The cult of kale … are you in? Do you munch on kale chips and extol the virtues of green smoothies for breakfast?
Or do you have no idea what I’m talking about?
Don’t worry, I didn’t until earlier this year. And then suddenly, kale was everywhere!
For those not in-the-know, kale is a leafy, green vegetable, related to collard greens or a more wild form of cabbage. Until the end of the Middle Ages, kale was one of the most common vegetables in Europe, and arrived in the USA in the 1800s.
My friend Laurie once requested that I write about some “vintage vegetables”. And kale fits that profile – a veggie that was used for centuries, then forgotten about until it’s reappearance in recent years (and some good marketing – kale even has its own website!)
This leafy green is worth a try – it’s packed with nutrients, really versatile, and best of all – doesn’t turn into a pile of mush when cooked like spinach!
And get this, I’ve even started eating it… for breakfast! (Ok, only sometimes. I’m not that virtuous.)
Continue reading The Cult of Kale
Have trouble sleeping? Wake up a lot during the night? Don’t feel rested in the morning? Join The Sleep Experiment here.
For two weeks, your fellow readers are going to test some simple kitchen remedies for better sleep. Then they’ll report back the results and I’ll share them here on the blog!
Want to try it? YOU choose the remedy that you want to try. Try it in your own home for a week, and report back the results. Then choose a different remedy for the second week. That’s it. Easy!
Click here now to sign up and get all of the instructions on how to participate!
Facial skincare is an expensive habit. I should know, Sephora gave me a gold card because I used to buy so many beauty products there!
But yet I still got breakouts and had really oily skin. I was on a non-stop cycle of trying to find the one miracle product that would sort out my skin.
Not surprisingly, I never found it.
I have a personal theory that when there is too much choice in a type of product, it means that none of them work very well. (Think about it. If one of them DID actually work, we wouldn’t need the 150 other options. We would just use what worked.)
You’ve probably read the studies that expensive moisturisers don’t work any better than their drugstore counterparts. So what are we paying for? Some “scientific research” which is questionable in my opinion, celebrities to advertise the products, and a nice big marketing, PR & packaging budget!
So should we just buy the cheapest moisturizer possible?
Not necessarily. I think it’s also important to consider what ingredients are actually inside your moisturizer.
Most moisturizers, from the cheapest to the most posh, are loaded with unpronounceable chemicals. And since a lot of what goes on your skin is absorbed into your body – this is a bit scary.
But there is a better way! We can choose moisturizers with high-quality, natural ingredients which are good for our skin.
And since we’re always on the lookout for a quick, handmade project – we can make our own luxe facial oils which are good for our skin, our mood AND our bank accounts!
Continue reading Handmade beauty: luxe facial oil
My kitchen just doesn’t feel homey unless I have several edible ‘experiements’ brewing and bubbling on the countertop.
Currently I’m making sloe gin and chocolate liqueur for Christmas gifts (oops, sorry everyone, you know what you’ll be getting this year…), as well as some echinachea tincture for winter colds. But these are all infused alcohols, so they’re quick to prepare and not much of a culinary challenge. Speaking of infused alcohols – have you made any of these projects yet? Really, they are So Easy, and your friends will be impressed!
Projects get more interesting when live bacteria and yeast join the fun. You might remember making sourdough bread or super veg. These super traditional projects require catching friendly bacteria or yeast from the air and getting them to do the hard work for you!
This project is in the more advanced category. Although it’s really easy to make, it might frighten small children when left on the counter. (Actually, small children will probably think it’s really cool – it’s the other adults you might frighten away!).
Kombucha is one of those specialty drinks you find in health food stores and yoga studios. It’s based on black tea which is fermented so it becomes fizzy and tart. It’s really tasty, and some people think it does amazing things for detoxifying the body and improving your digestive system (think: inexpensive, drinkable probiotics.)
But what hooked me was the fact that you need a floating colony of bacteria to start the process (known as a mother, a mushroom or a SCOBY) … it looked so weird I just had to try it myself!
Continue reading Fizzy, tasty AND good for you? Kombucha.
I had an awful night of insomnia last week. The worst ever. Probably due to my giving up caffeine for several weeks, and then succumbing to delicious espresso in Italy last week. Ok, not just one espresso… four of them. (But they tasted so good!) I was up all night staring at the ceiling, willing myself to go to sleep, with no luck. I was not a pretty sight the next day.
Luckily I rarely have problems sleeping. But after an informal poll of my friends, I found that getting enough sleep, and getting good quality sleep, is something a lot of women struggle with!
We’d all like to get a good night’s sleep without taking medication and without feeling groggy in the morning. I think this is possible through simple home remedies and lifestyle changes – but which ones work the best? I’m launching The Sleep Experiment to find out!
Let’s start with a fun exercise: Quick! List 3 things you could do to improve your health.
Ok. Did your list include things like: eat more vegetables, eat less food, exercise, stop being stressed out, sleep more, take my vitamins?
Those are on my list too. They’re probably on ALL of our lists. See, we all know what we should do, but the tricky part is actually making the changes to DO those things.
So. Back to the stress thing.
We all know that continual stress is bad for our health. There are so many articles all over the internet about that. Including this one just recently which emphasizes all the bad stuff about stress (that we already know, thank you!) and then offers the sage advice to find work-life balance, and avoid stressful situations.
Hmmm.
