Refreshing blueberry limeade.

I’ve been seeing lots of recipes this summer for iced drinks made with fruit and green tea, variations on lemonade, and different kinds of agua fresca (water flavored with fruit or even cucumber). They all look so refreshing. And since I’m home during the day, I’m planning to experiment with a number of these fabulous summer drink recipes.

Yesterday after taking Peroni for a brief but sweat-inducing walk at lunch, I needed something to cool me down. I had a handful of limes in the fridge that I’d purchased with the intent of making fresh limeade, but then I realized that I still STILL have blueberries on hand. So I made up this blueberry limeade recipe. It’s tart, which is how I like it; feel free to adjust the sweetener to your taste.

blueberry limeade
serves 2

1/2 cup fresh blueberries
2 limes
2 tsp. agave nectar (see Note)
sparkling or still water
ice

In a large glass measuring cup, juice the limes; add blueberries and mash with a muddler or wooden spoon. Let the blueberry-lime mixture sit for a few minutes. Add sweetener. Put a large handful of ice into each of 2 glasses; pour half the blueberry-lime juice into each glass (use a spoon to prevent the solids from pouring into the glasses if you’d like). Top each glass with sparkling or still water, a lime slice and 3 or 4 blueberries.

Note: I like agave nectar to sweeten cold drinks and cocktails; it’s less intensely flavored than honey, it doesn’t need to dissolve like sugar and I always have it on hand (unlike simple syrup). You could use granulated sugar, but be sure to stir well to dissolve. Truvia or stevia would work if you want a natural calorie-free sweetener, as would honey if you prefer the taste.