Tag Archives: onion

onion powder

Why You Shouldn't Make Onion Powder

by pantry
Have you ever thought about what to do with onion skins after you've chopped up your onions for cooking? I confess I usually save mine to add to the pot when making bone broth.
 
Usually I'm saving onion skins just 1-2 at a time. Unless I happen to be dehydrating onions to use throughout the year. When that happens I suddenly have a lot of onion skins. So I was intrigued by the hot trend buzzing around on social media all about turning those seemingly useless onion skins into something amazing: onion powder!
 
According to the internet those papery layers you usually throw away are packed with nutrients like fiber, flavonoids, and antioxidants. That does make sense. There often tends to be some nutritional value to the peels of foods. But back to this onion powder craze.
 
Apparently, people are drying out their onion skins, grinding them up, and turning them into a flavorful powder that can be used for all kinds of dishes -- added to soups or stews, used for a marinade or rub, and more. All the enthusiasts rave about how powdering onion skins is so eco-friendly. Instead of tossing them into the trash, you're giving them a second life in your kitchen and reducing food waste. And it's so simple!
 
Being a can-do kind of person I decided to give this a try. And I confess I was a little disappointed in myself that I hadn't thought of it first. I began saving onion skins in the freezer until I had about 20 of them. Took them out of the freezer, let them thaw, patted off any residual moisture and began to grind them in a coffee grinder I have specifically for grinding not-coffee projects like this.
 
 
Warning: the results weren't great. Here's why I'll never do it again.
 
  • It was slow going... there are only so many skins you can fit into the grinder at a time
  • It takes repeated grinding (i.e. a loooooong time) to turn all the skins into powder
  • The amount of powder is m-i-n-i-s-c-u-l-e by the time you've converted what looks fluffy and large into something you can sprinkle into food
  • While it has the smell and taste of onion it's not nearly as strong as what you buy in the store
 
So as you can imagine I was less than thrilled when I looked at the teeny-weeny inch or so sitting in the bottom of the container after spending a significant amount of time overheating my trusty little not-for-coffee grinder.
 
This one goes into the don't-do-that-at-home category, along with my failed dehydrated bone broth experiment. I did this so you don't have to. I've decided it's totally worth it to buy onion powder. If for some reason the grocery store ran out and I absolutely had to have it I COULD make it. But I probably won't.
 

Are You Using Your Onions Properly?

by vegetables, , ,

You may be overwhelmed at the grocery store sometimes wondering why there are so many different kinds of onions. If you’re like most people you probably gravitate towards yellow onions and use them for everything.

Health Benefits

Onions are part of the (italicize) allium (end-italics) genus. They’re not only delicious, they provide a wide range of nutrients including biotin, copper, vitamin B6, and vitamin C. They also provide fiber and a number of phytonutrients. All of which combine to make onions a great choice for health.

In addition to their anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial properties, onions have also been shown to be useful for reducing cholesterol, lowering triglycerides and they can be supportive for lowering blood pressure.

Eating onions has also been shown to reduce the risk for certain kinds of cancers such as stomach and colorectal. Other studies have indicated onions have properties which can inhibit the growth of tumors.

If that weren’t enough, it turns out this nutritional powerhouse vegetable can also help support proper blood sugar levels. All of which makes this vegetable a really good choice to add to your diet. But which onion should you choose?

The Best Onion for the Dish

  • Sweet onions are good for frying and roasting
  • White onions have the sharpest flavor and can be very crunchy. They are a wonderful choice for making chutney or salsa. They’re also great n stir-frys
  • Yellow onions are good all-purpose onions. These are a great choice for soups, stews, sauces. They pair well with meat dishes
  • Shallots have a very mild flavor. They are lovely as a garnish, for vinaigrettes. They’re also a good choice for egg dishes or other mild flavored dishes
  • Red onions are simply delicious when eaten raw. Wonderful for pickling, in guacamole, on sandwiches, they are also delicious in salads
  • Leeks have a very mild flavor. These are good for soups, creamy sauces, or roasting with other veggies
  • Scallions are another very mild onion which are also delicious raw. They’re very good when a sprinkled on other dishes and can be a good choice in dressings
  • Pearl onions are another sweet onion which is small. Fabulous for roasting, braising, or pickling they’re a versatile onion

Storing Onions

Yellow onions are a really good all-purpose onion. But onions have a lot of personality. You can really punch up the flavor in your dishes when you choose and use different kinds of onions.

