Shitto Sauce is a Ghanaian hot chilli condiment made in a variety of ways with different recipes from regions and villages. This Pepper Sauce can spice up even the plainest dishes.
It may not be for the faint of heart, this spicy Ghanaian condiment has a strong and Smokey taste with a big kick of chili; adding a rich and bold African flavor with plenty of depth and complexity.
What Is Shitto?
Shito is Ghanaian hot chili sauce also called kpakpo shito. It is made with peppers, fish, garlic, onions, oil, spices and others.
These ingredients are usually blended, together and cooked in oil till the sauce is formed. Shito is dark brown in color and can be served as side to most dishes such as waakye, kenkey, white rice, as dip, topping and much more.
Shitto Sauce has been likened to the Malaysian condiment sambal belacha, as they share the same potent smoky flavor that comes from the addition of ground smoked fish or prawns, as well as its rich texture.
Shitto Sauce can be coarse and full of body or smooth, medium or extra hot depending on how much chili you use. This recipe makes a medium-hot coarse paste.
How To Make Shito
Ghana Shito is traditionally very hot; hence why it is called Ghana hot sauce. However, you can make it to your preferred heat level by varying the chilli quantity. Mine is medium hot so everyone can eat it, but you can add more or less chilli depending on preference.
It is important to stir the sauce often while cooking to prevent burning. In fact, a non-stick pot (if you have one) is better for this type of thick sauce. This full recipe below is easy, detailed and you get the most delicious shito pepper ever. This is one of the best shito recipes and you won’t be dissapointed.
How to Make Vegan Shito Sauce
If you don’t eat animal products, you can still enjoy this tasty sauce. Instead of the dried fish, try it out with some nori and mushrooms ground into a powder instead.
What To Serve With Shitto Sauce
It goes really well with both fish and meat, and can be served as a side to most dishes. As long as you are a fan of heat, Shitto Sauce can be a really versatile addition to your kitchen repertoire.
Think of it as a West African version of ketchup or chilli sauce – you can serve it with meat or fish (or use it as a marinade). I love to serve mine with:
Leave to cool completely before putting in airtight container or jars and store in the fridge for up to 1 month or in the freezer for up to a 6 months.
If you try this recipe, rate it and leave comment below. Don’t forget to use the share button below and share on social media.
Shitto Sauce
Jennifer Ezeokoli
Shitto Sauce is a Ghanaian hot chilli condiment made in a variety of ways with different recipes from regions and villages. Shitto is the word for pepper in Ga, a Ghanaian language from Accra, the Ghanaian capital.
Peel off the onions, ginger and garlic, wash and slice into small pieces.
Put a pot over medium heat, add cooking oil to heat.
Add the sliced onions, ginger, garlic and pepper and fry for about 15 min.
Carefully collect them from the oil and allow cool.
Put the oil back on heat and add the tomato puree, fry till it separated.
Blend the fried <a href="https://afrifoodnetwork.com/recipes/chicken-vegetable-soup/">vegetables</a> and add to the tomato puree, keep stirring and allow to cook for about 10 -15 min.
Add the dried ingredients, powdered shrimps, bony fish/anchovies and herrings.
Pour the seasoning, nutmeg, cloves, dried powdered pepper and allow simmer on a low heat till it turns dark brown.
Check for salt and add if needed.
Allow cool and put in a dry clean bottle or sterilized jar and store for about 2-3 months with the oil on top of the sauce, however, keep refrigerated once it starts being consumed.
Fluffy pancakes are flat cakes, often thin and round, prepared from a starch-based batter that may contain eggs, milk, and butter and cooked on a hot surface such as a griddle or frying pan, often frying with oil or butter.
What Are Pancakes?
A pancake is a breakfast dish, a flat cake that’s made by pouring batter into a hot pan and frying it on both sides.
In North America, pancakes are made with a leavening agent, in Africa, it is spicy and savory while in Britain, they are much thinner like a crepe. Â Although commonly served as breakfast they can be eaten any time of day.