Those aren’t exactly the practical tips we had hoped for. Why is it that so much “how to reduce stress” advice requires major life changes? ”Quit your City job and move into a country cottage, while meditating 2 hours a day and becoming vegan!”
Since this is Vintage Savoir Faire, I’m all about finding time-tested solutions to modern problems.
So here are my favorite ways to reduce stress, without changing your life.
Continue reading How to reduce stress – without changing your life!
Project don’t always turn out as planned. This sweet chili jam didn’t set and became sweet chili sauce. But it was still tasty!
My beauty detox continued.
On a quest to use up the random alcohol in my liqueur cabinet, we made some spiced Winter Warmer Rum. Start some now for winter hot toddies.
Speaking of winter foods, we made chicken noodle soup and French cassoulet.
And finally, I started debating whether Grandma was a minimalist. Balancing thrift and minimalism is a tough one. Let us know what you think!
Our perception of health is broken. And we need to fix it immediately.
I recently read Crunchy Betty’s post about her bad experience in a hospital, and it pushed me over the edge. I was going to hold out until next year to talk about this topic (when I have some great classes planned) – but I just can’t. These issues are too important!
Something is seriously broken in our healthcare systems, but also, in the general public’s perception of “how to be healthy.” I’m not a doctor. Or a nutritionist. I’ve just learned through experience that what I eat makes a HUGE difference into how I feel, my immune system, my energy level, and my happiness.
I can sum up my health philosophy like this:
- Our bodies WANT to be healthy. Health is our natural state. Our bodies tend towards health when they are given the right foods & conditions. Our bodies know how to heal themselves, we just need to give them the right environment.
- Food IS medicine. What we eat is absorbed into our bodies and provides energy and nutrition to keep us alive and functioning at peak. I am constantly saddened that people eat such poor diets – full of processed, “fake” foods, drink lots of diet soda (if it doesn’t have calories, it must be healthy, right?), need coffee, sugar, caffeine and alcohol to get through the day and then expect to have perfect health because they take vitamin pills. Really? Calories and fat are not what we need to worry about – high quality, nutritious, balanced foods are what feeds our body and keeps us healthy. I’m thrilled to see this concept is becoming more mainstream now – there’s even a TV show called The Food Hospital here in the UK about it!
- But it’s not just about the food. Food is a key element of health. But we can’t be happy and healthy eating a perfect diet if we’re in a bad relationship, working 80 hours per week at a job that’s boring, never see our friends and are not sleeping well because of stress. A good diet is only one part of health. We need to take a holistic view and get everything into alignment. We all know that life is more than a job or checking off each item on the to-do list. But making the necessary changes is tough. We need some balance, and that includes relationships, career, hobbies/creative pursuits, exercise and spirituality.
I’m convinced that we need more conversation and education about how to be healthy. I know for most of my life, I didn’t make choices based on health – I made choices based on what would make me thinner and hotter. Hmmm. Then I figured out that actually eating real, whole foods, and reducing the fake stuff in my diet made me feel better, have more energy, and maintain a healthy weight. Sweet.
You might have noticed that I’m a little bit crazy about using herbs for health.
Especially normal, everyday herbs and plants. Herbs and plants that probably grow where you live. Plants that your great-grandma would have recognized and used in the days before corner pharmacies.
Have you ever had a cup of chamomile tea to relax? Or peppermint tea to soothe your stomach? That’s the kind of herbal medicine I’m talking about. Gentle, safe, effective, non-scary and simple.
There are lots of common herbs and plants that we can use to support our health and treat minor ailments. And you don’t have to study for years to use them. It’s as simple as keeping a few containers of herbs on hand, and making tea.
So let’s channel our inner wise-women and put together a basic kitchen apothecary of versatile herbal remedies!
Continue reading You wise woman, you! Stock your kitchen apothecary.
If you have any digestive issues or want to boost your immune system, here’s a solution you might not have considered.
Eat some Super Veg every day. What is Super Veg? It’s my own name for lacto-fermented vegetables, a very traditional process of preserving vegetables for the winter and also enhancing their nutritional value.
Any type of fermentation, whether it’s sourdough bread or yogurt, involves encouraging the growth of friendly organisms to help preserve the food, improve the flavor and, often, add health benefits for you too.
Ok, I admit I changed the name of these veggies because the familiar name has a bad reputation. Depending on your background, you might know them as German sauerkraut, French choucroute, or Korean kimchi. Wait, don’t run away! I HATE sauerkraut too. At least I always thought I did. That’s until I started fermenting my own with a blend of veggies and seasonings. The soggy, vinegary cabbage which comes in cans bears no resemblance at all to yummy Super Veg. I promise!
Continue reading Improve your digestive system with super veg!
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Welcome! 
Hi, I'm Amanda, and I write about healthy and creative living by rediscovering vintage skills!
I focus on good food, handmade beauty products, kitchen remedies, and getting crafty & creative, all from my small kitchen in London.
First time visiting? Start here.
Don't forget that I'm just a regular person. I'm not a doctor, therapist, herbalist, aromatherapist, chef, expert or professional practitioner of anything I discuss here on Vintage Savoir Faire. I'm just really interested in vintage tips, detoxing my beauty routine and traditional remedies. So if you're unsure about anything, check with your doctor or a qualified professional before you try it! All the information on this site is provided on an as-is basis. Whew. Glad we cleared that up!
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