#DIY Miracle Deep Cleaning Spray

January 31, 2024 By 35 Comments

DIY Miracle Deep Cleaning Spray

With all the chemicals found in today’s cleaners, you would think the harsher they are, the better they can tackle the tough jobs you have, right? I used to think this way until I found a way to make many of my cleaning jobs much easier with vinegar.

I use vinegar for many things around my home for cleaning and even beauty.

To tackle tough jobs like soap scum, mold, dried on and baked on food on the stove top and counters and grime, I use this concoction made of two simple ingredients. I find that it is an absolute miracle, especially on dried on food. Just spay it on well, wait a few minutes and things literally wipe off with no elbow grease required.

 

# DIY Miracle Deep Cleaning Spray

To make you only need:

  • A spray bottle (I got mine at the dollar store)
  • 1 Cup of White Vinegar
  • 1/2 Cup Dish Soap (brand does not matter, whatever you like, but the thicker the better, so I don’t recommend cheap stuff. I also recommend using a natural dish soap if you can)

To mix:

1. Heat the vinegar in the microwave for about 1 minute in a microwave safe bowl. Make sure to use a pot holder when removing as it gets hot pretty quickly.

2. Pour it into a bowl or measuring cup with 1/2 cup of dish detergent and mix well.

3. Add to a spray bottle using a funnel or spout. Make sure to label it so you know what is in there.

 

You don’t need to heat it every time to use it. The heating process was just so the soap and vinegar would mix well. Feel free to give it a gentle shake if it separates before use. Just spray it on hard to clean areas and allow to sit for about a minute. For soap scum, allow to sit about 5 minutes.

Use a sponge or cloth to wipe up. You should hardly need to use any “elbow grease” as the spray will loosen things up pretty nicely.

You can make larger quantities of this if you need to, just double or triple the recipe.

 

Do you plan on making this? What tough cleaning chores do you plan on using it on?

Filed Under: Crafts & DIY, DIY Cleaners, Homekeeping Tagged With: , ,

Natural Ways To Unclog a Sink

January 29, 2024 By Leave a Comment

Natural Ways To Unclog Your Drain

No one likes dealing with the harsh chemicals of drain cleaner. What is even worse is having a plumber come over to fix the problem. Not only is it costly, but inconvenient.

What are some ways you can naturally unclog your drain with things you have around your home before you give in and call a professional?

 

Natural Ways To Unclog Your Sink

 

First, try the boiling water method:

  • Boil a pot of water on your stove.
  • Place an old cloth in your drain hole.
  • Have someone else carry over the boiling water and pour it slowly down the sink. If you have a garbage disposal, this is the time to turn it on.
  • If this doesn’t work the first time, give it another shot.

The Baking Soda Method:

  • This only works if you can get the water to drain, even slowly.
  • Dump a cup or two of baking soda in the drain. Allow it to sit for a minute or so.
  • Slowly add equal parts of white vinegar to the drain. Expect it to bubble, as this is what it is supposed to do in order to clear the drain.
  • Try slowly turning on the sink to see if the water is draining. Repeat if necessary.

Plunge it:

  • You can do this in conjunction with any of the other methods, but never do it with a chemical drain cleaner.
  • just place the plunger over the drain hole and plunge it. Make sure there is water in the basin of the sink.

Hydrogen peroxide and Baking Soda:

  • If the vinegar method didn’t do much, try this heavier duty one.
  • Use equal parts baking soda and peroxide.
  • Sprinkle some baking soda and a pinch of salt down the drain.
  • Pour your peroxide, very slowly, down the drain and allow to foam up. If it is not foaming, you may need newer baking soda.
  • Allow to do it’s job and then test to see if the drain is clear.

 

To maintain your newly unclogged drain, pour a kettle of boiling water an lemon juice down the drain at least once a month. To keep your garbage disposal smelling nice, grind up some citrus peels with water once in a while as well.

If you don’t have a sink snake, you can also try using a wire hanger that is unfolded. Just be very careful to not puncture anything.

Before calling a plumber, what do you try on your sink when it gets clogged?

Filed Under: Frugal Living Tagged With: , , , ,

Tips for Making Food Last Longer

January 27, 2024 By Leave a Comment

Tips For Making Your Food Last Longer

Food is one of the biggest expenses in most people’s budget next to their home and cars. So, it makes sense to not waste it and find ways to make it go further and last longer. Other than storing it in the refrigerator in containers, what else can you be doing to make your food last as long as possible before spoiling?

