Apple Cider Vinegar for Health and Beauty: Recipes for Weight Loss, Clear Skin, Superior Health, and Much More—the Natural Way (2015)
Salad Dressings and Condiments
Homemade Salad Dressing
I like the clean flavor of olive oil with apple cider vinegar. The sweetener will help you soften the “bite” of this amount of vinegar, if you prefer.
Yields: ¾ cup
Ingredients:
½ cup olive oil
⅓ cup organic apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon raw organic honey or maple syrup (optional)
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
1. Combine all the ingredients in a jar, shake, and serve. Do not refrigerate.
Sweet and Sour Sauce
Yields: about 3 cups
Ingredients:
¼ cup organic apple cider vinegar
¾ cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon molasses or maple syrup
¼ cup Sucanat
1 (7-ounce) can crushed pineapple
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ cup water
Directions:
1. Mix all the ingredients in a medium saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil and then simmer until thickened.
3. Store in the fridge until needed.
Barbecue Sauce
Yields: 3 quarts
Ingredients:
4 cups vegetable stock
3 (14-ounce) bottles chili sauce
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1½ cups organic apple cider vinegar
1 garlic clove
4 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups olive oil
½ cup organic plain flour
½ cup cold water
Directions:
1. Combine all the ingredients, except the flour and cold water, in a large saucepan and cook slowly for about 30 minutes.
2. Whisk together the flour and cold water, then stir the mixture into the sauce to thicken it.
3. Store in bottles in the fridge until needed.
Zesty Mustard
If you’ve never made your own mustard before, try this simple recipe. You can experiment with adding chopped fresh herbs and crushed garlic for a different flavor dimension if you like.
Yields: about 3 cups
Ingredients:
1 cup organic apple cider vinegar
1 cup dry mustard
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup rapadura
Pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Combine the apple cider vinegar and mustard in a glass bowl, then cover and let stand overnight.
2. Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and stir in the remaining ingredients.
3. Bring to a slow boil, stirring constantly.
4. Cook until thick, then cool and refrigerate.
5. Keeps for about 4 weeks.
Note: Try adding some whole mustard seeds for a different texture.
Red Pepper Jam
Yields: about 14 half-pints
Ingredients:
12 large red bell peppers
1 tablespoon sea salt
3 cups rapadura
2 cups organic apple cider vinegar
Directions:
1. Wash the peppers, remove the seeds, and cut them into quarters.
2. Add the red peppers to the food processor and mince finely.
3. Sprinkle with the salt and allow to stand for 4 hours.
4. Drain the pepper mixture and add the rapadura and apple cider vinegar.
5. Cook over a medium heat until thick, about 1 hour.
6. Pour into hot, sterilized half-pint jars, and seal with sterilized canning lids.
7. Use as desired.
Dill Pickles
Yields: 1 quart
Ingredients:
1 quart of cucumbers, approximately 3-4 inches in length
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 cup organic apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon dill seed, or 3 heads fresh dill
Directions:
1. Scrub the cucumbers well and pack into hot, sterilized canning jars.
2. Add either the dill seed or heads of fresh dill.
3. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a saucepan to make the brine and bring to a boil over a medium high heat.
4. Immediately ladle the brine over the cucumbers, filling the jars to within ½ an inch of the top of the rim.
5. Top with sterilized caps and rings, and seal tightly.
6. Cool away from drafts.
7. Serve as desired.
Pickled Apples
These make a delicious accompaniment to winter meals.
Yields: 7 pints
Ingredients:
4 cups organic apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
6 cups rapadura
2 tablespoons whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks, broken into bits
8 pounds small apples, cored and peeled
Directions:
1. Combine the apple cider vinegar, water, and rapadura in a large stock pot.
2. Wrap the cloves and cinnamon sticks in cheesecloth or place them in a stainless steel tea strainer submerged in the liquid. (Do not use aluminum.)
3. Boil until the rapadura has dissolved, then add the whole apples and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes.
4. Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for 12 to 18 hours so the flavors will meld.
5. Pack the apples into 7 sterilized pint jars.
6. Remove the spices from the syrup, then bring the syrup back to a boil.
7. Once boiling, remove from the heat and ladle into the jars to about a ¼ inch from the top.
8. Cover with canning lids and process in boiling water for 10 minutes.
9. Remove the jars and cool on a thick towel or wire rack.
10. Be sure the lids have scaled completely before storing.
Strawberry Vinaigrette
This unusual dressing is the perfect accompaniment to a kale, spinach, or arugula based salad.
Yields: about 2 cups
Ingredients:
10 ounces sugar-free strawberry preserves
½ cup fresh strawberries
¼ cup water
¼ cup organic apple cider vinegar
¼ cup macadamia oil (or substitute olive oil)
3 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons chia seeds
Directions:
1. Place all the ingredients into the blender and purèe to your desired consistency by adding more or less water.
2. Refrigerate before using.
3. Use within 3 days.
Simple Apple Cider Vinaigrette
This simple vinaigrette is incredibly versatile. Not just content to liven up salad greens, you can use this as a sauce for seafood, green vegetables, and poultry.
