Orange peel is rich in nutrients and due to lack of knowledge it has been discarded. Many recipes can be made with this ingredient.
Enough of the proliferation of the throwaway culture! Did you know that we can even use orange peel, which most of the time we throw in the trash?
Countless recipes can be created using this item, which we consider disposable. The vitamins present in the outer crust of the orange are three times more concentrated on the outside than on the inside, in the segments.
Nature is truly incredible! It is possible, above all, to recycle and reuse practically everything. Especially when the subject is of organic origin.
In general, all fruits have 20% antioxidants in the skin region, more than in their pulp. Therefore, tea fans know this very well, and enjoy the advantages.
Benefits of Orange Peel
Its main benefit, in principle, is related to the amount of vitamin C present in the peel. The orange itself already had this substance in abundance in its segments, and on the outside its concentration is much higher.
Its consumption is important, because the body itself cannot create vitamin C. Therefore, it must be ingested regularly.
The female body needs to replace 75% of this vitamin daily. Men, in turn, need a greater amount, reaching up to 90%. Orange peel can supply 14% of this daily value. In fact, breaking the consumption habit already adds the necessary amounts of fiber to your intake.
In addition, there is another abundant substance called polyphenol. Polyphenols are basically compounds from vegetables that have a preventive function against diseases such as: diabetes, Alzheimer’s and obesity. Vitamin A is also another rich source of orange peel.
The result of continuous use of this natural device is strong cardiovascular health, avoiding chronic diseases. In fact, here is an important tip: choose organic oranges, as the peel is a place where a lot of pesticides used in large crops accumulate.
How to use?
Firstly, after peeling the orange, set the peel aside somewhere. This content can be used in a variety of ways. In juice, in sweets, drinks, in salads or hot dishes such as soups and marinated recipes. The possibilities are, above all, infinite. Even teas are made from this ingredient.
Drinking orange peel tea can bring benefits such as regulating blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart disease. Consequently, consumption also results in strengthening the body’s immunity, acts as an effective antioxidant, reduces, above all, blood acidity and says goodbye to the possibility of developing gout.
Revenues
With the aim of revealing the secrets of orange peel in the kitchen, we are going to reveal some basic recipes to make at home. This way, you will be able to clearly see how effective reusing the bark is for the environment, your health and the health of your family. A vitamin C bomb in your daily routine.
Orange peel cake
Firstly, the orange peel cake is just like grandma’s house. The aim here is to provide a sustainable alternative to developing the recipe and leaving aside the famous “orange essences” bought in the supermarket. With just 25 minutes and a few ingredients, your afternoon snack will finally be guaranteed with a variety of vitamins in your mix.
Ingredients
- 1 medium orange
- 1 cup of oil
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups of wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon of yeast
- 2 cups of sugar
Preparation mode
The first step is to cut the orange into 4 parts and place it in the blender, skin and all. Add the oil, eggs and sugar to the glass and beat until smooth. Once this is done, take a bowl and add the wheat flour with the yeast and mix manually. Mix the beaten dough well in the container with the flour until all the balls formed disappear.
Keep a greased pan and, above all, a preheated oven next to it. Place the finished dough in the container, bake for just 25 minutes. Finally, after the estimated time, remove and serve with coffee or another drink of your choice.
Sweet orange peel
There is no better dessert than the one made from orange peel. For those who usually attend Folias de Réis, you know that this is the favorite sweet served after meals. In summary, it can be seen that reusing fruit remains is a habit developed by older people and has been lost over time.
Just stop and look at the traditional festivals that still take place today to see how much the wisdom of reusing is still used. Finally, let’s look at the recipe to add more of this culinary knowledge to our notebooks.
Ingredients
- 6 oranges
- 10 cups of sugar
- 5 cups of water
- 15 cloves
- 3 cinnamon sticks
Preparation mode
It will take a long time to prepare the sweet, because the shell needs to be soaked for 3 days straight. Choose thicker-skinned oranges so that your yield is greater. Cut them in half and remove the inner pulp, that is, the segments. Leave it in the water for the indicated days and move on to the next step.
