In honor of the upcoming summer holiday weekend, I’m revisiting one of my early recipes – goji berry lemonade!
This is a tasty fresh variation on your standard lemonade, but with a Chinese medicine twist. It’s perfect for sipping while poolside, at the beach, or to bring to a barbeque or summer party.
Goji berries are used in Chinese herbal medicine to nourish Blood and Yin and benefit the eyes and vision. They are naturally a little sweet and similar to raisins, and can be found in most supermarkets.
This drink is a great combo of:
Sweet goji berries
Tart lemons
Caffeine free
Non alcoholic
Recipe makes 1 pitcher of lemonade, so it’s great for sharing
Ingredients
Makes 1 pitcher, about 8 servings
1/2 cup goji berries
1 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 6-8 lemons)
4 cups water
1 ½ tablespoons sugar, or other sweetener of choice (honey, agave, etc)
Directions
Soak goji berries in 1 cup of cold water for about 20 minutes, until soft.
Blend goji berries, soaking water, and additional 1 cup water until goji berries are blended. Strain out goji berries to yield about 1.5 cups of goji berry juice.
Combine goji berry juice, lemon juice, and remaining 2 cups of water in a pitcher. Add sweetener of choice and mix well to combine. Taste and adjust the flavor to your preference – dilute with a little more water if it’s too strong, add a little more lemon juice for tartness, or add a little more sugar for sweetness.
Serve in a glass and enjoy!
Substitutions / Alterations
This lemonade is a great base to add in other fruits such as orange, peach, mango, strawberry.
This would also taste good by adding club soda, ginger ale, sparkling water, or as a mixer for cocktails.
References
Wang, Y., Sheir, W., & Ono, M. (2010). Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen: Recipes from the East for Health, Healing, and Long Life. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press.