Toppings that are commonly used include fruit, syrup, jam, and in some cases meat or chocolate chips. Fluffy pancakes is a basic UK recipe and one of my all-time favorite Sunday morning breakfast treats.
How to Make Fluffy Pancakes
Everything you’ll need to make great fluffy pancake is most likely already in your kitchen. This is a simple recipe! The pancakes are softly perfumed with vanilla and aren’t overly sweet.
They’re tasty, and you can easily alter them to whatever you have on hand in the kitchen. Let’s do this!
Pancake Ingredients
We love simple, no-fail recipes and this pancake recipe is just that. It’s quick to make, and we’re willing to bet you’ve got everything you need to make them right now.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what you will need (the full recipe with ingredient amounts is shared in the recipe below).
Flour:Â Use all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, or a combination of the two. For gluten-free pancakes, use your favorite gluten-free flour blend or try buckwheat flour.
Sugar:Â We use granulated sugar, but other sugars like coconut sugar, raw sugar, or brown sugar will work in the recipe.
Baking Powder: It is the baking powder that makes these pancakes light and fluffy. If you’d like to make pancakes without baking powder, I have shared tips for using baking soda in the frequently asked questions below.
Salt:Â We like to use 1/2 teaspoon of fine salt. It balances the sugar nicely and brings out lots of flavor in the pancakes. If you are using salted butter, consider reducing the salt to 1/4 teaspoon.
Milk: Whole milk, reduced-fat, and even skim milk will work in this recipe. For dairy-free pancakes, substitute non-dairy milk (like unsweetened almond milk or homemade oat milk). I’ve also used orange juice in place of the milk before and it worked nicely.
Melted Butter: You can’t beat the taste of butter for this, but if you need a plant-based option, melted coconut oil or melted plant-based butter work, too. We use unsalted butter, but salted butter will work as a substitute. If you do use salted butter, reduce the amount of salt by 1/4 teaspoon.
Egg: The egg adds structure, flavor, and fluffiness. I’ve shared tips in the frequently asked questions below for making pancakes without eggs.
Vanilla Extract:Â Vanilla adds sweetness and depth of flavor. You could try other extracts, too. Almond extract would be pretty delicious.
To Make Them Follow These Easy Steps:
Whisk dry ingredients together
Melt butter and warm milk (we use the microwave)
Whisk wet ingredients together
Combine the dry and wet ingredients
Cook on a hot buttered skillet
Enjoy!
Secret To Make Fluffy Pancakes
To make fluffy pancakes, blend the dry and wet components separately before cooking. You can mix the dry ingredients as much as you want, and the same goes for the liquid ingredients, but only use a little touch when the two mixtures come together.
Overmixing the batter is a common blunder that results in heavy, flat cakes rather than fluffy ones.
Pancake Variations
This is a basic pancake recipe. People use it often as is, but you can use it as a base for other recipes. Add what you love. Here are a few suggestions:
Sprinkle a handful of berries, nuts or chocolate chips into the batter.
Layer a few thin slices of strawberry or banana onto the wet batter once added to the skillet.
Add lemon zest or spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice
Try replacing some of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour
Add a few spoonful’s of flax seeds, oats, or reduce the sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve had some frequently asked questions and here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Can I Make Pancakes Without Baking Powder?
Yes, you can. To use baking soda instead of baking powder, you will need to swap the milk for sour milk or buttermilk and use 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda.
The addition of sour milk is required because, unlike baking powder, baking soda needs acid to work in the recipe. If you go with the baking soda/sour milk combination, they will be just as fluffy as the original recipe.
Can I Make Fluffy Pancakes Without Buttermilk?
In short, yes. This pancake recipe uses no buttermilk at all (it does require regular milk though). So, you may ask, what’s the deal with buttermilk? Well, it’s terribly in vogue when it comes to baking. And there’s a reason for it. The acidity in buttermilk helps the pancakes rise.
