Pool day! You’ve got your book, your shades and your well-honed Marco Polo skills. All you need as an icy-cold… something. We’ve offered up plenty of boozy options in the past, so this time around we thought a liquor-less option might be a fun way to fill your pitcher. Disagree? Just add vodka.

Cucumber-Basil Lemonade

Cucumber and water go together like bathrobes and spa’s: a match made in heaven. Add basil and lemongrass and you, my friends, can officially consider yourselves in spa mode.

Ingredients
1 medium cucumber cut into rough chunks
2 stalks lemongrass (bottom 4 inches only, roughly chopped)
2 cups loosely packed basil leaves
1 cup fresh juice from 10 to 12 lemons
1/2 cup sugar
pinch salt
3 cups cold water
1 quart ice
Cucumber slices and basil leaves for garnish

Make It
Combine cucumbers, lemongrass, basil, lemon juice, sugar and salt in a blender. Blend on high until smooth for approximately 1 minute. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher. Discard solids and add cold water and whisk. Serve in ice-filled glasses and garnish with cucumber slices and basil leaves.

Lavender Lemonade

We all know about lavender’s wonderful aroma and calming properties.. Surely a lavender lemonade would have the same effects, right? Try this unique recipe and experience the herb’s soothing properties for yourself!

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
2 cups bolding water
2 cups cold water
1 cup lavender flowers
1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

Make It
Place the lavender in a pitcher and pour the boiling water over the lavender. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to steep 10 minutes; strain and discard the lavender from the water, returning the water to pitcher. Add the cold water, lemon juice and sugar to the pitcher and stir until the sugar dissolves. Refrigerate until serving.

Strawberry Lemonade

It’s hard to deny this unbeatable combination, folks! Strawberries and lemonade go together like kids and summer vacation (maybe almost as well). Give this recipe a try and get ready for the kids (and adults!) to come flocking.

Ingredients
3 cups water
1 ½  cups of sugar
2 cups lemon juice (about 8 to 10 lemons)
1 pint strawberries
1 Liter seltzer or sparkling water Garnish: lemon slices and mint (optional)

Make It
In a 2 quart saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice. Let cool completely. Place strawberries in blender with 1/2 cup lemonade mixture. Blend until puréed. Strain purée through a fine sieve to remove seeds. Add purée to remaining lemonade mixture; stir well to combine.

Refrigerate until serving.  Stir in seltzer. Pour over ice. Garnish with lemon and mint if desired.

Brazilian Lemonade

In honor of the summer games, we present this tasty thirst quencher.  Intrigue your friends and family with this original (and festive!) choice before sitting down to watch your favorite events. We guarantee this will be a crowd pleaser!

Ingredients
7 cups cold water
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup fresh lime juice (from 5 limes)
1 Tbsp lime zest (from 1 of the limes)
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk Ice to serve

Make It
Stir 7 cups of cold water with 3/4 cup of sugar and set aside. Add 1 tbsp of lime zest and add juice from 5 limes into a blender jar. Pour 3 cups of the sugar water into the blender. Add 1/2 cup of sweetened condensed milk. Blend until smooth and frothy. Stir in remaining sugar water and serve over ice.