Cut Clutter

There does not appear to be too much clutter in my kitchen. I keep my counters clean and the refrigerator is cleaned out regularly. But, I tend to ignore my cupboards.

This spring, I plan to devote at least one day to getting rid of all the hidden clutter in my kitchen. The following tips will come in handy:

• Get rid of any banged-up pots and pans. Replace those with loose handles or scratches in their nonstick coating.
  

• Donate any unused kitchen gadgets to charity.

• Check spices and dried herbs for "best by" dates, and keep or toss them accordingly. Most spices lose their potency after a year or two. Extracts will last four years, except for vanilla extract which lasts indefinitely.

• Make sure nuts, chocolate chips, and other baking ingredients are stored in airtight containers instead of their original packaging.

• In his book, Enough Already, Peter Walsh makes the following suggestion: "Empty everything out of your kitchen gadget drawer into a cardboard box. Every time you use something, put it back in the drawer. After four weeks check the box and consider giving away the extras."
  

Organic Or Not?

While shopping for organic foods, it is very important to be aware that these foods are not uniformly labeled. We should never buy something just because we see the word organic on the packaging.

100% organic means that the food contains organically produced ingredients.

Organic means that 95% of the ingredients must be organically grown, and the remaining 5% must come from nonorganic ingredients.

Made with organic ingredients means that a product must be made with no less than 70% organic ingredients.

Pure or natural means nothing; companies are simply trying to make their foods seem healthy.

Made with real fruit or made with whole grains means that the food has a minute amount of real fruit or whole grain in it.

Clean, Green, and Cheap

I am obsessive about cleanliness, particularly in the bathroom and kitchen. I thought I was doing the right thing by zapping all the germs and bugs so that I wouldn't catch any nasty viruses. I didn't realize that I was causing more harm than good and that the toxic fumes were infinitely worse.

I discovered it is possible to have a gleaming place with eco-friendly household products, and, with more time on hands, I could easily make my own cleaning products. End result--a healthier house and a healthier pocketbook.

I use primarily full-strength white vinegar which is an excellent cleaning option that kills many germs, bacteria, and molds.

Here are a few easy ideas for cleaning around the house with vinegar:

• Use vinegar mixed 50/50 with water to mop vinyl and ceramic flooring. Do not use on hardwood.

• Wipe down the inside walls and shelves of your refrigerator with a mixture of vinegar and water. Use full-strength vinegar if you are trying to remove stubborn food odors.

• Leave a cupful of vinegar in the toilet bowl overnight. In the morning, scrub with a toilet brush.

• Use vinegar for degreasing stovetops, ovens, pots, and pans.

• To clean the microwave oven, heat half a cup of white vinegar in a bowl on high for three minutes. Let the vinegar sit undisturbed for about fifteen minutes, then remove the container and wipe down the inside of the microwave with a sponge and clear water.

• After cooking fish or burning something on the stove, wipe down the countertops with full-strength vinegar to neutralize the smell.

Sharing Recipes--Blueberry Cheesecake

Blueberries are natural healers and provide antioxidant power. They are associated with numerous health benefits such as prevention of heart disease and cancer and may even help to prevent and reverse age-related memory loss.

I like adding raw berries to my smoothies and yogurt, but I also enjoy making the following easy, low-maintenance dessert. It is very light and the perfect end to almost any meal at any time of the year.

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 cups graham crumbs
3/4 cup butter
8 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese
32 ounces Cool Whip
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
3 tbsp lemon juice
3 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

Procedure

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Make sure cream cheese is at room temperature.
• Combine brown sugar, graham crumbs, and butter.
• Press into the bottom of a 9" x 13" rectangular pan.
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• Cool the crust.
• Cream together the cheese, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice.
• Add cool whip and fold in blueberries using a wooden spoon.
• Pour mixture into the pan.
• Refrigerate overnight.