You can create your own buttermilk alternative by mixing a cup of milk with a tablespoon of white vinegar and letting it sit for 10 minutes. Perhaps less conventionally, you could also use a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice instead of vinegar.
Neither option tastes as good as the real thing, but they’ll do the trick. Thankfully, with this recipe – you won’t need to!
How Do I Make Pancakes Without Eggs?
For pancakes without eggs, we use a flax egg. To make a flax egg, mix one tablespoon flaxseed meal (ground raw flaxseed) with 3 tablespoons water.
Set it aside for about 15 minutes in the refrigerator to thicken, and then use to replace the egg in the recipe.
Why Are My Pancakes Flat?
There are a number of factors that can lead to your pancakes being flat. But here are the four reasons:
Overmixing your batter – overmixing your pancake batter will deflate a lot of the air bubbles in your batter, making it difficult for your pancakes to rise into the light and fluffy pancakes you want (the video in my recipe section is an example of this!). Secondly, it’ll develop gluten. And too much gluten will result in a tough, chewy pancake.
Stale Baking Powder – baking powder typically has a shelf life of 9 months to a year. To check whether your baking powder is still fresh, simply stir half a teaspoon of baking powder into a cup of water. If you see an immediate reaction (it’ll fizz up, bestie!), then it’s still good to use. If not, you should consider replacing it.
Humid Conditions – This is based on an observation made by many of my readers (you can see it mentioned in the comments section below). But a very humid kitchen results in a runnier batter, which means less fluffy pancakes. If you happen to be in a place that is very humid, try putting your batter in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to make sure it doesn’t become too fluid/runny.
Not Letting Your Batter Rest – Letting your batter rest before cooking allows the starch granules in the flour to expand resulting in an airier pancake.
The Violent Flip – Turn the pancakes over gently. Flipping them high into the air results in the air literally being squished out of them!
Also…make sure to relax. Making pancakes should be a pleasurable experience! And this fluffy pancake recipe is simple; it doesn’t require any fancy steps (like whipping egg whites into a meringue).
Be mindful of the tips above, and pay attention to your heat management, and you’re sure to be fine.
You can also serve with scrambled eggs for breakfast.
Storage Instructions
Though they are best served fresh and warm, these pancakes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
You can also store your maple syrup separately (and not on top of the pancakes), so that it doesn’t soak through.
Reheat Instructions
To reheat them, microwave one pancake for about 20 seconds. Add another 5-10 seconds as you add additional pancakes.
If you know you’re going to have pancakes in the morning, you could even pop the number of pancakes you’ll need into the fridge the night before so they thaw (which is what I’ve been doing). Either way, these reheat beautifully.
Fluffy Pancakes
Jennifer Ezeokoli
Fluffy pancakes are flat cakes, often thin and round, prepared from a starch-based batter that may contain eggs, milk and butter and cooked on a hot surface such as a griddle or frying pan, often frying with oil or butter.
Sift flour and baking powder to remove clumps or unwanted items.
In one bowl, combine all the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
In a smaller bowl, crack in the egg, pour the milk, melted butter and vanilla essence and mix well using a fork.
Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour the wet ingredients inside and gently fold the batter together with a wooden spoon until there are no longer any large lumps.
Heat up a pan on medium heat; add a teaspoon of butter or vegetable oil when it is hot.
Scoop a small portion of the pancake batter and add to the pan.
Flip and cook both sides for 2-3 minutes. It’s ready to flip over when bubbles/holes appear at the top of the pancake.
Notes
You can add other flavorings to the pancakes such as blueberries or chocolate chips, just add the extra ingredients at the same time as you combine the wet and dry ingredientsServe <a href="https://afrifoodnetwork.com/recipes/beetroot-pancakes/">pancakes</a> stacked high with butter, maple syrup, lemon wedges and caster sugar, or your favorite filling.
Grilled Shitto wings are basically chicken wings, grilled then coated or dipped in a shitto sauce.
