Homemade Citrus Soda

Shortly after we were married, Brett and I eliminated soda from our diet for the most part. I still splurge on an ice cold Coke when we're out and about every once in awhile, but it is not something that we purchase on a regular basis. During one of my pregnancies, I developed a love of sparkling water.  I wanted to have juice but didn't want all of the calories that came with a large glass of juice. So, I cut it down with sparkling water so I could enjoy a refreshing beverage without the juice weight gain...or the soda weight gain for that matter.

Of course, the cost of sparkling water can add up too. A couple of years ago, I saw Soda Stream and wanted one for my own. Brett surprised me with one for my birthday this year. With a 20% off coupon and a rebate, we got a pretty good deal on it, so I think it will pay for itself quickly. I love the convenience -- it is so nice to be able to make my own sparkling water whenever I need it.

Plus, I get to experiment with new recipes for refreshing beverages! Here is one of my experiments -- it's basically a sparkling fruit-ade.

Homemade Citrus Soda

juice of one orange
juice of three limes
juice of three small lemons
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
sparkling water

Directions:

1. Juice your citrus fruit. The total amount of juice should be equal to about one cup. Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water and heat until boiling. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool.
3. Add the citrus juice to the sugar syrup, and stir to combine.
4. Use a funnel to transfer the citrus syrup to glass bottle with lid. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
5. To serve, combine some citrus syrup with sparking water, to taste. I like to use about 2 or 3 tablespoons of syrup to sparkling water.