After the soaking time, focus on preparing the syrup. Then take a pan, pour the sugar and let it melt. When there is already liquid, add water and let it boil. So add the peels in strips and cook for 90 minutes. Despite the time indication, keep an eye on it, because the shell needs to have a glazed appearance like the image above.
If the water in the pan dries up and the time hasn’t reached the end, just add a little while cooking. Finally, pour it into jars if you intend to store it for canning. Wait for it to cool and place it in the fridge. In addition to being a great dessert to serve to guests, the sweet is a perfect option to give as a gift to a friend. Here’s a tip!
Jelly
As expected from our list of recipes, we couldn’t leave out the orange peel jelly. It is a great option to serve with bread and toast for breakfast or as an afternoon snack. This also makes it much easier to preserve and finally have a different option to use besides good old butter in the morning.
Ingredients
- 10 oranges
- 2 cups of sugar
- 1 cup of water
Preparation mode
First of all, peel the oranges and chop the strips into very small pieces. The result of this procedure is two cups full of chopped peel. After that, place the contents in a bowl, add water and leave to soak for 24 hours.
The next day, boil the peels in another clean water for about 5 minutes. Strain and remove the boiling skins. While it drains, set aside a pan and start making the syrup. Over low heat, melt the sugar and when it is liquid, add 1 cup of water and let it melt again. After 20 minutes, add the peels and cook for another 10 minutes.
Later, when everything has cooled down, pour it into jam and store it. After all, you will have jelly for a long time to enjoy your meals. Serve with toast, bread of various qualities or crackers.
Condensed milk dessert with coconut
Everyone already knows that when it comes to birthday parties, the traditional thing is sweet milk and chocolate. So it’s time to change up this menu and try the orange peel kiss. In addition to being much healthier and rich in vitamin C, the sweet is a recipe that stands out because it is much cheaper than other types of preparations.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 glass of orange juice
- 2 cups of sugar
- 5 spoons of olive oil
- 2 excited
- 1 spoonful of orange peel zest
- 1 spoon of lemon zest
Preparation mode
In a bowl, beat the orange juice with the egg yolks so that they both become a single liquid. Leave it to the side while you do the next step by step. In a pan, add the milk, sugar and olive oil and cook over low heat without stopping stirring.
When it boils, add the lemon and orange peels along with the cooked ingredients and the egg yolks beaten with the juice. Leave for 25 minutes, still on low heat, always moving to avoid boiling. When the content becomes very thick, turn off the heat and pour into a greased pan and wait for it to cool.
Once done, open the cups to place the kisses and, using a spoon, make balls with the dough. Each unit must first be dipped in sugar. If you prefer, use refined sugar. Finally, serve it to your guests.
Gelatin in orange peel
Orange peel cups for placing jelly are the best of the best inventions for decorating children’s parties. The idea makes the table super colorful and encourages children to eat a much healthier and vitamin-rich diet. Awareness is not the only advantage as you will also save a lot of plastic cups by replacing them with orange cups.
Ingredients
- gelatins of various flavors
- 1 glass of hot water
- 1 glass of ice water
- 10 oranges
Preparation mode
First, cut all the oranges into two equal parts and remove the pulp from the inside. It will look like a little cup. Once the segments are removed, don’t waste them. So make a juice to serve with the rest of the birthday feast.
In a pan, heat a glass of water and pour in the gelatin powder. Mix with a spoon and when it boils, immediately pour in the ice water to create a thermal shock. Pour the liquid into each “orange peel cup” and repeat the procedure with all other gelatin flavors.
Finally, place the gelatin cups on the table around the cake. Ready! Its decoration is perfect for welcoming children. Furthermore, know that avoiding the use of plastic cups with the recipe is a sign that your sustainable attitude will ultimately avoid years and years of decomposition and environmental degradation.
Finally, read this amazing hack How to peel an orange using just a spoon
Sources: Cuidaí, eCycle, Cooperica, Tudo Gostoso 1, Tudo Gostoso 2, Gshow, Cyber Cook, Tudo Gostoso 3, Recipe da Vovó,
Image source: Tudo Gostoso, Green Me, Coopericica, Laranjas Online, Claudia, Natue Life, Gshow, Cyber Cook, Brigadeiros Edgard, de Oliveira, Terra, Cozinhando