Yields: about 2 cups
Ingredients:
1 cup organic apple cider vinegar
1 cup olive oil
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mild curry powder (optional)
1 garlic clove, peeled
Directions:
1. Place the apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, cilantro, Dijon mustard, curry powder, and garlic clove into your food processor and blend until well combined.
2. Now slowly, with the blender still running, pour in the olive oil and pulse continuously until the dressing has emulsified.
3. Store in the fridge and use as needed.
4. Keeps for 4-5 days.
Holiday Jam
Try this gently spiced festive cranberry jam all year round.
Yields: 5 pints
Ingredients:
12 cups fresh cranberries
3 cups organic apple cider vinegar
2 cups organic granulated sugar (or sugar substitute)
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 2 oranges
Zest of 1 orange
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
Directions:
1. Combine the cranberries and all the other liquid ingredients and zest in a pot. Make sure it is a fairly big one as this jam can bubble over when heated.
2. Bring the pot to the boil and remove any foam that settles on the top from the fruit.
3. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the cranberries pop, then add the spices and mix in well.
4. Cook until the jam is quite thick, stirring often.
5. Spoon the jam into sterilized jam jars and seal them, then process them in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
6. Store in a cool place and use within a week once opened.
Sage and Caramelized Onion Relish
Yields: 1 Serving
Ingredients:
2 onions, chopped
3 tablespoons organic apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons raw honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Heat up the butter and olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat.
2. Add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes, until they are just beginning to soften, then stir in the remaining ingredients.
3. Cover and cook over a low heat for a further 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Now remove the lid, and increase the heat to medium high. Cook, stirring often, for another 20 minutes or until the onions are golden and caramelized.
5. Season with salt and pepper and then remove from the heat and allow to cool down.
6. Serve with pork, turnips, or roast ham or simply on some healthy bread; however you prefer, it’s delicious!
Classic Strawberry Jam
Yields: 1 pint
Ingredients:
3 cups fresh strawberries, chopped
1 cup sweet red wine
1 cup rapadura
2 tablespoons organic apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
2 tablespoons cinnamon
Directions:
1. Place the strawberries in a bowl and pour over the red wine. Allow the strawberries to marinate for about 10 minutes, then transfer the whole mixture to a large heavy-bottomed saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil and as soon as it starts, add the remaining ingredients and give everything a good stir to combine.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and boil until the jam starts to thicken. Stir the mixture every 10 minutes to prevent it from sticking and/or burning.
4. Once the jam has thickened, remove it from the heat and decant into sterilized canning jars.
5. Store it in the fridge.
Fig Chutney
Yields: about 1½ cups
Ingredients:
1 cup dried figs, roughly chopped
½ cup fig preserves
½ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup honey
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons organic apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and sauté the onion until soft, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the figs, balsamic, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the preserves and thyme, cover and allow to cool for half an hour.
4. Best served immediately, but will hold for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge.
5. Serve with roasted pork for a real taste sensation!
Spicy Apple Jam
This versatile jam is delicious spread onto muffins, crumpets, and toast, or as a side to a pork dish.
Yields: about 4 cups
Ingredients:
4 pounds apples, peeled, cored and chopped
2 cups organic apple cider vinegar
½ cup honey or maple syrup
3 tablespoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon allspice
1 teaspoon ground cloves
Directions:
1. Place the apples, apple cider vinegar, and honey into a large pot and cook over a low heat until soft. This can take some time so be patient.
2. Once the apples are soft and the liquid has been absorbed, pass the apple mixture through a sieve to get rid of any clumps.
3. Place the apple pulp into a clean saucepan and stir in all the spices until well mixed.
4. Now cook the apple pulp over a medium heat until it has thickened, then decant the jam into sterilized jars.
5. Once sealed, process them in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
6. Enjoy as desired.
Piccalilli
Yields: about 6 cups
Ingredients:
2 pounds cauliflower, cut into florets
3 cups organic apple cider vinegar
1 ½ cups green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
½ cup rapadura
½ cup organic plain flour
¼ cup cooking salt
¼ cup water
1 red onion, roughly chopped
1 red pepper, seeds removed and roughly chopped
2 cucumbers, peeled, quartered and cut into 1-inch cubes
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
2 teaspoons turmeric
Directions:
1. Mix the vegetables together in a bowl and sprinkle them with ⅓ of the salt, then leave them to drain for 1 hour. Rinse, drain well, and repeat another two times.
2. Combine the apple cider vinegar, rapadura, garlic, and ginger in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring, until all the rapadura has dissolved.
3. Once the liquid is ready, add the veggies, cover, and bring to a boil again. Once boiling, remove the lid, reduce the heat, and simmer for a further 10 minutes.
