V for vegetables for #AtoZChallenge: homemade vegetable & fruit soak for washing

Do you grow your own fruits & vegetables? If yes, I am really envious of you. For many of us who rely on commercially produced fruits & vegetables, there are concerns of pesticide residues found on the skins of many fruits & vegetables.



The Dirty Dozen chart put out by the EWG (US-based Environmental Working Group) lists the fruits and vegetables most impacted by chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

Image is a courtesy of Cybele Masterman @ Blah Blah Magazine

Dr. Sanjay Gupta tours a grocery store to show us which foods have the highest levels of pesticide residue.

While the soft skins of fruits are edible and contain nutrients, I often peel them away. 

In the past, I just used water to clean our fruits & vegetables before consuming. Now, I try to wash more thoroughly using homemade wash, thanks to vinegar & salt.

In brief, wash - peel - wash - cut into bite chunks - eat.



Colorful vegetables and fruits always make us happy!


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Vinegar is typically 4-18% acetic acid by mass. Table vinegar tends to be more diluted (4% to 8% acetic acid).

PRO of vinegar:
♥ have antibacterial and anti mold properties.
♥ The acetic acid in vinegar can effectively kill mycobacteria, even highly drug-resistant strains (PMID: 24570366)
♥ remove clogs from drains. Agnes has used vinegar to remove stains from toilet bowl.

Please be careful:
Acetic acid is a strong eye, skin, and mucous membrane irritant. Concentrated acetic acid is corrosive, please use dilution with water.

***



For #AtoZChallenge on 2014 April 25 Fri, I lovingly present a recipe to make homemade vegetable fruit soak:

Ingredients:
♥ 200 ml white vinegar (白醋)
♥ 800 ml filtered water (过滤水)

Directions:
1. Add water to a large stainless steel pot with a lid. The lid helps to minimize the irritant nature of vinegar.
2. Add white vinegar following a ratio of 1:4 for vinegar:water. Stir to mix.
3. If the vegetables or fruits float, swirl them around.
4. Soak duration varies. For green vegetables & lettuces, 5 minutes. For delicate fruits (e.g. strawberries, blueberries), 5-10 minutes. For others (e.g. broccoli, bell peppers), do not soak for more than 30 minutes to minimize the loss of nutrients.
5. Gently scrub & rinse well. Use a colander if possible.  
6. Air dry for a while before storing them in the fridge. Wet vegetables will not last long, alternatively use clean kitchen cloth towels to wipe. 

Other tips that I love:
♥ DIY Fruit and Vegetable Wash by Mary Younkin @ Barefeet in the Kitchen
♥ DIY Homemade Vegetable Wash/ Preserver by Kearna @ Fabulessly Frugal
♥ homemade fruit vegetable spray by ServicefromHeart
♥ Do not soak mushrooms because they absorb water. Use a brush & invert the cap to remove dust & dirts under running water.



Check also our other #5minutemeal recipes.

With love,
ServicefromHeart
20140425

DIY homemade fruit vegetable spray

Do you grow your own fruits & vegetables? If yes, I am really envious of you. For many of us who rely on commercially produced fruits & vegetables, there are concerns of pesticide residues found on the skins of many fruits & vegetables.

The Dirty Dozen chart put out by the EWG (US-based Environmental Working Group) lists the fruits and vegetables most impacted by chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

Image is a courtesy of Cybele Masterman @ Blah Blah Magazine

While the soft skins of fruits are edible and contain nutrients, I often peel them away. 

In the past, I just used water to clean our fruits & vegetables before consuming. Now, I try to wash more thoroughly using homemade wash. 

Baking soda & vinegar have been great helps!  Baking soda is also known as sodium bicarbonate. 

***



PRO of sodium bicarbonate:
♥ weak disinfectant properties
♥ a potential effective fungicide against some organisms
♥ absorb musty smells
♥ clean things; (1) use cold water for steels as hot water solutions of sodium bicarbonate can corrode steel (2) do not use sodium bicarbonate for cleaning aluminium things.
♥ an antacid by dissolving with water, to treat acid indigestion and heartburn
♥ enhance crispness of fried foods
♥ tenderize meats

Please be careful:
"In patients consuming a high-calcium or dairy-rich diet, calcium supplements, or calcium-containing antacids, the use of sodium bicarbonate can cause milk-alkali syndrome, which can result in metastatic calcification, kidney stones, and kidney failure."

***

Vinegar is typically 4-18% acetic acid by mass. Table vinegar tends to be more diluted (4% to 8% acetic acid).

PRO of vinegar:
♥ have antibacterial and anti mold properties.
♥ The acetic acid in vinegar can effectively kill mycobacteria, even highly drug-resistant strains (PMID: 24570366)
♥ remove clogs from drains. Agnes has used vinegar to remove stains from toilet bowl.

Please be careful:
Acetic acid is a strong eye, skin, and mucous membrane irritant. Concentrated acetic acid is corrosive, please use dilution with water.

***

To make a do-it-yourself (DIY) fruit-vegetable spray:

Ingredients:
♥ 1 tbsp baking soda (苏打粉)
♥ 250 ml white vinegar (白醋)
♥ 250 ml filtered water (过滤水)

Directions:
1. Put all ingredients for homemade spray into a spray bottle, please be careful as it will foam up. I do it over a sink.
2. Shake gently to mix.
3. Spray on vegetables or fruits.
4. Allow to sit for about 5-10 minutes.
5. Scrub & rinse thoroughly using room temperature water.
6. Air dry for a while before storing them in the fridge. Wet vegetables will not last long, alternatively use clean kitchen cloth towels to wipe.
7. Leftover spray can be kept in the fridge.

Other tips that I love:
♥ DIY All Natural Fruit and Veggie Wash by Chanda @ My Pure Pursuit
♥ Veggie Cleaner Spray by Sophie Ulian @ Oprah
♥ DIY homemade vegetable fruit soak by ServicefromHeart

Check also our other #5minutemeal recipes.

With love,
ServicefromHeart
20140302