Easter is coming up and if you are planning to get into the season's spirit and dye some eggs just bare in mind that commercial dyes are quite toxic. Good news is you can beautifully dye your eggs with natural ingredients like cetrain fruit, vegetables or spices found in your kitchen, easy and with amazing results!!!
Here is the way:
One way to do it is to boil your eggs (hard-cooked), before you start preparing your different dyes and then wash them with warm water and a very small amount of soap (preferably a natural soap). Allow the eggs to cool down completely before you soak them in the dye. The more you let them soak, the sronger the colours (you may even let them soak in the refrigerator overnight).
Another way of doing it - and for more intense color results - is to wash the eggs and then boil them in the dye you have prepared.
Both ways work just fine.
You can experiment with different ingredients and even try to create patterns on the eggs by using a sponge or other materials.
Here are a few colour suggestions:
For blue eggs
1. Mix 1 cup frozen or canned blueberries in 2 cups water (if you wish to make them dark blue, just reduce the amount of water you use to boil the blueberries) and add 2 teaspoons white vinegar. Strain, bring to room temparature and dip your eggs in the dye. You may leave them soaking overnight in the fridge for more intense colour results.
2. Boil red cabbage leaves in water (1 cup of water for each handful of cabbage leaves) and add 2-3 teaspoons white vinegar. Strain and allow it to cool.
For brown/beige eggs
1. Strong coffee (add 2 teaspoons white vinegar for each cup of coffee)
2. Black tea (add 2 teaspoons white vinegar for each cup of tea)
For orange eggs
Mix 4 tablespoons paprika or chili powder in 2 cups boiling water. Add 4 teaspoons white vinegar.
For yellow eggs
1. Mix 4 tablespoons turmeric powder or saffron in 2 cups boiling water. Add 4 teaspoons white vinegar.
2. Boil 2 cups orange or lemon peels in 2 cups water. Add 4 teaspoons hite vinegar.
3. Boil 5-6 tablespoons chamomile in 1 cup water. Add 2 teaspoons white vinegar.
4. Boil 2 cups carrot tops in two cups water and add 4 teaspoons white vinegar.
For pink eggs
1. Boil beets in water, strain and add 2 teaspoons white vinegar for each cup of dye liquid. Alternatively, you may use the juice of pickled beets.
2. Mix 1 cup frozen or canned cranberries/raspberries in 1 cup water and add 2 teaspoons of white vinegar.
For red eggs
Boil lots of red onion skins the less water, the more intense the colour. Add 2 tablespoons white vinegar for every cup of water.
For violet eggs
1. Mix red wine with white vinegar (2 teaspoons for every cup).
2. Mix 2 tablespoons hibiscus tea and 2 teaspoons white vinegar in every cup of boiling water.
For green eggs:
1. Boil plenty of spinach leaves in water (the less water you use the darker the colour), sieve and add white vinegar (two teaspoons for every cup of green liquid).
2. Simmer the skin of 6 yellow apples in 1-1/2 cups water for 20 minutes, strain and add 2 teaspoons white vinegar.
3. Dip the eggs in liquid chlorophyll (you'll find it at natural food stores).
Make sure the whole egg is soaking in the dye and every now and then rotate the egg with a spoon for an even colour result. After you've dyed your eggs, let them dry well and then polish them using a cloth and some vegetable oil.
