Fresh Lemonade

I'm not sure you can beat fresh home-made lemonade. It's so refreshing! Here's the recipe I've been using since I was a kid - very quick and easy :) Fat free and a serving has tons of vitamin C. If you prefer, you can exchange the lemons for limes (equal amounts) to make limeade.

**I labeled this as Vegan - if you would like to make this recipe vegan, please use agave nectar as a substitute since white sugar is not considered a vegan ingredient.**

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups + 4 cups water
1 1/4 cups sugar or about 3/4-1 cup agave nectar
Rind of one lemon, peeled (I use a veggie peeler to get nice big pieces of rind - that way, they don't get into the glasses!)
1 1/4 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method:
1. Bring 2 1/2 cups of the water to a boil (I like to use my electric kettle for this. You can do it in a tea kettle or pan on the stove). Meanwhile, pour the sugar into a large glass pitcher. When water has boiled, add to the sugar and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
2. Add the lemon peel and juice to the water and sugar mixture. Add 4 cups cold water to the mixture. Stir well.
You can keep the lemonade refrigerated for up to 3 days. I like to add some slices of lemon to the final product.

Reference:
I used a couple sources for this recipe and came up with this final one based on those. First, I used a recipe which I learned when I was in 7th grade Home Economics (!)... good thing it's easy so I haven't completely forgotten it! I also used the Fresh Lemonade Base recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book.
Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen (1996). Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. Meredith Publishing Group: Des Moines, IA.