What Is Shitto?
Shitto is a word for pepper in Ga, a Ghanaian language from Accra. Although the word for pepper differs according to various native languages, Shitto is commonly used for the hot pepper sauce peculiar to Ghanaian cuisine.
Shitto sauce consists primarily of dried fish, vegetable oil, ginger, prawns, tomatoes, garlic, pepper, and spices. Grilled spicy shitto wings are loved for the spicy yet juicy flavors the shitto sauce brings to it.
How To Make Grilled Shitto Wings
To make this delicious grilled shitto wings, season chicken wings with black pepper and salt, place in a large resealable plastic bag. Add remaining ingredients into a food processor and mix well.
Here is a quicker and printable recipe that shows you how to make Grilled Shitto Wings. Enjoy!
Grilled Spicy Shitto Wings
Jennifer Ezeokoli
GrilledSpicy Shitto wings are basically chicken wing, grilled then coated or dipped in ashitto sauce. Shitto is a word for pepper in Ga, a Ghanaian language fromAccra.
Uziza Egusi soup is a variation of traditional egusi soup prepared with pumpkin leaves. This West African meal is created with Egusi, an indigenous melon seed, and leafy green vegetables.
Most Nigerian tribes prepare this soup in a variety of ways. It is known in Hausa as Miyan Gushi, Igbo as Ofe Egusi, and Yoruba as Efo Elegusi. This soup is distinguished from others because the leaves- piper guineense add an exquisite flavor and a distinct flavor to the soup.
These leaves have a peppery flavor and are green when fresh and dark green when dried. When fresh, the leaves can be used to prepare any meal by washing and shredding them first and then adding them to the food about 15 minutes before taking it off the fire, or they can be dried, ground, and then added to the meal.
Other Names For Uziza Leaves
Piper guineense is its botanical name. It adds a peppery flavor to soups, while the dried fruits and seeds add an aromatic and spicy flavor to African cuisine.
This spicy plant is also known as West African pepper, Ashanti pepper, Uziza, Iyere, Guinea pepper, kale, Benin pepper, fake cubeb, Guinea cubeb, and Sorowisa.
Health Benefits of Uziza
Uziza, whether in the form of uziza leaves or uziza seed, has numerous health benefits.
When you have a cough or are having difficulty breathing due to influenza flu, use Uziza pepper to immediately remove the mucus out of the way. To begin, gather some Uziza leaves, either fresh or dried and powdered, and place them in a clean bowl. Allow the veggie to stand for at least ten minutes after adding some clean boiling water. Thereafter, sieve and drink. The peppery flavor of these leaves works the charm.
Piper guineense is high in dietary fiber. By including these leaves in your meals regularly, you not only ensure that you get the appropriate quantity of roughages, but you also keep constipation at bay. Unfortunately, it cannot be used to treat constipation; it can only be used to prevent it from arising in the first place.
This leaves includes a flavonoid, which is a potent antioxidant that can help the body neutralize free radicals. Also, the antibacterial minerals in these leaves are an excellent preventive measure against diarrhea.
How Do You Use Uziza Leaves?
These leaves come to mind when you want to prepare dishes such as; pepper soup, nsala soup, ogbono soup, or even egusi soup. It has a special flavor that is very important to traditional chefs especially those from the eastern part of Nigeria.
However, it is very important to note the quantity relevant for use so that it doesn’t become a peppery nightmare for you or your household.
Uziza Egusi Soup
Jennifer Ezeokoli
Uziza Egusi soup is just a twist on the regular egusi soup made with pumpkin leaves. This West African dish made with a local melon seed (Egusi) and leafy green vegetables.Â
850gassorted Meat and Fish – Beef, Cow Tripe,Fish, Stock Fish, and/or Smoked Fish.
