Citrus fruit is the gift that keeps on giving. This container is full of orange chunks and pomegranate seeds. Both are very inexpensive in the winter/early spring. This cache consists of six oranges that were on their way to over-ripe, plus one pomegranate that I just hadn't gotten around to using. Rather than letting it all go bad, I peeled and popped seeds, then set it all aside in the fridge to have salad toppings ready for the next week.
Once all the oranges had been sectioned and peeled, I stuck the skins in a large jar. My regular readers know that I never throw out a glass jar as they are a great way to store leftovers. Well, they're a great place to store home-made cleaning solution too. In the winter, I start with orange skins quite a lot, since I can get a bag of fruit for two bucks... and there's nothing I like more than stretching a buck (or two).
Here's a typical winter salad for us. Salad greens topped with oranges. The pom seeds add a nice pop, as do pecan bits, sliced onions, etc. I've been topping these salads with a raspberry vinaigrette. Talk about healthy and delicious!
I've always got a jar of citrus and vinegar cleaning solution on the window sill over the kitchen sink. Once my jar is crammed full of skin, I pour in hot water and screw on the cap. The seal is always tight and I can leave the skins to steep for a couple of days. Once I pull out the skins and discard, I can fill the rest of the jar with white vinegar and am all set. I will also often steep some rosemary and thyme in the water for a couple of days, then drain that off. In addition to the base of water and vinegar, I will often pour the mixture into a bowl and slowly spoon in baking soda. Once the foam settles, I'll pour the mixture back into the jar. This solution has helped quite a bit when I have to clean anything with burnt on grease. I'll pour the solution into the pan and let it soak a bit before starting a scrub attack.
From now on, I hope you don't immediately discard citrus skins. Whether it's winter and you're eating oranges, or summer and squeezing lemons, the skins are worth wringing a little extra life out of by creating all natural cleaning solution.
Your salad toppings look tasty. I use nuts..hubby is not big on fruit but loves veggies. I love fruit...veggies not so much.
ReplyDeleteHubby always wants nuts on his salad. This time of year, the only type of tomato we like on a salad are grape/cherry tomatoes. The fruit solution is a lot less expensive!
DeleteThat is a great tip! Thank you! I will definitely use the skins now.
ReplyDeleteThe solution has been very useful but TBG comments that it looks like I have jars of urine sitting on the window sill...
DeleteIn the winter, grape tomatoes are the only ones that have any taste. Maybe cherry if you say so since I rarely buy cherry tomatoes. Right now, we are eating halos. I think citrus makes a sticky cleaner. I can barely eat citrus and I would not be able to smell it for too long before I was reacting. I am allergic to citrus.
DeleteIt is less sticky when you only use the skins. I like anything that cuts down the smell of vinegar! I actually don't really see cherry tomatoes in the winter, it's grape that I've been buying. Didn't know if the names were interchangeable or not. I do use a lot of canned San Marzano tomatoes!
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