Monday, August 12, 2013

Sponsored: The Many Uses of Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar -- In and Out of the Kitchen #HeinzVinegar

Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Heinz Vinegar. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and as a thank you for participating.

 All Natural Heinz Vinegar

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Heinz has been committed to producing pure, all natural vinegar since the company's founding in 1869.


Growing up, I would always see my mother and grandmother reaching for the bottle of Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar that they kept on the kitchen counter.  It wasn't until I was a tween that I began really taking notice on how many uses this vinegar had.  While there are so many brands, including store-bought ones, my family has always used Heinz products.  And, now that I am own and have my own family, I also have a bottle of Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar on my counter, for whenever the need for it arises.


Heinz offers a wide variety of vinegars, including their popular Apple Cider Vinegar and Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar.  What is the difference between the two?

"Heinz® Apple Cider Vinegar is bottled at the peak of freshness and ultra-filtered to guarantee sparkling clarity. It begins with fine quality apples and crystal clear water to create a clean, mellow flavor ideal for brightening up salads, flavoring a main dish or topping off a cool beverage.  It also has the have the full 5% acidity required for canning and pickling.

Heinz® Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar is vinegar in its most natural and wholesome form. The product retains the “mother” of the vinegar – a compound created naturally during vinegar’s fermentation process. It is used in cooking to bring out refreshing flavors, and has a variety of other unique uses."

While I love cooking and being in the kitchen, I, like my mother and grandmother, love using Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar for other uses, in and out of the kitchen.  What can you do with Apple Cider Vinegar you ask?  Well, beyond adding it to recipes, here are just some of the other uses my family has been using Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar for generations:

1.  Conditions hair and detangles.  My Nana used to have a spray bottle next to her knitting table. When my brothers and I would come to visit while my parents went out for the night, she would have us take baths/showers, and then help brush our hair.  Because I usually had long hair, she would spritz my locks with her "miracle spray" making combing or brushing through my hair pain free. :-)  No more tangles!  -- Note:  If you are brunette, apple cider vinegar will add highlights to your hair.  Also, if you are prone to dandruff in the winter, rinse your hair with vinegar and 2 cups of warm water after shampooing.  It will help with the itchy, dry scalp.

2.  Reduce/prevent pimples -- During my teens when a pimple would pop up, my mother would always tell me dap a cotton ball with Apple Cider Vinegar and then wipe my face with it (making sure to avoid the eye area).  The vinegar would help to dry out the pimple and clear up my acne.  Apple cider vinegar is a great natural astringent, and leaves your skin feeling clean and smooth.

3.  Soothes bug bites, itchy dry skin and even  relieves sunburns -- From bug bites to dry itchy winter skin, apple cider vinegar can help sooth your irritated skin.  Simply wet a cotton ball with the vinegar and wipe the affected area.  For dry, itchy skin, add 2 TBSP. to your bath water.  And, to sooth sunburned skin, apply diluted apple cider vinegar directly to the affected area, or add a cupful to your bath.

4.  Kills Weeds -- My grandfather swore by this stuff in killing the weeds in his back yard.  He would always tell us not to waste our hard earned money on expensive lawn chemicals.  Instead, mix equal parts of apple cider vinegar with water and attach to a spray gun bottle and apply to the weeds.

5.  Prevent frost on car windows in the winter -- Coat your car windshield and windows with 3 parts apple cider vinegar to one part water. 

6.  Whiten stained teeth - Apple cider vinegar is great at getting out stains on clothes, but works even better when it comes to removing yellow stains on your teeth.  Simply gargle with apple cider vinegar before brushing daily, to kill bacteria and whiten teeth.

7.  Bye Bye Constipation -- Who knew?  Whenever we had tummy troubles, my mother and grandmother would mix 2 TBSP. of apple cider vinegar with a glass of water, and have us drink it 2-3 times a day.  We were never fans of prune juice, so this always seemed to work.  When we got a little older and the taste of the vinegar with water just didn't sit well with us, my mom would mix it with apple, grape or pear juice.  It always seemed to go down easier, when sweetened a little. :-)

8.  Sooth a cold or sore throat -- Whenever cold season rolled around, my mom would make sure to have apple cider vinegar and honey on hand to mix together with water, to help sooth our sore throat.  1 tsp. of each (honey and apple cider vinegar) mixed with water would work wonders, oftentimes helping to open our stuffed nasal passages...which leads to my #9 use...

9.  Helps with congestion -- Add apple cider vinegar to the vaporizer to provide relief to congestion and coughing.  Not only does it help with these cold symptoms, but it also makes the room smell nice, as apple cider vinegar is a great room deodorizer.

10.  Remove rust from tools (and clean car chrome) -- Place rusty bolts, screws, tools, etc. into a bucket with undiluted vinegar and let soak overnight.  You can also use full strength apple cider vinegar to clean car chrome, leaving it sparkling. :-)

11.  Remove fruit stains from hands -- Apple cider vinegar sure does come in handy during blueberry and raspberry picking season.  Simple pour some vinegar onto your hands and rub together.  I wet a paper towel or facecloth with the vinegar when it comes to getting the fruit stain off the girls' hands.

