What is clean living, as you look through this website you will realize the reason why this topic is so important to me. About 10 years ago, a wise man told me that you can’t do anything with the environment around you; however, you can take care of what you do within your own home.
This I took to heart and started this website and continue to share information with you. I’m very passionate with the saying “YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT”. As a clean eater (organic), you care about what you put in your body, so of course you care about what you put on your body also! This is so true and I have started to share clean living concept with recipes of healthy foods as well as products you use every day. Easy to follow, if I can do them you can too.
What is simple clean living?
Simple Clean Living is about clearing out all of the toxic garbage in your life, on several different levels. It is a mind, body, spirit approach to healing your body and transforming your health and life. With food, it means clearing out all of the manmade foods and not eating process foods.
This is a clean start to all autoimmune diseases, change the way you eat, change the chemicals you use in your home, change the chemicals you put on your body, and change the negative things within your mind.
Remember Knowledge is power.
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How to Clean and Remove Pesticides from Your Fruits and Vegetables 🍎🥦
Fruits and vegetables are essential for a healthy diet, but they often come with residues of pesticides and chemicals.
Proper cleaning can significantly reduce these harmful substances and ensure your produce is safe to consume.
Here is a step-by-step guide using simple, natural methods.
Why is it important to clean produce?
Remove Pesticides: Pesticides can harm your health over time, leading to issues like hormonal imbalances or other illnesses.
Eliminate Bacteria: Dirt and bacteria, including E. coli and salmonella, can stick to the surface of produce.
Enhance Taste: Proper cleaning removes residues, improving the natural taste of fruits and vegetables.
Methods to Clean Fruits and Vegetables
1. Vinegar and Water Soak
Why: Vinegar is effective at breaking down pesticide residues and killing bacteria.
How to Use:
Fill a large bowl with four parts water and 1-part white vinegar.
Submerge your produce and soak for 15–20 minutes.
Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
Best For: Leafy greens, apples, grapes, and berries.
2. Baking Soda Solution
Why: Baking soda neutralizes many pesticides and removes dirt.
How to Use:
Add one teaspoon of baking soda to one liter of water.
Soak the produce for 10–15 minutes.
Scrub gently and rinse with clean water.
Best For: Hard-skinned produce like apples, cucumbers, and carrots.
3. Saltwater Soak
Why: Salt helps dislodge dirt and kill certain pests.
How to Use:
Dissolve 1–2 tablespoons of salt in a bowl of water.
Soak your fruits and vegetables for 10–15 minutes.
Rinse thoroughly to remove the salty residue.
Best For: Broccoli, cauliflower, and leafy greens.
4. Lemon Juice and Water
Why: Lemon juice acts as a natural disinfectant and helps dissolve waxy coatings.
How to Use:
Mix one tablespoon of lemon juice with two cups of water.
Spray the solution onto your produce or soak for 5–10 minutes.
Rinse thoroughly.
Best For: Berries, peppers, and zucchini.
5. Running Water and Scrubbing
Why: Effective for removing dirt and reducing pesticide residues.
How to Use:
Hold produces under running water and scrub gently with your hands or a produce brush.
Dry with a clean towel.
Best For: Firm produces like potatoes, carrots, and apples.
Tips for Cleaning Produce
Trim Outer Layers: Remove outer leaves of greens and peel waxy skins when possible.
Dry Completely: Use a clean towel to dry your produce after washing to remove the remaining bacteria.
Wash Just Before Eating: Washing too early can cause spoilage.
Clean your product only when you are ready to use it.
Special Care for Organic Produce
Even organic produce can have dirt and bacteria.
Use the same cleaning methods to ensure safety.
By adopting these simple techniques, you can effectively clean your fruits and vegetables, reducing pesticide exposure and enjoying healthier, tastier meals.
Do you ever check to see if your eggs are fresh?
Your Guide to Checking Egg Freshness
Buying fresh eggs straight from the farm is a treat, but how can you be sure they are still good?
Do not worry, you are not alone!
Here are some ways to determine if your eggs are fresh or on their way out.
This age-old method is still one of the most reliable ways to check egg freshness.
Here is how it works:
Fill a bowl or glass with water: Make sure the water is cold.
Gently lower the egg: Place the egg in the water.
Observe:
Fresh eggs: Sink to the bottom and lie flat on their side.
Less fresh eggs: Sink to the bottom but stand on one end.
Old eggs: Float to the surface
While the water test is a great starting point, there are other indicators to consider:
Shell appearance: A fresh egg’s shell should be clean, smooth, and free of cracks or fissures.
