Cucumber salad

4 kirby Cucumbers, sliced in food processor, thinly hand-sliced or on a mandolin
1 T Greek style plain yogurt
2 T olive oil
1 T white rice vinegar
Chives, chopped
Lemon Thyme, chopped
Mint, chopped
Dill, chopped
S & P

Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify & Energize Your Life, Your Home & Your Planet is now in its second printing! Go to book to purchase your copy.
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Killer BBQ Sauce

This is the best BBQ sauce I've ever had. Makes even the "best" commercial ones pale in comparison. This is enough for a summer of BBQ for my husband and I. Just don't contaminate the sauce with the meat and it will keep for months.

½ cup oil
1 1 /2 cups chopped onion
4 gralic, minced
1 cup tomato paste
1 cup cider vinegar
¼ cup honey
½ cup Worcester sauce
1 cup Dijon
½ cup soy
1 cup hoison sauce
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
½ t red pepper flakes

Heat oil under low temperature. Add onions and garlic and sauté until clear. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 30 minutes.

Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify & Energize Your Life, Your Home & Your Planet is now in its second printing! Go to book to purchase your copy.

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Wasabi Tuna and Pasta Salad

This is delicious! I made this the other night and served it with zucchini salad, see below. I have made this recipe with both canned tuna and fresh and prefer the canned because of the way the flavors all meld together into one delicious yummy meal.

1 large carrot, shredded in food processor
Hunk of radicchio, shredded in food processor
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
Handful arugula, chopped
1 pound pasta
2-3 cans tuna fish, drained or fresh, grilled and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup mayo
½ cup wasabi mayo
Salt & pepper
1 can black olives, sliced
1 can hearts of palm, sliced (optional)

While pasta is cooking, prepare vegetables and tuna. Add both mayo’s. Drain pasta and cool with cold water. Combine and chill.

Zucchini Salad

2 lb zucchini, sliced thinly lengthwise with slicer on food processor or on a mandolin
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspons lemon zest
2 teaspons lemon juice
2 teaspons Dijon mustard
1 teaspon anchovy paste
Pepper
Handful mint, chopped
Handful parsley, chopped
3 ounces frisee, cut in small pieces (optional)
1 small red onion, sliced thin

Sprinkle salt on zucchini and let sit in a colander 5 minutes. Rinse well with cold water. Gently place in kitchen towels and dry. Wisk together oil, lemon, anchovy paste, mustard and pepper. Combine with remaining ingredients.

Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify & Energize Your Life, Your Home & Your Planet is now in its second printing! Go to book to purchase your copy.

Go to Harmonious Environment website

Non Toxic Mold Killer

I just discovered the best way to clean mold in my shower! I used to struggle with baking soda and vinegar, but no more. Mix hydrogen peroxide, a little eco-friendly soap and baking soda. Apply to mold, using a scrub brush, mold instantly dissolves. This mix is safe on stone and tile.

Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify & Energize Your Life, Your Home & Your Planet is now in its second printing! Go to book to purchase your copy.

Go to Harmonious Environment website

Reusable Tote bags

I have been using reusable tote bags for shopping for years now. I keep them in my car and just grab a bunch when needed. (I also keep one that folds into itself in my purse.) Aside from the obvious benefits of helping the environment by choosing reusable over plastic or paper bags, reusable totes are far stronger than throw out bags. Stronger means no fears of bags breaking and spilled stuff all over the place. If you live in a city and have to schlep bags any distance, this is especially convenient.

Up until the last few months, I rarely saw anyone else in the grocery stores with reusable totes. That is changing and fast! I can happily report that in my oh-so-suburban town about an hour north of New York City, it is now common to see people with their reusable bags.

Most of the grocery stores in my area give back a few cents for every reusable bag, and I think that's great, but the next step is to charge people for each paper or plastic bag they use, and eventually, ban throw-out bags altogether.

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Writer's Workshop

October 3-5th, I will be doing a writer's workshop called "Sell Your Book Like the Pros!" It will be held at My Retreat, 90 miles NW of New York City, in South Fallsburg, NY. For more information, go to: Writer's Workshop.

Friday Night
Round table discussion on what participants are working on and what they want to learn over the weekend. Norma discusses her journey through publishing.

Saturday Morning
The business of publishing in 2008

• Three routes to publishing; traditional, subsidy & self-publishing: the real deal
• Brick & mortar and online bookstores
• Website/blog & other venues for your books

Saturday Afternoon
How to create a book proposal that sells your book

• Discuss custom strategies for individual participants
• Target market audience

Saturday Evening
Group discussion of topics covered

Sunday
Promoting your book: What everyone needs to know, no matter how you’ve been published

• Pre-publication: reviews, creating buzz with a website and/or blog
• Post-publication: reviews, book awards, Internet strategies, book tour
• Ongoing: marketing for long term sales
  

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Green Works Cleaning Products by Clorox

About a month ago, the marketing people for Clorox sent me, unsolicited, Green Works™ all-purpose cleaner and window cleaner.

I got a call from a marketing person to see if I liked the products and I told him that the window cleaner didn't work well on my car windows and it that leaves a haze. The all-purpose cleaner worked pretty well.

He offered to send me the toilet and bathroom cleaners and I said sure. They both worked well.

The marketing person was happy with my responses and asked me if I would endorse the product. After all, the Sierra Club has formed a partnership with Clorox and is supporting the Green Works products.

I hope that means financial support for Sierra Club, as Clorox continues to produce toxic-filled products that degrade the environment and harm users of the product.

Moreover, Clorox touts the safety of their products, which include a dizzying array of toxic bleach-based products for kitchen, bathroom and laundry. There is a section called "Healthier Lives" which spews a bunch of nonsense about fighting germs by cleaning with these toxic substances.

I will endorse Clorox only when they stop making these toxic products and sell only natural and safe products for people and the planet.

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