Spiriteds, we are in our third sparkling water recipe, and I must confess, this one was a toughy. Not because it isn’t delicious, but rather because strawberries are ubiquitous. They are in everything from smoothies to cakes to granola to alcoholic beverages. Thus, I thought it would be a breeze to throw this Strawberry Lime Sparkling Water recipe together. I was super wrong. Because although I love the strawberry, I am picky about what I pair it with. If you are the same, then keep reading.

First, I preferred it with lime sparkling water to lemon sparkling water (although lemon is thirst-quenching, too). Second, it tastes wonderful with frozen fruit. Normally I prefer fresh fruit in my sparkling water and suggested as much in the Blackberry Lemon Sparkling Water and Blueberry Sparkling Water recipes. However, this time? Frozen strawberries pack an extra punch, especially if you use them in place of ice cubes. And, finally, I added a dash of stevia to the mix. These sparkling water recipes don’t require sweetener in order to taste good. But, a hint of sweetener won’t ruin them either. Beware, however, a little goes a long way, especially if you do decide on stevia. It is sweeter than sweet.

Strawberry Lime Sparkling Water is as cooling and comforting on a hot summer day as you can imagine. It is as pleasant as one would want it to be. And I have found that the more I enjoy my sparkling water, the less I want to drink unhealthy sugary beverages. Seriously, I do enjoy soft drinks from time to time (this is a major improvement over the three I used to drink every day during the summer in high school). But I either don’t keep them in the house or if I do, then I only buy the smallie cans and store them in the basement where I’m more likely to forget about them. The obsession is real and this is my best self. #WWDQD? Well, I don’t know what Dr. Quinn would do. Probably not drink pop.

It’s hard to stick with healthy decisions sometimes. But having Strawberry Lime Sparkling Water on hand makes it a whole lot easier. And I feel like a million bucks without spending a million bucks. Like being on a luxury cruise to a new destination without leaving my living room. Like watching an episode of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman without having emotional reactions to EVERY SCENE. It’s just a show, Morgan. #Blasphemy

I cannot even pinpoint why, but whatever the reason, there is something about Strawberry Lime Sparkling Water that absolutely puts me in a good mood.