Refreshing Strawberry Basil Lemonade Recipe

SIMPLE SYRUP:

• In a small saucepan combine 1¼ cups of water with the sugar over medium heat and allow the sugar mixture to come to a simmer, about 6-9 minutes approximately.
• Turn off the stove, remove from heat and let cool completely.

BLEND:

• Once the simple syrup cools, blend the strawberries, prepared simple syrup, and the torn basil leaves in a blender and blend until smooth.
• Add the remaining 5 cups of water, lemon juice, salt, and blend once again.

STRAIN:

• This is optional, but for a smoother lemonade, strain the strawberry lemonade through a sieve as you pour it into a pitcher (filled with lots of ice)
• Stir and add additional lemon slices/ quartered strawberries, and whole basil leaves to infuse it further. 
• The lemonade is a bit concentrated (in terms of sweetness) so once you add lots of ice, it should be well balanced!