1cupblended melon seeds
1tbspcrayfish
4medium-sized smoked fish
1tbsplocust beans
onion
palm oil
1medium-sized bunch of uziza leaves
2 habanero pepper
1tspdried scotch bonnet pepper
1tspsalt
2cupswater
2bouillon cubes
Instructions
Add melon seeds, onion and 1 habanero pepper in a blender. Pour ½ cup of water and blend till it forms a thick paste.
Slice the uziza leaves, set aside.
Wash the meat properly at least twice. Put in a clean pot along with the stockfish, smoked fish, crayfish, the second habenero pepper, scotch bonnet pepper, palm oil and allow to boil for 15 minutes.
Now scoop melon paste into the pot in little bits, be sure not to stir it together, cover and allow cook for 10 minutes.
Finally add the uziza leaves, mix together and allow to cook for 5 minutes.
Serve with Pounded yam, Fufu, Rice or any staple food.
Vegan Egusi soup is a vegetarian-friendly version of the typical egusi soup. Egusi soup is made from melon seeds rich in fat and protein that have been dried and ground up, this soup or stew typically contains leafy vegetables, meat, or fish.
Popular among the Ibo people of Nigeria, variations of this rich stew can be found all over West Africa. In Nigeria, it’s usually eaten with pounded yam.
Vegan egusi soup still gives you the same awesome flavor of egusi soup with a twist and it’s perfect for vegetarians.
Where Does Egusi Seed Come From?
Egusi seeds are harvested from an inedible gourd. Egusi gourd is similar in appearance to a small watermelon, with the inside similar to a pumpkin or kabocha squash. It is harvested year-round in parts of Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and Sierra Leonne. Egusi means melon in Igbo and Yoruba. Other names for egusi are ibara, agushi, guna shanu, ikopoghiri and neri niri.
The Egusi seeds are removed from the gourd, air dried, then dehusked. You end up with smooth beige seeds. Although pumpkin seeds have a similar shape to egusi seeds, these two seeds are not the same and are not interchangeable.
Egusi must be cooked/fried thoroughly before consuming, I recommend at least simmering for 40mins to an hour before consuming. Not to worry, this recipe cooks the egusi for a while.
How To Prepare Vegan Egusi Soup
Egusi soup is considered a difficult dish to master and I believe that is attributed to the number of steps needed to be completed before actually making the dish. Here’s everything you need to do in no particular order before combining them all:
Blend whole egusi
Mix egusi with stock
Steam/boil okazi leaves, squeeze out excess water
Blend peppers, onions
Defrost frozen spinach, squeeze out excess water
Rinse eru (dawadawa/locust beans)
Make veggie stock
Ways To Enjoy Your Vegan Egusi Soup
Egusi is a versatile side dish. I often eat it with something else. My favorite is fufu or pounded yam. Vegan Egusi soup can be eaten on its own as a soup or a sauce for rice, potatoes, yam or plantains. The options are limitless.
Storage
Store in any container for up to 7 days in the fridge, or freeze for up to a month in the freezer.
 Tips
Be sure to prep before starting to cook your egusi soup. Egusi soup requires a lot of attention, it is important that you get the tedious tasks out of the way.
Cook egusi for at least 30-45 minutes before serving. Egusi can cause stomach upset if not cooked properly
Now let’s get to the recipe! As always, if you do try this vegan egusi soup recipe, please leave a comment below.
NIGERIAN VEGAN EGUSI SOUP
Vegan Egusi soup is a vegetarian friendly version of the typical egusi soup. Egusi soup is a West African dish made with a local melon seed and leafy green vegetables. Egusi soup is unarguably the most popular soup in Nigeria. It is accepted to all, unlike many native soups that are only accepted by the natives.Â
Boiled beans are a naturally nutritious and delicious cuisine. This particular fact refers to only dry edible beans, which are picked when the beans in the seed pod are completely dry.
Beans of all kinds, including black, cranberry, Great Northern, dark red kidney, light red kidney, white kidney, navy, pink, pinto, and small red, are high in protein, fiber, and are naturally fat-, sodium-, and cholesterol-free. Potassium is abundant in many varieties.