Egg white consistency: Crack a fresh egg into a bowl.
The white should be thick and clear, with a distinct yolk.
If the white is watery or the yolk is flat, the egg might be older.
Smell: Fresh eggs should have little to no odor. A strong, unpleasant smell is a clear sign of spoilage.
Storage Tips to Keep Your Eggs Fresh
Proper storage is crucial for maintaining egg freshness.
Here are some tips:
Refrigerate: Store eggs in the original carton in the refrigerator.
Avoid washing: Washing can remove the protective coating on the shell, allowing bacteria to enter.
Use within a few weeks: For optimal freshness, use eggs within a few weeks of purchase.
By following these simple methods and storage tips, you can confidently enjoy your farm-fresh eggs without worrying about their freshness.
Dan and I love pistachio nuts.
How about you?
Well, if so, do you throw away the shells?
Here are seven reasons to never throw away pistachio shells
Next time as you enjoy the crunch of pistachios while watching a good movie, or even in some ice cream, remember that you do not have to throw away the husk?
There are a couple of ways you can use pistachio shells for gardening or other projects.
Just make sure that the husks of this Middle eastern-native tree are not salted, or rinse and dry them before adding to your garden if they are.
Let us look at some ways of using them!
Filler For Potted Plants
If you have a large, deep decorative container, you have likely dealt with filling issues.
It can feel like a waste of good soil mixture to fill it to the top.
One way to avoid this is by adding a layer of pistachio shells to the bottom.
They will take up a decent amount of space, and you will be left with some substrate for other plants too.
Just make sure you leave enough room for your plants to grow.
Herbs and similar smaller plants, for instance, need about a foot of soil to thrive, while larger plants such as tomatoes require 2-3 feet.
An additional advantage is that these shells will provide some drainage, making sure your plants’ roots are never in the water.
Drainage For Container Plants
Pistachios are excellent for improving drainage for potted plants.
Even more so if your planter does not have drainage holes and you do not really want to get a new one.
Just add an inch-thick layer of pistachio hulls to the bottom of the container and top it all up with the potting mixture.
Excess water will drain into this layer, which keeps your plants above it and their roots nice and dry.
Regular materials used for this kind of drainage are stones and pebbles, but pistachios also work.
And since it may take a couple of years for them to decompose, you will not have to worry about replenishing them.
Mulch
Mulching your plants is an excellent way of preserving soil moisture and preventing weed growth, as well as adding some organic matter once it begins to break down.
It also looks great!
Therefore, the next time you are munching on pistachios, save the shells, and mix them with wood chips, bark, straw, or any other organic mulch material, then sprinkle the mixture around your plants and enjoy a waste-free garden.
What is so great about pistachio shells is that they are heavy duty and take forever to decompose, so you will not have to replenish the mulch any time soon.
When they eventually do break down, your soil will be richer in carbon.
Pest Repellent
Kitchen scraps have numerous uses.
For instance, there are many great uses for eggshells, one of which is deterring slugs and snails from eating your outdoor plants.
You can do the same with pistachio shells, just make sure they are salted, and these pests will not come anywhere near them.
Of course, you should not place them too close to your plants since salt can change the soil’s composition after rain or watering and cause issues.
Instead, place them around your garden or in a wide circle to prevent leaching.
If you want to deter squirrels, cats, racoons, and other animals from digging up your soil, then use the hulls as a thick top layer around your plants.
If you have issues with your pet cat constantly messing with your houseplants, just add some shells and see what happens; they will not like the texture!
Composting
When you exhaust all the gardening options for pistachio shells, just throw them in your compost.
They make excellent brown material, but they also take ages to decompose.
Luckily, you can speed up this process by finely crushing the shells before composting them.
The easier option is to soak them in water for about 24 hours before adding them to your compost.
Once they are ready, just dump the pistachios and water in your bin or pile.
Fire Kindling
If you love pistachios so much that you have too many shells for your garden, you can use them for fires.
Their woody texture is excellent for kindling and starting or reviving an almost dead fire.
Just add a handful or two to get it going again.
They are safe to use in fire pits, wood stoves, and camping fires, although they might hop around a bit when heated.
You can cram them in an old newspaper or similar material, crumble them up, and toss them into the flames.
Arts And Crafts
Artful gardeners will love this one.
Pistachio shells make excellent material for various creative projects.
Use the rounded husks to make gorgeous flowers, or make your own succulents from them, as well as floral wreaths, decorative trees, candles holders, necklaces, etc.
Easy Way to Crack Open Pistachios
