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, pressing gently to extract liquid while removing seeds and pulp.

03 - Fill four serving glasses with ice cubes, distributing evenly.

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

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

06 - Top each serving with a lemon slice, whole strawberry, and fresh mint leaves. Serve immediately.

01 -

It comes together in under ten minutes, which means you can make it while your guests are still taking their shoes off.
The balance of sweet strawberry and bright lemon hits that perfect note where you can't stop taking sips.
It's naturally vegan and gluten-free, so you're not scrambling to find substitutes for anyone at the table.

02 -

Don't skip the straining step thinking you can just blend it smooth enough, because those tiny strawberry seeds will collect at the bottom of the glass and become an unwelcome surprise.
Add the sparkling water last and stir gently, because aggressive mixing will cause all the bubbles to escape and you'll be left with flat, sad juice instead of a proper mocktail.

03 -

Make the strawberry-lemon base ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator, then assemble the drinks just before serving so the sparkling water stays bubbly.
If you're making this for a crowd, set up a simple bar where people can customize their own sweetness level and garnish choice, which always feels like a small celebration.