Cilantro lemonade is hydrating, detoxifying, and invigorating.

The combination of cilantro’s cooling and detoxifying properties with the high amounts of vitamin C found in the lemon juice, the enzymes and sugars from the honey, and a little pinch of mineral-rich salt helps replenish the body on a hot day.

Cilantro lemonade is excellent plain or over ice. You can even use it as a base for fun summer cocktails.

MAKES: About 3 cups

Cilantro Lemonade Ingredients

1 bunch cilantro (about 2 cups packed)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1–2 lemons)
2 tablespoons raw honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups water

Instructions

1. Combine the cilantro with the lemon juice, honey, salt, and water in a blender and purée for 3 minutes. The drink will be a rich green color with a beautiful white foam on top. I enjoy drinking the lemonade as it is, with the cilantro pulp, but you can strain it through a sieve or tea strainer before serving, if you like. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Cilantro for Gentle Cleansing: You can drink cilantro lemonade daily or weekly to stay cool in hot weather or to support liver and digestive function and gentle detoxification. It also makes a nice seasonal tonic to help the body transition from colder to warmer weather.

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Well Being Journal adapted the above excerpt from Recipes from the Herbalist’s Kitchen by Brittany Wood Nickerson. Copyright © 2017 by Brittany Wood Nickerson. Reprinted with permission from Storey Publishing, an imprint of Workman Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.