Lemony Goodness July 11, 2008

photo credit: “M” Pearl/flickr.com

Fresh lemon juice is a must have in my kitchen.  I add it to salsa and guacamole, sauces, smoothies (especially with berries or apples – yummy), and virtually every salad I eat. It’s brings such a lovely bright flavor, making everything taste that much more fresh and lively.  It brings out the flavor of other foods so well.  

Here are some of the health benefits of fresh lemon:

• Lemons contain Phytonutrients with Antioxidant and Antibiotic Effects – Lemons contain unique flavonoid compounds that have antioxidant and anti-cancer properties.  These flavonoids have been shown to stop cell division in many cancer cell lines, and have been shown to have antibiotic effects, particularly in cases of cholera.
• Lemons and limes are an excellent source of Vitamin C, one of the most important antioxidants in nature. Vitamin C is the primary water-soluble antioxidant in the body. Vitamin C has been shown to be helpful for reducing some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Research has shown that consumption of vegetables and fruits high in this nutrient is associated with a reduced risk of death from all causes including heart disease, stroke and cancer.
• Limonins Support Optimal Health - In animal studies and laboratory tests with human cells, compounds in citrus fruits, including lemons and limes, called limonoids have been shown to help fight cancers of the mouth, skin, lung, breast, stomach and colon. 
• For the most antioxidants, choose fully ripened lemons and limes.  Research conducted at the University of Innsbruck in Austria suggests that as fruits fully ripen, almost to the point of spoilage, their antioxidant levels actually increase.
• Read more about lemons and their benefits here.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

• Combine lemon juice with olive or flax oil, freshly crushed garlic and pepper to make a light and refreshing salad dressing.
• Serve lemon wedges with meals as their tartness makes a great salt substitute.
• Squeeze some lemon or lime juice onto diced avocado or mango and eat as is.

So, Why am I so inspired by lemons as to write this post about them?  Because, I heard this great tip recently while watching a video of chef Ani Phyo making one of her delicious recipes for salad dressing (with lemon, of course).  She says that after squeezing the juice from them, she saves the rind and uses it for cleaning.  It is great for degreasing.  She even uses hers to clean the bathtub.  Just put a dozen or so rinds into your tub, fill it with water, let it soak overnight and wipe clean in the morning…

I haven’t tried the bathtub idea because we don’t have one (we only have a shower), but I have been saving my lemon rinds and I have been so amazed at how well they work for degreasing the stove and countertops.  The rind serves as a great little natural scrubber, which means dirtying fewer rags.  It’s such a great substitute for conventional lemon cleaners with all their nasty chemicals and artificial additives – and the package is compostable  Try it!

Other Uses for Lemon:

1. Sanitize a chopping block. Run a slice of lemon over the surface to disinfect.
2. Eliminate the browning that occurs when food sits out too long. Sprinkle apple or pear slices with lemon juice before serving, or squeeze a bit into guacamole and give it a stir.
3. Remove tough food stains from plastic and light-colored wooden cutting boards. Slice a lemon in half, squeeze the juice onto the soiled surface, rub, and let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse with water.
4. Fade tea stains on cloth. Dilute lemon juice with an equal amount of water. Use an eyedropper or a Q-tip to make sure the juice targets the stain. Thoroughly flush with cool water.
5. Decorate on the cheap. Fill a glass bowl with lemons for a sunny centerpiece. Or display a row of them along a windowsill.
6. Relieve a sore throat. Cut a lemon in half. Skewer one half over a medium flame on a gas stove or an electric burner set on high and roast until the peel turns golden brown. Let cool slightly, then mix the juice with 1 teaspoon of honey. Swallow the mixture.
7. Whiten fingernails. Rub a wedge on the surface of your nails.
8. Shine the interior of copper cookware. Sprinkle a lemon wedge with salt, then scrub.
9. Brighten laundry whites. Add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the wash cycle of a normal-size load.
10. Remove soft cheese or other sticky foods from a grater. Rub both sides of the grater with the pulp side of a cut lemon.

Pinch Pennies and Spare the Planet April 17, 2008

Sometimes, thinking about all the things I need to change makes me nervous about it costing money.  Most of the time, though, you can save money and spare the environment at the same time.  Recent marketing of “green products” may make that not seem true, but it is.  In light of that, I would like to list some ways that you can make changes that will save you money.

