Sugar-Free Cucumber Limeade

Cucumber Limeade is one of my favorite summer sippers. It’s got a different flavor twist, and it’s a great way to use cucumbers from your backyard garden.

We served Cucumber Limeade at my daughter’s wedding and at lots of other events. People are often intrigued by the flavor — citrus with cooling cucumber. I’ll admit, though, that it may take awhile to get used to it. After that, it’s kind of addicting.

The original recipe, given to me by a catering friend, calls for limeade concentrate and regular lemon-lime soda. I’ve published it in past blog posts about summer sippers. Since we have family members with diabetes, I’ve developed a sugar-free version.

This year my cucumbers haven’t been so abundant, but a neighbor dropped off several plump cukes and I was happy to use them in my limeade this week.

 If you want a strong wallop of cucumber/lime flavor, swap out the lemon-lime soda for 6-7 cups of water, and drink your limeade straight up.

Sugar-Free Cucumber Limeade

1 cup lime juice

1 ½ cups artificial sweetener (sucralose or Splenda, or your favorite natural sweetener)

1 large cucumber, thinly sliced

2 to 4 cups crushed ice

2-liter bottle sugar-free lemon-lime soda (such as Diet Sprite, Diet 7-Up)

In a large pitcher or drink dispenser, stir together the lime juice and sweetener until well-mixed. Add the cucumber slices, crushed ice and lemon-lime soda. Makes about 10-20 servings, depending on the size of glasses used.

CUCUMBER LIMEADE (REGULAR VERSION)

1 quart crushed ice

12-ounce can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed

2-liter bottle lemon-lime soda (can be sugar-free)

1 large cucumber, thinly sliced

Place the ice in a large pitcher or a glass drink dispenser. Add the limeade concentrate. Add cucumber slices, then soda. Stir a few times to mix ingredients before serving. Serves 10-20, depending on the size of the glasses.