By Holly Royce
Two weeks ago I started in my quest to use up the 30 lemons my housemate harvested from her family home over her holidays. My mission is to use them to make delicious vegan treats to share with my housemates, neighbours and in the 1 Million Women office. Last week I made vegan coconut and lemon slice – this week I made something a little more classic – vegan lemon pound cake.
Why is eating seasonable produce sustainable?
Where fruit and vegetables come from, the way they are grown, how far the food items have traveled, and how they are stored and preserved or refrigerated – all are important elements in determining its carbon footprint. Incredible as it may sound, what we eat and drink contributes to about one third of the CO2 pollution connected with our day-to-day living. We have the power to make positive choices when we shop that will affect food preparation, eating and what we can do with scraps and leftovers. – See more at our website.
Thanks to Nom Yourself for this delicious recipe.
Lemon Loaf
Ingredients:
3 large lemons
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
6 tsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix flour, sugar and baking soda in large mixing bowl.
Zest 1 full lemon rind into bowl. Cut all lemons and squeeze lemon juice into separate bowl so the seeds don’t fall in the mixture. Add water, oil, apple cider vinegar and vanilla to the large bowl.
Mix well, then place mix into a ungreased 8 inch cake pan.
Bake for 30 minutes, keep an eye on it though, all stoves are different!
Let it cool for 1-2 hours before icing it.
Vanilla Lemon Icing
Ingredients:
1 large lemon
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup confectionary sugar
Directions:
Cut lemon and squeeze juice in bowl. Add vanilla and sugar. Whisk until smooth.
Enjoy!
Another 4 lemons down – leaving me with 21 lemons to use up.
Did you try this recipe? What did you think? Share any of your lemon based recipes in the comments below!
Don’t forget to head over to our website! We are daughters, mothers, sisters and grandmothers getting on with practical climate action to live better for us and the planet. Join the movement at www.1millionwomen.com.au
1 Million Women 
Lemon Cordial – 1 batch = 6x750ml bottles
2 litres water
3kg sugar (don’t use raw sugar, its too dark and will spoil the look)
2 pints (2x600ml) strained lemon juice
Add water and sugar together in large saucepan. Heat gently till sugar is dissolved. Add juice. Stir.
Pour into sterilised bottles. Lightly seal. Place carefully into a pan that is at least as tall as the bottles. Pour in water up to their necks. Bring to a simmer – and then simmer 20-30 minutes. Remove the bottles. TIGHTEN CAPS.
When cool, wash the external stickiness off the bottles and label.
With good sealing lids, the cordial will keep indefinitely.
Lemonade
1 gallon (8pints) water
2 cups white sugar (honey good alternative)
1 1/2 cups strained lemon juice
3-4 thinly peeled strips of lemon rind
12x750ml bottles
Pul all ingredients in large covered container (nappy bucket is good). Stir twice daily until the rind rises (usually 3 days in warm weather).
Bottle and leave for 9 days.
DO NOT use square or oval bottles, only round ones as the fizz buildup is very strong and they will explode.
Limonada !Viva Mexico!
1/2 – 2/3 cup sugar
1 1/3 cup lemon juice
4-5 cups water (or mineral water)
Add 1/2 cup sugar to juice and stir until dissolved. Add water to desired strength, and more sugar (optional).
Alternatively, you can combine sugar and 1 cup water in a pan and dissolve over heat. Then mix with juice and the rest of the water.
When the lemons and limes are coming on fast we juice them and freeze it down in 1 1/2 cup containers, ready to use for cordial and lemonade as required. This way there is no wastage.