Green Cleaners

This weekend should be a great one for opening the doors and doing some spring cleaning. By now you might be aware of the chemical risk you take using regular detergents and cleaners and how over time these products can be toxic to the body. With that in mind, I searched out a summary of green cleaning solutions, they are easy and they work. Enjoy the weekend and don't forget the spring plant sale this Saturday morning, just scroll down for more information.

To clear your drains Pour 125 ml of baking soda down the sink and add at least a cup of vinegar. Put the cover on the drain and wait a few minutes. Finish by rinsing through with a mixture of boiling water and salt.

To clean your oven Make a paste of baking soda and water. First, scratch off burnt spots with a scouring brush and then apply the paste and scrub.

To clean your windows and other glass You have two options: for every litre of water, add 75 ml of vinegar into a spray bottle. Or try club soda. Be sure to use a lint-free cloth to wipe up.

To clean your toilet bowl Sprinkle baking soda around the inside of the toilet bowl and scrub with toilet brush. Add some white vinegar into the bowl and let sit for a few minutes before cleaning with the brush.

To clean your bathtub and surrounding tiles Mix 400 ml baking soda, 125 ml liquid soap, 125 ml water and a few spoonfuls of vinegar. Apply, scrub and wipe. Got mildew? Try vinegar and salt.

Cleaning up in the kitchen Use baking soda on non-scratch surfaces and the vinegar and water mixture on all others.

Cleaning your microwave oven Mix 30 ml of baking soda or lemon juice and 250 ml water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for five minutes or until the liquid boils and condensation builds up inside the microwave. Wipe down.

Polishing your silver Put a sheet of aluminum foil into a plastic or glass bowl. Sprinkle the foil with salt and baking soda and fill bowl with warm water. Soak your silver in the bowl. The tarnish will migrate to the foil. Dry and buff.

Cleaning brass Cut a lemon in half, sprinkle it with salt and rub the lemon on the metal. Buff with a cloth.

Cleaning your copper Make a paste with equal parts white vinegar, flour and salt. Rub it onto your copper, leave it on for an hour and then buff with a cloth.

Cleaning your chrome surfaces Try toothpaste.

All-purpose cleaner In a spray bottle, combine five ml borax, 2.5 ml baking soda, 30 ml lemon juice and 250 ml of hot water.

Cleaning your wood floors Mix 125 ml white vinegar and 125 ml vegetable or olive oil in a spray bottle.

Furniture Polish In a spray bottle mix 250 ml vegetable or olive oil and 125 ml of lemon juice. Shake well and apply a small amount to a cloth.

Multi-purpose deep cleaner Mix 250 ml household ammonia, 125 ml white vinegar, 62.5 ml baking soda and four litres of warm water.

Something Different: A Spring Guided Meditation Recipe

Fresh Green Pea Potage
Serves 4-6

2 leeks, white parts only, tough leaves removed
(or substitute 1 bunch green onions or 1 large spring onion)
3 pounds fresh peas in pods, or 40 ounces frozen peas, or a combination of both
2 - 3 sprigs thyme
2 - 3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive or grapeseed oil
6 cups water
1 tablespoon honey
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 - 3 tablespoons heavy cream, optional
Sour cream, yogurt or creme fraiche, optional

1. Wash your hands then gather all the ingredients and put them in front of you on the counter.

Notice the shape and color of the pea pods. Pick one up and feel it in your hand. Hold it up to the light and see its translucency. Eat a fresh pea out of the pod. Be aware of the texture and feeling in your mouth.

2. If you are using fresh peas, lightly rinse and drain the pods before opening them. Remove the peas from the pods and put aside. If you are making a lot of soup, you may want to combine fresh peas and frozen ones. Of all the frozen vegetables, peas seem best at keeping their integrity intact.

Notice what is happening in your mind. Do you have a sense of anticipation? Are you thinking, what's the big deal; it's just a pea.

Let your thoughts come and go.

3. Wash the white part of the leeks well: make two crossing slices along the length, creating a sort of brush, and wash well between the layers. Slice into ½-inch pieces.

Notice your posture while cutting.

4. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and saute until translucent, but not brown. Add the peas, reserving 1 cup. Add the thyme, bay leaves, and 6 cups of water.

Listen for the sound of sizzle when you add ingredients, it lets you know the oil is the right temperature. Crush the thyme in your hands and smell its oils.

Bring to a boil; then simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let steep for about 20 minutes. The peas will lose their bright color if you cook them for too long.

Take a moment to pay attention to what you are thinking about. Are you absorbed and relaxed or distracted?

5. Take out the thyme and bay leaves. Puree the mixture in a blender; then strain through a fine sieve. Using a wooden spoon, push the peas through; discard the remains. You should have a very smooth puree that is quite dense. If too thick, add a bit more water. (Up to this point the soup can be made the day before and refrigerated.)

