Herbal Infused Water

It’s only February and it feels like hot and sticky Florida summer! Keeping cool is not easy to do, but this fresh herb and lemon water it makes the heat a bit more bearable. Right now we have an abundance of holy basil (Tulsi) in our garden along with beautiful bright yellow and orange calendula flowers.

Holy basil is a wonderful herb for cooking, making teas, or just enjoying fresh bouquets in the house. It is a sacred Indian herb that has been used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine to treat everything from stress to malaria! We use it primarily to help chill us out and for its amazing flavor. Calendula is another medicinal herb that we use for healthy skin and to help soothe any stomach problems. These are two lovely herbs that can turn plain water into something special. Play around with herbs you have growing in the garden or fresh local herbs from Homegrown Local Co-op.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 Lemon, sliced

handful of holy basil

5-6 calendula flowers

pitcher of water

Take basil and twist gently in your hands so the leaves and flowers are slightly bruised. This releases the fragrant oils that will be added to the water. Next, add lemon and stir with a spoon and add the calendula flowers. Add a couple ice cubes or drink as is.

You can refill the pitcher with water throughout the day.