Tips for Making Food Last Longer

 

Make sure where you are storing is clean. This means regularly cleaning your fridge and storage bins. If your food storage area is dirty, you can be sure there is more bacteria there and more bacteria means your food spoils faster.

Freeze things you don’t think you need to freeze. Did you know you can freeze bread and it will last weeks in the freezer and still taste just as fresh? It thaws in as little as an hour or two as well. Buy cheese in a brick and shred it yourself and pull out just what you need for meals, especially if melting the cheese is part of the cooking process.

Practice FIFO. FIFO is a restaurant term and it means “First in, First Out”. Simply put, whenever you go grocery shopping, put the older food in the front on your fridge (or pantry) so you use it up first. This will cut down on nasty, spoiled food surprises.

Do not store tomatoes in the fridge. It makes them go bad faster. Instead, store them in a cool, dry place.

Keep a slice of stale bread in with your brown sugar to keep it from clumping.

Keep your milk in the coldest place possible. This means NOT storing it on the door like most people do. Instead, store it in the center of the top shelf. Also, buy your dairy organic. The dollar or two more you spend will add up as you see you have longer “use by” dates.

Keep mushrooms out of plastic packaging. If you buy your mushrooms in a plastic container, take them out and put them in a paper bag. They will last twice as long.

Hang your bananas. That investment in a banana hanger is really worth it as your bananas will not ripen as fast.

When you put food away, do not put it away hot. Putting a hot dish in your fridge changes the temperature of all the other foods in there and makes them spoil faster. Instead, allow it to come to room temperature in an ice bath in your sink before storing.

 

Filed Under: Food, Frugal Living, Homekeeping Tagged With: ,

Sugar Free Peanut Butter Cheesecake Dip

January 26, 2024 By Leave a Comment

Sugar Free Peanut Butter Cheesecake Dip

The Superbowl is almost here and you are probably on a hunt for low carb game day recipes. While most tailgating snacks tend to be savory or salty, this Sugar Free Peanut Butter Cheesecake Dip is not. It is low carb, but sweet (no too much) just the same, so it’s a welcome change in tastes.. This is a perfect dip for diabetics because it is full of protein as well so if you pair it with fruit, you will get a perfect carb balancing protein.

For peanut butter loving football fans, this is perfect. It is very simple to make, so you can whip some more up in no time if it’s gone by half-time! It uses PB2, a peanut butter powder that has natural sugar in it and hardly any fat. You could also substitute a sugar free natural peanut butter in this recipe, if desired with the same amounts listed.

Sugar Free Peanut Butter Cheesecake Dip

You will need:

  • 1 8oz Package Fat Free Cream Cheese (softened)
  • ¼ Cup Nonfat Greek Yogurt
  • 2 Tablespoons PB2 (prepared)
  • ½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • Splenda or Stevia to taste if desired

To make:

1. Start by making your PB2 so you have it handy. If you are going with natural peanut butter instead, skip this step.

2. Fold together cream cheese and yogurt until well mixed and smooth.

3. Add your peanut butter or PB2, vanilla and sweetener of choice, if desired.

4. Serve with banana slices, apple slices or any other fruit (or veggie!) you desire.

In case you were wondering where you can find PB2, you can buy it at many national chains. I have seen it at Walmart, even. There are 2 flavors: the original peanut butter one and a chocolate one. I think the chocolate one would be amazing to make a spread like this for toast or dipping as well!

 

Filed Under: Desserts, Diabetic Lifestyle, Diabetic Recipes, Food, Recipes, Snacks Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Easy BBQ Wings

January 23, 2024 By 3 Comments

Diabetic Friendly Honey BBQ Wings

The Superbowl is almost here. On February 2nd the Denver Broncos will Face off with the Seattle Seahawks for Superbowl XLVII. You are probably already thinking about what you will be munching on during the big game.

As a diabetic, all the temping treats can be hard to resist. One of the classic foods eaten at tailgate parties is wings. I don’t really care for the traditional bright orange buffalo sauce, so I go for the Honey BBQ type.

One of the trickier things about wings is, unless you buy them pre-cut into drummets, you still have to do some fabrication of the wings themselves. This can be tricky if you don’t know what you are doing. So, along with my recipe for Diabetic Honey BBQ Sauce, I am including instructions for cutting up your wings so you can get back to your game.

