Make your own ACV (for reals).
Well, like any self-respecting homesteader/farmer/living-simply kind of person, I am discovering the “magic” of ACV (or for those of you new to the game…Apple Cider Vinegar). If you read ANY blog from any PROFESSIONAL
homesteading/farming/living-simply
blogger, you already know the multitude of uses of this bewitching elixir (I used some *fancy* language there, didn’t I?).
ACV is THE answer for SO MANY things around the house, on your face, in your food, etc., etc. Here’s 50 reasons I found for ACV (and I am sure there are many more):
- A hair rinse to fight dandruff
- A facial cleanser to boost the pH of your skin
- Add to bath water to relieve the redness and pain of sunburn
- Reduces buildup on the scalp
- Skin toner for blemishes
- Reduces cellulite (really!?!?!!?)
- Helps control bad breath (next time, offer that person with the nasty breath a teaspoon of ACV rather than a tic-tac)
- Whitens teeth and kills mouth bacteria
- Reduces swelling and fades bruising
- Prevents flu and stomach illness
- Use as a detox to cleanse the kidneys
- A drink to prevent flu
- Reduces inflammation from arthritis
- Relieves sinus pressure and fights infection
- Aids weight loss by decreasing appetite and increasing fat burn
- Relieves allergies and asthma symptoms
- Balances the body’s pH level
- Lowers cholesterol
- Reduces blood glucose level in diabetics
- Removes nail fungus
- Soothes bug bites and other minor skin irritations
- Taken with warm water and honey before bedtime, ACV may help with sleep issues
- Strengthens bones
- Has anti-inflammatory properties
- Relieves pain from jellyfish stings (better than pee!)
- Aids in relieving chest congestion
- Use as a natural disinfectant cleanser
- Use it to wash windows and leave a streak free shine and clean scent
- A natural deodorizer around the house
- Removes lime deposits
- Use it to deter cats
- Promotes bowel movements and eases constipation
- Relieves heartburn
- Can help stop hiccups
- Treats ear infections
- Soothes rashes
- Promotes growth of healthy flora
- Helps control sugar cravings
- Helps cure strep throat
- Helps treat eczema
- Increases energy and boosts metabolism
- Relaxes sore muscles
- Disinfects wounds
- Boosts immunity
- Conditions hair and detangles (but your hair smells like a pickle)
- Gets rid of fingernail or toenail fungus (yuk)
- Works well to clear up fungal and bacterial rashes
- Deters pests in the garden
- Gets rid of warts (put ACV on cotton ball, cover with Band-Aid, leave on over night for 1 week)
- Balances pH in vagina, relieves yeast infection (douche with 1 tsp of ACV mixed with 2 cups water, I wouldn’t, but give it a try)
Well, sign me up!
Anyway, I’ve been using a generic ACV brand for awhile (because I’m cheap), but then I read that I HAVE to use an organic brand to reap the benefits of ACV. Well, the ONLY real organic ACV is Dr. Bragg’s…and that shit is expensive, especially when each 16 ounce bottle runs me around 5 bucks.
So, being the ever thrifty homesteader/farmer/living-simply kind of person I am, I Googled around and discovered I can make my own ACV for, like, next to nothing. Because I am all about sharing, my super easy recipe is below:
Super Easy ACV Recipe
Peel a bunch of apples…and keep the cores, too (if they’re a little bruised or rotten, that’s okay, just cut those parts away). You can make a super easy Apple Crisp with the good parts…or do whatever you want with them (apples are yummy. I like to put peanut butter on them…or brie…or cinnamon).
Take out a few empty and clean Mason jars (or if you’re like me, some spaghetti jars you’ve kept around to do stuff like this).
Put ~1 teaspoon of sugar in each jar.
Stuff each jar about ¾ full with apple peels and cores.
Pour water (out of the faucet is fine) over all of the apple parts (make sure you leave a little empty space in the top of the jar).
Cover each jar with a coffee filter (or a paper towel or napkin or toilet paper. Whatever. The goal is to keep the creepy-crawlies out and let your apple concoction “breathe”) and secure it with a rubber band (or, if you’re classy like me, use a hair band [I can never find a rubber band around here]).
Now comes the hard part…put the covered jars in a warm, dark place and forget about them.
For like a month.
Seriously.
Forget about them. I’d check them every week or so (and maybe scrape off the scum off of the top), but leave them alone.
In about a month (or so), those jars will start to smell like ACV, and when they do, take out the slimy, gross apple crap you’ve got going on in those jars. Now have some organic, homemade ACV. If you want to be REALLY fancy, you can pour your ACV (without the apple gunk) into a repurposed (AKA empty) wine bottle and cork it up.
You don’t need to refrigerate your ACV (duh, it’s vinegar). It’ll last forever.
Enjoy!