is it aspartame? I want to give it a shot, but I’m nervous that if it’s 0 cal or even low calorie it may have some of the artificial sweeteners I’m allergic to. I’d love to hear more about your experience with the product and how it affected your stomach if at all 🙂
I don’t do the artificial sweeteners either. Stevia is derived from a plant, so I’ve never had any trouble with it. I also like Xylitol or Monk Fruit for baking (other natural sugar subs).
I don’t have a favorite sugar substitute, though for overnight oats, i use maple syrup!
I love to use maple syrup- such great flavor!
stevia of course
I love making an easy, refreshing lemonade like this one! We need all of the refreshing beverages that we can get these days in this heat, right?? My favorite sweetener is stevia… I use it all the time!