How to cut wings for frying:

Your wings will probably be whole and have the tips. This is usually the cheaper way to buy them and it requires a bit of skill to cut correctly.

How To Cut Up Chicken Wings 3

To cut the wings, first find the soft area between the drummet and the wing section. it will probably require you to feel around a bit and spread the wing open. Using a very sharp chef’s knife, make a cut right in the area that is softer.

How To Cut Up Chicken Wings 2

After you have the wing separated from the drummet, you must remove the wing tip. You can leave it on, but it is mostly cartilage and not much meat, so most people take it off. Again, find the soft tendon area and make a cut there.

How To cut up chiken wings 1

Make sure to remove any excess and unattached bone so it doesn’t present a choking hazard to anyone.

chicken wings

Fry your wings in oil that is pretty hot. I fry mine on medium high on the stove top in my Wok I turned into my fryer. They are done when a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the drumstick reads 165 degrees F for 15 seconds.

chicken wings done

You can put already cooked ones in the oven to wait for the rest to be done and dry out a bit.

To make Diabetic Friendly “Honey” BBQ Sauce, you will need:

Easy BBQ Wings
 
Print
Author:
Recipe type: Appetiser
Cuisine: American
Ingredients
  • 1 Cup of Sugar free ketchup
  • ¼ cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
  • 1 Tbsp Lemon or the juice from a ½ small lemon
  • ¼ cup dark Agave Syrup
  • 2 Tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tsp dry mustard
  • Dash of pepper
  • Dash of salt
  • Dash of Cayenne pepper
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Heat over medium until simmering. Allow to cool if you desire. For the wings, place them in a bowl and coat them with the BBQ sauce by gently shaking them in the bowl.
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

chicken wings plate

I hope you have a fun Superbowl Sunday! Who are you rooting for?

Filed Under: Diabetic Lifestyle, Diabetic Recipes, Dinner Recipes, Food, Lunch Recipes, Recipes, Snacks Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Diabetic Friendly Jello Cookies

January 21, 2024 By 1 Comment

Valentine's Day Jello Cookies diabetic friendly

One of my favorite types of cookie is a soft and chewy one. I am not the type who likes to dunk my cookies in milk, so I don’t need a crunchy texture to hold up. Although I don’t have a huge sweet tooth, I like to occasionally have a treat.

These Jello Cookies are perfect for a diabetic like myself, as they contain no sugar and are sweet just the same. Make these cookies for a Valentine’s party, a sweetheart or any other event. What is also great about them, is, you can make them to fit any holiday. The ones featured are red, for Valentine’s day, of course, but you could do green Jello for the upcoming St. Patrick’s day or Orange even, for Halloween. Save this recipe for any of your holiday get-togethers.

 

Sugar Free Diabetic Friendly Jello Cookies

 

To make, you will need:

  • 1 3/4 Cups Flour
  • 1 Tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 6 Oz Package of Sugar Free Jello (Any flavor)
  • 3/4 cup Butter, Softened to room temperature but not melted
  • 1/2 Cup splenda
  • 1 Medium Egg
  • 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

 

To make Sugar Free Jello Cookies:

 

1. Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F.

2. In a Medium sized bowl, Cream the butter and Splenda together until it is light and fluffy.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking soda.

4. Add the egg and Vanilla Extract. Mix with the butter and Splenda.

5. Slowly and gradually, incorporate the dry ingredients, including the Jello.

6. Remove from the bowl and wrap in plastic. Place in the fridge and chill at least 30 minutes.

7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it is about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick, depending on personal preference. Cut out shapes with cookie cutter. Do this until dough is gone.

8. Bake cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet for 5-7 minutes. Since these do not take long to cook, make sure you keep an eye on them and not allow them to over-cook.

9. Allow to cool completely. You can frost them if you desire, but they taste just as great left unfrosted.

 

Valentine's Day Jello Cookies

 

 

 

courtneybio

Filed Under: Desserts, Diabetic Recipes, Food, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Why Buying Organic Saves You Money In The Long Run

January 19, 2024 By Leave a Comment

I used to be pretty anti-organic when it came to saving money. I saw the prices were more than traditional kinds of products and since coupons were pretty scarce at the time I looked into it, I figured there was no way I could save money by purchasing organic foods.

Luckily, I gave it another shot and I am so happy I did as I find I save even more money that I thought I would and there are coupons available for many organic items now.

