"Well, aloe there lemonade!"

It's no secret that aloe is rather miraculous, so I won't go into details on why it should be your friend. However, I will comment on my new found love, GIGANTIC FRESH ALOE LEAVES from my fabulous Asian produce stand! I've seen them there for ages, but it wasn't until a couple of weeks ago that I actually bought one. It is rather intimidating because of its size, but after a bit of searching, I found instructions on how to properly "fillet" a leaf and prepare it for consumption. Unless you are using the whole thing at once, simply cut off what you need, then stick the cut end of the remaining leaf into a plastic bag, and store it in the fridge unpeeled.

It's easier to peel chunks of the leaf rather than the whole thing at once.

Slimy deliciousness!

The gel is kinda crazy. It's super slimy, cool, crystal clear, and slippery. You can't really eat it without mixing it with something because it is bitter. Mixing it in a smoothie is perfect...just give it a little extra time in the blender to liquify it. It actually adds a nice smooth texture to your beverage with no bitter taste. My favorite preparation so far though is aloe lemonade. It's easy, refreshing, and delicious. Here is my basic recipe. You can use more or less sugar if you want. You can also use honey, but good luck with that. When I tried it, it just stuck to the bottom of the blender.

You will need:

a blender
a pitcher or jug

1/2 cup lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
1/2 cup sugar
6 oz or so of peeled aloe gel
3 1/4 cups water (or soda water)


Place lemon juice, sugar, and aloe in the blender. Blend until smooth. Pour contents into a pitcher or jug and add water. Give it a stir and pour over ice. This will keep for a couple of days in the fridge too. Enjoy!

Feel free to substitute prepared lemonade or frozen concentrate for a shortcut. Soda water makes a great fizzy beverage! Also, try adding berries or any fruit you like to the blender.

Party time!