Beans that have been boiled are high in fiber, protein, and iron. Bean ingredients may have health benefits ranging from lowering cholesterol to keeping a healthy blood sugar level. Boiled beans are just black-eyed peas that have been boiled with salt.
Nutritional Facts About Boiled Beans
Beans and legumes, which are high in fiber and protein, have been shown to help people lose weight. Resistant starch, which is found in beans and legumes, may aid weight management by increasing satiety and modifying body composition.
These delectable meals are high in protein and fiber, which means they’ll make you feel filled for longer, resulting in a lower overall calorie intake.
Calories 140
Sodium 5mg
Carbohydrates 16g
Dietary fiber 19g
Sugar 0.3g fat 0g
Protein 12g
Boiled Beans Serving Options
Serve as a main dish with pepper/vegetable sauce and fried plantain/Yam or as an accompaniment to rice. Many people also love to eat beans and bread; that may be an option as well.
There seem to be some effects of eating beans and this includes bloating. To avoid this or to reduce it, according to Taub-Dix, simply eating your beans more slowly can help lessen the gas and bloating they cause. To help mitigate the adverse effects, add some fennel or ginger to your bean dish.
Nigerian Chapman, Nigeria’s favorite mocktail remains one of the most popular beverages in the country. Craved for its unique taste, Nigerian Chapman can be found in nearly every party, local bars and restaurants, yet it is so easy to make that you can mix the refreshing drink in the comfort of your home at any time of the day. This fruity drink, contrary to popular beliefs, is not always alcohol free so it is mostly for adults and is often served in beer and dimpled mugs. Angostura bitters as the key ingredients contains about 45% alcohol though it can be left out when prepared for kids.
Nigerian Chapman
Jennifer Ezeokoli
Nigerian Chapman, Nigeria’s favorite mocktail remains one of the most popular beverages in the country. Craved for its unique taste and can be found in nearly every party, local bars and restaurants.
Gizdodo is the combination of gizzards and fried ripe plantains (dodo) infused in spicy pepper sauce. Gizdodo is a popular dish in Nigeria especially in homes and parties. This is a simple dish often served with rice especially jollof rice but they make the perfect sides, snack or starter. Chicken gizzards is best used for this recipe, but you can also substitute it for turkey or duck gizzards.
Gizdodo (Gizzard and Plantain)
Jennifer Ezeokoli
Gizdodo is the combination of gizzards and fried ripe plantains (dodo) infused in spicy pepper sauce. Gizdodo is a popular dish in Nigeria especially in homes and parties.
Antioxidant is a popular word that most people use without fully understanding its meaning. We all know that they are good for the health, makes the skin healthy and reduces signs of aging. But how are they able to do all these? Â What are these antioxidants? What’s all the buzz about? Why the big deal?
Antioxidants are substances that can prevent or slow damage to cells caused by unstable molecules and free radicals. They are compounds mainly found in food that inhibits oxidation which is a chemical reaction that produces free radicals.
 Free Radicals?
Free radicals are waste substances produced as the body processes food substances and reacts to the environment. Though constantly formed during metabolism, its production can also be influenced externally through pollution, inflammation, UV exposure, cigarette smoke among others. The body has to process and remove these free radicals efficiently to prevent oxidative stress.
During oxidative stress, important molecules in the body can become severely damaged leading to heart disease, cancer, arthritis, stroke, respiratory diseases, immune deficiency among other inflammatory or ischemic conditions. The body has built-in defenses to reduce the impact of free radicals, but it could use some help. That’s where antioxidants come in. Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals in our bodies which in turn boost overall health.
Antioxidants that are produced by the body are endogenous, while those produced outside the body are exogenous. They could be natural or artificial. Plant-based foods are perceived to be rich in antioxidants called phytonutrient, or plant-based nutrient. “Antioxidant” is not really the name of a particular substance; rather it describes what a range of substances can do. Each antioxidant serves a different function and is not interchangeable with another. This is why it is important to have a varied diet.
