Healthy Tips for July 4th
Written by Priscilla Woolworth
Salsa Verde
Delicious and healthy Salsa Verde Recipe! Bring a jar of it to your picnic and add a spoonful to your plate. It's great with grilled chicken, fish, steak (all organic, of course!), corn, zucchini and sliced raw tomatoes. It's also delicious on beans and rice, potatoes, and veggie corn tacos for gluten-free vegans out there like Fran.
All you need is:
1 handful of Cilantro + 1 handful of Basil + ½ handful of Parsley + ¼ Green Jalapeno + 1 Chile Pepper + 2 cloves Garlic + ¼ Onion + pinch of Salt and Pepper + 4 Tbs Olive Oil + 1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
Put everything in a blender and blend till smooth. Add more olive oil to make it smooth.
Make Cut Flowers Last Longer
To keep cut flowers fresh longer, cut the stem on the diagonal, removing any leaves that will end up under water and then put the flowers in a vase of cold water.
Add an aspirin to the water to help kill bacteria and an old copper penny pre 1982-pennies minted after 1982 are mostly zinc with a thin copper coating. Copper is a fungicide and keeps the water free of yeasts and fungi.
Make sure to change the water every day and keep your flowers out of direct sunlight.
Spent flower petals can be added to your compost pile.
Glass Jars as Food Containers
Put all transportable foods in reusable glass jars instead of plastic containers. Besides looking great, it's an easy way to reduce your family's exposure to plastic.
You don't need to spend a lot of money buying reusable glass food storage containers. Just re-use the ones you buy your honey, pasta sauce and jam in from the market. In fact, when I go food shopping, one of the deciding factors on what I chose to buy is the packaging and if it can be re-used somehow. To give you an idea of some of things you can safely store, here are the ones that are in my kitchen right now: re-used glass jars full of nuts, crackers, raisins, oatmeal, granola, quinoa, couscous, brown rice, lentils, pasta, dates and figs. In my refrigerator, I store carrots, radishes, olives, hummus, flax seeds, pine nuts, Parmesan, tomato sauce, pesto sauce and homemade salad dressing. So instead of adding glass jars to your recycling bin, soak them in hot water, peel off the labels and save money while helping our planet by not adding more waste to it. Every little act makes a difference.
Keeping Celery Fresh
Although we know aluminum foil isn't healthy too cook with, here's one suggestion where it really comes in handy. Keep your celery fresh and crispy longer by wrapping it in silver foil the moment you bring it home from the market and put it straight in the fridge. It will stay crispy for at least 2 weeks. Enjoy it anytime with delicious hummus, a healthy and filling snack.
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Priscilla Woolworth was born four generations from the founders of the Woolworth's chain of general stores. She has gone back to her roots and created a virtual store focused on green products. Also, like so many others, she discovered the convenience and ease of shopping at home. With that in mind, what better way to bring Woolworth’s into the new century than an online store that offers a wide selection of the best organic, non toxic, biodegradable, recyclable, energy saving, water saving, and practical products on the market. Visit www.PriscillaWoolworth.com to learn more.