When it comes to storing them, most onions do best when stored in a cool, darker, well-ventilated space. Ideally, they should be stored either in a mesh bag or in an open container, not in plastic. This is so the air can circulate. Onions should be able to keep for approximately a month when stored this way.

Green onions such as leeks and scallions need to be stored in the refrigerator. They do best if they are wrapped so that they don’t dehydrate too quickly.

Once they have been cut all onions should be stored in the refrigerator. They’ll last for about a week.

Long-Term Storage

If you have an excessive amount of onions you can prepare them for long-term storage by either cooking them and then freezing, pickling, or preserving in someway, or slicing and dehydrating.

When to Avoid Onions

It kind of goes without saying, but if you are allergic to or sensitive to onions you should not eat them. If you do some food journaling and noticed that every time you eat onions (or garlic) that you have bloating, increased flatulence, or a change in bowel habits, it’s a good idea to avoid onions.

However, there are other times when you should not eat onions as well:

  • If you need to avoid FODMAP vegetables
  • When you are dealing with bacterial overgrowth in the gut
  • For anyone who needs to avoid sulfur-rich foods

No matter which onion is your favorite, be sure to use them all for variety and to take advantage of their nutritional support.

[expand title="Sources"] 

Brüll, Verena et al. Effects Of A Quercetin-Rich Onion Skin Extract On 24 H Ambulatory Blood Pressure And Endothelial Function In Overweight-To-Obese Patients With (Pre-)Hypertension: A Randomised Double-Blinded Placebo-Controlled Cross-Over Trial. 2021.

Ebrahimi-Mamaghani, Mehranghiz et al. Effects Of Raw Red Onion Consumption On Metabolic Features In Overweight Or Obese Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. 2021.

Vazquez-Prieto, Marcela Alejandra et al. Garlic And Onion Attenuates Vascular Inflammation And Oxidative Stress In Fructose-Fed Rats. 2021.

Turati, Federica et al. Allium Vegetable Intake And Gastric Cancer: A Case-Control Study And Meta-Analysis. 2021.

Turati, Federica et al. Colorectal Cancer And Adenomatous Polyps In Relation To Allium Vegetables Intake: A Meta-Analysis Of Observational Studies. 2021.

Hashemzaei, Mahmoud et al. Anticancer And Apoptosis-Inducing Effects Of Quercetin In Vitro And In Vivo. 2021.

Wang, Junjian, and Shangxiang Huang. Fisetin Inhibits The Growth And Migration In The A549 Human Lung Cancer Cell Line Via The ERK1/2 Pathway. 2021.

Eldin, Imad M. Taj et al. Preliminary Study Of The Clinical Hypoglycemic Effects Of Allium Cepa (Red Onion) In Type 1 And Type 2 Diabetic Patients. 2021.

Sharma, Kavita et al. Systematic Study On Active Compounds As Antibacterial And Antibiofilm Agent In Aging Onions. 2021.

Markowiak, Paulina, and Katarzyna Śliżewska. Effects Of Probiotics, Prebiotics, And Synbiotics On Human Health. 2021.

[/expand]

texas sweet onion relish

Texas Sweet Onion Relish

by recipes, , ,

Texas 1015 Sweet Onions are amazingly delicious. Available for a relatively short period of time this sweet onion does not keep as long or as well as traditional onions. That means when you get them you need to eat them or do something with them fairly quickly. Similar to a Vidalia or a Sweet Peru Onion they give a wonderful mild flavor to a number of different dishes. And the best part? No tears. This type of onion is not as pungent as a traditional onion so it shouldn’t make you cry.

