Your Apple a Day: Simple Apple Cider Vinegar

This easy-peasy recipe will result in one of the most useful items in your pantry, one which can be used not only in your cookery and as a daily health drink, but as a household cleanser, skin and facial toner, hair rinse, and dozens of other excellent uses. Hippocrates, the founding father of medicine in ancient Greece, taught that he depended on two medicinal tonics, honey and vinegar. Apple cider vinegar lowers cholesterol and blood pressure and helps strengthen bones. Best of all, this preparation costs mere pennies to make as you are using only the cores and peels from the apples. Bake a couple of pies while you brew up a tonic to boost health. When you add herbs to vinegar, you are enhancing their healing power synergistically for the best of both worlds. All you need is:

• cores and peels of 8 organic apples
• 2 tablespoons of honey
• 1 quart of water

Cut up the apple cores and peels into smaller pieces and spoon them into a wide-mouthed canning jar. Pour in enough water to cover the fruit, then spoon in the honey and stir well. Cover the jar with either a clean paper towel or waxed paper and place a rubber band tightly around the neck of the jar. Place on a dark shelf in your cupboard or work area and leave it for two weeks. After a fortnight, strain the liquid and remove and discard the compostable solids that remain. then return the liquid to the jar and secure the cover with the rubber band again. Put it back on the shelf. making sure to stir it daily. After one month, taste a spoonful; if the acidity and flavor is to your taste, transfer it to a dark bottle with a sealable top. Vinegar from the fermented apples will corrode metal lids, so a pretty bottle with a cork is the best option.

Apple Cider Skin Toner

This recipe utilizes apple cider vinegar, which should become one of your household mainstays. Many people assume—incorrectly—that vinegar will be irritating to skin, but it’s actually quite the opposite as it neutralizes pH and softens skin. Apple cider vinegar will become one of your most-loved beauty fixes. To create a skin-soothing facial toner, just mix one-part water and one-part vinegar and apply to a cotton swab or soft clean cloth to wipe gently over a clean face.

Orchard Fresh Hair Conditioner

The goddess of orchards is Pomona, who is a protector of nature associated with love and beauty. You will be protecting your lovely locks by creating this simple yet effective DIY conditioner.

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Mix both ingredients in a bowl and pour over freshly shampooed hair. Gently massage into your hair and scalp and leave for a few moments before rinsing. It’s remarkable how well these two components work to clean and condition your hair. You save a mind-boggling amount of money, and your hair and your home will be healthier. After a couple of months of DIY hair love, your hair will be shockingly shiny. Place an apple on your altar, and offer your thanks to the goddess Pomona for her generosity and guardianship of fruit orchards around the world.

Your Apple A Day: Simple Apple Cider Vinegar

The apple tree in my back yard is heaping with the gifts from generous apple goddess Pomona. 

 

This easy peasy recipe will result in one of the most useful items in your pantry which can be used in your cookery, as a daily health drink household cleanser, skin and facial toner, a hair rinse and doubtless dozens of excellent ideas. Hippocrates, the founding father of medicine in ancient Greece, taught that he depended on two medicinal tonics, honey and vinegar. Apple cider vinegar lowers cholesterol and blood pressure and helps strengthen bones.  Best of all, this costs mere pennies to make as you are using the cores and peels only from the apples. Bake a couple of pies while you brew up a tonic to health booster. When you add herbs to vinegar, you are enhancing the healing power for the best of both worlds.  All you need is:

8 organic apple cores and peels

2 tablespoons of honey

1 quart of water

Cut up the apple cores and peels into smaller pieces and spoon into a wide-mouthed canning jar. Pour in the water to cover the fruit, spoon in the honey and stir well. Cover that with a clean paper towel or waxed paper and place a rubber band tightly around the neck of the jar, Place on a dark shelf in your cupboard or work area and leave it for two weeks. Strain the liquid and remove the compostable solids that remain and return to the jar and secure the paper and band again. Put it back on the shelf and make sure to stir daily. After one month, take a spoonful and if the acidity and flavor is to your taste, transfer it to a dark bottle with sealable top. Vinegar will corrode metal lids so a pretty bottle with a cork is the best option.