• Halve it.  You’d be surprised how many things we can “halve” in our daily lives.  Just about everything from the dishsoap you use to the salad dressing on your lunch can be cut in half (either by diluting or just using less.)  examples: laundry detergent, shampoo, the amount of coffee you drink, the amount of time you spend in the shower, the amount of trips you take in the car.  A great post about doing so can be found here.
• Think Natural=Think Cheap.  Vinegar and baking soda, baby.  there is no toilet cleaner cheaper than baking soda.  No Window cleaner cheaper than half vinegar/half water.  (don’t forget about baking soda as deodorant.  If you think I’m crazy, just try it.  I swear it works.)
• Share, Contemplate Purchases and Practice Delayed Gratification.  If you don’t need something immediately, try waiting before you buy it.  You may find in the process that you didn’t really need/want it as much as you thought.  Maybe you’ll find that you have something else that works or be able to borrow from someone.  Also, garage sale season is about to start, so grab a friend and see if you find what you need there or at a thrift store.
• Choose Cloth and Think Reusable. Cloth rags, cloth diapers, cloth napkins – can be washed and reused and save you from spending money on disposables.  Most stores will give you at least a 5 cent discount for bringing your own bags (i know, but i said pinch pennies).  Most coffee shops will give you 10-15 cents off of your drink for bringing your own mug.  Use a french press or metal coffee filter and save from buying paper coffee filters.  Use a microfiber mop or broom instead of a swiffer.
• Drink Water. That is, tap water in a reusable bottle and save on packaged sodas, juices and the like.
• Alter your eating and shopping a bit- think bulk bins, cooking with whole foods, eating what’s in season in your area, eating your leftovers and paying attention so that things don’t go bad in the fridge and go to waste.
• Conserve.  Unplug things, turn them off, turn the thermostat down (or up, depending on the season) use your legs or public transportation.  
• Make your own.

See, sparing the environment should SAVE you money, not cost you money. Beware of all the hype.

Make Your Own March 26, 2008

I’ve stumbled across lots and lots of posts and websites with various recipes and directions for making your own versions of things you would normally just go out and buy.  It’s the perfect way to lessen your impact on the environment and your pocketbook. Most of these are also better for your health. While i haven’t tried a lot of these yet myself, if you feel so inspired, now you know where to look!

Food
- Tortilla Chips
- Refried Beans
- Salad Dressing
- Almond Milk
- Sprouted Granola
- Popcorn (in case you weren’t sure how to do it the old fashioned way)
- Crackers
- Granola Bars (vegan)
- Bread
- Butter
- Yogurt
- Tofu

Cleaning
A great post with several recipes here.
- Laundry Soap

Personal Products
- Toothpaste
- Lotion
- Shampoo
- Toilet “Paper” - for all you radicals out there
- Feminine Pads
- Hairspray and Mouthwash
- Castile Soap
- Liquid Hand Soap

Other
- Reusable Tote Bag (out of used plastic grocery sacks!)
- Baby Wipes

Wanna Go No Poo? March 24, 2008

I’ve been asked about how to go without shampoo, so I thought I would post some information on here for anyone who might be curious… I’ve tried it and it has really worked for me. I’m not extreme about it.  I was given some shampoo around christmas and I’m just about to run out of it and go back to au naturale.

Why Not Use Shampoo?
Weell, read your ingredient lists and do some research and you just might start re-thinking your choices in personal products. Some of the ingredients to avoid are sodium laurel sulfate and parabens.
     Your skin is your largest organ and it drinks in everything you put on it. I think a good idea to go by is: “If you can’t eat it, don’t put it on your body.” You can check ratings of beauty products here.  If you have trouble believing that any of these things are true or that it is a good idea to start changing your habits…it might be because of all the media that is EVERYWHERE telling you otherwise. You will find contradictory information on everything, but you have to think for yourself and make the best decision for you and your family. Just because something is “normal”, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.
     What are the options? Natural shampoos and conditioners. The other (and I think better) option is to go completely natural and use baking soda to wash your hair and apple cider vinegar to rinse. You can also use honey and other foods to condition, but i haven’t found this to be necessary.  I take about 1 Tablespoon or less (depending on the length and thickness of your hair) and combine it in my hand with water and make a pasty solution. I  then use a little of the paste and massage it into my scalp starting at the crown of my head. I make sure to do this with any oily areas of my hair, like along my part and my bangs. Rinse thoroughly.  I then take two cap-fulls of apple cider vinegar and mix with at least 12. oz of water in a cup and I pour the mixture over the ends of my hair only.  The baking soda will have a drying effect and the ACV has a moisturizing effect, but neither one will strip your hair of its beneficial natural oils like shampoo will.  If your hair is too dry, use less baking soda and/or mix it with more water.  If your hair is too oily, you may not need to use the acv rinse every day.  Some people say your hair may take some time time to adjust and you may need to experiment with the quantities of baking soda, acv and water.  If you try it, let me know how it goes.  I think it’s great!  My hair is normally bone straight and washing my hair this way gives it more body.  So, try it, you don’t have to tell anyone if you’re afraid they’ll think you’re a weirdo – I usually don’t!  

     You can also use baking soda as a deoderant. it works better than ANY natural deoderant on the market. you’ll smell like NOTHING, even in HOT California summers!! It’s also CHEAP and doesn’t come in a plastic container. 

Here are some other people going “no ‘poo“.

don’t forget to buy apple cider vinegar that’s packaged in glass (or buy in bulk)