Please tell me…is there an easy way to pack to go camping?! Maybe I’m just a baby. Or too high maintenance? Alberta’s stormy attitude makes me feel like I should prepare for scorching sun, a tornado and a possible snowstorm all in one weekend. I don’t know what my problem is, but apparently there just isn’t enough space in my brain to gather all the items and food necessary for 4 people to take on the great outdoors.

Don’t get me wrong, I like it once I’m there. The kids can (mostly) run wild, everyone gets dirty and no one seems to care, there are zero expectations to wear makeup and there are no limits to how many popsicles we consume per day. The rules when camping make sense to me, truly. It’s the packing I could do without.

Sooooo this morning as I settled into check off my list of about 5 million things to jam in our camper for the road, and I thought to myself….I need some motivation. I need some sustenance to get through this task. And so I whipped up a pitcher of Lemon Thyme Refreshers. Who wouldn’t, right? Thank God this recipe makes a whole pitcher, because I’m pretty sure I’ll plow through a few glasses before stuffing the last water wing in the ol’ truck and hitting the dusty trail. Try it with a side of sunny weather this weekend, and let me know what you think!

Recipe

Lemon Thyme Refresher

Ingredients

1/4 cup fresh thyme
1-2 tbsp honey, to taste
1-2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 cups ice
750ml sparkling water or club soda
Lemon slices and fresh thyme, to garnish

Directions

In a large measuring cup, add the thyme and honey. Use a muddler or a wooden spoon to gently mash the thyme and bring out it’s flavour.
Add the fresh ginger and the lemon juice. Whisk until the honey is dissolved into the juice.
Fill the pitcher with the 4 cups of ice. Strain the lemon/honey mixture into the pitcher through a sieve. Add sparkling water.
Use lemon slices and more fresh thyme to make the pitcher look pretty, and serve. Or…you could just throw a straw right in the pitcher if you’d rather not share;) I won’t tell!