Archive for October, 2008

Tip of the Week: The wonders of white vinegar

White vinegar is a godsend to have around the house. If you use the homemade laundry detergent I gave the recipe for last week then you’ll already know that in hard water areas it makes a great fabric softener. But what else can you do with it?

Firstly make a 50/50 water/vinegar solution in a spray bottle and use it for:-

  • cleaning out the inside of the microwave.
  • as a final rinse when cleaning out the fridge to stop mildew developing.
  • as a final wipe down after cleaning the oven to get rid of the oven cleaner residue.
  • the best way ever of getting rid of that black mould that grows between bathroom tiles. Give a good liberal spray, leave for 10 minutes then go back and scrub the grouting with a nailbrush and it’ll just come off easily — just rinse everything down with the shower head.
  • To polish mirrors and windows (wipe with newspaper to stop smearing)
  • cleaning sinks and taps.

Neat vinegar is a great descaler — of taps and sinks (just soak a cloth in the vinegar and scrub), of kettles and coffee machines (half fill and boil – make sure you do at least two boil rinses though if you do not want your tea tasting of vinegar), to use instead of rinse aid in the dishwasher and you can also use vinegar (along with a spoonful of borax) to scrub out the loo.

Probably the most versatile kitchen cleaner ever!!

Rachel’s Vegan Banana Date Muffins

Ingredients

60z/175g of wholemeal self raising flour
1.5oz/40g organic caster sugar or demerara sugar
2oz/50g vegan margarine
4fl.oz/125ml soya milk mixed with about three tablespoons of water
1 mashed banana
2oz/50g chopped dates

Method

Mix flour and sugar together in a bowl.

Melt the margarine in the microwave and add to the flour/sugar mix along with the soya milk/water mix and stir it all up.

Add the banana and dates – mix it up!

Divide the mixture into paper muffin cases in a muffin tin (should make between 6 and 9 depending how big you like your muffins!) and bake at 180 degrees C/350 degrees F/Gas Mark 4 for 25 minutes.

Will take you about 5 minutes to whip up a batch of these — they are low fat and great for breakfast.

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