Sources of Antioxidants
There are hundreds of substances that can act as antioxidants. Plant-based foods, especially fruits and vegetables are the best sources of antioxidants. They are often referred to as a “superfood” or “functional food.”
Vitamin A: Dairy produce, eggs, and liver
Beta-carotene: Brightly colored fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, peas, spinach, and mangoes
Vitamin C: Most fruits and vegetables, especially berries, oranges, and bell peppers
Lycopene: Pink and red fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes and watermelon
Vitamin E: Nuts and seeds, sunflower and other vegetable oils, and green, leafy vegetables
Lutein: Green, leafy vegetables, corn, papaya, and oranges
Selenium: Rice, corn, wheat, and other whole grains, as well as nuts, eggs, cheese, and legumes
Other foods that are believed to be good sources of antioxidants include:
legumes such as black beans or kidney beans
eggplants
green and black teas
red grapes
dark chocolate
pomegranates
Berries such as strawberries, goji berries, blueberries
apples
broccoli
spinach
Tips on how to increase your Antioxidant intake
Include a fruit or a vegetable every time you eat, meals and snacks included.
Have a cup of green tea every day.
 Add in foods with rich colors to your plate.
Spices increases the antioxidant content of your meals. Be sure to use spices like turmeric, cumin, oregano, ginger, clove etc
Snack on nuts, seeds and dried fruit, preferably with no added sugar or salt.
Cutting boards are kitchen wares that we unavoidably use every day. For this reason, it is very important to disinfect your cutting boards to avoid contamination. This is very likely as they get tiny slices and cuts with time and they become a breeding ground for different kinds of bacteria like salmonella and e-coli. These are easy DIY steps to disinfect your cutting/chopping boards with available supplies you can find lying around the house.
Vinegar: Vinegar is great for everything. The acetic acid in it helps combat bacteria such as E.coli, Salmonella and White vinegar is a great way to disinfect and clean your boards. Spray with white vinegar and leave for 10-30 minutes before wiping it down. This can be done every time you use your cutting boards to keep it clean regularly. Â You could also put a layer of baking soda across the top of your board and spray it white vinegar. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Lemons: If your cutting board becomes dirty, especially with an odour, I recommend lemon. Though they don’t disinfect, they are great for de-odourising your board, especially the ones used for chopping garlic and onions. Cut the lemon in half and scrub the board with it or you could just use a piece of cloth and lemon juice. To help absorb odors, just add a bit of salt on your board while scrubbing.
Salt: After washing your cutting board with hot water and soap, toss some salt on it and rub with a damp. Salt is excellent because it acts as an abrasive to remove stains and odors. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Baking Soda: Baking soda as a natural product is very safe and non-toxic because its mild alkali can dissolve grime and dirt easily in water. Â Keep your wooden cutting board cleaner by occasionally scrubbing it with a paste made from baking soda and water. Â Make a paste of 1 part each of baking soda, salt and water. Scrub your cutting board with this paste and rinse in hot water after. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Bleach: It is not really advisable to use furniture polish or any other household cleaner for butcher blocks or cutting board used for meat or fish. It is better to scrub in small circles with a brush dipped in a solution of 1 teaspoon bleach diluted in 2 liters water without saturating the wood. The bleach will kill any harmful bacteria on your cutting board. Wipe with a damp paper towel then buff dry with a clean cloth. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Hydrogen peroxide:Hydrogen peroxide fights the production of bacteria on your cutting board, especially after using it for meat. Use about 3 per cent hydrogen peroxide for chopping boards that are used for chopping up raw meat. Just spray enough hydrogen peroxide on the chopping board to get into the cuts and rub with a clean cloth. You have to rinse the board down with water carefully before using it again. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
 Free Radicals?
There are hundreds of substances that can act as antioxidants. Plant-based foods, especially fruits and vegetables are the best sources of antioxidants. They are often referred to as a “superfood” or “functional food.”
