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Comment on Baking with honey by keeperofthehome

keeperofthehome — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:52:55 +0000

Yes, raw can sugar is the same as turbinado. There are benefits, such as trace minerals that aren’t present in regular sugar (which has all the nutrients stipped out of it), and also it hasn’t been through the chemical processes that white sugar has gone through. So it’s definitely a step up. :) But, unfortunately, it still reacts in your body like sugar (ie. immunity, using up nutrients, blood sugar, etc.).

Comment on Baking with honey by Meredith

Meredith — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 05:52:01 +0000

Is raw, unprocessed cane sugar the same as turbinado sugar? Is there any benefit to turbinado?

Comment on Baking with honey by keeperofthehome

keeperofthehome — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:48:08 +0000

You’re totally right, Tammy! I was just generalizing, because most people use the cheaper brown sugar, which is what most stores sell. But the raw, unprocessed cane sugar is definitely somewhat better than regular cheap sugar, and when you just really want granulated sugar, it is really nice to use. I just find it quite expensive (well, so is honey, but I buy mine in large quantities from a natural foods co-op so it’s not too bad) and often difficult to find, and I still overall prefer honey nutritionally speaking.

Comment on Baking with honey by Tammy L

Tammy L — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 03:42:54 +0000

Thanks for the great tips!! :)

By the way, the cheaper bags of “brown sugar” in the stores usually list sugar and molasses as the ingredients, but “real” brown sugar is different. :) It’s still more refined than, say, raw honey, but it isn’t just white sugar with molasses added. :)

Comment on Cheap children’s clothing! by keeperofthehome

keeperofthehome — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 00:39:05 +0000

Terri, I just did a bit of research for your excellent question. Yes, these cleaners (not just biokleen, but other natural cleaners as well, like Seventh Generation, ect.) are able to kill bacteria. They do so using natural ingredients, such as plant oils (citrus oils like grapefruit, for example) to do this.

However, most of them have not been tested in the same way that cleaners like Mr. Clean, Lysol, etc. have been tested. In order for a product to be labeled as a “disinfectant” it must be tested to be 99.99% effective in killing germs. This testing and approval process is very expensive, so most of these smaller companies cannot go through the process, and therefore cannot label their products as disinfectant.

I would imagine that there is a possibility that a harsh cleaner such a bleach would be more effective in killing absolutely every germ, but to me, the negative effects of using a chemical like bleach outweigh the benefits of it’s germ killing power.

I did read on several sites that if you want to make sure that a natural cleaner is being effective on bacteria, to first wipe away any food, dirt, etc. on the surface that is being cleaned, and then spray the cleaner and wipe it again. When you are wiping and “disinfecting” in one step, you are more likely to not get all of the bacteria. Also, make sure that you are using hot water and change your kitchen cloths often, as this is where a multitude of bacteria hide.

Hope that answers your questions!

Comment on Gleaning apples by Heather

Heather — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 03:48:45 +0000

Nice term! I had never thought of it as gleaning before! Where I now live (southwest Colorado), there are also plenty of apples to glean, from public property, and people who don’t use as much as their trees produce. My family has several bags of frozen cider, and lots of processed jars full of it and applesauce too thanks to that. Wild asparagus is another thing we have been allowed to glean in people’s property, and by the roadside. :)

Comment on Gleaning apples by Catherine

Catherine — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 23:04:32 +0000

I think it’s a great find, but since it’s in a public park, there’s a good chance the trees were sprayed. Apple trees are horrible for attracting insects, and if they are not sprayed rarely produce fruit as perfect as the ones you picked. Gleaning is a neat strategy, but far from being organic, you have to accept a certain amount of uncertainty and risk in your pickings. You don’t really know the history of the area. I would go for it–just wanted to caution you about your assumption that the apples are organic. I would at least wash them thoroughly.

Comment on Cheap children’s clothing! by Terri Warren

Terri Warren — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 17:04:25 +0000

Hi Stephanie,

I was reading one of your entries about the Bio-Kleen products. Do you know if they kill bacteria? Like in the kitchen, ecoli, siminela (not sure of the spellings sorry).

Thank You
Terri Warren
snow67cwth@yahoo.com

Comment on Cheap children’s clothing! by keeperofthehome

keeperofthehome — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 16:14:29 +0000

Carrie, yes, there is a certain satisfaction in knowing my kids have great clothes for a fraction of the price that others paid!

Hollie, nice to meet you too! It’s always great to meet another Canadian! Yes, VV on 50% days can be amazing. I haven’t found many consignment stores with prices that are low enough for my taste. Are you in the Vancouver area? And yes, I just discovered frugalshopper the other day!

Comment on Cheap children’s clothing! by Hollie

Hollie — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 01:20:29 +0000

Just found your blog while out blog walking. My favorite place to hit for clothing shopping is Value Village when they have their 50% off sake. I also hit consignment stores. Nice to meet a fellow frugal canadian blogger. Are you on frugalshopper?