General

There is hardly anybody out there who isn’t affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been an exceptionally hard time because of the social distancing norms that must be followed to curb the spread of the virus. So, how do you keep Covid-19 out of your home?

While the research for a vaccine is in process, we must learn to live our lives with utmost care to avoid getting infected. This means finding new ways to do things that usually involve coming in contact with someone outside of your home.

For instance, getting external carpet cleaning services may seem like a risk at the moment. So to get your carpet free of dust, germs and stains you can opt for a good carpet cleaning powder and do it yourself. 

I have listed below some of the best practices to safeguard your family and keep COVID-19 out of your home:

• Avoid crowded places:

As per the government mandated social distancing norms, avoid going out in crowded places unless it is very important to save yourself from getting infected. A lot of people are asymptomatic and unaware of being infected which may lead to you carrying the infection home. 

When you have to go out, wear a good quality mask at all times especially in a public place where it may get difficult to maintain a physical distance from others. Always carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer in your pocket or bag to disinfect your hand in case you touch a frequently touched surface.

• Maintain high personal hygiene:

This is the most important step that must be taken seriously. The virus can enter your home if you aren’t careful and ignore personal hygiene. Always wash your hands immediately after entering your home. If you come in contact with a lot of people when you step out of the house, take a shower after washing your hands.

Always cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when sneezing or coughing to prevent the spread of germs and immediately dispose of the used tissue. Avoid touching your face if your hands aren’t washed. This simple tip can protect you and your family from getting infected. 

• Regularly clean and sanitize your home:

This one is a no brainer. The pandemic has made us realize the importance of a clean and safe home. The high touch surface of a home like door knobs, light switches, taps, remote controls, etc must be sanitized on a daily basis. Clean the floors as often as possible to lower the risk of infection. Also, make sure your carpet cleaning solutions are strong enough to get rid of all the allergens and pollutants. 

Invest in covers that can be easily clean and washed to prevent them from getting damaged. Be careful while washing clothes that have been worn by a family member if they were in a highly crowded place. Such clothes should always be washed properly. Before cleaning electronic products, always read instructions to avoid accidentally damaging them.

• Monitor you health:

The best way to keep COVID-19 out of your home is to be alert about your and your family’s health. Educate yourself about the symptoms and be proactive when you sense any sickness. Monitor your and your family member’s health on a daily basis to watch out for fever, sore throat, weakness, shortness of breath and other symptoms.

If you ignore any symptoms and do not disclose it to your family members, you are putting them also at the risk of getting infected in case you are a carrier. If you experience any symptoms, immediately isolate yourself from your family members in a room and use a separate washroom too.

Conclusion:

A lot of people believe the widespread myths about the COVID-19 virus which puts them under a lot of stress. Although it is a serious disease and must be taken seriously, you can practice the above tips to stay safe and keep Covid-19 out of your home.

The majority of Americans eat tacos the same way; ground beef cooked with a packet of taco seasoning, served in a tortilla with cheese. But is that the best way? Mexico is the birthplace of tacos. But tacos, or variations of tacos, are made in many different ways in different parts of the world. It’s not hard to make tacos using different meats and ingredients. It takes the same amount of time and effort in most cases. If you are looking to expand your culinary palette with an easy meal like tacos, try using one of the ground beef alternatives mentioned below to spice up your family dinners.

Turkey

If you enjoy traditional tacos, try making them with ground turkey instead of beef. Ground turkey is mild and can be seasoned any way that you want. Your kids may not even know the difference.

Ground turkey will generally contain less saturated fat than ground beef, which may make it the perfect choice for those concerned with long-time heart health.

You can make these even healthier by serving them in a lettuce boat instead of a tortilla. Don’t worry, you can still pair these turkey tacos with an ice-cold margarita.

Birria

Birria, also known as quesabirria, makes for incredible tacos. Birria is usually made from goat marinated in spicy chili broth. It is cooked as meat stew

You can find quesabirria tacos all over Guadalajara and the surrounding areas in Mexico. But for those looking to recreate this at home, you can make it with beef short ribs if you don’t have extra goat meat laying around.

Tempeh

Tempeh is a popular taco “meat” option for vegetarians and vegans. Tempeh is similar to tofu in that it is made from soybeans. But it is fermented into a firm pattie as opposed to soft, mushy tofu.

The consistency makes it a great choice as a taco meat substitute. The mild flavor of tempeh will readily absorb any flavor from your desired seasonings.

Chickpea and Avocado

Another vegetarian option is to combine chickpeas and avocados for an easy, no-cook taco. Simply mash drained chickpeas with ripe avocados and serve on a tortilla.

Add pico de gallo, cilantro, jalapenos, and maybe even a little feta cheese. Or you can always try fried avocado tacos, which even the most diehard meat-eaters would enjoy.

Chorizo

We usually thank Mexico for chorizo, but it was introduced to Mexico by Spain. Nonetheless, chorizo is a popular meat used for burritos and tacos. Chorizo is a minced sausage spiced with chili peppers.

In America, we often associate chorizo with breakfast burritos. While it is excellent breakfast meat, you can enjoy chorizo tacos at any time of the day. Chorizo is now often found in local grocery stores. If you can’t find it there, head to your nearest carniceria.

Beef Alternatives Are Plentiful

Tacos aren’t boring. If you ever feel that they are, the problem is how you make them. There are far too many ways to cook and enjoy tacos. It’s time to think outside the box and use one of the many ground beef alternatives we have available.

