Lemonade built on whole melon, not a bag of sugar

Most lemonade is sweet water pretending to be fruit. This one turns that around. 5 pounds of real watermelon go into the blender, and the melon itself does almost all the sweetening, with only a little honey to round the edges. There is no refined sugar and nothing artificial in the glass, real ingredients from first taste to last.

Watermelon and lemon are both a source of vitamin C, involved in the everyday repair of connective tissue and in supporting immune function. The drink is mostly blended fruit and water, so it hydrates while it refreshes, and steady hydration quietly helps everything run more smoothly during a healing stretch. The optional mint adds a clean, cooling note and asks nothing of your gut.

Make a big pitcher and keep it cold for the week. Pour it over ice into a glass you like, and let it be a genuine small pleasure rather than just something to drink. Before you sip, take a breath and notice the color. A few seconds of attention is part of how the meal lands.

Ingredients

• 5 pounds peeled, cubed watermelon
• 1 1/4 cups lemon juice
• 6 cups water
• 2 tablespoons honey, to taste
• 1/3 cup fresh mint, optional

All ingredients are AIP Core compliant as written. No swaps needed.

Method

Add the watermelon and lemon juice to a blender and blend until smooth. Work in batches if your blender cannot hold all the melon at once.

Pour the blended watermelon into a large pitcher and stir in the water, the honey, and the mint if you are using it. Taste and add a little more honey only if the melon needs it.

Serve cold over ice.

*Adapted from a-clean-plate*

*Lower-sugar note: the sugar here is the watermelon, not added sweetener. For a lighter serving, use a smaller portion, or blend in a splash of water or coconut milk to stretch the batch so each serving carries less.*