4. Place the mustard powder, mustard seeds, flour, and water in a bowl and stir together to make a paste.
5. Add the paste to the pot of vegetables and stir it in well. Allow to cook until the mixture begins to thicken.
6. Ladle the piccalilli into sterilized canning jars and seal while it is still hot.
7. A firm favorite!
Pickled Onions
Serve these delicious tangy onions as is, or jazz up this basic recipe with your choice of flavors, spices, and herbs. Some fabulous additions include cinnamon, red pepper flakes, chili powder, garlic, mustard seeds, bay leaves, ginger, coriander, fennel, or cumin to name a few. Have fun experimenting!
Yields: 3 cups
Ingredients:
3 red onions, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
1 cup organic apple cider vinegar
½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
¼ cup rapadura
8 whole cloves
2 tablespoons salt
Directions:
1. Separate the onions into their individual half rings and place them into a large bowl.
2. Pour enough boiling water over them to just cover them and leave them for 20 seconds and then drain.
3. Place the onions into jars.
4. Place the cloves into a saucepan and heat over a medium heat until fragrant and then whisk in the remaining ingredients.
5. Bring the brining liquid to a gentle simmer and stir until the rapadura and salt have dissolved.
6. Pour the brine over the onions.
7. Allow the jars to stand at room temperature until they are cool, then seal and place in the fridge until needed.
8. These onions hold for 2 weeks in the fridge but I doubt that they will last that long-they are totally addictive!
Tomato Ketchup
Yields: 8 servings
Ingredients:
3 pounds tomatoes, chopped
2 red onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves-minced
2 whole cloves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon chili powder
¼ cup organic apple cider vinegar
¼ cup rapadura
¼ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Salt to taste
Directions:
1. Place the tomatoes, onions, garlic, cloves, peppercorns, mustard seeds, paprika, and chili powder into a pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for about 45 minutes or until half of the liquid has evaporated.
2. Remove from the heat and allow to cool down, then place it all into the blender and puree until smooth.
3. Pass the puree through a sieve, straining as much liquid as possible from the pulp into a clean saucepan.
4. Heat up the strained liquid over a medium heat and once warm, add the apple cider vinegar, rapadura, lemon juice, and salt.
5. Stir well and allow this mixture to simmer for 15 minutes or until it has thickened to your desired consistency.
6. Decant the ketchup into a sterilized jar and store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
7. Add to everything!
Simple but Oh-So-Tasty Pasta Sauce
Yields: 4 cups
Ingredients:
4 pounds ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 cup basil leaves, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and then add the garlic and jalapeños. Sauté until just starting to brown, then add the tomatoes.
2. Bring the tomatoes to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer until the mixture has reduced by half. This takes about an hour, so be patient.
3. Now add the remaining ingredients to the pot and stir them in well.
4. Allow to simmer for a further 15 minutes, then decant into sterilized jars and refrigerate.
5. Alternatively, you can make a big batch and freeze the sauce for an easy go-to meal in a hurry.
6. Enjoy!
Mayonnaise
While store-bought mayonnaise might be convenient, it is packed full of unhealthy ingredients that are simply just not good for you. This homemade mayonnaise is quick and easy to make, is packed full of healthy goodness, and tastes fantastic to boot!
Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup olive oil
1 cup macadamia oil
5 egg yolks, at room temperature
1 tablespoon organic apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Add everything to the blender except for the oils and blend until well incorporated.
2. Now very slowly, a drop at a time, add the olive oil, while the blender runs continuously.
3. Keep adding the olive oil slowly until it starts to emulsify, then add the macadamia oil and keep blending until it is all incorporated.
4. Store in the fridge for 1 week.
Spicy Fruit Chutney
Yields: about 3 cups
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh apricots, pitted and chopped
2 cups dried apricots, sliced thinly
½ cup organic apple cider vinegar
½ cup rapadura
2 mangoes, pitted, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 red chili pepper-finely diced
Zest of 1 lime, finely grated
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Directions:
1. Throw all the ingredients into a large pot and bring them to a boil over a medium heat.
2. Once boiling reduce the heat to low and simmer for an hour or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir the mixture frequently during the cooking time.
3. Once cooked, cover the pot and leave it overnight.
4. In the morning, reheat the pot, then ladle the chutney into a sterilized jar.
5. Leave the jar at room temperature for a week so the flavors meld and develop and then pop it into the fridge until needed.
6. Serve as a side to meat and cheese or as a part of a ploughman’s lunch—enjoy!
Simple Herby Garlic Salad Dressing
Yields: about 2 cups
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups olive oil
½ cup organic apple cider vinegar
¼ cup fresh herbs of your choice
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Throw it all in a jar.
2. Close the lid.
3. Shake to combine.
4. Pour over salad.
2 Shakes Vinaigrette
Yields: about 1 cup
Ingredients:
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup organic apple cider vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions:
1. Place all the ingredients in a jar and shake to combine.
2. Store in the fridge for a week.
3. Shake well before serving.
4. Enjoy over your favorite salad greens.
5. Simple and tasty.