I have never been a soda drinker.
If anything, I will have a Sprite or Sierra Mist... but I usually always buy it in the bottle and then I open it and wait until it gets flat.
Seriously, why do I admit such things? I am so weird.
Anyway, when I came across a recipe to make your own lemon/lime soda I was pretty darn stoked.
Just in case you were wondering, it is completely normal for middle aged stay at home moms to get stoked.
At least, I keep telling myself that.
The recipe could not be easier.
AND its cheap!!
And fresh. And yummy. And your kids can drink it because you know what each and every ingredient is.
Its a win-win folks.
I love fresh cut lemons. There is just something so clean and sparkling about them!
Recipe for Homemade Lemon/Lime Soda
3/4 cup Simply Syrup*
1/4 cup Fresh Lime Juice
2 cups Sparkling Water
Lemons and Limes as needed for flavor and garnish.
Put all ingredients in a pitcher and stir to combine.
*I tend to like things on the sweeter side, I would start with 1/2 cup and add more if needed.
I tried using that fake lime juice that comes in the green plastic thingy... it was no good.
I highly recommend using fresh lime juice. One lime (I squeezed every last drop) was about 1/4 cup.
Audrey loved it and kept trying to take my "props"!
She got downright testy when I tried to take it back!
I let her keep it... and just whipped up another batch for myself.
If you like lemon/lime soda at all, this is one recipe that is definitely worth trying!
*****
You can see this on I'm Loving It over at my favorite crafty blog.. Tidymom! Be sure to link up anyting YOU are loving.. her amazing readers are so good about visiting and building bloggy relationships!
This sounds yummy. Think I'll give it a try. Thanks for the inspiration.
Posted by: Jennifer | May 25, 2011 at 09:13 AM
Perfect! It's like homemade Summer!!
Posted by: In Katrina's Kitchen | May 25, 2011 at 09:13 AM
Amanda, I love this. We have a soda stream at home, so we're usually using that and some combination of either concentrated fruit juices or the syrups provided by them (which have no HFCS and decidedly less ingredients all around) to make our soda. My husband loves making his own sodas, and is quite proficient at making ginger ale at this point. He's going to love this recipe - especially for summer. And Audrey is TOO cute!
Posted by: Amber | Bluebonnets & Brownies | May 25, 2011 at 09:15 AM
A....love this. It looks so refreshing!
B...."it is completely normal for middle aged stay at home moms to get stoked"...I just found a new word to add to my vocabulary.
C....those PIGTAILS!!! Total cuteness!
Posted by: bridget {bake at 350} | May 25, 2011 at 09:24 AM
Love this drink and the adorable pigtails make my ovaries twitch... sigh.
Posted by: Sasha @ Global Table Adventure | May 25, 2011 at 09:35 AM
Oh geez don't say middle aged, we're the same age! I think we've got at least another two decades before that term applies to us. Your daughter is a cutie pie!
Posted by: Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen | May 25, 2011 at 09:37 AM
Great recipe Amanda and super cute photos of your super cute little girl!
Posted by: Paula | May 25, 2011 at 09:38 AM
Oh.my.goodness! Little miss Audrey is so beautiful! I'm so guilty of neglecting my favorite blogs! Where has the time gone? When did she get so big?
Posted by: Michelle | May 25, 2011 at 09:41 AM
This looks like it's made just for me - I love cold bubbly drinks with fresh citrus. What a sweetie your little Audrey is!!
Posted by: Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles | May 25, 2011 at 10:34 AM
Refreshing! What a fun activity for summer!
Posted by: Maria | May 25, 2011 at 10:40 AM
so adorable - and love the pic of the lemon too -
Posted by: Lucy Lean | May 25, 2011 at 10:47 AM
Looks refreshing and easy! Thanks for the info, I'll have to try this!
Posted by: Renee | May 25, 2011 at 10:59 AM
Oh my word, I know we'll love the soda, but Audrey's pig tails are my very favorite part of this post. I could just squeeze her! Too precious!!!
Posted by: Robyn | Add a Pinch | May 25, 2011 at 11:05 AM
There is an awesome Puerto Rican restaurant in our town that serves a homemade lime-aid - I bet this is how they do it! It's my favorite :-)
Posted by: Michelle (What's Cooking with Kids) | May 25, 2011 at 11:12 AM
This looks simply light and refreshing. Your photos had me drooling and your little Audrey had me smiling from ear to ear. I love her hairstyle. To me it almost looks like she has two little butterflies on both sides of her head. Could NOT be cuter!
Posted by: Renee (Kudos Kitchen) | May 25, 2011 at 01:20 PM
I love to make homemade cream soda. It is SO good! And of course the kids love it too! :)
Posted by: Deanna | May 25, 2011 at 01:51 PM
What a great idea! I don't drink much soda, but this homemade version looks so fun!
Posted by: Jamie | My Baking Addiction | May 25, 2011 at 04:10 PM
audrey looks so adorable...i miss her!
