Lemonade Syrup

Description
Non-sugar recipe. It's worth squeezing the lemons for this concentrate. Keep it bottled in the refrigerator as an instant mix for long refreshing coolers in summertime and for piping hot drinks in the winter.
 * prep time: 10 minutes
 * Makes 1½ cup concentrate, enough for 25 drinks

Ingredients

 * 1 cup lemon juice (5 – 6 lemons)
 * ½ cup water
 * 1 zest from 1 lemon
 * equivalent artificial sweetener to equal 1 cup of sugar.

Directions

 * 1) With a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, peel yellow rind from lemon in thin strips.
 * 2) In a saucepan, combine rind, juice and water; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 3 minutes.
 * 3) Cool, strain and stir in sweetener.
 * 4) Store in glass jar or bottle in refrigerator.

To make

 * 1) Mix 1 tbsp syrup to 1 cup water.

Variations

 * Lemon-limeade: replace ½ cup of the lemon juice with lime juice.
 * Lemonade: for each glass of lemonade, combine 1 tbsp syrup with 1 cup ice water. Add an ice cube or two if desired.
 * Hot lemonade: place 1 tbsp syrup in cup and add hot water.
 * Lemon tea: for each cup, place 2 tsp. syrup in tea cup. Pour over ¾ cup weak tea.
 * Iced lemon tea: for each glass, place 1 tbsp syrup in glass. Add 2 – 3 ice cubes and metal spoon. Pour weak tea over spoon. Stir. Add more ice, if desired. Garnish with thin lemon slice.

Nutritional information
Each serving: 1 tbsp = 1 g carbo, 4 calories