Cucumber Lemon Mint Infused Water

Preparation Time: 5 minutes Infusion Time: 1 to 2 hours Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes Intensity / Difficulty: Beginner (Very Easy) Yield: 1 large pitcher (approximately 8 cups)

Ingredients

• 8 cups filtered water (cold or room temperature)

• ½ large English cucumber

• 1 large lemon (organic preferred)

• 10-12 fresh mint leaves

• 2 cups ice cubes (optional, for serving)

Instructions

1. Prep the Produce: Thoroughly wash the cucumber, lemon, and fresh mint leaves under cold running water. Because the skins will be soaking in your drinking water, it is important to remove any dirt or surface residues.

2. Slice the Ingredients: Slice the English cucumber into thin rounds, about ⅛-inch thick. Slice the lemon into rounds of the same thickness. Remove and discard any visible lemon seeds to prevent them from floating in your glass.

3. Activate the Mint: Place the fresh mint leaves in one hand and clap your hands together firmly once or twice to gently bruise the leaves and release their natural oils.

4. Assemble the Pitcher: Place the cucumber slices, lemon slices, and activated mint leaves into the bottom of a large glass pitcher.

5. Add Water: Pour the filtered water over the ingredients. Give the mixture a gentle stir with a long wooden spoon to ensure the ingredients are evenly distributed.

6. Infuse and Chill: Place the pitcher in the refrigerator and allow the ingredients to steep for at least 1 to 2 hours. The longer it steeps, the more robust the flavor will become.

7. Serve: Fill individual glasses with ice cubes. Pour the infused water over the ice, ensuring a few pieces of cucumber and mint make their way into each glass for a beautiful presentation.

Variations and Enhancements

Once you master this base recipe, you can easily customize it to suit your seasonal cravings.

• Spicy Ginger: Add a few thin slices of peeled, fresh ginger root for a gentle, warming spice that contrasts beautifully with the cooling mint.

• Berry Boost: Toss in a handful of fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries. The berries add a subtle sweetness and tint the water a beautiful pale pink.

• Sparkling Swap: If you miss the carbonation of soda, swap the still filtered water for plain sparkling water or club soda. Just be sure not to infuse the sparkling water for too long, or it will lose its carbonation. Add the sparkling water right before serving.

Storage and Maximizing Your Batch

You can keep this infused water in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. As you drink the water throughout the day, you can continually refill the pitcher with fresh filtered water. The flavor will become slightly milder with each refill, but the ingredients will generally last for two to three top-offs.

If you haven’t finished the water after 24 hours, strain out and discard the solid ingredients. The cucumbers will become mushy and the lemons will turn bitter if left in the water for multiple days. The strained, flavored water can then be stored in the fridge for up to 3 more days.

Nutritional Information

Nutrition facts are estimates and based on a 1-cup serving. Since the ingredients are infused rather than blended and consumed entirely, the actual caloric and carbohydrate intake is negligible.

• Calories: 2 kcal

• Total Fat: 0g

• Sodium: 2mg

• Total Carbohydrates: 0.5g

• Dietary Fiber: 0.1g

• Sugars: 0.1g

• Protein: 0g

• Vitamin C: 2% Daily Value