🍋 How to get more from your lemons this summer
The Sustainable Kitchen Digest Issue 7: What you need to know about zest, better juicing materials, and experimenting with hibiscus cinnamon tea!
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TL;DR:
🍋 Every time you grab a lemon, zest it, and freeze! 👉🏽 Just make sure you know if the citrus has wax and get it off first.
✨ Citrus juicers without plastic 👉🏽 These should stand the test of time AND create less microplastics
🌺 Test Kitchen: Hibiscus Cinnamon Tea (Agua de Jamaica) 👉🏽 Sweet and tart with a little spice. This version is sweetened with stevia instead of sugar.
🗳️ Take action 👉🏽 Support pushback to data center expansion in the heart of U.S. agricultural land.
Well, it’s officially June and we’re halfway through 2026. Most schools are out for summer and I genuinely hope you’re able to spend some time enjoying your favorite summer foods, embracing some time outdoors, and recharging your batteries a bit.
Since I know fruity summer drinks are likely on the menu (and that usually involves citrus), here are some scrap ideas, sustainable swaps, and more.
💡 Food Scrap Idea
🍋 Every time you grab a lemon, zest it! But know this first.
You can freeze it for later. Seriously!
But, here’s the thing about lemon zest. You might want to be careful when purchasing these at the grocery store or farmer’s market.
If you’ve ever handled a lemon, you might have noticed the vibrant yellow color and shiny exterior. Well, that exterior is a waxy coating applied to lemons to keep them fresher longer.
This innovation comes with some major downsides:
Often made from beeswax or shellac (beetle secretions), which isn’t suitable for vegans.
Other forms of the wax may be petroleum-based plastic. Another source of microplastic! Woohoo.
What’s the solution?
Opt for locally-grown or organic citrus, including lemons. They won’t last as long, but that’s where your freezer comes in handy. And, double check that the organic version doesn’t have wax. For some, organic just means the wax coating isn’t synthetic.
The next time you need fresh lemon juice for a recipe, don’t just squeeze the lemon and call it a day.
Zest it and either use the zest in your recipe or store it in a freezer-safe container in the freezer.
Use the juice and store any leftovers in the freezer.
Repeat this with the seeds. Many people enjoy using the seeds as a pectin replacement when making homemade jam. (More on that in a future issue.)
Either use the leftover lemon halves in a simmer pot (like this lemon thyme simmer pot), or safely dispose of them in your disposal to give it a refresh. If use sparingly, the halves can be composted. Citrus and compost don’t always mix well.
My favorite use for leftover lemon zest?
Besides giving some extra “pop” to my favorite lemon poppy seed pancakes, I LOVE adding a little lemon zest to a tea strainer with some dried hibiscus petals and enjoying some hot lemon-hibiscus tea.
If you’d like to try it, take about 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest, 5 or 6 dried hibiscus petals, and add to a tea strainer/tea ball. Allow to sit in your mug of hot water for a few minutes, swirling to infuse the water. Add sweetener, if desired.
If you can’t find unwaxed lemons, some methods can help remove or reduce the coating, including:
Scrubbing with a clean vegetable scrubber
Soaking in boiling/hot water before scrubbing
Soaking in a water-vinegar bath (1 part water: 3 or 4 parts vinegar) before rinsing and scrubbing.
Of course, the lemons should be dried with a clean towel before zesting.
⚠️ This applies to all citrus, not just lemons.
❓ Do you have any fun recipes that incorporate leftover lemon zest? I’d love to hear in the comments!
And, if you’re a fan of the hibiscus lemon combo, you might want to check out this stevia-sweetened hibiscus lemonade. 😉
🗓️ Reminder: Citrus’ peak season is technically winter in the U.S.; though, it is grown year-round in staggered harvests across various regions.
🔄 Sustainable Swap
Wood citrus juicer in place of plastic
It only took a few uses before my husband’s grip was too much for the nice (or so we thought) levered citrus juicer gifted to us at a wedding shower years ago. The plastic handle just snapped in half. Fun.
And, thanks to the type of material, it wasn’t recyclable.
If you’ve shopped for a juicer lately, you might have noticed the market is flooded with plastics. With all the attention on microplastics lately, that’s something I wanted to avoid.
So, I recently purchased a wooden citrus juicer. Manual and simple, but that’s what I wanted. It doesn’t take up much space and I have much more confidence in the longevity of the material.
For my friends who enjoy thrifting or secondhand finds, there are glass options available as well! I’ve actually included a few available on Etsy via my Benable list.
So, kick the plastic juicer to the curb. Opt for wood, glass, or ceramic instead.
Even the tines of a metal fork would work.
Byeeeee, plastic! 👋
🧪 Test Kitchen Notes
🌺 Stevia-Sweetened Hibiscus Cinnamon Tea (Agua de Jamaica)
I was inspired to make Agua de Jamaica after trying some at Calaveritas Tacqueria in Atlanta (it’s seriously a hidden gem and you MUST try it if you’re in the area 😉). A little hibiscus, a cinnamon spice, and refreshingly sweet. It was GREAT.
Since I had all the ingredients at home, I knew I needed to try to recreate this. Just with less sugar. 😬
Test 1: Basic
Just dried hibiscus petals, cinnamon, and water. Simmered hibiscus petals and cinnamon in water for about 15 minutes and strained.
Flavor: Tart, fruity, and a hint of spice.
Test 2: Enhance
Added more cinnamon, a little lime juice, and a small amount of stevia extract. Simmered the hibiscus petals and cinnamon in water like the first test, then added about 1/4 teaspoon of Stevia and the juice from half a lime. (And, yes, I used my new citrus juicer. 😉)
Flavor: More well-rounded and a little sweeter (which makes sense…thanks, Stevia).
When I tasted this right after making it, I struggled to taste the lime and the flavors felt less balanced.
After cooling in the refrigerator for a few hours, though, the flavors deep
ened and it was deliciously refreshing. The lime is subtle, but hibiscus and cinnamon are the primary flavors and the lime plays a support role.
Full recipe coming soon! If you’d like to make your own in the meantime, though, here’s what I’d try:
Simmer dried hibiscus petals in water, using a ratio of about 1:8 (petals: water).
Add ground cinnamon and stir. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Strain (reserve the hibiscus petals for the compost).
While warm, stir in the juice of half or a whole lime and Stevia extract to taste.
Transfer to an airtight container and cool in the refrigerator for a few hours for the deepest flavor.
‼️ I use pure stevia extract and not the versions with fillers you often find in the store. Here’s what I’ve been using lately:
Notice how the ingredient only lists “Certified Organic Stevia Leaf Extract.” Compare this to what you see at the grocery store and it’s likely hard to find something without filler. Just remember that 100% stevia extract packs a punch, so it’s best to add in small amounts until you reach the desired sweetness.
Cheers to whatever summer drink is in your glass! 🥂
🗣️ Take Action: Petition Roundup
Please read the details of each petition and determine if any are a good fit for your support. Every platform has different terms and conditions and requires varying levels of data. Only share what you feel comfortable and sign at your discretion.
And, speaking of delicious food:
This week's action item highlights efforts to protect agricultural land from data center expansion in the U.S. If you care about resilient food systems, native plants, and healthy ecosystems, you may find this one interesting.
Help protect Oklahoma farmland from data center expansion
Summary: If you’re aware of the environmental impacts of data centers, consider supporting those fighting back in the heartland of U.S. agriculture.
💬 I’d love to hear from you
What’s your go-to drink this summer? I’d love ideas for thirst-quenching, beautiful drinks to stay hydrated!
Your friendly neighborhood vegan,
Melanie