How to make natural Flavored Water

Sometimes plain old water just doesn’t cut it. The thirst-quenching solution? Fruit-infused H2O ! Infused waters are easy to make, nutritious, and refreshing. Simply use any fresh fruit (except bananas — they don’t work well), herbs, and spices to turn your once plain water into a refreshing, flavored drink.

Here’s how to make four of my favorite combinations:

Minty Cucumber Lime

1/2 a cucumber, sliced
1/2 a lime, sliced
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Strawberry-Lemon with Basil

1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 a lemon, sliced
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

Watermelon Mint

1 cup cubed watermelon
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Pineapple-Orange with Ginger

1/2 cup cubed pineapple
1/2 an orange, sliced
1 tablespoon freshly-grated ginger

You’ll Need:

1-quart jars
Water
Wooden Spoon
Agave or another sweetener (optional)

Directions:

1. Choose which recipe you’re making — or come up with your own combination — and gather all of the ingredients.
2. Place the fruit, herbs, and/or spices in the bottom of one of the glass jars, and muddle with a wooden spoon. (That basically means mash up the fruit in the bottom of the jar to release some of the flavor-filled juices.)
3. Fill the jar with water and give it a taste. (You can also fill the jar with seltzer water for a fizzy treat.) If you’d like something a bit sweeter, try adding some agave (and mix until dissolved).
4. Enjoy as-is or refrigerate overnight for maximum flavor.