Courtesy of Alex and Gai Michie

TUNA MELT STUFFED PEPPERS

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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.

INGREDIENTS: 4 large bell peppers Olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 cup Greek yogurt 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons lemon juice 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

DID YOU KNOW?

7 SILLY SUMMER JOKES 1. What kind of tree fits in your hand?

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2. What did the little corn say to the mama corn? 3. How do we know that the ocean is friendly? 4. What do you do if you get rejected at the sunscreen company? 5. What is brown, hairy, and wears sunglasses?

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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.

6. Where do goldfish go on vacation? 7. Where do sheep go on vacation?

The Baa-hamas.

5. A coconut on vacation. / 6. Around the globe. / 7.

Answers: 1.A palm tree. / 2. Where is pop corn? / 3. It waves. / 4. Reapply. /

There are a lot of commonsense tips for saving to buy a home. Don’t eat out as much, shop frugally, put a good chunk of your paycheque into savings. Real estate experts say you can do more if you want to become a homeowner before the age of 40. These guidelines become even more important if you live in a super-competitive real estate market. • Plan for a rental suite. Sometimes homeowners add a rental suite after they’ve moved in, but experts are advising potential buyers to plan for one 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. However, 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. Often when we think of buying our first home, we imagine our dream home. 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. TIPS ON BECOMING A HOMEOWNER BEFORE 40