Fresh assorted vegetables in boxes on farmer's market

Here are some ways I have found that buying organic foods really saves me money:

Organic dairy is money saving gold. If you just take a look at “sell by” dates on organic dairy you will be amazed at how much longer it lasts. This is due to the products containing no steroids among other things that are no good for us, anyway. Organic milk is my favorite way to save this way. Because we don’t go through much of it because I no longer have a young child at home, I was finding I was tossing out more milk than I was able to use in time by purchasing regular milk. With organic milk, although it is usually a couple dollars more, I am able to use it all up way before it goes sour, thus, buying less milk and saving myself money.

Organic produce is another money saver. Since it is non-GMO and not full of chemicals, the produce can last a bit longer and you get a higher quality so you buy less. Plus, it really is not much more expensive than traditional produce and is often locally sourced so it is much fresher. At farmer’s markets, you can often find it very low cost.

Among the immediate savings with organic food are the long term ones. Buying organic helps save your health. The food that is produced organically is free from GMOs, pesticides and hormones so you can count on it being cleaner for your body and more nutrient rich.

To find coupons for organic food, just follow some of your favorite brands on social media. They will often release coupons to their fans periodically. I have also seen coupons for organic products popping up in weekly coupon inserts in papers.

 

Do you shop organically? How do you use organic foods to save money?

Filed Under: Frugal Living, Health Tagged With: , ,

Dealing With The “Food Police” When You Are on a Special Diet

January 17, 2024 By 1 Comment

peanut butter sandwich

If you are on any kind of special diet whether it be a diabetic one, an allergy one or just on a diet to loose or gain weight, you have probably heard comments from the “Food Police”. These comments I am referring to are those well meaning ones from friends and relatives that go something like this:

“Should you be eating that?”

“Before you eat that, have you checked your sugars?”

“That probably has too many carbs in it for you.”

“My (family member) had diabetes and they lost their (insert body part here).”

and my favorite, “I was watching Dr Oz the other day and he said……”

Sigh.

I know that in my heart these people are just trying to be helpful. They love me and just want to see me take care of myself, which I do, most of the time. However, these comments can sometimes leave me feeling like a child being told I can’t eat this and that and I should behave. I have found that some of the worst “offenders” are other diabetics, especially ones I have “met” online. That’s where it gets tricky.

So how do you deal with the food police?

Tips for dealing with the Food Police When You Are Diabetic

  • Say, “Thanks for your concern.” and leave it at that. You don’t have to be snarky, either. Be genuine. Most likely, the people making these comments are being that way and they don’t know you hear it all the time.
  • Check your blood sugar in front of people that might be the people that have said comments in the past. When they see you self caring, they may not feel the need to comment.
  • Educate. Take this time to educate commentators on what causes diabetes to swing into high numbers. Some people still think sugar is complete Kryptonite to diabetics and we will die the second it touches our lips.
  • When you meet new people, decide if it is something they need to know up front about you. Get to know people and educate them first so they won’t feel the need to comment.
  • If the well meaning advice giver is another diabetic, explain that you are only doing what your Dr told you to do and that no two diabetics are alike.
  • People often make comments because they want to help you. Instead of getting upset at these comments, think of ways your friends, family and co-workers can help you and be ready to tell them if the comments happen.
  • If you will be going to a food event, such as a holiday meal, discuss food ahead of time or bring a dish that suits your dietary needs to share. This way, everyone already knows you are policing yourself and hopefully they won’t feel the need to comment.

Above all, remember that the way you react is very important. Take this as a time to practice patience with well-meaners and educate them if need be.

Filed Under: Diabetic Lifestyle Tagged With: , , ,

25 More Random Acts of Kindness

January 15, 2024 By Leave a Comment

25 Random Acts Of Kindness

I think it is extremely important to do random acts of kindness to not only make yourself feel great, but more importantly, to make others feel great and the world a better place to be.

What is a random act of kindness? A Random Act of Kindness is to do something that brightens another’s day, helps them with their struggles, makes them feel appreciated and makes them pause for a moment to realize the world is not such a bad place to be. A random act of kindness can be simple and cost nothing. The point is to do something others will not expect of perfect strangers. The point is to do it for someone that you don’t know, or at least don’t know very well.

Here are 25 Random Acts of Kindness to get you started:

1. Do a once over in your house and those of your friends to find scarves, gloves and hats in good condition that you don’t wear any more. Offer them to homeless people on the street one day.

