Courtesy of Albert Watmough

Volume 14 Number 4

CURRENT KITCHEN DESIGN TRENDS 2021 is well on its way, and a few kitchen trends have emerged as frontrunners. First up – light coloured countertops. While the beginning of 2020 saw darker countertops trending, a growing desire for a softer, uplifting vibe in the home means white, beige and grey countertops are popping up everywhere. Next – faucets. And more specifically, touchless faucets. Turn the water on with a wave of your hand to avoid spreading germs – and to avoid leaving those annoying fingerprints all over your faucet. Last up – slim appliances. Great for

smaller homes, condos and people who’ve recently downsized, a variety of brands have released appliances that take up much less space. For example, while an average-sized refrigerator is 30-36 inches wide, Fisher & Paykel’s new thin fridge is only 24 inches. And it looks really beautiful too!

LOW-CARB ZUCCHINI FRITTERS

INGREDIENTS: 3 medium zucchini 2 large eggs 2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut flour 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon dried parsley 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for sweating zucchini

DIRECTIONS: 1. Dice the zucchini. Add to a food processor. Pulse until shredded, scrap down sides as needed. 2. Transfer the zucchini to a strainer, then

place in a large bowl. Lightly salt and let sit (or “sweat”) for 20 minutes, tossing occasionally. The salt will help draw the excess moisture out of the zucchini. 3. Wrap the zucchini in a clean cloth. Firmly squeeze the zucchini to remove more moisture, repeating as needed. 4. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs. Combine the shredded zucchini, eggs, garlic, spices, coconut flour and Parmesan cheese (if using) in a large bowl. Stir well. If the mixture is too watery, add more coconut flour, one tablespoon at a time. 5. Warm oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Form 1/4 cup scoops of zucchini mixture into small patties. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Repeat with remaining mixture, add more oil as necessary. 6. Serve warm and with sour cream, scallions and more parsley. Or enjoy all on their own!

Courtesy of www.ehow.com

MUST-HAVE HOME FEATURES The experts at HGTV have released a list of must-have features, and while the term “must-have” should be taken with a grain of salt, there’s a good reason these features are being touted – they’re a perfect balance of pretty and practical. Take the office-nook for example. HGTV calls a work-from-home space “essential,” but not everyone has an extra bedroom that can act as an office. Instead, a small nook underneath the stairs or in the corner of your kitchen or bedroom can provide you with everything a home office needs – in a fraction of the space. Another highly recommended feature is a good-sized, well-organized pantry. Keep in mind that “good- sized” is a relative term. It’s what you do within the space that’s important. Think multiple shelves, bins, baskets – and labels if you want to take your pantry organization one step further. Heading outdoors, HGTV experts are saying that a space to dine and hang out beyond your four walls is vital. Even if all you have is a small balcony, you can turn it into an oasis with comfortable seating, mood lighting for the evenings, and plenty of potted plants. Lastly, the trend towards living a more eco-conscious lifestyle continues to grow. And there are so many ways you can green your home. From replacing inefficient windows to investing in solar panels – even installing a DIY rain-catcher can make a difference. Keep in mind though, that the most important must-have feature in your home is that it reflects you and your family’s likes and needs.

HOW TO MAKE POTS WITH NEWSPAPER An easy, thrifty and eco-friendly way to start your seeds indoors. All you’ll need is a full sheet newspaper, a pair of scissors and a clean tin can. Step 1: Fold the newspaper in half, cut along the crease. Each piece makes one pot. Fold the half pieces in half again and then fold an inch-wide lip on the open side. Step 3: Roll the newspaper around the can, leave two inches overhang on the bottom. Fold over these two inches to make the bottom. Step 4: Slide the can out while holding the bottom of the newspaper pot and fold the lip over again inside the pot to secure the folds. Step 5: Your seedlings are ready to be placed directly into the dirt!

DECLUTTER YOUR HOUSE WITH THESE 30 MINUTE PROJECTS

Decluttering is one of the most important things a homeowner needs to do when prepping for a sale. Of course, it’s also one of the most difficult. Decluttering – especially if you’ve lived in your home for a long time – can feel very overwhelming. But thinking of the project as a bunch of small tasks instead of one big job helps it to feel much more manageable. Here are six 30-minute decluttering projects that will get your home sale-ready in no time. • Edit your books. If you’re a booklover, there’s a chance you have amassed quite the collection. Edit that collection and pass some of your books on for others to enjoy. Consider donating some to your local library. Just think about all the people who’ll get to read them! • Clear the kitchen counters. Countertops are notorious for collecting all kinds of odds and ends. Challenge yourself to clear them off almost completely, leaving out only a few of your most-used small appliances. • Go through your bedside table. If your nightstand has a drawer, it’s likely full with papers and other assorted things. Go through it and toss, recycle or donate anything you no longer want or need. Then neatly stack the rest. • Downsize your wardrobe. Almost everyone has a few pieces in their wardrobe that they no longer wear. And depending on the size of your clothing collection – you may have a lot more than a few. If you haven’t worn something in a year, it’s likely time to say goodbye. • Simplify your linen closet. How many extra towels, sheets, blankets and pillows do you actually need? Probably not as many as you have. Much like with your clothing, if you don’t regularly use your linens, you likely don’t need them anymore.

HARD SUDOKU

Use the numbers 1-9 to fill in the numbers exactly once in every row, column, and 3x3 region below.

SOLUTION:

Courtesy of www.puzzles.ca

Get up to $2500 with a TD Mortgage.

With a TD Mortgage or TD Home Equity FlexLine Term Portion, you could get up to a $2500 cash bonus. Follow the steps below:

Step 1: Apply online or through a TD Mobile Mortgage Specialist and fund your TDMortgage or set up your TDHome Equity FlexLine Term Portion by August 31, 2021.

Choose a TD Mortgage or a Term Portion on a new TD Home Equity FlexLine that: • Has a minimum four-year closed to prepayment term, • Has a principal amount of $150,000 or more, and • Is for a new purchase, refinance or switches your mortgage to TD.

Promotional Rebate Amounts:

Borrowing or Draw Down Amount*

Promotional Bonus

$750,000+

$2,500 $1,500

$500,000 – $749,999 $250,000 – $499,999 $150,000 – $249,999

$950

$500 *The borrowing/draw down amount used to qualify cannot be used to pay existing TD Mortgage or TD Home Equity FlexLine debts.

Step 2: To obtain the cash bonus, complete the following before your TD Mortgage is funded or your TD Home Equity FlexLine Term Portion is set up:

If you choose a TD Mortgage: • Set up automatic payments. In order to qualify for this offer, the pre-authorized debit payments for your TD Mortgage need to be debited from your TD Chequing or Savings Account.

If you choose a Term Portion on a TD Home Equity FlexLine: • The Term Portion of the TD Home Equity FlexLine must be programmed within 5 calendar days of account opening. • The cash bonus will be deposited directly to your TD Home Equity FlexLine Revolving Portion within 30 days of the TD Home Equity FlexLine Term Portion being set up.

• The cash bonus will be deposited directly to your TD Pre-Authorized Debit Account within 30 days of the TD Mortgage being funded.

Talk to a TD Mobile Mortgage Specialist.

The offer is subject to meeting TD Canada Trust credit granting criteria. Offer does not apply to business lending. This offer can be changed, extended or withdrawn at any time by TD Canada Trust, and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or discount for the same product. ® The TD logo and other trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank.

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