Makes 15 servings

Reducing Our Carbon Footprints

A carbon footprint is the measure of the total amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere as a result of things we do in our everyday lives such as travel, shopping, washing, even watching television. The primary footprint measures our direct emissions of CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels, e.g. car and plane journeys. The secondary footprint measures indirect CO2 emissions from the whole life cycle of products we use.

There are a number of websites that can help us calculate our carbon footprints. I was very pleased to discover that my footprint is 9.96 tonnes per year, considerably lower than the Canadian average of 20 tonnes. The average worldwide carbon footprint is about 4 tonnes; the worldwide target to combat climate change is 2 tonnes.

We can reduce the size of our carbon footprints and save money by considering the following suggestions:

• Leave the car at home and either walk, cycle, or use public transit.
• Carpool.
  
• Avoid using air conditioning if possible, as this uses more fuel.
• Cut back on air travel.
  
• Reduce the use of electrical appliances.
• Use proper insulation and double glazed windows.
• Do not buy bottled water, especially from abroad.
• Cut back on purchases of red meat and highly packaged items.
• Cut back on imported clothes and food.
  

Entertainment...On A Budget

It is very easy to get caught up in the notion that we have to spend a lot of money to entertain ourselves. The key to frugal entertaining is to remember why we are doing it--to enjoy the company of other people. Beyond a certain level of comfort, money doesn't make the encounter any more (or less) delightful. And, like so many other money-saving ideas, imagination is often a great substitute for currency when it comes to entertainment.

• I keep my eye out for advertisements and coupons for local restaurants. Many places offer buy-one-get-one-free meals as well as other valuable coupons. And, I always ask about the restaurant's special of the day. It is often $2-$5 cheaper than the rest of the menu items.

• There is an excellent selection of best-sellers, CDs, and DVDs available at the library. And, it's a good idea to check out the events calendar for the month. In Guelph, the following free activities have been scheduled during March: Storycraft, Music for Babies, Starlight Stories, Yoga 4 Teens, Duct Tape Creations, A Night Out at the Movies, Joy of Photography Workshop.

• I also like to check out the community calendar for no-cost and low-cost events such as plays, art exhibits, teas, bazaars, lectures, open houses, and concerts.
  

• Old musicals such as The Sound of Music, Camelot, and South Pacific are probably new releases for children and adolescents. Most movie rental stores will offer older movies for a cheaper price than the new releases. They can be borrowed free of charge from the library.

• Families with young children should consider instituting a family game night. Two or three times a month, they can pull out the board games and enjoy some time together.

• Children also enjoy looking at photo albums. Why not spend an afternoon organizing albums or inexpensive scrapbooks.

Thrifty Tips--Grocery Shopping

When I am in a hurry, I tend to shop on "autopilot" and pay little attention to my purchases. It is so easy to choose convenience over cost and encounter a number of cash traps as I navigate through the aisles. The following tips come in very handy and help me stay on budget:

• Studies have shown that hungry shoppers spend more on everything. The hoarding instinct kicks in and makes us want to buy more than we need. I try to have a quick snack before heading out to the grocery store.
  

• When I see those "maximum per customer" tags, I sometimes feel the need to take advantage of the deal and often buy more of one item. This does not always make sense especially with items that have expiry dates.

• I have often grabbed a bagged salad and found it to be a time-saver. But, it can cost three times as much as a head of lettuce. Salad kits are even more expensive.

• When I was working I would buy protein bars on a regular basis. These bars are high in sugar and fat and often act as a meal supplement as opposed to a meal replacement. And, they are often more than twice the cost of a chocolate bar.
  

• Pre-formed meat patties are handy, but they are more expensive than buying the ground meat in bulk and making patties.

• We are very fortunate to have good tap water in Ontario, so it is not necessary to buy bottled water. It is expensive and the environmental costs are very high.
  

• I have always enjoyed making my own tomato sauce using canned or fresh tomatoes. This is less expensive than buying ready-made tomato sauces that can run $2 to $6 a jar. The cost of canned tomatoes is often under $1.