Lemons have a lot to offer: they’re
delicious, refreshing and have an aroma that can upgrade many dishes.
Adding a bit of fresh lemon juice to a cup of water in the morning can
do wonders for our level of alertness throughout the rest of the day.
But what about those lemon peels?
If you like to add lemon to your diet on a
regular basis, you probably throw the peels in the trash. Did you know,
however, that the peels are incredibly rich in vitamins, minerals, and
fibers that can increase your food’s nutritional value, aid in house
cleaning, and even be used to maintain your skin’s health? The following
recipes will show you how you can add lemon peel to your day-to-day
life with ease.
1. Homemade Lemon and Herbs ( see my next post for the recipe)
Butter
Would you believe that you can enjoy this delicious butter without going
to a fancy restaurant? Simply turn the plain butter you’ve got at home
into a gorgeous and delicious lemon and herbs butter you can enjoy at
every meal.
2. Candied Lemon Skins ( recipe in my post)
This is an unusual treat, and if you want to keep the peel's sour flavor, just use less sugar than called for in the recipe.
3. Add Some Zest to Your Olive Oil
( view recipe in my blog)
Transform your plain olive oil into a delicious and nutritious
lemon-oil. This upgrade will have your guests begging for the recipe.
4. Jazz Up Your Drinks with a Lemony
Ice-Cube
Add some extra flavor to any drink you serve this summer by adding a
couple of fancy lemon ice-cubes. Cut the lemon peels into spirals and
remove as much of the fruit as you can from them (this will make it less
bitter). Cut the spirals to fit in an ice tray, fill the tray to the
half-way point and put one spiral in each segment, making sure a small
bit stays out of the water. After freezing, you’ll be left with
fancy-looking ice cubes.
5. Make a Lemon-Pepper Seasoning Mix ( view recipe in my post)
This seasoning mix can work for almost any kind of dish whether it’s a
salad, fish, or chicken. Preparation is very simple, and the ingredients
are 100% natural.
6. All-Natural Ant and Pest Repellent
Place small pieces of lemon peels along your windowsills, doors, and any
other cracks and holes that ants use to sneak into your house. Ants
hate the scent of lemon, so they’ll be reluctant to return to that area
again. The peels are also particularly effective against fleas, making
them an ideal solution for pet owners that want to protect their
4-legged companions from those nasty parasites.
7. Freshen Up Your Home
The scent of fresh lemon can freshen up your home and get rid of
unpleasant smells quickly and easily.
Freshen up the fridge: Place a few small pieces of lemon peel in the
fridge. The skin will absorb any unpleasant odors while setting off its
own citrus scent.
Freshen up the trash bin: Put a few pieces of lemon peels at the bottom
of the bin to absorb the bad odors.
Freshen up closets: Sun-dry lemon peels and put them in small potpourri
bags. Add spices such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and put it in your
closets to keep them smelling fresh.
8. Effectively Clean Surfaces and Utensils
The lemon’s natural acidity is antibacterial and can help you clean many
things in the kitchen.
Clean plaque residue in kettles: Fill the kettle up with water, add a
few thin slices of lemon peel, and boil the water. Allow the boiled
water to sit for an hour, and then empty and wash the kettle.
Remove the smell of coffee: If your coffee maker’s pitcher is starting
to smell like old coffee, empty it, put some lemon peels, a few pinches
of salt and some ice-cubes. Shake well and wash the pitcher.
Freshen up the dishwasher: If your dishes come out of the dishwasher
smelling somewhat funky, add some lemon peel to the next load. This
cleans both the machine and removes any foul-smelling residue.
Clean and deodorize cutting boards: After washing your cutting board
with water and dish soap, rub the surface with the outside of a lemon
peel. Let it sit for 30 minutes and then rinse.
Clean your microwave:
Fill a bowl halfway
with water and add a few pieces of lemon peels. Pop it in the microwave
and run it on high for 5 minutes. The heat will boil the water, and the
lemon-infused steam will clean the sides and top of the microwave. Once
it’s done, remove the bowl (Careful! It’s hot!) and wipe down the
surfaces.
Save your utensils: If you have old knives, pots, or any other metallic
utensils that have lost their shine or have grime that simply won’t go
away, there’s an effective solution you can use - sprinkle some sea salt
on the utensils, then rub them with a lemon peel. Rinse and watch how
all the dirt, grime, and stains wash away.
9. Foot Spa
If you want to soften any hard skin on your soles, boil water with lemon
peels and let it cool down. Add ¼ cup of milk (bovine or almond), 2
tablespoons of olive oil, and a few drops of essential oil of your
choice. Pour the mixture into a tub and soak your feet in it for 20
minutes, then dab your feet dry.
10. Polish and Brighten Your Skin with a Homemade Scrub ( see recipe in my Home remedies blog)
This homemade scrub will help to soften your skin, in addition to
brightening any sun damage it may have experienced. Similar to other
exfoliating agents, avoid using this scrub on wounds or sensitive and
irritated skin, as well as skin riddled with acne. To make this scrub,
you’ll need to extract the lemon’s natural oils.
11. Morning Face-Wash
Many kinds of face washes contain alcohol and are thus not recommended
for daily use, as the alcohol dries out and irritates your skin. You can
rub the outside of a lemon peel onto your face before rinsing it. Avoid
contact with the eyes.
12. Pamper Your Hands
Lemon peels can help you with most hand and arm-related issues, and can
even help your fingernails shine.
Fingernail bleach – Clean stains from your fingernails by gently rubbing
them with a lemon peel.
Soften elbow skin – Sprinkle some baking soda on the outside of a lemon
peel and place it against your elbow. Twist the peel as if you’re
juicing it for a few minutes, then rinse your elbow.
Lighten age spots – If you have age spots on your hands and arm, you can
use lemon peels to lighten them by rubbing a small piece against the
stain and leaving the juice on for an hour. Avoid sunlight until you
wash yourself to prevent damage to your skin.
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