Deep Clean Your Wood Cutting Boards Naturally!

Making good food doesn't just rely on the recipe you use or your skill in the kitchen. It's also determined by how well you maintain the tools and surfaces that you have, regardless of how expensive they are! Let's talk about your wood cutting board today. When is the last time you deep cleaned it? Been a while? Let's do it tonight - it's so easy and you likely have the ingredients you need!

Check out our natural cleaning products list too, just in case you are in the mood to keep on cleaning after you finish cleaning your cutting board!

A few key pieces of information about wood cutting boards before we start:

1. NEVER, NEVER put them in the dishwasher! Although it seems like a good idea, wood is a porous substance and if soaking it full of water is a BAD idea!
2. On that same note, NEVER submerge your wood cutting board in water. It will dry out very quickly and will become dry and crack over time.
3. Although you can, it's not recommended that you cut meats on your wood cutting board because of the porous substance. BPA-free plastic or glass cutting boards are better for cutting meat (watch your knives though!)

Want to know what you need to deep clean your wood cutting board? A lemon and some coarse salt. 

Let's get started!

Wash your cutting board as you normally do - a little soap and a scrubber sponge or a brush. Rinse thoroughly.

Cut your lemon in half. Coat the wet board with coarse salt and squeeze the juice of 1/2 of the lemon onto your board. Let it sit for 1-2 minutes.

Take the other half of the lemon and begin to scrub the salt into the board using the cut side of the lemon, slightly squeezing the lemon to juice it as you scrub. Let the board sit for 1-2 additional minutes.

Rinse thoroughly. Stand the board upright to dry either on a towel or in your sink.

Want to restore the wood of your cutting board? Rub a little mineral oil into your board after it has dried. Mineral oil is odorless and tasteless.

Have scratches on your cutting board that drive you crazy? You can use a little bit of fine grit sandpaper to relieve the scratches. Be sure to wash and complete the steps afterward to remove the particles.

When's the last time you deep cleaned your cutting board?

Are Your Cleaning Products Really "Clean?" - Recipes to Help You Clean

It's hard to go from using your old cleaning products to new, natural ones! I found myself wanting to revert back to what I know works - bleach, formulated granite cleaners/polish, chemical-laden window and toilet cleaners, but alas! Here are my favorite "recipes" for disinfecting your home!

In case you want to copy and paste these recipes to a word doc, here they are in text format! 

All Purpose Cleaner

• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp Dawn dish soap
• 4 TBSP white vinegar
• 400 mL warm water

Stir/shake to mix well. Use a squirt bottle for optimal usage.

Dusting Spray

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 c white vinegar
• 1 c warm water

Stir/shake to mix well. Use a squirt bottle for optimal usage.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

• 1/4 c baking soda
• 1/4 c borax
• 1 c white vinegar

Place ingredients directly into toilet. Mix gently with bowl brush. Let sit at least 30 minutes before scrubbing. 

Granite Cleaner

• 1/2 c rubbing alcohol
• 8 drops Dawn dish soap
• 2 c warm water

Combine in a squirt bottle.

Glass Cleaner

• 1/4 c rubbing alcohol
• 1/4 c white vinegar
• 1 TBSP cornstarch
• 2 c warm water

Stir/shake to mix well. Use a squirt bottle for optimal usage.

Tub Cleanser

• 1/2 cut grapefruit
• 1/4 c kosher salt

Place salt directly on grapefruit half. Scrub your tub!

Grout Cleaner

• 1/2 c baking soda
• 1/4 c white vinegar

Mix in a small, open container. Using a toothbrush, apply paste to grout and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Rinse off.

Not sure what you need to get your Green "Clean" Cleaning Pantry stocked? Check out our shopping list from yesterday's post!

Do you have a favorite green cleaning recipe to share? 

Eating Clean at Group Functions, Revealed!

It's a topic that many of us don't want to talk about. We dread our company lunches, meetings with clients and bosses, or even our family gatherings because we just haven't mastered the art of not offending anyone with our food choices. Am I right? Just how do you maintain your clean eating lifestyle when you may not be able to choose your food? I used to feel like this often. However, we don't have to! Here are a few tips and scenarios to help you out.  Keep in mind that moderation is important, you should not shy away from your friends and family just because you are eating clean.  It is okay to indulge every once in a while without feeling guilty about it - these tips will help you avoid a binge!

Rule #1 (in ALL circumstances) - ALWAYS keep a snack of about 100-150 calories with you; a Quest Bar or a pack of raw almonds are great examples! Eat this about 30 minutes to 1 hour before your function. This will control your appetite and leave you less likely to pig out on things you know you shouldn't have like macaroni and cheese, tortilla chips with cheese and even birthday cake.

If you are in a breakfast meeting or a lunch meeting with a client, you can always sneak away to the bathroom at some point within the meeting and scarf down your 100 calorie snack as well! Make sure that your snack can easily fit in your pocket and will not spoil (a string cheese or a refrigerated snack would). Not sure that you can resist the bagels and muffins available at the breakfast meeting? Make some of the protein bars into muffins and share! Good choices are the Lemon Protein Bars (add poppy seeds and pass them off as poppy seed muffins) and the Cinnamon Swirl Protein Bread. 

Birthday parties and weddings are the worst for me! Let's face it - I love cake, especially vanilla wedding cake! (Bummer for me that my sister-in-law owns an amazing bakery in D.C. and I can't eat her cupcakes or wedding cakes!) If it's a company shindig (especially those that happen every month) or a birthday party of a friend or family member you know, bring something to share! Suggesting that they try something new will be all you need to introduce them to the Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies, the Chocolate Almond Biscotti or even the Chocolate Protein Bars that taste just like brownies! Weddings... I'm not sure what you should do - it will be a test of willpower and be glad you ate that 100-150 calorie snack before hand!

If you are going to a family gathering or over to a party at a friends house, it's always a good idea to bring one dish that complements what they may be preparing but qualifies as a clean dish for you. Try something that has a mix of protein and carbohydrate in case this ends up being the main thing on your plate, like a quinoa, a bean salad, or a veggie tray with homemade hummus dip. Proper etiquette says you should ask before bringing the dish, but if it's someone that is likely to tell you know, I would bring it without asking!

If you are attending a potluck family, church or work-related function, this one is easy! Who said you can't make more than one dish to share? Nobody! Make a protein-laden dish (like the Turkey Meatloaf Muffins, Turkey Monster Meatloaf or the Stuffed Bell Peppers) and a good-for-you carb dish (like the Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Cauliflower Mashed "Potatoes" or the Sweet Potato Tots). This will ensure you at least have something to eat! Just ensure you are close to the front of the line so you can be sure to get some of your clean goodness!

Please Note: I am not telling you to be rude to your host or hostess by not having any of their food. That would deeply hurt their feelings, BUT by eating the snack before hand any making wise choices once you are there, you will greatly decrease your risk of throwing off your new lifestyle and not reaching your goals! If you are struggling with family members that don't understand, take a look at our Toxic Friends and Family post!

Happy Celebrating!