Courtesy of Rochelle Dale

TUNA MELT STUFFED PEPPERS Courtesy of www.ehow.com

INGREDIENTS : 4 large bell peppers Olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 cup Greek yogurt

4 (5-ounce) cans of tuna, drained 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 small red onion, minced 1 celery stalk, minced 1/2 cup brown rice, cooked (optional) 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 1 tablespoon chives, minced

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons lemon juice

DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Slice the bell peppers, scoop out the seeds, and white pith with a spoon. Place the bell peppers in a large casserole dish. Drizzle oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The longer you pre-bake the peppers, the softer they will be. Combine the Greek yogurt, mustard, lemon juice, salt and black pepper. Mix well and set aside. 2. Add the tuna to a large bowl. Add the garlic, onion, celery, rice, parsley and yogurt mixture. Stir until the ingredients are combined. 3. Pack the tuna mixture into the bell pepper halves. Top the peppers with shredded cheddar cheese. 4. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the peppers are as soft as you’d like. Top with chives and serve immediately.

Did you know that August was named to honour the first Roman emperor (and grandnephew of Julius Caesar), Augustus Caesar? If you were born in August, your flowers are the gladiolus and the poppy.The gladiolus symbolizes strength of character, sincerity, and generosity, while the poppy symbolizes eternal sleep, oblivion, and imagination. Also, according to some, the first date in August that has a heavy fog will have a heavy frost on the same date in October. Courtesy of www.almanac.com

DID YOU KNOW?

TIPS ON BECOMING A HOMEOWNER BEFORE 40 There are a lot of commonsense tips for saving to buy a home. Like don’t eat out as much, and shop frugally. Real estate experts say you can do more to become a homeowner before the age of 40. These guidelines are important if you live in a super-competitive real estate market. • Plan for a rental suite. Experts are advising potential buyers to plan for rental suites right from the beginning. Designating a part of your home as a rental from the outset means you can plan for the rental income to offset your mortgage. The great thing about rentals is they don’t have to be forever. There’s always the potential that one day you can close the chapter on being a landlord and expand your living space. • Turn your parents into investors. Experts suggest that instead of your parents acting as piggybank, you turn them into investors. This means that whatever they lend you gets paid back – and then some. For example, if you combine this tip with planning for a rental suite, your parents will get a portion of the rental income. Just make sure that whatever you decide you put into writing. • Use the stepping stone approach. Who said you have to live in your dream home right from the start? Consider your first real estate purchase as the first step toward the home you want to own one day. Not only is this financially smart, it also helps to take the pressure off your home hunt as you begin to think of it more as an investment in your future than your forever home.