Avocado Seed Tea and Other Unexpected Infusions

Are you ready to shake things up in the tea department and do a little something good for the planet while you're at it? If so, it's time to give these food scrap teas a try. Take a look at my infusion ideas and consider whether any of them could become a regular beverage in your routine.

And now, here are some unexpected ideas for infusions you can make at home, each with unique benefits… Let this list inspire you to make use of those scraps!

To make avocado pit tea, start by thoroughly cleaning and drying the avocado pit. Once dried, boil in the desired amount of filtered water for about 5 minutes until soft enough to cut into, then carefully remove the outer brown skin and cut the pit into small pieces. Return the pieces to your boiling water and allow to steep for another 10 or 15 minutes at a simmer. Strain the liquid and enjoy your nutty and slightly bitter avocado pit tea. You can add honey or spices to cut the bitterness and add some extra flavor if you'd like.

To make pumpkin seed tea, first, clean the pumpkin seeds and then roast them. I do recommend roasting, as it will help to produce the nuttiest, meatiest flavor. To achieve this, spread them out on a baking sheet. Roast them in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes until they turn golden brown. Remove them from the oven and let them cool. Crush the roasted seeds slightly to release their flavor, then add them to a pot of boiling water. Let the seeds simmer for 10-15 minutes, then strain the liquid and enjoy your nutty pumpkin seed tea.

To make this tea, thoroughly wash and dry organic lemons or organic oranges. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the bright outer zest, being careful to avoid the bitter white pith as much as possible. Place the peels on a baking sheet and let them dry completely, either in the sun or in a low oven. You can skip this step if you really want to make your tea right away, but keep in mind that the flavor might end up a bit different. Once dried, store the peels in an airtight container until ready to use. To brew the tea, simply steep a few dried lemon or orange peels in hot water for 5-10 minutes, then strain and enjoy your refreshing citrus peel tea. You can also add peels to another tea of your choice to create a citrusy blend.

To make artichoke leaf tea, start by drying artichoke leaves in a well-ventilated area until they are completely dry. Should you be eager to brew your tea immediately, feel free to bypass this step, but be aware that it could alter the flavor slightly. Drying will also help to preserve the flavor of the leaves. Once dried, crush the leaves a bit to release their flavor. Boil water and add the crushed leaves to a teapot or infuser. Let the leaves steep for 10-15 minutes, then strain the liquid and enjoy your antioxidant-rich artichoke leaf tea, believed to support liver and digestive health. Delicious!

To make celery leaf tea, wash and dry celery leaves thoroughly. Spread them out on a baking sheet and let them air dry completely. If you're in a hurry to prepare your tea, and don't need to preserve the leaves for future brewing, you have the option to skip this step, though it may result in a subtle change in flavor. Whether or not you've dried them, crush the leaves slightly to release their flavor. Boil water and add the crushed celery leaves to a teapot or infuser. Let the leaves steep for 5-10 minutes, then strain the liquid and enjoy your light and refreshing celery leaf tea, high in vitamins and minerals like vitamin K and potassium.

To make watermelon rind tea, thoroughly wash and peel the outer green skin from the watermelon rind. Cut the rind into small pieces and spread them out on a baking sheet. Let them air dry completely. If you're pressed for time and eager to brew your tea promptly, you can choose to skip this step, although it will alter the flavor of the brew in the end. If you decide to dry your rinds, you can store the pieces in an airtight container until ready to use. To brew the tea, simply steep a few dried watermelon rind pieces in hot water for 10-15 minutes, then strain and enjoy your subtly sweet and refreshing watermelon rind tea.

To make mango peel tea, start by thoroughly washing and drying organic mangoes. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the outer skin, making sure to avoid the bitter inner layer. Place the mango peels on a baking sheet and let them dry completely, either in the sun or in a low oven. If you don't want to dry them you don't have to, but drying enables you to save the peels for brewing at a later time. Once dried, store the mango peels in an airtight container until ready to use. To brew the tea, simply steep a few dried mango peels in hot water for 5-10 minutes, then strain and enjoy your tropical and fruity mango peel tea, high in antioxidants and potentially beneficial for digestion and immune health. So yummy!

To make cucumber peel tea, thoroughly wash and dry organic cucumbers. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the outer skin, making sure to avoid the bitter inner layer. Place the cucumber peels on a baking sheet and let them dry completely, either in the sun or in a low oven. You don't need to dry them if you plan on brewing your tea right away, but keep in mind that the flavor profile will differ between infusions made with dried peels and infusions made with fresh ones. Once dried (if you choose to dry them), store the cucumber peels in an airtight container until ready to use. To brew the tea, simply steep a few dried cucumber peels in hot water for 5-10 minutes, then strain and enjoy your crisp and refreshing cucumber peel tea, perfect for hydration.

To make corn silk tea, carefully remove the silky threads from fresh corn husks. Spread them out on a baking sheet and let them air dry completely. Once dried, store the corn silk threads in an airtight container until ready to use. To brew the tea, simply steep a handful of dried corn silk threads in hot water for 10-15 minutes, then strain and enjoy your diuretic corn silk tea, believed to support kidney health.

To make pineapple core tea, start by thoroughly removing any juicy pineapple flesh from the pineapple core. Cut the core into small pieces and spread them out on a baking sheet. Let them air dry completely. If you'd like to skip this step, just be sure to brew your tea right away. If you dried the pieces of pineapple core, you can store them in an airtight container until ready to use. To brew the tea, simply steep a few dried pineapple core pieces in hot water for 10-15 minutes, then strain and enjoy your sweet and tangy pineapple core tea, perfect for aiding digestion.

To make apple peel tea, thoroughly wash and dry organic apples. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the outer skin. The drying step is optional, but recommended for a more concentrated flavor. Place the apple peels on a baking sheet and let them dry completely, either in the sun or in a low oven. Once dried, store the apple peels in an airtight container until ready to use. To brew the tea, simply steep a few dried apple peels in hot water for 5-10 minutes, then strain and enjoy your antioxidant-rich and slightly tart apple peel tea.

My favorite part of this whole idea is how much experimentation is possible! We've barely scratched the surface of what you can do with food scrap teas. So, why not roll up your sleeves, raid your kitchen, and start brewing up your own concoctions? The sky's the limit when it comes to creativity. Try out several different options and experiment with adding sweeteners, spices, or other embellishments to your brews. You might discover a new favorite beverage in the process.