Posted by: angie | May 25, 2011 at 04:25 PM
What a fabulous idea!! I am not really a soda drinker either (I usually prefer it flat also), but this looks like a perfect treat on warm day. Definitely adding sparkling water to my shopping list.
Posted by: BreAna | May 25, 2011 at 05:14 PM
Not that weird! I let mine go flat too... it drives my husband insane...
Posted by: Rosanne | May 25, 2011 at 06:57 PM
Cool!!!
Posted by: sweetsugarbelle | May 25, 2011 at 07:33 PM
looks soo good! and i just cut a lemon to make strawberry ice cream and i have half a lemon left. so i'm half way there with the garnish! yippee
Posted by: Megan {a dash of megnut} | May 25, 2011 at 07:38 PM
You so can not be middle aged! I've got 2 and a half teenagers and a few years on you and I still won't admit I'm old- I still like load music ;)And how dare you try to take a soda from that bundle of blond cuteness?! Seriously, wasn't she just learning to crawl the other day, boy does time fly!
Posted by: ElizaBeth | May 25, 2011 at 08:05 PM
OK - I'm sorry but your sweet daughter stole the show here. I was about to comment on your gorgeous soda pics then got to her sweet face. CUTE!
Posted by: Kristen | May 25, 2011 at 09:06 PM
I could see my son becoming addicted to that very quickly. Audrey has good taste :-)
Posted by: carma | May 25, 2011 at 09:07 PM
I am from Mexico and when you order lemonade there you can choose between "natural", with bottled water or lemonade with sparkling water. So next time you are in Mexico just say "Limonada con agua mineral";)
Posted by: cecilia | May 25, 2011 at 09:21 PM
I am the same way! I prefer my sodas flat. My husband thinks I am crazy! I have never heard of anyone else who likes them the same way.
Posted by: Wendy | May 25, 2011 at 09:42 PM
Audrey is so beautiful...and BIG. Where did that chubby thighed baby go? Cute pigtails.
And no way are you middle aged. That would make me middle aged and I'm living in denial as long as I can.
Posted by: Bethany | May 26, 2011 at 08:36 AM
A perfect drink for summer!!! I am with you - I love fresh lemons and limes - in fact I find I cannot cook without them!!
Bet this would be lovely with strawberries too!
Posted by: Nancy@acommunaltable | May 26, 2011 at 10:11 AM
We make home-made maple soda...a little high quality (real!) maple syrup and any carbonated water and viola!! instant yummy goodness (if you use a high quality lighter amber syrup, it tastes like cream soda). My kids adore it!
Posted by: Cyndi | May 26, 2011 at 02:34 PM
Wow. I can't wait to try that sometime. OK lady, how DO you make the whole set-up look so professional? I swear I was reading Country Living when I looked at your lay out!
Posted by: Jenney | May 26, 2011 at 03:04 PM
This is such a great idea! I never considered making my own soda.
I'd like to invite you to share this recipe on my weekly link-up, Sweet Tooth Friday. http://alli-n-son.com/2011/05/26/lemon-chocolate-cupcakes/
Posted by: Allison @ Alli 'n Son | May 26, 2011 at 09:35 PM
Amanda, your daughter is sooooo cute!! I am also not a soda drinker, unless I make this kind of thing at home. Simple & perfect :) xo
Posted by: marla | May 27, 2011 at 08:14 AM
Your daughter is so ADORABLE!!! Love this recipe! Perfect for summer and with the base recipe you can pretty much make it any flavor.
Posted by: naomi | May 27, 2011 at 11:00 AM
I have to try this I love aything with lemons.
Posted by: Sistergirl | May 29, 2011 at 12:47 AM
Thanks for linking up Amanda! I featured your post in my wrap up http://tidymom.net/2011/summer-food-and-fun/ Hope you're having a fabulous holiday weekend!
Posted by: TidyMom | May 29, 2011 at 01:48 PM
I am so inviting myself over the next time this is made. So...buy extra and let's get together?
Posted by: Shaina | May 29, 2011 at 05:27 PM
We made this last night to go with our grilled hamburgers and it is absolutely delicious! I am going to make more today with dinner. So easy to make and oh so good! Thank you for posting it!
Posted by: Robbi C | June 03, 2011 at 10:42 AM
Great recipe!! This will be perfect for our lemonade stand! http://silikids.wordpress.com/lemonade-stand/
Thanks!!
Posted by: stacey | June 13, 2011 at 06:29 PM
Awesome recipe, it tastes so refreshing!
Have you tried carbonating your own water, too? I found this blog also: http://homemadesodaexpert.blogspot.com/
There's some great fruit recipes there and some instructions on bottling it to save for later. Absolutely wonderful, thank you
Posted by: Bouyah | August 21, 2011 at 03:52 PM
This sounds tasty! Gonna try it. Pinned it over at pinterest
Posted by: Anshu | November 04, 2011 at 01:25 PM