Although we haven’t been getting the harsh, cold weather as we’re usually used to in Toronto, the weather outside can still give you the chills. Enter: Sweet Apple Cider! Apple cider is one of the few drinks that make you want to curl up on your couch in front of a fire. And while sweet apple cider is delicious and nourishing on its own, apple cider can come in another form that’s both tasty and healthy: Apple Cider Vinegar!
Apple cider vinegar and sweet apple cider are two liquids that your body can truly benefit from. There are many brands out there, but my particular favorite is Filsinger’s, a local Canadian brand, that produces incredibly pure and fresh apple products.
Keep reading – you can enter the contest to win a big basket of apple cider products from Filsinger’s!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Filsinger’s apple cider vinegar is fresh, pure, unpasteurized, and unfiltered – this means nothing’s been added or altered in the process of making it, and their certified organic apples are pressed and aged without preservatives or additives.
Apple cider vinegar has been used for centuries to help with a variety of ailments due to its powerful cleansing qualities as it’s also a naturally occurring antibiotic and antiseptic. You can use it as a home remedy for skin, wounds, burns, acne, sunburns, insect bites, or as a weight loss ingredient. Although I don’t like to promote “weight loss”, apple cider can speed up your metabolism, making your body more efficient at burning energy. A good tip is to place 1 tbsp. in a glass of water and drink first thing in the morning or throughout the day.
You can also use it to clean your house (although it may be more costly) but apple cider vinegar makes a great disinfectant, deodorizer and over all household cleaner.
Lastly, you can eat it! Apple cider vinegar is an amazing addition to salad dressings, stir fry’s, and can be used to add acid (or make vegan buttermilk) in recipes such as cookies, pancakes and muffins. (If you are not local to Ontario, just be sure to look for products with similar standards such as Bragg’s, Eden, and Spectrum).
Sweet Apple Cider
Filsinger’s sweet apple cider is made the old fashioned way from whole apples. They blend several varieties of apples such as McIntosh, Cortland, Spy, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, and Ida Red. According to Filsinger’s, using a variety of apples enhances the flavour. Just like all of their products, they don’t use any preservatives or additives in the preparation of the final product.
How to Enjoy Sweet Apple Cider
Warmed up with a cinnamon stick any time of day! Warm it up in a pot, sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg and a large cinnamon stick. Get into your comfiest clothing and curl up on the couch in front of fire, and just let the apple cider sink in.
Sweet Apple Cider Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Filsinger’s apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp Filsinger’s sweet apple cider
1 tbsp local honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger powder
Place all the ingredients in a blender or small processor and blend until well combined and creamy. Tastes delicious on spinach or arugula with fresh sliced apples, walnuts and hemp seeds!
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