Before you toss those citrus peels, consider making candied peels. At the UWF Community Garden, there was a demonstration of just that, using the satsumas they grow there. It took just a few minutes, and we left there with a jar of juice and a bag of candied peels.
We can reduce our waste by just thinking about it differently. For example, before you toss empty yogurt containers or paper towel rolls in the recycling or trash, think of how you or someone else can use them.
I fill up a bag of clean food containers and bring them to a local daycare center. You might call your child's school and see if the art teacher needs materials. And by the way, those satsuma peels were delicious. I'm going to start collecting my citrus peels too. For a citrus peel recipe, here is one from garlicandzest.com:
3 Ingredients for candied citrus peel
- Citrus Peels (from oranges, lemons, limes or grapefruit)
- Sugar
- Water
Steps to make candied citrus peel
- Blanch the rinds until the peel is soft, pliable and not bitter.
- Candy the peel by simmering in simple syrup.
- Let the peels dry in a single layer until tacky.
- Roll in sugar to finish the candied peel and let dry.
How to “candy” the citrus peel
The candying process is very simple to do. Just make a simple syrup with water and sugar by cooking them together in a saucepan. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the citrus peels and bring to a low simmer. Cook for 40-60 minutes.