12.  Use as a natural deodorant -- Sounds crazy, but apple cider vinegar absorbs and
neutralizes stinky pit smells.  Instead of grabbing your roll on deodorant, why not try wetting a face cloth or cotton ball with apple cider vinegar and rubbing it into your underarms.  It absorbs in, to help minimize body odor.  Don't worry, the vinegary smell goes away once it dries. :-)

13. Chemical-free Household Cleaner -- Before "green" cleaning products became popular, my mom and grandma would use one part vinegar to one part water mixed in spray bottle to clean practically all surfaces of the house including hardwood floors, kitchen cabinets, countertops, bathroom tiles and fixtures and more.


Have you tried the different versions of Heinz Apple Cider Vinegars?  If so, do you have a favorite?  Is there a particular recipe you love making with Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar. Recently, I have been making a berry vinaigrette, which I found in the recipes section of the Heinz Vinegar website.  Here it is in case you want to try it --  it is super easy to whip together and tastes great.  :-)



Berry Vinaigrette



A light and refreshing dressing. Also a wonderful accompaniment to grilled salmon or chicken. Can be made a day in advance.



Servings:
Ingredients

    2/3 cup Heinz® Apple Cider Vinegar**
    1/4 cup sugar**
    1 cup extra virgin olive oil
    2 cups cut berries (raspberries, strawberries or blackberries)

Directions

    Whisk all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Cover and store in refrigerator. Serve at room temperature. Can be made a day in advance. **If preferred: Replace with Heinz® Distilled White Vinegar Use 1/3 cup of sugar instead of 1/4 cup Makes about 2 cups Prep Time: 5 minutes.

Source: http://www.heinzvinegar.com/recipes


Don't forget that Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar is great for canning. We have been getting tons of pickling cucumbers in our weekly CSA food share, so this past weekend, I pulled out my canning supplies and made homemade dill pickles.  I love to give these pickles as housewarming gifts, as part of holiday gift baskets, and have on hand for end of summer cookouts, or to enjoy during the winter months on hamburgers and sandwiches.  My girls take after their mother in that they also love dill pickles.  Before I stash away the freshly canned pickle jars, the girls decided they would do a taste test. Here are a few photos I snapped of them trying a few pickles from the newly canned dill pickle jars: 




It took more than one to give me the seal of approval on my homemade dill pickles. :-)  This time around I had used another recipe found at the Heinz Vinegar recipe, for Dill Sandwich Slices.  Here is the recipe in case you want to try canning this year --


Dill Sandwich Slices
No hamburger is complete without the tangy zest of a dill pickle. Because these have already been cut into slices, they are easy to use.

Servings: 13
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Ingredients

    5 cloves garlic
    4 cups Heinz® Apple Cider Vinegar
    1/2 cup Ball® Salt for Pickling & Preserving
    3 tablespoons pickling spice
    4 cups water
    3/4 cup sugar
    5 bay leaves
    2 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
    5 heads fresh dill
    13 1/3 cups sliced trimmed pickling cucumbers (1/4-inch lengthwise slices)
    5 Ball® Pint (16 oz.) Preserving Jars with lids and bands

Directions

    Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside
    

    Tie pickling spice in a square of cheesecloth, creating a spice bag.

    Combine vinegar, pickling salt, water, sugar, and spice bag in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Reduce heat and boil gently for 15 minutes, until spices have infused the liquid.

    Place 1 bay leaf, 1 garlic clove, 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds, and 1 head of dill into each jar. Pack cucumber slices into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Ladle hot pickling liquid into jar to cover cucumbers leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and re-measure headspace. If needed, add more pickling liquid to meet recommended headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.
    
    Process filled jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Source: http://www.heinzvinegar.com/Recipes Category.aspx?Category=760#recipe7784

 

Do you have any favorite uses of apple cider vinegar?  Maybe they were passed down to your from your mom or grandma.  I would love to hear them, so make sure you leave a comment telling me how else you vinegar, besides with your cooking recipes. 

For more information, recipes and tips for using Heinz Vinegar, visit www.HeinzVinegar.com and www.Pinterest.com/heinzvinegar.


---BUY NOW---

"Today, Heinz supplies American households with more than 8 million gallons of its 10 vinegar varieties each year.  In addition to Apple Cider Vinegar and Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar, Heinz offers a wide array of standard and specialty vinegars, including Distilled White Vinegar, Salad Vinegar, Red Wine Vinegar, Malt Vinegar, Tarragon Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, Garlic Wine Vinegar and most recently, Cleaning Vinegar."
 
Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar and other Heinz Vinegar varieties are available at most grocery stores nationwide.


Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Heinz Vinegar. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and as a thank you for participating.

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