6. Return the soup to the saucepan and reheat slowly over medium-low heat. Stir in the honey and taste for seasoning. Add the cup of reserved peas. Be careful not to burn it. If you like, stir in a couple of tablespoons of heavy cream while heating.

As you taste, notice the burst of flavor. Experience the taste. Is it sweet, bitter, salty? What is the texture like in your mouth? Has it been cooked enough? What would you add?

7. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, yogurt, or creme fraiche. Garnish, if you wish, with some chopped chives, parsley, julienne sorrel, a thin-sliced and lightly grilled scallop, or a flurry of toasted ground cumin or freshly ground black pepper.

Dip your spoon into the hot soup and lift into your mouth. Notice how the flavor changes from one mouthful to the next. You could easily eat an entire bowl without even tasting it if you don't pay attention. Don't get lost in thinking about the next thing to eat. In the midst of eating this are you lost in craving? Are you thinking, "Oh, if only this was Matzo Ball soup, then I would be happy!" Try to stay with your experience of tasting and eating this soup.

When you have finished your meal, take a few moments to get in touch with a sense of cultivating health in nourishing your body and sharing food. You might offer the merit of this delicious practice to others. I'm told that the one who cleans up receives all the blessings.

Fundraiser at Arcadia

Fair Trade Algoma will be hosting a film screening of 'When Silence is Golden,' a documentary of a filmmakers' experience in a rural Ghanaian community affected by a Canadian gold mining company's practices. Proceeds from this event will support a local student's involvement in the 2008 WUSC International Seminar.

Twenty university students from across Canada—including Rebecca Stuebing of Sault Ste.Marie, Ontario—were selected to participate in the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) 2008 International Seminar. This summer,these students will travel to Ghana to engage in a group research project on rural community perceptions of basic education. This project will be undertaken in partnership with local communities and NGOs over a period of six weeks in rural villages throughout the country. The costs associated with this initiative will be partially funded by WUSC and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)—participants must contribute $3000 through individual fundraising campaigns.

How Well Do You Know Your Body

A sure fire way to protect your health and quality of life is to get to know yourself...how your mind and body work. The following is a quiz that helps that process along the way. See how well you do.
Take the quiz

From there you can access a cornucopia of information to expand your horizons from head to toe.

New York Times Wellguide

Earthward Cafe Relocation Update

Queen Street is about to get a tasty shot in the arm. Steve Lang is taking his wonderful vegetarian cooking to the Arcadia Cafe at 823 Queen St East. Here's the announcement:

Hi Folks,

We are open Monday to Wednesday this week and will close (temporarily) as of Thursday, May 15th. We will be relocating to the newly renovated Arcadia Coffee House on Queen Street with plans to start serving lunches again as of the first week of June. We will be mailing out a newsletter with all the details sometime next week. Stay tuned!

Just a reminder: Cherry Hill organic/fair-trade coffee is on sale for 3 more days! We will not be retailing coffee at the new location so stock up now. We have dark, medium and light roasts available as well as a Swiss Water Decaf.. Supplies are limited. Also, we only have a few more 500 ml. bottles of Fiddlehead Farm's local maple syrup for sale.

Hope to see you soon,

Stephen Lang

Earthward Café

Pangea Day

Saturday was a good day. A friend and I rode our bikes over to Sault, MI without a hitch and got to witness some very powerful messages conveyed to a worldwide audience through film. It was called Pangea Day. It's stated purpose was "In a world where people are often divided by borders, difference, and conflict, it's easy to lose sight of what we all have in common. Pangea Day seeks to overcome that – to help people see themselves in others – through the power of film."
I think they did a wonderful job of it...here is just a taste of what was shown:

mutual recognition
sierra leone's refugee all stars
the ball
i remember lebanon
moving windmills

www.pangeaday.org

Healing Seminars

A friend of mine told me about a seminar that is taking place in Michigan on Marquette Island at the end of the month, it's called "Opening to the True Mystery of Being". It approaches healing from the perspective of spiritual awakening, energy awareness training and bodywork as valuable tools for dealing with physical, emotional and spiritual trauma.
http://www.awakeningtopresence.com/pages1/May08Michigan.html

I went to a seminar in Toronto a few years ago that dealt with the connection of the mind and body and how we can create disease through physical and emotional blockages and how to unlock those blockages. David Rowland is holding another seminar, also at the end of the month, in Toronto. He is the founder of Creative Nutrition Corp. which is responsible for Vitamost products.
http://www.universaltechnique.ca/workshop_dates.htm

And finally a little closer to home, Marcia Maguire will be conducting two workshops at the Garden of Eden (149 Trunk Rd, 254-3441) on May 30 and June 27. Marcia will be offering acupuncture treatments and iridology sessions as well as harmonic balancing which is healing through sound. I found a video that explains the technique very well here.
Marcia has 25 years experience in natural healing techniques. Her clinic is in Thessalon, Ontario.