Vanilla is considered one of the world's most expensive spices, next only to saffron and cardamom.  In fact, it is so highly-prized that growers will do just about anything and everything within the bounds of the law to protect their crops from thieves.  These facts are not surprising considering the wide range of culinary uses vanilla has in many global cuisines. Did you know, however, that the vanilla extract can be used to make the Earth a greener place to live in?  Yes, indeed but first a few basic things about vanilla just to enrich your knowledge of this aromatic spice. Spice Description Vanilla traces its origins in Mexico although countries as far away as Tahiti and Indonesia also produce the plant in large tracts of land.  The flavor comes from the bean, or seed pod, of the plant itself although synthetic extracts are also available.  Take note that synthetic vanilla is identical in flavor to the natural beans, if and only if it is of the highest quality. Speaking of the beans, these contain thousands of tiny black seeds that are scraped off for their strong flavors and smells.  All vanilla beans have a rich, full and powerful aroma although the Indonesian and ...

Many people still think that living and loving the green life costs money, plenty of it.  Well, nothing can be farther from the truth.  Of course, you will spend money when you replace your incandescent bulbs with fluorescent lights, when you install residential solar and wind power facilities and when you install low-flow faucets, to name a few examples, but all these inexpensive green investments will pay for themselves sooner than later. You can actually earn green dollars by living and loving the green side of things.  How's that for loving the environment and loving your pockets at the same time? Recycle and Resell This is by far the fastest and easiest, not to mention probably the most profitable, way to earn green dollars.  You just look through your attic, basement and garage to determine which of your junk items you can sell for profit over many venues.  Don't worry about not selling any of your junk for indeed the adage about one man's trash being another man's treasure is very, very true. * Recycle your old mobile phones through various independent recycling schemes on the Internet like Fonebank and Envirofone.  You can ...

More and more people are going vegan or vegetarian.  If you are cooking a holiday meal this year and you know someone will be attending who is vegan or vegetarian, you might be feeling a little bit worried about what you are going to make for them.  Here are some no-hassle ideas for you that are sure to please: Let’s start off with the vegetarians, who may not be eat but for the most part can eat certain animal products as long as there is no meat involved.  If everyone is eating turkey this year, then take a look into the faux turkeys!  Everyone might scoff that the idea of a veggie turkey, but they are actually out there and they are actually quite delicious.  Try the Tofurkey roast, and enjoy it with all of the usual trimmings such as mashed potatoes, veggie gravy, and stuffing! For the vegans in the family, look into purchasing some sort of celebration roast.  This is a vegan dish that is made out of grain "meat."  These roasts are also made with a sausage-style stuffing that is made with squash, apples and mushrooms, and excellent choice for anyone who might be feeling a bit left out ...

Many of us are conscious about the quality of food that we put into our bodies to stay strong and healthy, but have you ever considered the potential dangers lurking in the cookware you use to prepare your food? For many people, the implements that they use to cook with don't get a second thought, but different types of cookware can actually leach toxins into our food. Here are some things to be aware of: Teflon, a common non-stick coating applied to cookware can easily, under normal cooking situations, exceed the temperature at which it starts to break down and emit toxic chemicals and gases. The chemical breakdown of Teflon has long been linked to pet bird deaths (Teflon toxicosis). Teflon's maker, Dupont, has also acknowledged that the fumes emitted from Teflon can cause an illness in humans called "polymer fume fever," although no further research has been done on its long term effects on humans. Dupont claims that if you cook with Teflon coated cookware at a low temperature and don’t burn the food in the pan, you will be safe. Several decades ago, researchers found a link between ...

Going green might sound like a cliché type of phrase, since it is used so much that its original meaning might be lost forever. That does not mean, however, that going green is not important, as there are countless reasons why people should take the time to go green, especially with their buildings. Green building occurs when people keep the environment in mind through the building's life cycle, which includes things like its design, the actual erecting of the building, maintenance, renovation, destruction, and its day to day operations. These buildings can come in all shapes and sizes, but it is very important to keep in mind that even a house or shed can be included as a green building. One of the most important aspects of green buildings is that they are efficient when using natural resources, such as energy and water, and that they are able to reduce the amount of waste that is given off. This is very important because the less waste that is produced, the less future issues there will be for the environment. Using green materials are also healthier for workers, which can increase their productivity. This means that going green can actually help a ...