Strawberry Lemon Sparkling Drink

# What You'll Need:

01 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

02 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (approximately 2 lemons)

03 - 2 tablespoons honey or agave syrup

04 - 2 cups sparkling water, chilled

05 - 4 lemon slices

06 - 4 whole strawberries

07 - Fresh mint leaves

08 - 1 cup ice cubes

01 - Combine sliced strawberries, lemon juice, and honey or agave syrup in a blender. Process until smooth.

02 - Pour the blended mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a pitcher to remove seeds and pulp.

03 - Fill four glasses with ice cubes.

04 - Distribute the strawberry-lemon mixture evenly among the four glasses.

05 - Top each glass with sparkling water and stir gently to combine.

06 - Top each glass with a lemon slice, one whole strawberry, and a few mint leaves. Serve immediately.

01 -

It tastes fancy enough to serve at a brunch but requires absolutely zero fancy technique or stress.
The whole thing comes together in 10 minutes, so you can whip it up when guests arrive without disappearing into the kitchen.
It's naturally vegan and gluten-free without feeling like you're missing anything.

02 -

If you don't strain the mixture, you'll end up with bits of seed and pulp floating around that feel gritty on your tongue—trust me, I skipped this step once.
The sweetness really matters here; taste as you go because different strawberries have different sugar levels, and you might need more or less honey than the recipe suggests.

03 -

If your strawberries aren't as sweet as you'd hoped, a pinch of vanilla extract or even a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar can deepen their flavor without making anything taste artificial.
Freeze whole strawberries ahead of time and use them instead of regular ice cubes; as they melt, they'll intensify the strawberry flavor rather than diluting it.