Most people know to eat several servings of fresh fruits and vegetables daily for optimal health. Many choose to eat organic produce due to the lower content of chemicals used to fertilize and protect crops from pests. However, organic produce is not always the least expensive. Traditionally grown produce is as nutritional as organics, but it is necessary to remove chemicals from fruits and vegetables before consuming them. Though there is a big market for commercial produce cleansers, you probably already have all you need to clean your produce. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Peel off the outer leaves of leafy vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage and collards. The outer leaves usually attract more of the chemicals simply because they are on the outside.
2. Separate the leaves of leafy vegetables and place them loosely in a colander. Fill a spray bottle with distilled water and spray the leaves liberally. Use the spray on soft-skinned fruits such as apricots and peaches as well.
3. Shake the excess water off the leaves and place them on paper towels. Soak as much surface water as possible and store the leaves in an airtight container or zip-lock bag.
4. Fill a large container with distilled water, 1 tbsp. of lemon juice and 1 tbsp. of salt. Dip thick-skinned fruits and vegetables into the mixture and scrub the skins with a vegetable brush. Do not dip soft-skin fruits such as peaches or apricots.
5. Rinse the hard-skinned fruits and vegetables under cold running water or distilled water. Pat dry with a paper towel to remove any excess water.
Tags: fruits vegetables, distilled water, excess water, fruits such, leafy vegetables, leaves leafy, leaves leafy vegetables