History of 1015’s

Originally developed by Dr. Leonard Pike at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas 1015 Sweet Onions became available in 1983. The name 1015 comes from the date that it’s supposed to be planted, October 15.

Nutritionally it provides vitamin B6, C, folate, manganese, and potassium. Due to its mild flavor and low pungency, Texas Sweet 1015 onions can actually be eaten raw. They’re also good for grilling, sautéing, and can even be used in baking.

Cooking with sweet onions

Recently I came across the first of the season Texas 1015s at the grocery store. One of my favorite things to do with this onion is to make either chutney or relish. It’s a tasty condiment that is fabulous to have on hand.

Aside from the work involved in chopping 5 pounds of onions, this recipe is super easy to make. I use a food processor. Although you can only chop 2 onions at a time that way it is still faster than trying to chop it all by hand.

Onion relish is a wonderful and versatile condiment. You can certainly use it on hot dogs and hamburgers but it’s a delicious addition to other foods as well. Consider using this relish in different ways:

  • Mixed with chicken salad
  • As a side for roast chicken or turkey
  • With sausages
  • As a side for fish
  •  
  • On top of or mixed into meatloaf
  • On top of roasted sweet potatoes or winter squash
  • On top of a baked Brie

texas sweet onion relish

Texas Sweet Onion Relish

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 5 pounds of sweet onions, diced small (can use a food processor for this)
  • 2 cups apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup evaporated cane juice crystals
  • 2 tablespoons sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons celery seed
  • 1 tablespoon mustard seed
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric

Instructions
 

  • Bring all ingredients to a boil
  • Immediately reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes
  • Ladle into sterilized jars leaving 1/4” headroom
  • Clean, seal, and hot water bath for 10 minutes

Texas 1015 Sweet Onions are amazingly delicious. Available for a relatively short period of time this sweet onion does not keep as long or as well as traditional onions. That means when you get them you need to eat them or do something with them fairly quickly. Similar to a Vidalia or a Sweet Peru Onion they give a wonderful mild flavor to a number of different dishes. And the best part? No tears. This type of onion is not as pungent as a traditional onion so it shouldn’t make you cry.

History of 1015’s

Originally developed by Dr. Leonard Pike at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas 1015 Sweet Onions became available in 1983. The name 1015 comes from the date that it’s supposed to be planted, October 15.

Nutritionally it provides vitamin B6, C, folate, manganese, and potassium. Due to its mild flavor and low pungency, Texas Sweet 1015 onions can actually be eaten raw. They’re also good for grilling, sautéing, and can even be used in baking.

Cooking with sweet onions

Recently I came across the first of the season Texas 1015s at the grocery store. One of my favorite things to do with this onion is to make either chutney or relish. It’s a tasty condiment that is fabulous to have on hand.

Aside from the work involved in chopping 5 pounds of onions, this recipe is super easy to make. I use a food processor. Although you can only chop 2 onions at a time that way it is still faster than trying to chop it all by hand.

Onion relish is a wonderful and versatile condiment. You can certainly use it on hot dogs and hamburgers but it’s a delicious addition to other foods as well. Consider using this relish in different ways:

  • Mixed with chicken salad
  • As a side for roast chicken or turkey
  • With sausages
  • As a side for fish
  •  
  • On top of or mixed into meatloaf
  • On top of roasted sweet potatoes or winter squash
  • On top of a baked Brie

texas sweet onion relish

Texas Sweet Onion Relish

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 5 pounds of sweet onions, diced small (can use a food processor for this)
  • 2 cups apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup evaporated cane juice crystals
  • 2 tablespoons sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons celery seed
  • 1 tablespoon mustard seed
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric

Instructions
 

  • Bring all ingredients to a boil
  • Immediately reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes
  • Ladle into sterilized jars leaving 1/4” headroom
  • Clean, seal, and hot water bath for 10 minutes