2. Find the address of a teacher that made a difference in your life. Write him or her a letter telling them how much they meant to you.

3. Hold the door and smile at people for one whole day.

4. Find an obscure charity or go to a site like goFundMe.com or another crowdfunding site. You could also go to heronetwork.com. Find a cause that speaks to you and donate to it.

5. Go to a gym with cold water bottles. Hand them out to random people working out.

6. Hide a $5 bill in a popular book at the library.

7. Pay fopr coffee of the person behind you in a drive up stand. If coffee is not your thing, buy a treat for the person behind you in line at the supermarket.

8. Leave a great tip and a note telling your waitress/waiter you hope she/he has a good day and that he or she is doing an excellent job.

9. Call a call center for customer service for a cable company, phone company or electric company for no other reason but to thank the person who answers for doing the job and let them know you understand how hard it can be sometimes.

10. Drop some flowers off to a nursing home desk and leave a card saying it is for all the residents.

11. On a morning when there is frost, scrape it off of your neighbor’s car anonymously.

12. Tell someone who looks stressed out on the job that they are doing a good job.

13. Buy something from the vending machine and leave it in the basket where it drops for the next person.

14. Go to a thrift store and buy some large print books. Donate them to a nursing home.

15. Find out what is on the wish list for a charity or shelter. Buy a couple items and drop them off.

16. Call an elderly or lonely relative that you never talk to just to chat.

17. Buy a pizza and hand it out slice by slice to people walking down the street.

18. Leave a couple dollars in random places at the dollar store. Attach a note that says, “Buy something you want on me”

19. Tip someone who never gets tipped for their job.

20. Instead of complaining about annoyances in your neighborhood, fix some of them.

21. Go to a local artist’s show and make it a point to tell them how much you enjoyed the show after.

22. If you hear someone coughing in a market or store, offer them a cough drop and a tissue.

23. On a cold day, buy a homeless person a cup of coffee. On a hot day, hand out ice-cold bottles of water.

24. Do something at work or home that is usually someone else’s job to do.

25. Share posts like this one any way you can. Comment on random posts on blogs. Share on twitter, Facebook, pin it and G+ it. Bloggers can always use a boost in traffic. <3

Filed Under: Christian Living, Family Tagged With: , , ,

How to Host a Pancake Bar Party

January 13, 2024 By 8 Comments

Diabetic Pancake Recipe

Weekends are a great time to make pancakes. I love to do a “pancake” bar at my home, especially if I have company on weekend mornings as it is a fun way to allow everyone to top their pancake exactly how they want.

Hosting a pancake bar party is very simple. You just need a few fun toppings and pancakes to do it!

How to Host a Pancake Bar Party:

First, you will need some pancakes since they are key to this type of party :) . Here is a basic pancake mix that I use since buying pre-mixed pancake batter can cost a lot and is full of sugar. I make a pancake mix that is diabetic friendly. You can make it with whole wheat flour or any kind of flour that meets your dietary needs.

  • 6 Cups flour (you can also try some almond flour, but be aware that it is high in calories, expensive and you would need to use 2 eggs instead of 1 when you mix)
  • 1 1/2 Cups powdered milk
  • 1/2 Cup Splenda
  • 1/3 Cup Baking Powder
  • A pinch of Salt
  • A pinch of Cinnamon

To make, just mix together and store in an airtight container. To make pancakes, add 2 1/2 cups mix to 1 1/14 cup water and 1 egg. You can also add 1 tbsp oil if you desire.

To set up a pancake bar, you just need toppings in small bowls. You can display them however you like. Here are some ideas for pancake toppings:

Bananas cut into slices

Peanut butter

Fresh fruit

Several kinds of syrups

Chocolate Chips

Whipped Cream

Peanuts

Whipped Butter

Candied nuts

Spices like cinnamon, allspice and cinnamon-sugar

Pie Filling such as apple pie

Chocolate syrup

Sour cream

Honey

Fruited yogurt

Pancake Bar Parties are perfect for when you have sleepovers with the kids. Children love to have choices offered to them and if one of thier choices is something like chocolate syrup, they will feel like they are being treated to something extra! I would love to hear about what you put on your pancakes. Leave me a comment with the most favorated or outrageous thing you have ever topped a pancake with!

 

Filed Under: BreakFast Recipes, Diabetic Lifestyle, Diabetic Recipes, Food, Homelife, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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