And if you need more inspiration for your time in the kitchen, make sure to read some other recipe posts on our blog today.

Stop signs are erected on roads and intersections to control traffic and pedestrians, with the primary goal of maintaining road safety. Yet they cause a significant number of road traffic injuries and property damage. It is common knowledge that you have to come to a complete halt when approaching a stop sign, regardless of whether the other roads are clear. Therefore, proving negligence when you are hit by a car that ran a stop sign should be easy. It then comes as a shock to many when the other driver’s insurance company refuses to pay for damages.

This is a common incident that happens more than you can imagine. That’s why it is important to know the steps you can take to ensure that the insurance company pays.

Common Causes of Stop Sign Car Crashes

First, let’s look at some of the most common causes of stop sign accidents to help you remain vigilant on the road.

• Distraction
  • If the driver’s focus is not on the road, they will fail to notice the sign or when front cars slow down, causing a rear-end car accident.
• Failure to yield
  • At an intersection with cars arriving at the same time, driver 1 might proceed while driver 2 does the same. Here, both drivers mistakenly think that the other is going to yield.
• Speeding due to impatience
  • You might be running late for an important meeting or attending to an emergency, but speeding and running a stop sign will only make things worse.
• Failure to notice a 2-way stop
  • At a 2-way stop, one of the streets might be a through street, meaning that it does not have a stop sign. A driver who is on the stop-sign street but arrived first at an intersection might mistakenly think that the other car will equally slow down, which is not the case. The outcome is a T-bone collision.
• Reckless and impaired driving that causes slow reactions.

The Insurance Company Is Refusing to Pay

Unknown to many policyholders and claimants, insurance companies do not like it when they have to compensate a victim for damages caused by their client. Learn the three common ways that insurers refuse to pay so that you prepare yourself accordingly and on time.

First, the defendant might refuse to pay by delaying your settlement. This is a tactic for you to settle for a lower amount or to give up on your case altogether. The insurer could also be delaying settling so that they continue earning interest from your money. They do so by asking for countless documents or intentionally delaying different internal processes.

Second, the insurance company might try to defend the claim. They will employ aggressive attorneys who have dealt with other claimants like you. If you do not have legal representation, it is easy to cave in and settle on their terms.

Lastly, the insurer might deny their policyholder’s liability in the accident. They might claim that there is insufficient evidence or that they need a recorded statement from you. Do not provide the latter without a qualified attorney.

What to Do if the Insurance Company Is Refusing to Pay

When the insurance company attempts to pull any of the above tricks to deny you compensation, your attorney will first provide them with all the evidence to show that their client was negligent and ran a stop sign. These include police reports, photos of the scene, and eyewitness statements.

If all fails, the only way for the insurance company to accept liability is through a legal lawsuit. Your attorney will initiate the litigation process for a court trial.    

As electronics get cheaper and more advanced, a multitude of small kitchen appliances and gadgets have popped up in recent years. But what small kitchen appliances give the greatest value to your kitchen? What will be worth your money and not sit languishing in an inconvenient cupboard? Here are the top 5 small kitchen appliances you need to try.

1: Air Fryer

Air fryers are one of those small kitchen appliances that solve multiple problems at once. Conventional oil frying involves hot oil that can spit up and burn you, can get expensive quickly, and isn’t the healthiest means of cooking food. Air fryers, on the other hand, are safer, can save money in the long run, and are far healthier than oil fryers. The only disadvantage is that air fryers tend to be a bulkier machine, so you will have to clear some counter space. It’s the one item on this list of the top 5 small kitchen appliances you need to try that I would highly recommend for the cook with any experience level.

2: Pressure Cooker

Pressure cookers have been used in restaurants and commercial settings for ages, but only in recent years have they become available for home cooks. By creating a sealed, pressurized environment, pressure cookers enable you to cook food more quickly and evenly than a conventional oven. There are a multitude of pressure cookers available at any price point, and they won’t take up more space in your cupboard than a large pot.

3: Tap Water Filter

If your tap water is hard or has an unpleasant taste, you probably find yourself reaching for expensive and environmentally unfriendly bottled water. Luckily, getting a tap water filter can make it so you spend less on bottled water and use less plastic as well. There are multiple ways to filter your tap water. Filtered water jugs for your fridge, on-tap filters, and under-the-sink filters like this Brita sink filter all have their advantages and disadvantages, so make sure you do your research before committing to one kind of water filter.

4: Immersion Blender

If you enjoy making soups and smoothie bowls, an immersion blender can be a great investment. Unlike conventional blenders, immersion blenders can work on any temperature or quantity of food. They are also less bulky than a conventional blender, and you can wash them more easily than the large jug and blades of the blender you might have now. There are a huge variety to choose from, so you can find an immersion blender that works for you at any price point.

5: Sous Vide Sets

Sous vide is a cooking method that uses vacuum seals and precise temperature control to ensure consistent and professional results. Sous vide sets and kits are a great way to bring this restaurant cooking method into your home. Sous vide immersion wands ensure that the temperature remains consistent and that the cooking process is perfect, and a home vacuum sealer works just as well as a commercial one for getting the right results. If you run out of vacuum sealer bags, you can also use a plastic bag that’s been sealed and clipped to the side of the pot to ensure that no water leaks in.

All of these small kitchen appliances solve common problems while cooking or help make tastier, more consistent food. If you look at this list and find something that catches your eye, don’t be afraid to take a chance and expand your kitchen appliance horizons. You will end up with better, easier, quicker cooking and a fun new way to make your meals.