It’s Seattle Seafair weekend. A great excuse for a cocktail recipe on a healthy food blog? I think so. Sometimes being healthy means enjoying the sweet pleasures in life- like a perfectly crafted cocktail while floating on Lake Washington’s beautiful waters this weekend.

You won’t find any high-fructose corn syrup pre-made mixer in these hands. A simple syrup made with honey instead of corn syrup, sugars, additives and colorings makes this version of sweet tea lemonade cleaner, cheaper and much more delicious. This would taste great without alcohol as well for the whole family to enjoy.

Honey Sweet-Tea Cocktail Recipe:

4 TB Honey (preferrably raw)

1/2 cup water

4-6 black tea bags (or green if you prefer)

Premium brand vodka

Lemon and orange slices to garnish

Directions:

1. Boil a few cups of water in a large pot. After it boils, set aside on stove and add your teabags. I tied them to the pot handles to keep them secure. Steep for as long as you’d like.

2. Heat a seperate small saucepan over the stove on medium heat. Add the honey until it melts, then add water and cover for 5 min or until honey dissolves. This is your honey syrup. If it’s too sweet, add more water and vice versa.

3. Discard the teabags and pour the tea into a large pitcher. Add the honey syrup and lots of ice. Add as much water as you’d like to get the volume you want, noting the ice will melt as well. Add 1-1.5 oz of premium vodka per serving or person (depending on the size of your pitcher), and slices of oranges and lemons. Stir, and refrigerate or serve immediately over ice.

Other great variations: Green tea with cucumber slices, white tea with melon and berries, rooibos tea with mint and mango slices.

Please enjoy responsibly. Have a great and safe summer weekend, Seattle!