Got Mold?

It's Not Just On Your Bread...It Could Be Growing in Your House!

Take a close look at your walls, floors and vents or inside closets. Especially in basements or areas that are out of the way and more prone to moisture exposure. See some streaks, spots or unusual coloration? Could be yellow, green, brown or black in color? If so, there just may be a fungus among us...mold.

Most of us know that old food can get moldy. And we've all seen what mold can do to an old pair of sneakers. But not everyone knows that these freaky fungi can get into and take root inside your home. And the results of mold infestation can be devastating.

Mold is certainly unsightly. It can even smell bad. Aww...let face it: mold is downright gross! But more importantly, mold is bad for your health. When mold grows excessively inside your home, it can seriously affect air quality. Airborne mold spores float through your home and are inhaled. This can lead to a variety of respiratory illnesses like bronchitis and persistent cough, as well as chronic conditions like allergies and asthma. The more mold you have in your home, the more likely it is that you or someone in your family will develop one of these health issues.


Mold Growth is Widespread

There are hundreds of different mold varieties, and these can be found virtually anywhere. Even if your home is spotless, mold could be growing in unseen places like behind walls, under floors, inside insulation, in ductwork, or along window sills. In these cases, you may not know about the mold for months, or even years. This allows growth to steadily increase over time; once you are aware of the problem it could mean thousands of dollars in cleaning and repairs.

Obviously, widespread mold growth is a problem that should be handled as soon as possible. However, even small amounts of mold can lead to breathing problems and illnesses for everyone in your home—pets, too.

Mold thrives in warm, moist, dark environments. Old or faulty HVAC systems can produce an environment where mold can grow. So can leaky pipes, poor drainage or any problem that allows water and moisture to accumulate.


Why Mold is So Harmful

• Volatile Organic Compounds: All types of mold produce substances called volatile organic compounds (VOC). These are naturally-occurring chemicals that are found in a variety of things used in the home. Some of the most common volatile organic compounds are generated by paints, household cleaners, and adhesives. The VOC in mold creates that distinct, musty odor that we usually associate with mold or mildew growth. The smell alone can decrease the quality of air inside your home and will gradually worsen if the problem is not eliminated. Research has shown that humans who are exposed to a high concentration of indoor mold growth experience a wide range of symptoms, from allergic reactions to issues with the central nervous system including nausea, headaches, and diminished mental capacity.


• Allergens: Every type of mold also produces allergens. Mold grows in tiny clusters called spores. These spores release invisible toxins that travel through the air inside your home and can trigger allergic reactions when they are inhaled. These reactions are the same as you might experience with any other environmental allergy: itchy, watery eyes; sneezing; coughing; nasal congestion and sinus pressure; and even skin rashes.

Prevent Mold Growth

For visible mold, clean the area with an antibacterial cleaner or a common bleach and water solution. This will get rid of existing mold and will prevent new growth. Remember that mold and mildew thrive in warm, moist places so be sure that your bathrooms are vented properly, open windows whenever possible to allow fresh air into your home, and never leave damp clothing or linens lying around.

If you suspect mold is growing in unseen areas of your home, hire a professional to perform a thorough assessment. You may need to contract with a professional cleaning service or make some repairs if the problem is serious.



Related Mold and Indoor Air Quality Information from Horizon Services...

• Keep Your Home Free from Mold and Mildew
• Indoor Air Quality - A Major Problem for Homeowners
• Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
• Air/Q Whole House Air Freshener

Playing with my new toy!

I received a x'mas present from my hubby quite early this year, a Waffle Maker! That's what I've dreamed for some times ago and every time I pass by the Mayer shop, I would stand there looking at it for a few minutes. My hubby always got headache when thinking what to buy for my x'mas present but this year he settled it quite fast haha... We can't wait to try out the waffle maker, so I quickly flipped through a Belgian waffle recipe from 西点学习大百科.  This recipe highlight that original Belgian waffle normally made by yeast instead of baking powder and soda bicarbonate that I found is quite different. Since this is a Belgian waffle maker, I think this recipe would goes well with it.

I like this waffle maker because it had a deep pocket of baking plates which will make the waffle much thicker and crispy too! The result wasn't disappoint me as the waffles had a crispy texture at the outside and remain a fluffy crumbs. As this is my first attempt, I've no experience  on its heating temperature, the color of the waffles is slightly dark, so I think I would turn the heat down to slightly lower next round. I served it with my homemade chocolate snicker ice cream and cream cheese ice cream, brilliant! 

Recipe to make 4 pieces to fit in a Cuisinart Belgium waffle maker:

150g plain flour

3g instant dry yeast

1 tablespoon caster sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

150ml fresh milk

50g sour cream

1 egg

30g unsalted butter (melted)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Mix plain flour, yeast, sugar and salt together. Gradually add in milk, then sour cream, eggs follow by the melted butter and vanilla extract.


2. Combine the mixture until a smooth batter then cover with cling film. Let the batter proof for 1 hour. 


3. After an hour, the batter will appear some bubbles on the surface and the batter is almost double up. Use a spatula to mix with a folding method until the bubbles disappear. 


4. Preheat the waffle maker then  pour in the batter until cook. (I followed the user menu instruction) 


5. Serve it with honey, maple syrup or ice cream. Enjoy!

PS: The waffles will turn soft once it cool down. Toast it in a preheated 160C oven for 1 or 2 minutes to get back its crispiness. It can be kept in an airtight container  at room temperature for 24 hours or keep in the freezer for 2 weeks according to the recipe. But, fresh one always the best! Cheers!

Mor Keerai (Greens in Buttermilk Gravy)

Mor kozhambu is one of my all time favorite gravy/curry. I just love the smell and the taste of coconut, cumin and the tangy taste of the buttermilk in the dish. The dish can be made with a variety of vegetables like okra, white pumpkin, drumstick,chayote squash and most of the green leafy vegetables. Among the green leafy vegetables,I have not personally tried using spinach but have prepared it with most other green leaves.This mor keerai post is the first post on my blog that contains a pictured step-by-step description of the dish. Hope you all enjoy making this dish.

Ingredients:

Collard Greens - 1 bunch
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - According to taste
Asafoetida - A pinch
Buttermilk - 2 cups (Preferably a little sour)

For Grinding:

Green chillies - 2

Cumin seeds - 2 teaspoons

Coconut grated - 1/2 cup

For seasoning:

Oil - 1 table spoon
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Method:

• Cut and wash the collard greens and strain it and keep it aside.

• Grind the coconut, green chillies and the cumin seeds to a coarse paste and set it aside.

• In a pan, add oil, mustard seeds and cumin seeds and allow the mustard seeds to pop up.

• To this add the ground paste and fry till the raw smell from the masala goes away.

• Add salt according to your own taste.

• Add turmeric powder and Asafoetida.

• Now add the collard greens and cover it and cook for about 10 mins until the greens are cooked well and shrink in size.

• Now add the buttermilk and mix well and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes.

• Mor keerai is ready to be served hot with rice.

Notes:

• Do not cook the dish on high heat after adding the buttermilk as it tends to curdle.
• If there is no sour buttermilk available, you can add 2 tablespoons of sour cream to the buttermilk and add it.